She looked at her friend for her approval and she was ecstatic when she received one. 'One final time', she thought as she looked into the mirror. She was happy with what she saw. She had little time for the preparations. It had been all sudden, thanks to 'him'. It all started a month back....
He called her and requested her if they could meet. He sounded different. No pleasantries. He was always soft spoken and reserved. But was never different. They have known each other for 10 years now. They met at her workplace when she first joined. Though he quit later, they kept in touch. He would message her over the years and they would meet if he was somewhere near her place. They remained friends over the years. But this was new. She guessed there must be something. She went to the place decided and there he was, waiting for her. He smiled and she smiled back. She settled down in her chair. No warm hugs, no pecks and no handshakes. It was always like this with him. She respected him for that. He looked as if he was contemplating something. She guessed something was disturbing him. She was about to ask him if everything was fine with him and all of a sudden, he asked her, 'Will you marry me?' For a second, she was sure she misheard him. She kept looking at him and he took out something from his pocket and looked at her and continued, 'I am not good with words. I am sure every girl would want to marry a man of her dreams and you never considered me anything except for a friend. And I want to be your friend forever. I want to be that friend with whom you wake up every morning and warm up to before you sleep. I want to be your friend until death does us apart. Will you marry me?'
She sat there in deep thought. From mumma's boys breaking her heart to the fiance's walking away at the 11th hour, she has seen it all. She long back concluded that love and marriage weren't meant for her and she had come to terms with it. She promised herself that there would never be any other man who would ever find a place in her heart. And now here he was, stirring a storm in her life, all with just 4 words, 'Will you marry me?' He tapped on her hand and she came back to reality. 'I', umm she was trying to find her voice. He leaned close towards her anxiously. 'I know you always considered me a good friend and nothing beyond. But we have been friends and in each others' lives for 10 years now. I think its only a step ahead of our friendship, sealing it with a ring and vows? He was right. Its been 10 years and they knew what was happening in each others' lives. They were 2 reserved people who kept to themselves and were in touch. He made the effort to keep in touch. 'I know life hasn't been a smooth ride for you. Neither has it been for me. All I am asking is let us give life another chance, this time together. And if I ever cause you pain, you can walk away and no question would be ever asked.' She knew him and wanted to genuinely give herself another chance. But the wounds from the past left her deep scars. She hesitated before she spoke. 'I am not sure what to say right now. But God forbid if this doesn't work, I don't want to lose my friend. And we have never seen each other beyond friends. Should we not be seeing each other before we take a decision?' He was now relaxed and said, ' Let's consider this our first date, then'. She smiled and he called the waiter. The waiter has beennwatching all this in silence and was curious if she would a yes or a no. He almost ran to the table, saw the ring in his hands and was a little disappointed. He took the order and left. They spoke for the next couple of hours and the when they finally were done and he called the waiter for the check. He saw the ring on her hand and he never felt happier. The ring on her hand made him happier than the tip he received. They left hand in hand and he never was so genuinely happy for someone.
What happened over the next month was magical. He met her everyday. They squeezed out time amid their tight schedules. They poured their hearts out. Well, she poured her fears out and he listened to her intently and always assured her. He poured out his dreams and she made a mental note of everything.
And when the big day came, she wore the dress that she always dreamt of. She was just about the pull down the veil and get ready to walk down the aisle. A small girl came and gave her a letter and said that the groom had asked her to give this and ran as fast as she came. She opened the letter and all that she could read was 'Am sorry'! Her heart skipped couple of beats and her knees gave away. Her world was falling. It seemed that the wounds of the past were laughing at her. She wanted to read the letter before the tears could blur her vision. But she couldnt. Her friend saw what just happened and took the letter from her. Few moments later, she gave her the letter and said, 'You should read this, I insisit.'
She found no point in reading any further. But if he thought she would crumble just after the first 2 words, then he was wrong. She wanted to be strong. She started reading, wioing away her tears. 'Am sorry. I lied. I lied being your friend. I lied for the past 10 years and I no more can. No at this moment. When I first saw you, I somehow knew that we had to be friends. That night, I dreamt of you. We were watching sunset together. I woke up surprised because by then, I didn't even know your name. I had just seen you earlier in the day. I tried knowing more about you but had little luck. And when you joined my team, 10 years later, words are still less to describe my emotions. I made it a point to keep in touch but not cross the boundaries lest you despise me. Everytime I saw you with someone, I knew I had to give up my hope. But something held me back. Everytime I saw your heart broken, I wanted to ask you out, I held back myself for the fear of losing you. But when I was told that you were giving up on love, I knew I had to stand up. It was now or never. I couldn't stand to see a decade of love being thrown away without being given a chance. The last month was an amazing period of my life and I don't want to trade it for anything in this world. I know I lied being your friend. You were my soulmate. The one who kept my heart with her for the past 10 years. Now, I want to take your hand into mine and promise you that I shall be your friend in true sense. I want to be your warmth in the winters and your cool breeze during hard summers. And when you walk the aisle, I will be waiting for you at the altar to promise that no matter what happens, I'll be your friend. Can't wait to seal it with a kiss.' She finished reading the letter and looked at her friend through her teary eyes. She knew that was the last time she would have to ever worry about her decision.
