Few things left unsaid

    31st December, 2019. The clock on the Shimla mall road tower just grazed forty minutes past eleven. The mall road was vibrant with humongous crowd gathered to witness the clock on the tower snuff  out the last breath of the departing year. There in the crowd, was a girl in floral pajamas and a dark-red tank top, who was oblivious to what was happening around. Her crimson-red cheeks  were flushed with anxiety and a remote fear of missing something if she didn't stop the new year from happening. She trotted past the big Momo stalls maneuvering through the crowd and in a wasp of a second, she reached her destination. 

"Rohan..." a mist escaped from her mouth as her heart thumped against her chest. It was the same feeling that she had experienced exactly an year ago, and again she was at the same juncture. 

"Minissha ?" the boy blurted seeing her standing at his shop. The smoke coming from the boiling Momos was no match to how stunning she was in her night ensembles. To him, she appeared like a naked teddy bear totally dressed in a sheep's wool. The boy was looking after the shop along with an old woman, and since it was new year the tourists kept them busy till late night. 

"Dadi, I'll come in a while" he said to the old woman who was sitting at the counter of the shop.

"Rohan" she called out again seeing him come towards her. 

"What are you doing here now? You didn't sleep yet?" the boy asked in a concerned tone.

"Why would you care? I just want to tell you something really important before this year ends" she said almost running out of breath.

"But what's the hurry? You could even tell it tomorrow right?"

"Wrong. Please don't throw questions and just follow me" she said pulling his hands with her.

"But Minissha..I've to look after the shop "

"Just come, Rohan." 

"We've only freaking ten minutes before the year ends" she cautioned him staring at the tower. The boy, now really clueless about what she had in her head, just followed her as she scooted him to the steep edges of the Jakhu temple. 

"Minissha. I think I'm gonna miss my new year.." he said breathing heavily, "if you don't stop."

"I think we've arrived" she breathed perfectly normal. Despite those one twenty stairs, her hour glass figure didn't cringe even a bit. But for the boy, it seemed like eternity before they halted at the peak of the Jakhu temple, which was one of the highest points in Shimla. 

"What made you do this crazy gimmick, Mini?" Rohan said, still gasping for a little air to free his nerves.

"What do you think? Just can't believe that you are such a geek."

"Geek? What! Why would you even say that?" 

"Because you are. What do you think? That I wouldn't know what you have been doing for the past few weeks" Minissha  glared.

"What are you talking about? It's you who said we had only ten minutes to discuss something life changing before this year ends and now here you are, with your no-sense shit" Rohan gesticulated.

"So you don't know what you have been doing?"

"Nope. I don't have a clue of what you are asking about?"

"What were you doing with Natasha after school hours in the library?" she said with a dry tone.

"Natasha?" he stressed his brows a bit as Minissha looked away from him. "Okay. I understand. You mean the last friday evening..I was teaching her some quadratic. She's always having some trouble with the complex roots."

"And we also prepared a final chart for the school's workshop, and unfortunately somebody tore it. I swear, Mini, who ever it is I 'd bash him mercilessly for such a heinous act" he said clenching his fists.

"What if she's a girl?" Minissha said, her voice, now low and calmer than before.

"Why would a girl do this? I really doubt that Rajveer. He has a crush over Natasha and he couldn't believe when I said Natasha and I worked together."

"You like Natasha?"

"Yea.. I mean, I like her as a friend. She's good. Why do you ask?"

"Rohan, you are not understanding the point. And  you aren't a kid to-not-understand" her eyes shot up in a peevish bewilderment. 

"Don't stare like that. You look beautiful when you smile" he mocked her seriousness.

"By the way, we only have two minutes now. Just tell me why you dragged me here."

"Just forget it. I thought you were lying. But I understand, this was for real. Just that I was assuming things for myself."

"Don't make me beg . Please. Just let it out."

"I was that person."

"What person?"

"The person who rendered your work into smithereens" Minissha let out all at once.

"C'mon , Mini. I didn't want to end my year hearing such a bad joke ."

"THIS ISN'T A JOKE " she roared. Rohan turned blue and baffled at her disclosure.

"But why, Mini?" he asked restoring himself.

'Because I love you" Minissha sniffed, "I didn't like the idea of seeing her name with yours."

" I thought I was in the last in the list of people who you liked. But what was the need to spoil the workshop for that?"

"Now tell me. Would you forgive me for this?" she asked in a voice, now fainting like a summer breeze.

"Why did you even have to tell me all this when you knew you could keep it safely locked with you forever?"

"Because I don't want to lose you" Minissha whimpered.

"Lose me? When did that happen and why are you even crying?"

"Last year, I lost my Mum" she sobbed. "I had been hiding a truth from her that my dad was with another woman ever since she was bed-ridden. I've always wanted her to tell that dad wasn't a good man.I just didn't want to add troubles as she was already  down with energy." Rohan listened with  rapt attention as she bellowed in front of him.

"But it didn't take her much to realize that my dad was with another woman and she couldn't bear it. She died."

"I don't to lose someone I love just because of a lie. Good bye" she said turning around.

"Minissha, wait!"

She halted, her feet now totally grounded without a flicker of movement. She was dying to hear from him that he had forgiven her.And more than that, the three magical words from his mouth.

But the response wasn't like what she thought would be. The clock on the tower grazed 12 and even before she could realize, she was into his grips. The cheers and shouts of the people on the mall road echoed around the snowy mountains as the two caressed and kissed each other under the night sky.

"Happy New year, Shonimoni" Rohan said with a peck on her lips.

"Happy new year , Shona" she kissed him back."I love you."

"I love you, too, Mini."

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# Himalayan writer