For the purpose of simplicity, let's call them One and Two. To begin with, they were inseparable. They never let their egos come in the way of their friendship. If it could be called friendship. It was stronger, more lasting, more deeper. It was like they were brothers out of the same womb. But they were not.
They had attended the same school. Throughout their school life, they had never gotten into a tussle which laste for more than a day or so. A fresh day refreshed their friendship too, erasing all memories of whatever grudge or ill-feelings they had held in their hearts. It had always been like this. Nobody had to do anything to patch things up between those two. If one didn't apologize, the other always did, even if it wasn't his fault. Towards the end of their schooling, they had begun to realize that soon they would be parting ways. One had studied science and wanted to enter the field of research, while Two had studied economics and didn't really know what he wanted to do. However, it was up to a girl to make them realize that they would never be parting ways. Ever. It's always a about a girl.
Two had a girlfriend. Let's name her nine, again for the same purpose of simplicity. Nine studied in the same school as One and Two, but they only met towards the latter stages of their school life. They had fallen in love within weeks of meeting each other. They knew in their hearts that what they had between them would last, and last long. They didn't have any inhibitions about anything, always shared everything with each other. They didn't have a reason not to. Two hadn't looked at another girl since he fell in love with Nine, and the same went for her. It was as perfect as it could be, and it stayed this way for more than a year.
In the final year of school, however, Two got to know of a secret that Nine had hidden from him for a while now. A secret that would shake the very foundations of two relationships that Two shared. One with Nine, and the other with One. Yes, Nine had secretly been seeing One for a few months without Two's knowledge. One had not confided anything in him either, afraid he might lose his best friend. But secrets can only be kept for so long. It came out through a common friend that the two of them were romantically involved while Two was clueless of these happenings. Not a very pleasant surprise for any of them.
He was not angry. He was not frustrated. He was not revengeful. Two was sad. But he moved on.
Three years later, One and Two met at a college festival. Both were on opposite sides of the same table, debating a topic which went this way, "Are relationships a thing of the past ?"
Two had not been anticipating such a showdown, and neither did he want it. He had forgotten what had happened in his past, and all he thought about now was his future. But he was ready for this.
The discussion went from bad to ugly. One was reputed to be one of the best debators in the country. In this discussion, however, he had run out of words to say. All he could think about was what he had done to his best friend three years ago. His regret preventing anything in his defense, even if his trained mind was conjuring rebuttles by the second. Two based his entire attack on personal experience, without letting anybody getting an inkling of the fact that he had actually been through all that he was talking about. He wasn't surprised at being adjudged the winner of the debate. He'd held the upper hand all the while. He had found his closure, while One had lost all self-esteem.
Later that day, Two saw One sitting alone in an empty room in the college. He thought he should walk away at first, but then decided to confront him. Maybe he didn't get all the closure he was looking for. As he walked toward him, he saw something glistening on his cheek. He was taken by surprise. At once he transformed into the Two from years ago, the Two who had been more than a brother to One.
"What's wrong?", Two said.
One was surprised himself. He didn't expect anybody to be there or anywhere nearby at that late an hour. He stammered something of a reply, while wiping his tears with the ends of his sleeves.
"Tell me, what is it?", Two persisted.
After a few moments, he said, "My father always said that friends never try to lead you, never leave you behind, but always walk alongside you" He put a hand on Two's shoulder and said, "I had forgotten you always walked beside me, but I, like the devil, left you behind. I'm sorry. I've always been."
Two smiled - he had got all the closure he needed. He put his hands on One's shoulders and hugged him like he had never done before.
They walked out of the room together, brothers reunited. Two was feeling hesitant, but he felt that nothing could come in the way of their friendship now. It had become stronger than it ever was. So he went ahead and asked One about the girl, was he still in love with her?
One laughed aloud, "It ended a long time ago. I guess it was never meant to be."
Two mirrored one's thoughts - maybe it was just never meant to be.
He was content. He was proud. He was happy.
