The Thing We Call First Love

Chapter 5 - Heaven Again

Just when I started speaking, Arjun picked up his phone and he saw the message. He wasn't paying attention to my words. So I stopped. There was an awkward silence in the room. All of a sudden, Arjun spoke something so unexpected. He spoke something so unbelievable that I asked him to repeat it. The first time he told it, it felt like I was in some dream that I even pinched myself to check before asking him the second time.

'RAMYA MISSES YOU' he told a second time still looking into his phone. The sentence echoing in my mind, I lost my ability to think. Before I could respond he continued,

'SHE HAD CHANGED HER NUMBER. SHE WASN'T USING HER MOBILE FROM THE BEGINNING OF 10TH GRADE BECAUSE OF THE EXAMS. SHE GOT HER NEW NUMBER JUST YESTERDAY. IF YOU AREN'T MAD AT HER, I'LL GIVE YOU HER NUMBER.'

What is going on here? Is this the destiny everyone talks about? Am I really awake? Has God stopped being cruel to me? I didn't want to look desperate. I nodded slowly but immediately got the number from him. I guess, I couldn't fully mask the desperation in me. My heart was exploding as Arjun dictated the numbers one by one. Once I got the number and saved it, I looked at Arjun. He had suddenly transformed into a saviour to my eyes. I wanted to thank him but I didn't. There was something in me that wouldn't let me speak the words.

I couldn't wait to text her. But I didn't want to show my desperation in front of him although he already saw it. As it would be weird to leave immediately after getting the number, I stayed there for another hour. During the time, we played FIFA again in which I won 2 of the 3 matches we played. Is this God's way of telling me that I'm back to winning ways? Well, it wasn't so. To win, I had to work hard.

Ramya missed me but her anger had not subsided. She didn't respond to any of my texts. She didn't pick up my calls. I had tried every possible apology but nothing could cool her down. This went on for a week.

In the mean time I left for Bangalore. It was a short vacation of about 10 days.  I stayed in my cousin's house there. It was now 9 days since I got her number. She was mad alright.  Girls are girls, I thought. Her anger had overpowered the missing feeling she felt for me. I had to do something that would overpower her anger. I came up with a lame idea like I always do. I took my phone and typed 'SANJAY HAD MET WITH AN ACCIDENT. THIS IS SANJAY'S DAD' I was losing my mind alright. I sucked at coming up with plans and excuses. I didn't know how but these worthless plans always worked for me. It did this time too. I guess, luck was still on my side.

In about 7 minutes after I sent her the bizarre message that no one would believe, my phone rang. The caller id read Ramya. I froze. She really did miss me. She really did care for me. Her concern for me had overpowered her anger. I was elated. I was jumping up and down before I picked up the call finally. 'HELLO' I heard her sweet voice again. My heart was pounding. I was flying high but soon crashed hearing her next words 'WHAT HAPPENED? ARE YOU FINE?'

I never thought of a reason to tell her if the plan worked. Guess I was so certain that the plan would fail. What am I gonna tell her? If I told her it was lie, she wouldn't talk to me for eternity. I had to come up with something. But I sucked at coming up with excuses. I couldn't manage to think of any excuse in the 2 seconds she gave me. Not even a worthless excuse this time. I had to tell her the truth. I told her hesistantly that it was a lie and apologised. I told her that it was to make her talk to me and not worry her. I wanted to say how much I missed her these two years. I wanted to say how much I loved her. But I didn't. I couldn't. There was silence for the next 10 seconds. It was the longest 10 seconds of my life.

After the eternal 10 seconds, my life had changed. It had become beautiful again. It had become colorful again. It had become heaven again. Little did I expect that she would apologize for being angry on me. I told her that I only wanted the old days back and added that I would never repeat my mistakes. She laughed finally. I was out of the world.

I had made up for the lost 2 years. My mission was complete and it was an unexpected grand success. But before she could respond, the call disconnected. I was out of balance. God damn roaming. I couldn't call or message her. But she  messaged me. The message read 'NOT ABLE TO CONTACT YOU. WILL BE IN TOUCH.'

Moments after attaining a victory in my previous mission, my next mission had started. The mission of finding the nearest recharge shop. Though it seemed simple, it really was not so easy as it seemed. After wandering through the unknown streets of Bangalore for about 30 minutes, I was finally able to find a recharge shop. After recharging my phone, I was really back on track.