LOVING Aman | ✓

11

CHAPTER ELEVEN

THE water turned out farther than I had anticipated. It still echoes; with it's waves slamming and crashing and then slamming again, but it was still not within our peripheral. It lay ahead hidden by the thick forest lair. 

We walked in silence still with him a few steps ahead of me walking smartly with his feet mercilessly crushing the dried forest leaves. He seemed out of it though almost falling from hitting a stone or two twice which he could have clearly avoided and for a moment there, just for a moment, I wondered what thoughts rested on his mind.

Strangely however, there was nothing awkward about this new silence that had settled between us. No coy innuendos either. We were just two strangers on a road whom are both right now left at the mercy of their thoughts.

Yeah, strangers! I liked the sound of that better and I found that was comfortable; seeing him that way, very comfortable indeed, like I could feel the tension in the air dissipating and my heart relaxing a bit.

I still have my worries; I can't just expect them to fade away, but I was allowing myself the luxury of basking in the forest's glee. Not minding the fact that today might just go down in my life's history as my worst day ever and yet strangely, bad as it is, being here right now just crossed an item on my to-do list—visit an island.

Perhaps not my worst day after all.

There is this list I wrote when I was twelve. Ten things I would like to do before I die. It was something I haven't thought about it in years; since after my dad. It was just one of those things that scald me whenever I remembered. And looking how I've lived my life so far, I would say I was subconsciously avoiding those ten things I, we; I and my dad, had penned down. It just stirs up memories, memories which were better left undisturbed.

However, I could feel them pouring out like an uncapped tap drowning my thoughts in its embrace completely. It was just too much, too unexpected that I couldn't help but face them head on. They were already flooding me.

That day, I still remember. I could almost feel the taste of the sandwich we've eaten, feel the hot wind on my body and the stench of fresh, dried and rotten debris filling my nose. I remember feeling happy, contented. I remember feeling at peace with myself and I remember thinking maybe life wasn't all that bad, maybe it was...fair. I remember everything.

It was the month before my world had began to crumble. The month I still had everyone and everything I have ever wanted; popularity, friends and love. That day, the sun shone bronze and the sky held the gorgeous of blues I've ever seen. It was hot, but not too hot, just a very nice day with a soft willowy wind spraying.

It was a Sunday. I had wanted to stay in and read a book; The Virtuous Woman by Zaynab Alkali, it was part of my school curriculum, but my dad had insisted we go out for a walk.

"Sundays are daddy-daughter bond day, Baby, and your going to secondary school isn't going to stop that, is it?" He had asked with his face which looked like an older version of mine locked in a playful pout.

I am a replica of my dad, his female version but my lithe body is all mom. My dad is taller.

"Nothing ever will, dad," I had hugged him possessively. "-nothing,"

And he had laughed hugging me back.

We had walked aimlessly for minutes with our arms locked. We, however, walked in silence, just being there; breathing, happy, contented. Maybe that was why here with Aman feels comfortable; it was a place I had lived in once, a place I had my happiest moments.