They had attended the same school. Throughout their school life, they had never gotten into a tussle which laste for more than a day or so. A fresh day refreshed their friendship too, erasing all memories of whatever grudge or ill-feelings they had held in their hearts. It had always been like this. Nobody had to do anything to patch things up between those two. If one didn't apologize, the other always did, even if it wasn't his fault. Towards the end of their schooling, they had begun to realize that soon they would be parting ways. One had studied science and wanted to enter the field of research, while Two had studied economics and didn't really know what he wanted to do. However, it was up to a girl to make them realize that they would never be parting ways. Ever. It's always a about a girl.
Two had a girlfriend. Let's name her nine, again for the same purpose of simplicity. Nine studied in the same school as One and Two, but they only met towards the latter stages of their school life. They had fallen in love within weeks of meeting each other. They knew in their hearts that what they had between them would last, and last long. They didn't have any inhibitions about anything, always shared everything with each other. They didn't have a reason not to. Two hadn't looked at another girl since he fell in love with Nine, and the same went for her. It was as perfect as it could be, and it stayed this way for more than a year.
In the final year of school, however, Two got to know of a secret that Nine had hidden from him for a while now. A secret that would shake the very foundations of two relationships that Two shared. One with Nine, and the other with One. Yes, Nine had secretly been seeing One for a few months without Two's knowledge. One had not confided anything in him either, afraid he might lose his best friend. But secrets can only be kept for so long. It came out through a common friend that the two of them were romantically involved while Two was clueless of these happenings. Not a very pleasant surprise for any of them.
He was not angry. He was not frustrated. He was not revengeful. Two was sad. But he moved on.
Three years later, One and Two met at a college festival. Both were on opposite sides of the same table, debating a topic which went this way, "Are relationships a thing of the past ?"
Two had not been anticipating such a showdown, and neither did he want it. He had forgotten what had happened in his past, and all he thought about now was his future. But he was ready for this.
The discussion went from bad to ugly. One was reputed to be one of the best debators in the country. In this discussion, however, he had run out of words to say. All he could think about was what he had done to his best friend three years ago. His regret preventing anything in his defense, even if his trained mind was conjuring rebuttles by the second. Two based his entire attack on personal experience, without letting anybody getting an inkling of the fact that he had actually been through all that he was talking about. He wasn't surprised at being adjudged the winner of the debate. He'd held the upper hand all the while. He had found his closure, while One had lost all self-esteem.
Later that day, Two saw One sitting alone in an empty room in the college. He thought he should walk away at first, but then decided to confront him. Maybe he didn't get all the closure he was looking for. As he walked toward him, he saw something glistening on his cheek. He was taken by surprise. At once he transformed into the Two from years ago, the Two who had been more than a brother to One.
"What's wrong?", Two said.
One was surprised himself. He didn't expect anybody to be there or anywhere nearby at that late an hour. He stammered something of a reply, while wiping his tears with the ends of his sleeves.
"Tell me, what is it?", Two persisted.
After a few moments, he said, "My father always said that friends never try to lead you, never leave you behind, but always walk alongside you" He put a hand on Two's shoulder and said, "I had forgotten you always walked beside me, but I, like the devil, left you behind. I'm sorry. I've always been."
Two smiled - he had got all the closure he needed. He put his hands on One's shoulders and hugged him like he had never done before.
They walked out of the room together, brothers reunited. Two was feeling hesitant, but he felt that nothing could come in the way of their friendship now. It had become stronger than it ever was. So he went ahead and asked One about the girl, was he still in love with her?
One laughed aloud, "It ended a long time ago. I guess it was never meant to be."
Two mirrored one's thoughts - maybe it was just never meant to be.
He was content. He was proud. He was happy.
2 comments:
As is my reading nature, i liked the story but not the conclusion! I know this is childish and maybe something else , i would have liked if you had given the names of one,two and nine Or some other info.
Yeah i understand your wanting their names or some info, but they don't have names. That's the point. Everything else is irrelevant. It's the story that matters :)
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