The last Chance

This post grabbed the WOW Badge as part of the Write Over The Weekend contest conducted by Blogadda.

A slow smile crept across my face as I felt the warmth of the morning sun on my skin and I opened my eyes, the azure rays pouring in my room, striking the mirror and spreading gold dust everywhere, this is what I love about mornings, a promise of a whole new day, a mystery that unfolds itself.

I am the first one to reach office; I am always early. As I headed towards my cubicle I noticed that Varun’s cabin is open, Who is in there? I peeked inside and saw Varun in his signature crisp three-piece suit and tried to turn before he notice me.

“Aadhya, Aadhya.. Can you please come in here for a minute?” Varun asked from behind.

I cursed my luck and turned back to face him. Varun is always the unruffled kind of a guy, from dressing impeccably to behaving with authority, but today he looked shaken up, his tie is loose and he has dark ringlets under his eyes.

“Where is SME’s market research report, You were supposed to email it yesterday.” He enquired patiently.
“Why Varun, are you losing your good night sleep over it? Or is it Tina?” I asked sweetly.
“Where is the report Aadhya?” He empathized.
“I am working on it,” I claimed.
“Still working on it.. It’s been three days Aadhya! What have you been doing? I want the report now, you know we crashed the project, every minute is crucial!” He shouted, Varun never loses his cool, what’s the matter with him?
“Three days are not enough for such a gigantic report and you know that well.” I countered.

“That’s why I gave it to you. You would have completed it before the clock strikes.” He said

I am a workaholic, its no secret, just like Varun is but he has been losing his edge lately.

“I’ll give it to you soon…” I said, of course, I am ready with the report and the presentation but I am having too much fun seeing him crumbling down by each second that we lose. No, I am not mean, perhaps I am but he completely deserves it, he has shaken me more times than I can count, Its time he tastes his own medicines.

“You are doing it intentionally, aren’t you? You want to punish me, punish ‘ME’ not other innocent employees.” He reasoned, damn, he always get through me and makes me the guilty party, he is one cunning fox who rolls the whole game as he desires, but no, not this time.

“If you are done, may I go to work on the report?” I drawled.
“If we lose this client then it will be your fault entirely and I’ll ruin your career. I mean it.” He growled, I know he is well capable of doing so, only if he decides to.

I nodded and turned on my heals as if his outburst has no effect on me at all but in truth, it has shaken my nerves, the Varun I knew would never even dream about hurting me, what is happening with him?

By lunch I emailed the report and took off from the office, lying that I have a meeting with a client, I never lie but Varun’s behavior has gotten me worried, something is going on and I need to know what it is; I got to have a talk with Tina, his not-yet-girlfriend. Tina used to be a dear friend of mine but that was before I ruined it all, now everything is different.

I heard the screeching of tires, someone shouted to get out of the way, I turned to see what was happening and suddenly an SUV collided with me. Everything went blank, there was no pain but warmth, I felt the warmth of the sun on my face and I woke up with a startle. I am in my room, it’s morning…

At the office, I noticed Varun’s cabin is open, I peeked inside and saw Him wearing the same clothes he was wearing in my dream. Shocked I turn to get to my cubicle fast.

“Aadhya, Aadhya.. Can you please come in here for a minute?” Varun asked me in the same manner as he did in my dream and somehow I knew it was not just a dream. I emailed him the SME’s market research report before entering his cabin. I don’t want to fight, I know the outcome, I like our banters, in the beginning it was fun, getting him all rattled but recently it has become more serious.

“Oh! Thank God you completed it, this project is getting more and more crucial….” He trailed off seeing the expressions on my face “Earth to Aadhya…” he teased, his teasing and my morning not-a-dream crumbled the walls I have built and I confessed what I promised never to “I saw you with Sara…”
“Sara…. When… What are you talking about?”
“Three years and five months ago, in Delhi, I saw you with Sara when you two were cozying up at dinner.”

Sara was his first love, his ex before me, she was always between us and that day he said he was having a bro-crises but he went to meet Sara.

“I don’t… Is that why you left without a word, left me because you thought I was having an affair with Sara.. Aadhya… We.. I… God! You didn’t even give me chance to explain!!” He pleaded being at loss.

