Musical Notes (The Last Page Series-2)

Letting Go

"Abhik"

He turned around sharply.

His eyes widened as her name rolled off his tongue like a whisper.

"Uh...AJ? Who is that?", frowned Mia.

"AJ?", asked the newcomer, narrowing her eyes. 

Mia pointed at him, her eyes still trained on her, frankly irritated at the interruption.

The woman laughed softly.

"That's how the world knows him. To me, he is still Abhik. The Abhik I met 16 years ago", she said.

By then Abhik had recovered from the initial shock. Stiffening his shoulders, his face void of any expression he looked at her.

"Why?", he asked.

Now she turned to look at him. Her eyes tearing up a bit she rummaged through her bag and look out a piece of paper which she handed to him.

"Remember when you wrote this is to me?", she asked.

"Shimla trip.", he said, opening to read the letter.

She nodded, "You went to Shimla for 5 days and yet you wrote that letter because our days were incomplete without each other. And now it pains us to even look at each other. Ironic isn't it?"

Abhik shook his head as he folded the letter back to how it was.

"I still don't get it, Oindrila. I thought we made our choices, then why are you here?"

"Because I can't start a new chapter before the last page is complete. You left our chapter mid sentence. I have come to complete it.", Oindrila said, making eye contact with utmost dignity.

"Mishti, did you find him?", called out her husband.

Subho came and stood beside Mishti, putting a hand on her shoulder.

Abhik's eyes visibly darkened. Mia stood looking utterly confused, her eyes darting from person to person.

"Who are you?", Subho looked straight at Mia.

"I should be asking that to you both! I am AJ's best friend.", she exclaimed.

Mishti looked at her dumbfounded.

"Best friend? What do you know about him to give yourself that title, girl?", she snapped.

"Her name's Mia and don't talk to her like that. You have not done a PhD on me either.", Abhik interjected.

Hurt flashed across Oindrila's eyes.

By then quite a few people had started give attention to their....conversation. Subho noticed this.

"Um...I do not think this is the best place for this.", he suggested.

All three of them turned to glare at him, making him raise his hands in surrender.

"Come in", said Abhik, unlocking the door to his apartment.

Observing her surroundings a bit, Mishti sat on the sofa as Abhik took the armchair.

"You have a lovely apartment. Mia right? You must know this place, could you show me the balcony?", Subho asked Pragyaparamita, trying to drop the hint of leaving the pair alone.

Frowning at him she hesitantly agreed, not really wanting to leave Abhik with the 'crazy girl'.

"Subho's right, your apartment is really nice.", Mishti complimented.