I awoke with a heavy heart, consumed by thoughts of our breakup. It was a reality I never envisioned, a weight of sorrow that now loomed over us as we faced a future apart. Love had carved deep wounds within me. I rose from my bed, seeking solace in a warm bath, then dressed and ventured out to gather some treats, knowing our time together was dwindling. I slid into the car my dad had arranged for my shopping trip, but my mind was a whirlwind of questions. "What could have caused this abrupt end? Just yesterday, we shared a meal, and she seemed so joyful. Why the sudden shift? Did I say something wrong?" I pondered. I reached out to her, desperate for answers, but she declined my call. I tried again, hoping she would answer this time. My instincts were spot on! She picked up, yet silence hung between us before she hung up once more. "What is happening? Why does she keep rejecting me?" I wondered, dialing her number again, but to no avail. After a tense ten minutes, my phone chimed with a message from her. "Forget about me. I don't know you anymore. I despise you!" "What did I do to deserve such hatred?" I questioned myself. I replayed every moment we shared, convinced I hadn't wronged her in any way... "Fine! You hate me, That's your choice. Goodbye, take care," I replied, then erased her number from my contacts. Two days slipped by, and it was time for us to leave for India, as my dad's work and my vacation came to an end. "This emptiness is unbearable! I wish I could hear her voice or see her one last time before heading back," I lamented. I attempted to call her again, unable to forget her number despite having deleted it, but she rejected my call once more. At last, my parents and I were busy packing for our return to India. I sent her one final message. Then we hopped into a taxi and made our way to the airport, ready to board our flight back home.
The plane touched down.
We hopped into a taxi and made our way home. Returning to my sanctuary felt incredible; home is truly my second "HEAVEN." The first, of course, is "Her Soft Pillow-like Arms." "Now, just relax and order food from any restaurant since I'm jet-lagged and won't be cooking today," my mom said with a yawn before heading off to her own cozy retreat for some well-deserved rest. -The Following Day- A fresh morning dawned, bringing with it the warmth of the sun and some delightful treats we had brought back from Indonesia. I stirred awake from my lumpy bed, still groggy. My backside ached, and the rest of my body felt the toll of the long flight. As soon as I was up, I grabbed my phone, hoping for a message from her, but there was nothing. I noticed she had seen my text but chose to ignore it, as indicated by the two check marks next to my message.
(A single check mark means your message was delivered, while two check marks indicate the recipient has read it.)
"What's going on with her?" I wondered, shaking off the thought as I headed to class.
Upon arriving, my classmates eagerly bombarded me with questions about my trip.
"It was great! I had a blast and... um, nothing much. It was a good trip," I answered, trying to keep it light.
"Hold on! Why didn't you finish that L word? Come on, don't keep us in suspense!" one of my friends chimed in.
"Dude, it's nothing... just a slip of the tongue, haha," I replied, taking a seat on the bench.
(The teacher arrived, and we dove into math for the next two hours before spilling out of the classroom.)
"So, how was your vacation, everyone?" I asked my group.
"It was boring," Raju said, a tall, fair-skinned guy who never excelled in academics.
"I had a great time," Harpreet chimed in, a medium-height guy with striking looks.
We all strolled home, proudly showcasing the souvenirs we had collected during our travels.
"Arjun! Arjun! Arjun!!" my friend shouted.
"What's going on?
Why the commotion?
Chill out!" I replied, puzzled by his excitement.
I've been trying to reach you for the past five minutes, but it seems like your thoughts are miles away! What's going on, man? You seem different, especially in how you're acting! The way you carried yourself in class today was a stark contrast to how you were before your trip, he remarked. "It's nothing, just lost in thoughts about our studies," I answered as we finally arrived home. "Oh, I see," he said, and we stepped into the elevator since we lived in the same complex.
"Arjun, go wash up; lunch is ready," my mom called out to me. "Sure, Mom, I'll eat in a bit," I replied, heading straight to my room.