Anya's phone went off as she tried hard to concentrate on what her boss was trying to explain in the meeting. Seeing Reza's name flash on the screen her heartbeat increased. She immediately excused herself saying it was a family emergency. She picked up the call as she exited her boss' office.
"Hello?"
"Anya? Reza--" came his mother's panicked voice.
"What happened to him?" she asked trying to maintain her calm.
"We are taking him to the hospital. Please come, he is asking for you" his mother said sobbing.
"I will be there" she hung up and took her tote bag and drove to the hospital. The ride from her office to the hospital was the longest for Anya. Thousand different thoughts running in her mind.
"Where is he?" she asked as soon as she saw his parents.
"Doctors have taken him inside" his father said pointing towards the room.
They waited patiently for the doctor to come out. Once the doctor came out they rushed towards him.
"I won't lie, Reza doesn't have much time left. His condition is pretty serious. I doubt he will be able to see the moon tonight. Also, please call Anya, Reza is asking for her. You can meet him but please one by one" saying this he left.
"Anya go meet him" his mother said.
"No aunty you both go first. I will wait here" she said with a sad smile. His parents nodded and went to meet him one by one. Thirty minutes later it was finally Anya's turn. Taking a deep breath she plastered a huge smile on her face and entered the room. There was her best friend lying on the bed with wires attached on his body.
"Hey!" she whispered as she sat on the metal stool next to his bed.
"Happy friendship day" he said trying hard to smile.
"Happy friendship day" she replied and took out the friendship band from her tote bag and tied it around his wrist.
"Your friendship band is in my jeans pocket" he said as he tried to get up.
"I will bring it" she picked up his jeans from the sofa and searched for the band in his pocket. Instead of a band she got a blue velvet box.
"What's this?" she asked as she sat on her previous spot.
"My last friendship day gift. Open it" he said.
Anya opened the box and found a beautiful gold pendent. She gasped looking at it.
"Do you like it?" he asked and she nodded. "That infinity sign represents our friendship. No matter how far away we are we will always find our way back to each other" he said and Anya broke down in tears.
"Please don't go please. How will I live without you. Please stay please. Don't go, Reza. Don't go" she cried.
"Anya, I don't have control over death. We all have to go one day or the other. Today is my day."
"I won't let you go. I refuse to let you go. You promised me that we came in this world together and will also leave together. Then why are you leaving me alone here in this cruel world?" she cried harder.
"Anya I will be waiting for you up there. But no need to come soon. Take your time, enjoy your life, travel the world, get married, have kids, become a granny and then come to meet me. Till then I will always be in your memories" he said as she patted her head softly. "Also, I want this to be buried with me" he pointed at the pendent that was resting on the side table. It was a best friend pendent. One half of the pendent was with Anya and the other with Reza.
"Why are you going?"
"Do not shed tears when you remember me. I want you to smile every time you think about me. Okay?" she nodded and cleaned her tears.
"I love you" Anya placed a soft kiss on his forehead.
"I love you too" Reza said.
"Ma'am it's time for the patient to have some rest. I would request you to leave" the nurse said politely. Anya gave her best friend one last look and he gave her the brightest smile. She left the room but didn't leave his parents side. After Reza will be gone they are her responsibility.
That evening Reza welcome death with open arms. He left this world and went to a better place. That day a parent lost their son and a friend lost her best friend. That night when Reza was buried deep in the ground the pendent was buried with him too. That night Anya realized that one could become homesick for people too.
Now please don't bash me for letting Reza die. He was always going to die since the time I thought of this plot.
I know you guys didn't want him to die but I couldn't change the plot. I couldn't think of an alternative.