She pulled down her veil and walked towards her father who was waiting to walk her the aisle.....
He called her and requested her if they could meet. He sounded different. No pleasantries. He was always soft spoken and reserved. But was never different. They have known each other for 10 years now. They met at her workplace when she first joined. Though he quit later, they kept in touch. He would message her over the years and they would meet if he was somewhere near her place. They remained friends over the years. But this was new. She guessed there must be something. She went to the place decided and there he was, waiting for her. He smiled and she smiled back. She settled down in her chair. No warm hugs, no pecks and no handshakes. It was always like this with him. She respected him for that. He looked as if he was contemplating something. She guessed something was disturbing him. She was about to ask him if everything was fine with him and all of a sudden, he asked her, 'Will you marry me?' For a second, she was sure she misheard him. She kept looking at him and he took out something from his pocket and looked at her and continued, 'I am not good with words. I am sure every girl would want to marry a man of her dreams and you never considered me anything except for a friend. And I want to be your friend forever. I want to be that friend with whom you wake up every morning and warm up to before you sleep. I want to be your friend until death does us apart. Will you marry me?'
She sat there in deep thought. From mumma's boys breaking her heart to the fiance's walking away at the 11th hour, she has seen it all. She long back concluded that love and marriage weren't meant for her and she had come to terms with it. She promised herself that there would never be any other man who would ever find a place in her heart. And now here he was, stirring a storm in her life, all with just 4 words, 'Will you marry me?' He tapped on her hand and she came back to reality. 'I', umm she was trying to find her voice. He leaned close towards her anxiously. 'I know you always considered me a good friend and nothing beyond. But we have been friends and in each others' lives for 10 years now. I think its only a step ahead of our friendship, sealing it with a ring and vows? He was right. Its been 10 years and they knew what was happening in each others' lives. They were 2 reserved people who kept to themselves and were in touch. He made the effort to keep in touch. 'I know life hasn't been a smooth ride for you. Neither has it been for me. All I am asking is let us give life another chance, this time together. And if I ever cause you pain, you can walk away and no question would be ever asked.' She knew him and wanted to genuinely give herself another chance. But the wounds from the past left her deep scars. She hesitated before she spoke. 'I am not sure what to say right now. But God forbid if this doesn't work, I don't want to lose my friend. And we have never seen each other beyond friends. Should we not be seeing each other before we take a decision?' He was now relaxed and said, ' Let's consider this our first date, then'. She smiled and he called the waiter. The waiter has beennwatching all this in silence and was curious if she would a yes or a no. He almost ran to the table, saw the ring in his hands and was a little disappointed. He took the order and left. They spoke for the next couple of hours and the when they finally were done and he called the waiter for the check. He saw the ring on her hand and he never felt happier. The ring on her hand made him happier than the tip he received. They left hand in hand and he never was so genuinely happy for someone.
What happened over the next month was magical. He met her everyday. They squeezed out time amid their tight schedules. They poured their hearts out. Well, she poured her fears out and he listened to her intently and always assured her. He poured out his dreams and she made a mental note of everything.
And when the big day came, she wore the dress that she always dreamt of. She was just about the pull down the veil and get ready to walk down the aisle. A small girl came and gave her a letter and said that the groom had asked her to give this and ran as fast as she came. She opened the letter and all that she could read was 'Am sorry'! Her heart skipped couple of beats and her knees gave away. Her world was falling. It seemed that the wounds of the past were laughing at her. She wanted to read the letter before the tears could blur her vision. But she couldnt. Her friend saw what just happened and took the letter from her. Few moments later, she gave her the letter and said, 'You should read this, I insisit.'
She found no point in reading any further. But if he thought she would crumble just after the first 2 words, then he was wrong. She wanted to be strong. She started reading, wioing away her tears. 'Am sorry. I lied. I lied being your friend. I lied for the past 10 years and I no more can. No at this moment. When I first saw you, I somehow knew that we had to be friends. That night, I dreamt of you. We were watching sunset together. I woke up surprised because by then, I didn't even know your name. I had just seen you earlier in the day. I tried knowing more about you but had little luck. And when you joined my team, 10 years later, words are still less to describe my emotions. I made it a point to keep in touch but not cross the boundaries lest you despise me. Everytime I saw you with someone, I knew I had to give up my hope. But something held me back. Everytime I saw your heart broken, I wanted to ask you out, I held back myself for the fear of losing you. But when I was told that you were giving up on love, I knew I had to stand up. It was now or never. I couldn't stand to see a decade of love being thrown away without being given a chance. The last month was an amazing period of my life and I don't want to trade it for anything in this world. I know I lied being your friend. You were my soulmate. The one who kept my heart with her for the past 10 years. Now, I want to take your hand into mine and promise you that I shall be your friend in true sense. I want to be your warmth in the winters and your cool breeze during hard summers. And when you walk the aisle, I will be waiting for you at the altar to promise that no matter what happens, I'll be your friend. Can't wait to seal it with a kiss.' She finished reading the letter and looked at her friend through her teary eyes. She knew that was the last time she would have to ever worry about her decision.
She pulled down her veil and walked towards her father who was waiting to walk her the aisle.....
