•

'I hate goodbyes.'

Jahaniya mumbled, holding her knees close to her chest. Her breathing ran short holding up the teardrops. She sat alone in the shadows of the stars, under the embrace of the cold wind, with each gust increasing the thumbing of her heart.

Her finger stroked the moon. A wish. To be there.

Away. From humans and this pain.

The faded sounds of mantras made their way into the secluded hallway. Unlike the hustle and bustle of the night now, there was unusual amicable silence. Maybe that is how the marriage is. The promises to walk through all the glints as the day fall, time transforms and through the darkness.

The tapping of the footstep hit her ear she clasped her knees. Turning her face to another said resting her head on her knees.

A flashed light fell on her and his eyes saw a small figure trembling. Another Human. He turned to move away but a whimper left her lips.

I should ignore it.

He stayed rooted at his place. Moved a step back but waited there. Ignorance brought this faith to him. His feet shuffled as they moved towards her. Bringing himself down he sat beside her. She shifted a little and shifted her gaze at the stranger.

His gaze took in the view of the lawn. Sensing a stare on him he passed a handkerchief.

'It stays for a few days. The pain. And even it leaves.'

'You don't know anything.'

'I hear the mantra. Probably someone got married.'

He turned to look at her face as fresh tears gushed down her cheeks. Her eyes were red and swollen and she took short breaths to stop them. 'And looking at your face, it's a close one. And you won't cry at your brother's wedding like that. So probably it's your sister.'

She looked away.  'She would be happy.'

'How can you say that?'

'Well, I can predict.'

Her eyes made their way to his eyes. But they were void of anything. His shoulder relaxed as his hand rested on his knees. But her eyes looked at him with questions.

'Wouldn't lie. There would be a pain.'

'How- why-'

'That's how marriage is. Life is. Happy. Sad. Blooming. Weathering. And blooming.'

'But Sad.'

'You learn to live. As you did to let go of your music.'

It wasn't to be said.

Standing on his feet he put a step back to move back. She also stands to hold him. It was just her family who knew about it.

'How?'

'When you met her, smile at her. She would be alone. Let it be a goodbye memory.'

'What's-'

She was impeded by the sound of a notification on his phone.

'Don't. We wouldn't be meeting again. Bye.'

•

Mantras: Prayer that is chanted or sung

•

Back with a new story.