Ashes

Guns and Roses

It all began from the moment we met at St. Peter's Park down the street. I was 5 and she was 6. A see-saw partner was the only thing I was looking for as Tom has a habit of always forgetting that he could give me company at times. My eyes hopelessly wandered and along came a hand.

"Can I sit as well?" she asked with the cutest face ever.

I simply nodded because it's a way of confirmation while you're young. We had fun. Laughs sprinkled and the moment lived as it witnessed happiness all over again.

And from here starts the journey of Emily and I. Childhood promises, parks and playgrounds were all we had back then. High school, tuitions and a teenage dream was a huge part of our lives. Time brought us closer and we were well known by each other. Emily's parents, Aunt Sera and Uncle John loved my company since I always ended up pulling off the most unexpected behavior at the most awkward moments.

Like this one time when both the families went to church, I ended up finishing my service at the highest pitch, obviously forgetting the fact that there were other people present. A moment of realization struck as all eyes were staring at this young chap. She marked the smirk and everyone followed eventually. From five to ten, from ten twelve, we grew up in the same neighbourhood and started to see more of each other. Our families got along really well and my father's war stories were never ending, yet inspiring. No doubt I was to serve the country one day.

On my birthdays, valentine's week and New Year's, Emily made a card and gave a chit along with it, which read the best moments we had, had during that year.

Every little chit of hers with that rosy fragrance tied with a small red ribbon, was the best thing I still have. She made me blush, only she could. I didn't and I don't know much about love, but I know this. If you see her in the eye and you look down, you see her in the eye and look down again, that very smile on your face the first time, is something you'll never forget.

And only she, she could do something like that to me.

Sometimes we're just lucky to have people who can make us feel the way even we never thought we could.

It's 2 am and if mom possibly comes to know that I have been awake till now, I surely am going to have the time of my life. The clock reminds me of sleep but this book keeps me awake. It is one of the strangest mysteries of the world that ends up justifying itself every time. We love doing things that usually defy time. It's more of a challenge than something else. I am 17 and I have the whole world in front of me. Besides every other motivating thing, trying to keep me focused, I have my Boy Scout training from tomorrow.

More than just looking up to the National Heroes, becoming one made more sense to me. So this is one of those things that I took seriously. It worked out well for me, I guess. I was the first in my class and my speciality, which was target shooting landed me appreciation from my seniors. My father was proud and flaunted my achievements as if it were his. And you know how mothers are, she made sure that our friends and relatives knew about the prodigy she had. I guess father's genes worked out for me just fine.

Not too much time had passed that made me enroll for the military and the way I was going, I surely made it through.

Emily and I had the time of our lives together. From laughing to her high school cum college fantasies, to birthday parties to gatherings to irrelevant and improper conversations at the most appropriate times! We just managed to grow up.

And now, I had to leave. I realized, how am I supposed to live a lifetime in these seven days?

"I made it through the list!" I shouted from the inside. As soon as my adrenaline started to map its way through, my heart screamed "Emily" and I was at halt.