Our Journey [ For Srushti ]

It started out pretty simple.
You, me.
A streetside cafe
Simultaneously glaring and giggling at randomers that walked in
Me with my blushing cheeks and green capris
You with your then chubby face and innocent eyes
Smiles all around
Nervous whispers.

Second thoughts.
Him.
An awkward baseball cap,
Impossibly chaotic facial hair
Tantra t-shirt - funny guy.
E-mail IDs and phone numbers exchanged,
Tissue paper, silver kolhapuris, sly little kicks under the table;
Love/lust?

Pain.
You,him. Me.
Crying in a corner at a birthday party
Cocktail umbrellas and blue slushies
Of Reliance phones, 'stalkers' and polka-dotted dresses
25 missed calls the day you cried.
I couldn't bring myself to accept
That something had changed.

Venom.
You,him.
White envelopes and cursive handwriting
Letters about respective psychogeneses
Chocolate eyes and ebony skin
Hate-speech, unimaginable
What went wrong?
Falling apart with no-one to catch you
Accusations flying like restless birds
Across a dark sky of hate,
Loss and broken hearts.

Beauty.
Me, him.
Holding hands over a battered camera bag
6:42 PM on 20th July 2007
Giddy with the words: I and love and you
Sunsets, bracelets, chocolate, flowers, perfume, happiness.
Six months of love
Hugs in the darkness, late night text messages, 50 calls a day
The introduction of Pepsi MyCans
Phone calls in the pouring rain,
Four exclamation marks outside Crossword.
Love.

Separation.
You, me.
Pain and anger, volatile
Unspoken conversations, uncried tears, futile friendship bands
Sister, friend, angel
Giggles and sneaking around
Long talks, inside jokes, comforting hugs
Gone without a trace.

Sex and lust.
Him, me.
Dark alleyways, perverse perceptions
Kisses and tongue and meaningful whispers
Mangled bodies, hands, legs, lips.
Ignored phone calls, unanswered text messages
Gasps, heavy breathing, moans and whimpers
Cigarettes, marijuana and XTC
Him in love with drugs, me drugged with love.
Explosions of desire
The world won't matter.

Sex and lust.
Him, you.
You finally get what you've longed for for so long
Taken in by the lies
The false promises, the glorification of you over me
Complimenting your body, stolen kisses
Playing on your weaknesses
Sharpening his strengths
You meeting my eye as you hold him
Him promising he loves me, and then you
"Unofficial relationships"
You, falling just like I did.

Recovery.
Me.
IB Grade 7, Business and Management, Psychology, Environmental Systems, French B
White shirts and skinny jeans with formal heels,
Akanksha Aurora, June-July 2009
The red identification card
Co-producing shows, graphic design and late night edit shifts
Phone calls and coffee on the terrace, again unanswered
Running as fast as my heels could carry me to the chocolate machine with the surfer girl
Genuine smiles as opposed to fake
Confidence as opposed to low self-esteem
Happiness as opposed to pain.

Friendship.
Me, you.
A Facebook message from a Playboy Bunny,
Bonds strengthened and animosity dissipated, sharing everything we ever had to hide
Smiles and giggles in French class, dissing bad grammar in Psychology
All that talk of ugliness and slobbery kissing
Listening to Mr.Personality and Right Said Fred
Back to normal.
The girl with the new haircut
and the girl with the no-longer chubby face.
Picture taking in the bathroom, dissing common friends, losing others
Not caring, because we have each other.

So here's to me and you. Minus Him.
:)