REASON

The Lost Bond

We were on our 10th grade and whenever there is any problem, the three names that were being called are Abhinav, Randhir, and Yamini. We were the naughtiest people in our whole grade. The only reason our parents were not called is because of Natasha, our friend, savior, adviser, and a ton more. She eternally saved us. Every teacher loved her. Every student adored her. Wherever she goes, she gets a good name.

Natasha and Abhi were in a relationship. Their love story was on the top list in our class. They were just perfect for each other. We four couldn't talk properly during our boards. Natasha doesn't even come out when we had 12 days of study holidays for exams. She would say, going out is not a problem but after exams, you lose a single mark, you know what our parents would say "Only because you guys went out, you got so low marks and blah and blah". Why give a chance when we can happily roam during holidays?

We would anyways go, but never post any stories, not because we were scared our parents would scold, but it was purely because of Natasha. If she knew we went out, she wouldn't even scold, she would give us the "you guys betrayed me" look.

So, after board exams, we four planned on going on a trip. Our parents sent us because Natasha asked. They also arranged a cab and a driver for us. We three begged and brainwashed Natasha to go to a beach that was 100kms far from our place.

On the way, we played songs that each liked on a row. We bought a lot of food too.

We four were talking all stories and also confessed that we three went out during sem holidays. Not me, Not Randhir. She stared at Abhinav. It was funny because he saw this coming long back. I felt very sleepy in a while. I saw Randhir already sleeping on my lap. I took Natasha's lap to sleep. When I woke up I saw Natasha sleeping on Abhinav's shoulder and Abhi holding her from behind and his head resting on Natasha's.

No matter how hard you see, I'll be the only one with whom you'll get to do these stuff. whispered Randhir. I pushed him with a disgusted look in my face and we laughed.

We went to the beach. We saw the orange sky with blue and yellow colors mixed with the moon in one corner. I went up to Randhir and said: " To be honest, even if you were going to be the last person on earth, I wouldn't be with you." I laughed.

If I were the last person on earth how would you even be alive? Idiot only you are. He snapped.

The crazy 10th std kid inside us popped out.

Natasha and Abhinav were holding hands, admiring the sky, and we, admiring them. We four played and Natasha snapped photos of us.

We all sat in one room whereas our driver slept in the next room. We called our parents and it was obvious Natasha told them what we were doing and shared our live location with them. That's why the scoldings we got was not as we expected it would be when they found out.

After the call, we played and Natasha slept at around 11'o clock. We took pictures of her. Randhir was the second one to sleep. Abhinav and I, we never slept this soon. Let it be in our house or to wherever we went. So we both spoke till the sun rays made its way through the window.

Yamini. Can I ask you something?

yeah, Abhi. I said.

I'm gonna change. I won't roam anymore. I'm planning on being a good...

*I laughed before he could even complete the sentence.*

This is the 1083080th time you are telling it. All the best anyway.

Yamini. shut up. I mean it, idiot.

sure. I laughed.

And we sat there. Speaking the whole night. I realized how much I admire him. How beautiful Abhinav was. His dusky complexion with perfect jawlines. His eyes, always searching for something. I had some kind of a different feeling for him, but never told out nor gave it a deep thought. I knew him since childhood. I couldn't think of a day without these three.

Whenever I needed them, they stood with me. These both would always force me to go and talk with new guys.

The next morning we all started from the place.

On the way, the driver asked us for a break. He went out into the woods. Randhir and I went out to take selfies as the weather was amazing. Natasha wouldn't come and Abhinav accompanied her.

When Randhir was about to click a pic, Abhinav came from behind and hit us. The pic was shaken. We cursed him and asked him how come he left his angel and came to us. He said, she had a report to complete, for which she had few articles to read. So I left her inside the car and came. Boring Man. Like...

Okay shut up and pose before the driver comes now. Told Randhir. And we three gave pose for the next pic. When Randhir clicked the button, BOOOOM! We heard a huge noise. Shocked, Randhir dropped the phone and we turned. There was a fire. We couldn't move.

A lorry hit. our car was on fire. What happened. NATASHA. We ran towards the car. We couldn't even go closer. There was no way anyone inside the car would even survive this long. We hoped that Natasha would have jumped out of the car. Or she would have also come out to surprise us like how Abhinav did. ABHINAV.

He stood at the same spot. Still.

People came running. Within few minutes, Police came. Asked us what happened. Our parents came. They were weeping. Natasha's parents sat down. None of them scolded us. They couldn't console us either. We went home once we knew she was burnt very badly and was no more. They did not let us see her.

Days passed. We three did not speak to each other for a long time now. Abhinav went into depression. We heard from his parents that he kept telling whoever he saw, that he shouldn't have asked her to stay inside. She asked him if she can come with him. He asked her to read the article as she had a report to submit. He told her she can come out once she finished reading her article. He screamed to himself that he shouldn't have done that it seems. It was hard for us to hear. Whenever we tried meeting, it reminded us more of Natasha and we couldn't just face each other.

Our holidays got over. When I went to school, I learned that Randhir took the science stream and was shifted to another block, throughout our high school, I saw Randhir only once or twice. Even that we couldn't speak for more than 5 minutes. and Abhinav left the city. Once and for all.

I was silent in the class. I saw we had a new admission. Nayana. She sat with me. She was quiet. She never asked me why I was silent. She never disturbed me. We never really spoke much. We both started hanging out inside the school so that none would think we were alone. I'm not even sure if she knew my full name.

Once while eating, she spoke. Hey! Yamini. Can I ask you something? HUh. I thought to myself. I knew this was coming. She would stir my past now. I said. Yes. Ask. Did you understand the part our Economics Ma'am taught today? she asked. I was shocked. I laughed. What? I asked. I'm sorry if it was wrong. She said.

No No, not at all. Man, I never understand what she teaches. I said.

Slowly, I found my best friend inside her. The way she cared. The way she understood if I needed space. She spoke a lot to me but never asked me about my past. I loved that in her. She made me never think about my past ever again. After school, as they say, once parted ways, it gets difficult to maintain any relationship. We spoke rarely but when we did, it went on for hours. After a while, it slowly came to one call in 2 to 3 months and then once in a blue moon.

After a long time, I received this call before a month.