The life of a withering flower [COMPLETED ✔️]

Chapter 12

With heaps of souvenirs and our belongings, I sat on the edge of a wooden bench until she tried on a new pair of shoes. Holy God! From where does all that money come from?

"How is this?", she asked hanging a pair of shoes in the air.

"Aren't they a bit big for your size?", I asked.

"They are for didi", we both chimed -- at the same time. This is the thousandth souvenir she is taking for her didi.

Geez!! I wouldn't spend a money on my brother. Don't get me wrong...but he is a douche bag!! Don't even get me started on it.

"Yeah yeah... It is amazing. If you are done, should we go?", I asked breathing out deeply through my nose.

"But the color is slightly off.", she said examining the pair. Not again!! I slapped my head mentally. If she were to shop and I were to left to myself... I had no problems there. But, with her to shop and I to be dragged along... Night mare!!

"Listen, I am done", her voice snapped the twig of my thoughts.

"After an era!", I rolled my eyes as I carried our bag. Damn my stout figure and height. Even if I looked stronger in comparison to her, I was not as much strong. Or say... I was drained out of energy after so many things going on.

"So, we are finally going back, huh?", she sounded as she looked ahead.

"Yeah, because it ain't a fairytale and we aren't going to buy a cottage here and live here forever", I mocked her.

"Well... I guess it were. If it were a fairytale...it would have a 'forever' that means an always", she said crossing her hands behind her back as she pulled her red scarf over her pink nose. The long black stockings had a bit of snow on them and her long silk hair moved about swiftly.

If it were for someone else, he would have mistaken her for Snow White.

"What is the 'forever' you believe in?", I asked.

"The 'forever' I believe in lasts as long as the world remembers a person. As soon as the world forgets about her, there is no meaning in staying anymore... I guess, that is when people take a rebirth", she answered.

I see... That's why she wanted to make memories with everyone... That is why she blended in with everyone... To live for as long as she had wished.

"If you are going to live, what's the point in dying?", I asked, a tinge of sheer annoyance surfacing on my voice.

"You don't get it. When a packet of biscuit expires, we refrain ourselves from eating it... But it still remains. It remains until it is destroyed completely by ants, moulds or fungus... The same is the case with life.. Until and unless someone remembers you, cherishes you, there is no point in living... That is what I think", she said hanging her head low and moving ahead.

Memories...

"What if the only person with whom you have shared memories dies?", I asked looking at the mark in my left hand.

"Then... I guess you can live for eternity... For neither her nor you can forget the moments you have shared", she said without turning back.

Eternity, huh? But it's way too long. It's longer than I can live. It's longer than she can wait.

"Hey, won't we miss the train?", she asked breaking my thoughts.

Our train was at 5.00 PM.

Although it was just 3.00 PM, it looked like evening. The orangish tinge of sunset spread around in the sky. No wonders, the different shades of blue did manage to suppress most of it.

"It's pretty, isn't it?", she asked looking at the sky.

"Yeah", I said not even picking up a look.

"The whitish blue tinge is taking over all other hues. However, the baby blue color is fighting to get his position.. This is a fight not blooded with red...but with colors that no one can bring about.", she said and although I had the urge to peek into her blazing brown eyes, I stood back. She drew her hands from her back to her mouth and blew into her well-knitten yellow gloves.

"What's your favorite color?", she asked, and although I didn't see her face, I could sense she was smiling as I groaned.

"Answer it, will you?", she asked in a demanding manner. Now that was something.

"Maybe.. Blue", I answered.

Although I couldn't see her face, -- yeah again,-- I could see the bulge on either side of her cheeks and could consider it nothing other than a smile.

Why would she smile at such a strange thing?

"The sky is in blue today, you like it?", she asked. And, now that made sense. She thought I would be happy if the sky is in my favorite color. Such a kid!

I huffed as I walked past her.

She caught the corner of my bright red sweater, and off we go.

She followed me like a kid, holding onto my sweater and staring around. This was the same thing that we had seen all these days.

A kind man helped us reach to the station by offering us a ride on his steely grey, newly looking jeep which he stroked proudly.

She and I got into the back and he revved the engine to life.

"What is your age?", he asked eying us from the corner of his eyes.

"Eighteen", she snatched away the little of the chance I had to speak.

"Your parents?", he asked, now his eyes turning a bit suspicious.

"Our parents are in Ahmedabad. We are going to meet them as we have summer vacation, now. Right, Bhaiya?", she looked at me wiggling her eyebrows.

Bhaiyya?

The man in the front, now focused on his driving rather than on us.

Did I damn my stout figure and height? Well, thanks to my stout figure and height, he considered what she said as the truth.

"Thank you", she chipped as I took out our luggage and went into the station.

Waving the man a brief farewell, we went into the station.

"Why did you lie back there?", I asked checking for the train.

It was on time so it should be here in... 20 minutes.

"I hope you remember what Shivank said", she sighed.

"Of course I don't remember what creeps and bullies say", I rolled my eyes.

"You need to change that attitude... It will end up hurting people even if you don't intend to", she breathed out deeply through her nose.

"What he said was the truth. The world runs on two things - caffeine and doubt ", she said before moving her head sideways and licking her dried lower lip. The baby pink color of her lips had turned into peachy color due to -- 1) cold, 2) no taken care.

She busily cracked her knuckles, and shook her legs as she checked the time again and again, waiting for the train.

"Stop shaking your leg", I hissed at her.

"It's involuntary", she sighed.

I hadn't noticed before, but the small mole near her neck as she flung her hair back in the air, looked familiar... Like someone I knew had the same mark. Again, I knew her already... But that wasn't it. There was a lake deep inside this frozen ice. I had seen it somewhere... But where?

Anticipating for the answer, I didn't even notice the train had come until it released a warm puff if smoke through the chimney and honked over the joints.

She called out my name and ran to the train. I walked behind her, matching my pace.

Again, who was she?

//Hello, hello... Aren't my cliffhangers the best? You gotta be proud of me, hehehe.. Jokes aside... I hope you enjoyed the chapter and leave your precious reviews and votes... *wink wink*//