The Gift

The night was not so young, she returned home, searched through the world in her purse and found the key. As she bent over to put the key into the lock in the dark, she sensed something was amiss. The lock was already open.

The first thought flashing through her mind was if she had been careless enough to miss locking the door amid the morning hurry. She failed to remember. She stood up straight, all alert as the door opened from inside...

Even before she could react, a hand emerged from the darkness and pulled her into it!

She gasped! The big hands have pulled her very close to a warm body and started whirling around her drawing room, her favorite love song was playing faintly in the room.

As she twirled around, shocked and scared to shout out loud, she noticed a few candles lit in the corner of the look and a huge box placed in the middle. Confused she looked up, but her drink has hit her. The face was dark and blurry but now she smiled. The humming in the heavy voice told her it had to be him.

"Stop stop!! The room is spinning and I am high...Haha..baby stop..." she managed to say before she was lifted up from the floor by her waist. He was tall, now dancing up right and she flowing along in mid air.

With a peck on her lips he stopped and carried her to the corner of the room where the candles were.

"But, Baby its not even my birthday or our anniversary...so why the gift..." she asked confused.

"Open it!" his whisper fell on her naked shoulder. A chill went down her spine. She opened the box as directed. And smile vanished from her face.

Inside was a silver knife wrapped in blue velvet and a red rose artistically placed on the cold metal.

Bewildered, she turned to look him in the eye. They were teary. She questioned a what through hers and lost all hope. He has made a decision.

He picked up the rose carefully and slid it down her back, she held her breath as he started to speak in a hushed voice...

" All this while, I thought it was my fault... I have been busy and that is the reason you are mad at me. Thus I see less of you in the house these days.... But then I met him...who you ask? That guy! The manager in your office you always keep mentioning....yesss...he did the same...about you I mean dear... At first, I was happy... then it got a little too much... then I paid more attention to both of you together....

Darling, you have stopped laughing at my jokes but you cannot get enough of his...you forget my meeting dates but you remember his... shhhh! Dare you justify... even the private detective thought am right... I cannot go on like this..rather we cannot go through this... I love you too much and I want you to be free...."

Tear ran down her cheek, as in her mind she rebelled. She knew explaining friendship to a person who has already made a decision would not change anything. She understood, twenty-one centuries have passed, yet the mindset of society has not evolved. As late as it was, she understood; still, according to all: a boy and a girl can never be friend.

That night with a shriek in the darkness, two best friends were separated forever in the name of love...

With love,

Sanjukta.