You are the one

Saying goodbyes are the hardest...

(Class 10)

We all come to school for the first time crying...We all leave the school on our last day crying.

School life passes by so fast, doesn't it?

Palak felt like it was only yesterday she had come here, holding Baba's hand, feeling nervous and giddy inside. That had been her first day at nursey. She had cried a lot at first, but when their teacher had started telling them stories, she had stopped crying and had listened to them wide eyed. She still remembered how they sang songs and drew balloons. Later they had to colour it too. Palak smiled as she remembered how hers was selected by Ma'am as the best one...and how proud and happy she was when she was called to the front of her class to show her red coloured balloon. And today, it was the last day, she was already in the tenth standard.

All those years passed away like they were nothing.

Palak wished that if...if she had the power to turn back time, she would, without thinking twice start over again from that day. She wanted to relive all those happy moments again and perhaps make other choices to avoid her embarrassing situations. She would have done a lot more things...if she had that power. But sadly, once a day passed by...there was no way to relive it again. Perhaps...many years later, she would be perhaps wishing to come back to this day again. Perhaps.....

Everybody around her was chatting, laughing. It was just like any normal day. But, somewhere all of them knew that it was perhaps the last time they would be seeing each other, that was why maybe...maybe they were trying to enjoy those little jokes, those little teasing till the final moments. Till the last bell, indicating that from the next day...they all wouldn't be coming here again. Till the last bell, indicating that from the next day...they would start fighting for that illusion of a comfortable future.

Palak turned back to take a look towards Veer sitting at his famous 'window side' seat. He was moving away to Jharkhand. They had called yesterday and uncle had broken the news to them that he was again getting transferred back to Jharkhand. Palak remembered how sad she had felt on hearing that. They would surely stay in contact, she had assured herself. But  somewhere in her heart Palak knew...contact was surely to be broken. Even now as she was staring at Veer, her chest felt hollow and it reminded her that she won't be seeing him from tomorrow. Sucks to know that your closest friend was transferring somewhere far away....

When the final bell rang, Everybody hugged each other and some of them even cried. Palak didn't know how she was holding back her tears and she hugged Smitha and others. They all would shift to different schools...She wondered how many faces she would still see in the future, someday...

Almost everybody had moved out of class and it was probably only her and Smitha left. After she bid her goodbye, she also turned around to leave...probably follow her and talk to her some more, when she noticed Veer standing behind her. She noticed that he looked really really nervous. 

"Palak.." He almost whispered.

"Oh, Veer, I was about to come to you, I heard that you were moving again, Uncle's job is pretty erratic"

"I want to stay here in Kolkata, but.." He said, but stopped midway. She knew what he wanted to say... She knew that It was not possible.

"I know Veer, That is not possible...But, I hope we can stay in touch..."  She said and suddenly she came forward and hugged him. She didn't know what had happened to her that moment. She was not thinking straight. But, she felt at ease when she hugged him...she felt- 

She was surely not thinking straight...

"I  will miss you Veer..." She whispered, trying hard to control the tears that were almost about to break the barriers. She pulled back after sometime and noticed the conflicted...confused look on his face.