Part 1? You must be wondering that this was supposed to be short.
Unfortunately it's a big word! Hence demanding a bigger expression!

What's the first thing  that hits your mind? Obviously faces of people you love, or is it just one face? Then comes the memories attached to them. A little pressure on your neo cortex may even unearth the first place you met them, how did they walk in and maybe even the first conversation you had, The first thing you got for your loved one. The first time you saw her smile when you got clumsy and made a fool out of yourself!

Sheesh! I gave myself away didn't I? Now you know why it's divided in two parts!
Here goes the story!

The first place my friend met her, was a place far removed from reality, in the confines of an app with a pink icon! Again I know what came across your mind was the app with a fire icon. To dash the hopes of a cringe story, sadly it was the one with a camera icon. She was the new coworker in my friend's office. The first few days I listened to my friend yapping about her as if Hailey's comet decided to wake up from slumber and drop in his office. He was a civil engineer and hence didn't blame his overenthusiastic demeanor. (NO offense to the community). I still remember the stories from the first day he met her. As his nature was he was super excited he got to sit in a cubicle next to her and even had their first project assigned together. Seeing him happy I was too. In the next few months all he could talk about was the time they spent together, the places they visited together outside of work and the way she laughed when the cotton candy made a fake mustache in his face. Even though my friend didn't say I knew (that leaving me ofcourse) she was the one who made him feel happy.

Wait! I didn't say how I know this story in detail right? Well he lived with me, still does and is watching me write this story with a cup of coffee and a smile on his face.

In a poor attempt to stray away from topic here we go again.

So after a few months one day, he came back from the office and dropped his bag calmly. It was unusual since everyday the fate of that poor inanimate object was to be flung to the corner of the room and being subjected to the same stories over and over again. Fortunately it received a much less intense version of the story because of the low volume it perceived from the corner. However today it seemed to have an unlucky day!

"What happened mate, why the long face?"

"She is seeing someone else."

"So?" Not like you had a thin..

"Well, I did."

"Oh" I sighed, I didn't know what to say! And then what I said is probably what put him in a phase of sadness for the next four five months. (My friend is trying to deny the fact as I am narrating the incident sitting on the other side but even he knows it's the truth.)

"Go tell her how you feel then! Whatever happens you'll know the truth."

Cut to the next day. I was working trying to reach the deadline for my novel given by the publisher when my friend barged in, threw his bag and went to his room.

"Hey we don't bang doors in this house the rent's expensive anyways!"

"Leave me alone."

I knew then it didn't end well. I regretted telling him to go looking for answers to rhetorical questions! I left him on his own and went on to finish my deadline!

He came out at night. Suprinsingly there was no tears, no puffy face. He came sat at the dinner table finished his food and went off to sleep. The next day he went to his office and the next day and the next and everyday his bag sat calmly on the sofa. I wondered if it missed being the spectator from the corner. Nonetheless, I sure enjoyed the calmness from his constant talks circling around a single girl for once. My friend suprisingly didn't show the signs that should be shown if you get heartbroken! Just he was not that hyperexcited self anymore. And just like that again a few months passed by and everything seemed fine again!

Until one day,

I was admiring the cover of my new launched book while my friend was away with his coworkers for his promotion party. And the bell rang to my apartment!

I opened the door and saw a beautiful lady standing at the doorway seemingly sad and politely asked me to let her in.

"Yeah sure."

I let her sit in the sofa where the bag today sat calmly awaiting another sermon it anticipated. I offered her water and then she asked me where my friend was. I admit though I was a little dissapointed to find out she wasn't a fan of my writing but then I realised who she was and the words just came out of my mouth.

"You are my friend's cowork...."

"Not anymore" she said.

"What?" I exclaimed and then she told what happened. And I was suprised he managed to hide all this from me.

Apparently my friend left his job and joined another company and cut off all contacts with her. She tried talking to him but he shut her out and ignored her. She never stopped trying though but after a point she eventually gave up and thought maybe she did something wrong and hurt his feelings.

" I was hurt you know. He was the only go to person I had. Anytime I had a problem the first person I reached out to was him. Most importantly he made me feel good and happy. He came up with so many ways just to make me smile. Whenever I was down or sad he always had a way to do the funniest things and I couldn't help but forget atleast some part of my worries. I miss him, I really do. I see his pictures and it makes me even more sad he's not around."

" But he... I mean maybe you said something."

"Liked me you mean."

"Something like that" I nervously waited for an answer. Since he never told me what happened I was intrigued to the point of insanity at this point.