“Explain… what was there to explain, she was always on your mind even after we started going out, you could never get over her… I needed you by my side that day, you knew how I was dreading to meet my father, I needed you damnit, but you picked her… you have always chosen her over me, your first love.. so I did what I knew best, I ran away.” I shrugged like it wasn’t a big deal. But it was. It still stings like a fresh wound, like someone just ripped the bandage off, it is still bleeding, my heart.

“I did go to have a talk with Sara… but it’s not what you think, Sara was my first love I agree but you are my true love Aadhya… I went to tell her to stay away, to tell her that I Love you and I was going to purpose you for Marriage that day. When I came back, you were not there, even your father didn’t know where were you, I turned the world upside down but you were nowhere to be found, you left me, us… you should have trusted me enough to give us a chance.” His face crumbled and a drop of tear skipped his eye.

I can’t believe I let my insecurities get best of me, I let my past rule me, I thought he is like my dad who left my Mummy for another woman, I went to States… I ruined it and Now… now I don’t have time because I have a feeling this is my last day…

“I still love you…” he whispered stopping my trail of thoughts, My heart skipped a beat. He took out a red velvet box from his pocket “I still carry your ring, I was going to propose you that day you know, I planned it all even your father knew about it… I understand that it’s been three…”

“Yes,” I replied suddenly without thinking, being selfish. I wanted my last chance of happiness, of Love, with Varun.

We went for lunch in Varun’s car, I am almost hoping that I’ll ditch death this time as things seem to get on track but the same SUV hit me as I was crossing the road to get to Varun’s car, last thing I saw was Varun’s face, scrunched in pain as if he was dying not me. His eyes were in so much agony that it was hurtful to look at him. “I.. always… Loved you… always… wil..” I gasped my last words as everything went blank, again I felt no pain but the warmth of sun rays on my face and I woke up exasperated and pinched myself hard. I know I am wide awake. This is no dream but my last chance… I have repeated this day over and over, now I know the perfect escape.

At office Varun’s cabin is open; I know what I have to do.

“Morning Varun.” I emailed him the report and waited, he didn’t say anything as if waiting for me to continue.

“Tina is a nice girl, she loves you, she’ll keep you happy.” He gaped at me, he certainly wasn’t expecting me to say this.

“It’s not what you think, Tina is not my girlfriend Aadhya, I don’t love her.. we just…”

“I know, you both share the same sorrow of losing me, you might not love her now… Tina loves you, she always did, but she won’t say anything, she is too honorable to defy me…” I swallowed the lump in my throat “She loves you Varun, she will make you happy, you need to marry… you are getting old!” I told him.

“Old!! Look who’s talking!” A small smile cracked on his lips, the crooked one. He sighed “I still love..”

“Don’t-say-that… don’t you dare say that, I left you without a word Varun, you cannot spend your whole life waiting for me and lose the person who truly loves you. Tell her she is the best person I’ve ever known, I am not coming back … you have to move on Varun you have to forget me….” I ran towards washroom choking, biting the words that threatened to spill, words that will break Varun. I remember hope and love that I saw in his eyes, the pain of his face when he saw me taking my last breath, I cannot give him everything only to take it all away. No, he is better off without knowing the truth, I owe him that much.

I lived my last day thrice, I fought with him and I also got engaged… Who would have been lucky to have a perfect dive at their last chance? I took my last breath hoping that Varun will honor my last wish. I know he can’t find a better girl than her. This time there was no pain but also no warmth, only a dark tunnel with a mesmerizing light waiting for me on the other side.

Image source: HERE

~~~~

**THIS IS A WORK OF FICTION. NAMES, CHARACTERS, PLACES, AND INCIDENTS EITHER ARE PRODUCTS OF THE AUTHOR’S IMAGINATION OR ARE USED FICTITIOUSLY. ANY RESEMBLANCE TO ACTUAL EVENTS OR LOCALES OR PERSONS, LIVING OR DEAD, IS ENTIRELY COINCIDENTAL.

~~~~

 ©ANKITAS 2013

Author’s Note:

This weekend’s topic is :
If you could have one day repeat over and over again for the rest of your life, which day would it be? Why?

Well, there are certainly many beautiful days that I would like to live again but not over and over for the rest of my life as it will lose it’s charm of making me happy, its importance, it’s significance besides I don’t like monotony, I would like to create more memorable days, each different yet beautiful

This post is a part of Write Over the Weekend, an initiative for Indian Bloggers by BlogAdda