Fantasy Fable: The Prequel

“So beautiful” read the comment.

A deep gush of lurk went down his nerves. He knew the emphasis of the individual in her life, who commented that phrase. She had a few selfies with that person in her social media account. Both had happy smiles on their faces. He couldn't click the like button nor comment on those pictures. It ached and pained him obviously but he had no choice. He kept staring at her timeline which was filled with snapshots that mutilated him the most.

“Would you layoff being so sad?” said Ravish.

“I can’t. It only paves in once you try too much!” he replied, with a gloom.

“Man, we clearly miss your smile. Stop being such a lover, who won’t even tell his girl about it!” Ravish said, in a harsh manner.

He couldn’t. Never ever could he do that. The only thing he did not want to give her was a heart-break. She had a bad heart-break in the past, which took a long time to settle in. He didn’t know how she would react to his sudden burst of emotional words for her. She was one of his best friends. She never looked down on him as a romantic companion.

“As people say, never ever fall in love with your valuable friend. It kills you from within once you keep it a secret!” He sighed.

“Then, don’t keep it as a secret. Let her know, let the world know!” said Aarav loudly, as if he was already letting the world know.

“I can’t let her know but surely the world can know about it as a story, right?” he replied.

“Woaaahh! There goes our writer, with his suave!” exclaimed Ravish.

He was no writer but he did write a few random articles in his blog. But story? Never had he tried his hand on fiction. But this was no fiction. It was actually happening to his life. He had to compose this for the world to read. There would never be a better option to put down everything he felt in his heart. She was the one person in his life, whose presence filled his tender heart with a world of joy. There would never be someone like her, never ever. If he couldn’t put out his emotions into words, his story would be buried along with him. He wanted it to be an eternal version, one that would be known about by generations.

“Why are you always shy?” she said, in the most exquisite manner with those sparkling pupils, ones that he could never stop complimenting about.

“Maybe, I am shy in front of beautiful girls!” he replied.

“Oh come on! You needn’t try to flirt with me. Come up with some more witty phrases next time I ask you the same question.” She smiled, with those words.

Flirting was the only thing he couldn’t do with her. He knew she had someone else and he did never ask her about that part of her life. He wanted it to remain an uncertainty rather than a harsh truth.

He sat with his friends in the pub. He never consumes alcohol but for the sake of his friends, who were his finest buddies, he always relaxed with them in such sessions.

“So, how is her love life going on?” grinned Aarav, with a quirky smile.

“I have never asked her about that part of her life. Maybe, I am not gutsy and gallant enough to know the truth!” he replied.

“Damn! You are not even sure about the existence of a lover in her life. God, do save our friend!” laughed off Ravish.

“I have seen a few photographs of her, with him. They seem like a happy couple.” He replied with a somber look.

For him, the mere discussion of this topic led to a murky feeling all over. He needed help on this matter but he did not want to bother anyone about this. He was good at keeping secrets. He had been doing it all his life.

That night, with his head lying on a pillow on his bed, he checked his messages one final time before dozing off.

“Hey, meet me at the coffee shop near the Leeway bus stop” read her message.

“No problem! Time?” he replied to her text.

“Make it around 5 or 5:30 in the evening!” came her reply after a few seconds.

“Roger that!” he replied, with a partial radiance on his face.

For him, meeting her was the only prodigious thing he could think of. He knew she was out of his league, and for sure, no girl with her correct senses would want to have him as a dream 'special person'. But he never complained about such things in his life, as long as her existence filled his consciousness. She was something distinctive for him. Her smile often keeps him smiling during his sleep. Her voice loomed over his psyche forever. And yet, he kept it secluded in his conscious intellect interminably.

“Good Night!” came her final reply that night, with a happy smiley.