See You Later

Chapter 33

The present: Aarush's old room

Aarush didn't go into his room until much later in the evening. When he finally did go, he saw the box his mother had cleared out for him to look through. There was an assortment of random files, papers, old broken phones on top. Why were these even here? He put his hand in the box and rummaged to see what else was there. That is when he saw his old college photobook gathering dust at the bottom of the box. Their batch was the first one to begin this tradition. He pulled out the heavy-ish book out and ran a tissue over it to clear the dust.

He hadn't looked at this in ages. He opened it slowly on a random page. His attention automatically went to the bookmark stuck in it. He picked it up and saw the words 11.11 jump out at him.

Snatches of memories suddenly played out in his mind. Leela pointing at the large clock in the classroom and smiling at him. Her sending him text messages wishing him to wish for whatever his heart desired at that precise moment. Her holding his hand and looking into his eyes telling him that she had wished for him. Her running into his open arms and holding him close and simply whispering that it was 11.11.

But after all those memories, he also remembered the very last time she had reminded him of the time.

He had just gotten back from an open mic performance five years ago. They had broken up a few months prior to that. He remembered being tired all the time. He didn't know if it was the toll of the career he had chosen or sadness or just both combined. But he was not ready to hear from her again.

But his phone had rang and it showed her number. He wondered if it was just muscle memory that made him pick up without even considering to cut the call.

Leela had said, "Hi..."

He hadn't responded. He hadn't known what to say either at that point.

She had gone on to say, "I'm sorry for calling. And I'm just sorry again for...everything."

His eyes had developed a sheen but he continued to remain silent.

She had then taken a shaky breath and said, "I just called to say...that it is 11.11 and all I wish is for you to be happy. Always."

He had cracked finally and said, "Why are you doing this, Leela?"

She had sounded so very sad. As though she had been carrying that sadness everywhere she went and the only place she could let it out it was in her voice. It had hurt him even listening to her like that.

"I...I'm leaving. I got my visa. The semester begins in two weeks. I just wanted to say...say bye and...sorry."

He had just sat down on the floor, the exhaustion overtaking his restraint. He had then looked at his watch and said, "It's 11.12 now."

She had let out a watery chuckle and said, "Yeah. Okay. I'll...go now."

"Bye."