Friendship Beyond Love (Love Shots Contest)

Miss You Bestie

Have you ever felt the pain of losing a loved one? 
The kind of pain that just keeps you trapped in the untangled web of sadness.  
Well, Melissa has and sadly she still continues to. 
  Melissa Hallways was once a cheerful person, full of life. But its all a story of past now. The teen girl who always flashed her perfect smile is now unable to even curve her lips up. Sometimes life plays such a sinister game that it changes you completely. 
 Six months passed but she still evidently recalls the day she lost her childhood best friend, Alex Harrison. It was the 7th of Jan when she heard the news of Alex's death. He was driving back to Paris when he met with an unusual road accident. He was hospitalized immediately but then Time had to play its ruthless game. 
 Melissa was out of town and by the time she could make it to Alex, he was long gone. She felt as if someone just stabbed her chest with a knife a hundred times. She cried her heart out for days and weeks but Alex was never going to come back. 

She sobbed each passing second remembering every moment they had spent together. Her smile that Alex so loved was now vanished. It was as if he took it along with him. Till date she regretted that she couldn't even meet him for the very last time. But that's life. We never get to choose the people we meet in our journey. 
  Slowly, as about three months passed, she started attending high school and kept herself busy in work all the time. She was alive but merely living. The only person close to her was Ellisa Hawkins. . It was actually the similarity in their names that led the sparks of friendship. Alex always referred to them as 'Mellisa-Ellisa'
  Ellisa too was shocked at the death of Alex but being more of a practical person, she soon came out of it. Today it was 7th of July and it was exactly six months to Alex's death. Melissa was up early morning and getting ready for high school. Ellisa was supposed to pick her up. 

"Melly, Ellisa is here. Hurry up" Her mom shouted from downstairs.
"Almost there" She quickly replied.
Having said that, in no time she was heading towards the car.
"Let's get going" Melly replied, hopping into the car.
  Melly was almost silent the entire ride. Finally Ellisa spoke.
"There was a time when we had so many topics to talk about and...." Ellisa said with a sad look but Melly cut her.
"And now things have changed, haven't they?" 
  They both looked at each other trying to understand the girl thing. 

"Can't we get back to normal?" "I mean it's been six months now" Ellisa reasoned.
"I know Hawky. Trust me I am trying my best" 
"I know its going to be a rough day for you but that does not make us give up on life. Life goes on and you need to move with it" Ellisa said sympathetically. 
  Mellisa thought for a while, trying to sink in all that her friend just said. Somewhere down the line even she herself knew that she wasn't being fair to herself.

"You can think over it....till then let's listen to our favourite song" Ellisa chirped happily.
She played the song 'Shalalala la" by Venga Boys. Melly grew up dancing happily to the beat of the song and just like her Ellisa too found it awesome.
Just then Melly felt a weird sensation of someone passing by.She looked around to find no one. 
"Duh-uh not the girly song again" 
Someone whispered. She quickly turned her head in all the possible directions at the sound of the voice. She felt goosebumps in the pit of her stomach.
Seeing her horrifying reactions, Ellisa stopped the car.
"What's wrong Melly?" Ellisa inquired.
"He's here Hawky. I can feel him around" She replied.

"He's here" "He's here" she repeated over and over again.
A wave of confusion crossed Ellisa's face and she was not able to fathom her friend's sudden reaction. "Who is here?" She finally asked.
"Alex" Melly quickly answered and got down.
"Hey wait there!" Ellisa ran behind her.
"Come back in your senses....he's gone. Its been six months" She tried to explain.
"No girl..I heard him pass that comment at our girly song" She retorted back.
"What comment? I did not hear anything. You must be dreaming" 
"I am not! He said the 'duh-uh' thing. I can sense him" She went on babbling.

Trying to handle the situation in a better way, Ellisa said "Okay, let's consider he was here. Then why can't  we see him?"
"I don't know but my heart can feel him around. It was his voice, his aura that caused tingles down my spine." 
Ellisa was obviously not going to believe her.
"Your heart can feel his presence because he resides there. But if he really was here then he would be visible to our eyes, your eyes" Ellisa said calmly.
"I don't need eyes to see him because sometimes the heart sees what is invisible to the eye" Mellisa replied back.
Ellisa knew that there was no point in stretching this topic any further. She somehow managed to convince Melly to sit back in the car and attend high school. 

They were currently attending their history lecture. Melly suddenly came out of her thoughts when she was shaken by Joe, her classmate.
She looked up to see the whole class staring back at her. 
"Ms. Melissa, will you please stand up and answer the question I just asked" Professor Charles spoke sternly.
She quickly got up and said "Pardon Sir, can you please repeat the question?" 
"I repeat, who took power after the French Revolution ended?" 
She became silent trying to think about the answer. She had always been a A grade student but time change, people change. 

"You shall answer the question in a minute or else go out of the class" He ordered.
Yet again, Mellisa felt a soft wind pass by and she knew Alex was somewhere around. 
''It's Napoleon Bonaparte. Just say it Mell'' 
A huge grin appeared on her face at the mention of 'Mell'. She was now hundred percent sure it was him. Her best friend, as promised had come to her rescue.
Composing herself, she quickly answered "It's Napoleon Bonaparte Sir" 

Professor Charles and all others were shocked at her unexpected correct answer. He nodded in response to her answer and gestured her to sit down. But instead of sitting down she said "Sorry Sir, please excuse me for the day"
  Having said that she just walked off leaving the class in utter shock. 
Just as she moved out, she heard the same voice again "Mell meet me at our place on 10th of July" 
This time she quickly asked "Where are you Alex? Why don't you show your face?" 

She waited for a moment and soon enough he replied "I shall in three days"
***
It was the midnight of 10th of July and Melly was eagerly waiting in their park for Alex to show up. 
Suddenly she heard him call her name "Mell". She turned around to see none other than Alex. She broke down into his arms and couldn't hold back her sobs. She couldn't believe she was actually seeing him. The same handsome yet innocent face and the ocean blue eyes.
  He held her face with his palms and said "I have very less time Mell. I am here for three reasons. First, to give you a chance to meet me for the last time. Second, to confess something that I left back and third ofcourse to..."
"To give me Birthday wishes because you promised you'll never miss it" She continued for him.
"You always have to complete my sentences, don't you?" He smiled sadly.
"Always. You said you wanted to confess something"

He paused for a moment and then continued "I can't go without letting you know how much I have always loved you. We have been best friends and shall always remain the same but I can't choose friendship always beyond love. I had to tell you this and get this burden off my shoulders" Alex said, relieved.
   But, Mell stood there with her mouth wide open trying to believe what just happened. 
"You idiot! Why didn't you tell me before? I thought it was just me who felt that way" She spoke, tears streaming down her face.
"It's too late for all this now but we deserved to know our feelings for each other. I'll have to leave now Mell, My purpose is done." He said trying to compose himself.
"You can't just go. What about our love?"
"I know it's strong enough to wait till another birth. May be this time my love was not in your destiny but remember someone else's is. You'll have to move on Mell. If not for yourself then atleast for me"
"I can't" She couldn't speak anymore as a lump was formed in her throat.
"You have to. It's time for me to go. Happy Birthday Mell. I shall always be with you. Here take this" He handed over a picture of them taken few months back at a Lake.
"It's my favourite pic. Keep it safe with you and smile you know I love it"

Having said that and kissing her forehead for the very last time, Alex disappeared into the thin air. Mell stood there staring at the photo and trying to accept it was his final adeau.