"I never said I didn't, and is it always the conventional straight forward way? I guess I was afraid to lose him by my side and hence I didn't say anything."

"Nothing?"

"Maybe I said we're better off as we are because I really really didn't want to lose him and I guess I still did after all. Irony!"

"So is there anyone you..."

"Yep, one of my senior colleagues."

"Oh so thats, wh.."

And then another person entered the apartment and saw us talking.

Goes without saying my dumb friend thought this was not the first time I was meeting her. And in one minute he made up an entire storyline in his head.

I beg forgivness since I cannot write the obscenities he hurled at us and shut his door. And obviously she got hurt even more and left saying goodbye.

I went to the closed door and called out his name. He respoonded saying he didn't expect this to happen and shut me off.

And that's when I lost it.

"Always thinking about yourself aren't you. Only you are hurt and the others are hurting you. Do you even know how much she was hurt by you running away on her. Have a heart. It's not always about you and your sadness. Sometimes you need to open your eyes and see that maybe it's you hurting another because of you being a selfish person. And shutting the door on people who love you is not the answer."

He opened the door and asked, " What did she say ?"

And I told him!

I didn't know what he understood or what went in his mind. But after a few days I could see the bag away from the comfy sofa but not thrown into the corner. Instead it was rested away in a happier corner away from the sofa. I smiled at the fact that an object became the index of my friend's happiness.

About 3 months later as I was writing another one of my novels. I saw my friend bring in a cake and shut the door. Wasn't my birthday so I was puzzled. He cleaned the living room put up lights while I watched sweat drip from his forehead!

"What's the occasion?"

"It's her birthday!" he exclaimed!

Me being the lazy guy didn't lift a finger on what he was doing!  The minute he was done the bell rang and in entered the women of the hour!

Not gonna lie (My friend's looking away so I'm gonna say this), we both stared for full 2 minutes until she said.

"So..." and we both snapped back into existence. My friend eyed me and I couldn't help but laugh. But most importantly I enjoyed seeing both of them as they cut the cake and smiled at each other. Being a writer I could feel the positivity, there was somethimg far beyond words. I sold two bestsellers but maybe I would never be able ever write down what they have.

After she left , I couldn't help but ask him you do know everything right , I mean a few months back you cut off connections and now. What transpired!

My friend was a civil engineer! But that day he showed what a great poet he could have been! Just kidding he said something which really touched me. ( Meanwhile my friend is here to monitor the writing so I better be careful)

He said, " I thought, leaving would erase everything! The moments, the first day, the smile, face she made when I goofed up. Changed my office, made new friends, started talking to other people. Tried to smile as I handed my report to my boss with my partner who brushed once a week! Made blueprints of bridges with crossed lines feeling sorry for the bridge I burnt. After the first week when the anger started dying down the after office parties didn't seem to amuse me. The same tea leaves and water failed to rejuvenate the tired eyes staring at the computer screen! After a month I started feeling bad and angry at myself! I realised that her smile made me smile and  denying myself by changing workplaces was just escaping from the truth. And then when you told me how she felt I ran to her the next day! And you know what she didn't get angry, she didn't shut me out. She accepted me the day I came back and then I realised what she felt...and..."

I stopped him and said," My dear friend I'm glad you understood, I am the writer you are the engineer hence leave my job or I feel threatened."

So that's why those four letters out of the 26 odd letters in the alphabet came together to explain that it was sheer luck they came together to spell out a beautiful feeling. It was never about writing it or saying it. It was about feeling why the letters came together and why no other combination of letters could've made sense. Just like the word it's always the one person which makes sense and no other could represent what that feeling was. Trying to get away is like using another letter instead of those specific four making it a meaningless word. For my friend it was her and I'm glad he realised it. Just like a small baby the feeling makes you crawl before you can walk and today I am glad that my friend could stand up on his own.

P.S : Right after that iconic speech by a boring civil engineer, quite mistakenly I scrolled down to a picture of him standing and with a fake smile among foreign people and then I saw.

"Who is this looking at you?" I asked.

"Newly assigned co worker!"

"What's it with you and co workers." and we both laughed.

Yes, my friend learned to stand and I seriously hope he walks before he runs.

(Also my friend shouting from the background not to make you guys assume stuff. I assure you he is absolutely genuine and will go to his new office blindfolded from tomorrow!"

OK! Bye, before he breaks my writing device!

So that's it for part 1. But is it the only form these four letters find it's way to express themselves?
That's why there's a Part 2.
Stay Tuned..

RHIKDN..