Forever Won't Be Enough

Back to You

Image credit : dreamandhope17@tumblr.com

Alan had been lying on his bed for a long time. He wasn't sleepy, but the lethargy made it impossible for him to move. Armaan entered the room, and handed him a cup of coffee. He went to sit at the corner, and quietly shook his head.

'You think I'm pathetic, don't you?' Alan told him as a matter of fact.

'Well, how did you know that?' Army pretended to be surprised. 'Actually, I also feel like kicking you.'

'You're my brother, in case you forgot that. You're supposed to say that it's okay and make me feel better. But here you are, as usual, enjoying my pain.'

'Don't you know that the world is very small, and people always run into each other?' He grinned at him.

'Yeah, what was it? Seven or eight billion people?' He tried to add as much sarcasm as he could manage.

Army shrugged. 'Not my fault. It happens in book and movies.'

'So you suggest that I go on a world tour and run into her?'

'Okay, I'll try to do something. Now, do you remember what you guys spoke about? You and Petal?'

Alan frowned at him, and almost growled. 'Not Petal, it's Rose.'

'Hey, relax. At least that got you interested. You've been sleeping like a cat all day.'

Alan simply stared at him.

'Okay.' Army raised him hands. 'Let's get to work. Repeat everything you remember. I won't interrupt.'

Alan pulled himself into a sitting position. 'We talked about the airport, coke, her hobbies, her college, subjects, love ... mostly love, and oh, we even spoke about you.'

Army pursed his lips and started shaking his head again. 'You're such a fool, Al. Hopeless. Remind me how I ended up with an idiot like you again?'

'You're doing it again. And you're definitely not helping.'

'Which college did she say she was going to?' He asked.

Alan's face scrunched up and he pressed his hand to his forehead. Then he smiled stupidly. 'St., um, William's,' he said very slowly.

'So, who's the idiot?' Army threw a pillow at him, which hit him right in the face. 'Did you forget everything except her face?'

'What do you mean?'

'It's okay. Not your fault. You're in loooooooove.' He drawled as humanly as he could.

Alan simply waited for him to continue.

'You know her college, the place, and her subject. So what are you doing moping here?' he teased. 'And talking about searching the whole world.'

Alan threw the pillow back at him, which he expertly dodged. He was right. There was a good chance at finding her. But ....

'So I'm supposed to just go? After her? But I just met her. And how am I supposed to get there? I don't have that much money. What about my job?' he asked. 'Now, who is the idiot?'

'Everything is fair in love and stuff stuff.' Army muttered.

'I'll go bankrupt getting resources for love. You should think before giving false hope.'

'Hey, I am still alive.' Army elbowed him. 'We'll find a way. Now follow me.' He started marching out of the room, military style.

Alan got up and followed him lazily. Maybe Army could fix this too, just the way he fixed everything else. He could see a tiny ray of hope. He caught Army and punched him lightly.

'Ow,' Army moaned. 'When did you get so strong?'

'Learned it from you,' he replied.

Army sat at the old computer and Alan dragged a chair to sit beside him.

'Let's see . . . you going to solve my problems by playing Plants vs. Zombies?' Alan asked. Hearing no response from Army who was busy checking something on the internet, he sat simply and waited. Their internet was so slow, it had the ability to kill everyone by making them wait. Well, everyone except Army, who had endless patience.

'You'll see what I can do.' Army was trying to cover the screen with his hands.

Alan simply waited and finally, Army removed his hands from the screen. He simply studied the results.

'Website of St. William's?' He was puzzled.

'How are you gonna go there without a job or at least some education?'

'So what? I'm going to be a professor there?'

'No. I don't think anyone would want you as a professor. Trust me, you'll be horrible. So we've got to make you a student,' said Army, clearly pleased with himself. 'Wait and watch.'

***

Alan woke up and felt a cool surface against his cheeks. He must've fallen asleep on the computer table, he realized. He rubbed his eyes and looked up.

'Finally. I thought you were going to sleep for a long time and was wondering whether I'd have to carry you to the bed.'

'What happened?' Alan asked sleepily.

'You're a student in second year psychology,' he said.

'Wait, what?' A part of his mind still thought it was a joke. 'But we didn't even apply. And the deadlines? And my certificates? My visa? And did you forget what about my money?' Nothing was making sense to Alan. Finally he asked, 'What did you do?'

'I spoke to my dad, sort of.' He sounded a little irritable. 'He took care of everything. And he used his influence.' Slowly, he brightened up. 'I'll do your visa thing. Don't worry, you are not an actual student there, just a pretending student.'

'But you haven't spoken to your dad in months and you . . . well, you don't like him.'

'Hey, its okay. And this thing is really important for us. So I don't mind forgetting my pride for a little while.'

'Hmm.' Alan didn't want to go deeper into the sensitive issue, so he asked. 'And the money?'

'My dad will help me get the loan too. Okay, okay. Now don't start thanking me. And if we need more, we'll combine our savings and manage.'

'Yeah, but it's going to take a lot more than that.'

'The loan will take five days to process. So we better hurry. So much to do and such little time.'

'I . . . thank you. I don't really know ... I mean . . . you do so much for me. I don't know how I'd live . . .' He stopped, realizing how embarrassing it must've been. 'I love you, Armypants,' Alan finally relaxed.

'I love you too... Hey wait. Don't tell that to me. Save it for her.'

'So what next?'

Army held up a long list. 'Lots of shopping. You'll need much more than an air man's uniform.'

'You are joking, right?' Alan pretended to faint.

Armaan simply dragged him along and headed out. The next few days were going to be really busy. He was a little sad because Alan was his only true friend and he'd never imagined that a time would come when he'd have to leave him. But Alan was about to find his happiness and he would do everything he could to help him, no matter how hard it was. He wanted Alan to find the true meaning of his life. His only hope was that the girl would be worth it.