The Thing We Call First Love

Chapter 11 - The Birthday

I was so eager about how my birthday would go. I was mighty excited. I had even rehearsed how I would react to the wish from her. I didn't want it to be too desperate. Also I didn't want it to be too indifferent. I wanted it to be just right. 'THANK YOU SO MUCH. BLESSED TO HAVE YOU IN MY LIFE. HOPE I'LL BE BLESSED FOR A LIFETIME' was the phrase I rehearsed.

For Rohan though, I didn't rehearse anything. But it didn't mean he was less special. It was because he knew our bond. It was a kind of bond that had no thank yous , no sorries and no heartful consoling words. Infact it was filled with something that others didn't and couldn't understand. For his wish I thought I would just abuse him with a few words and ask him to be honoured and privileged that I was born and that I was his friend.

I was very eagerly waiting for the reply he would give. He was known for his unexpected replies that will always make me ecstatic. All these thoughts was going through my head and just the thought of it made me smile like crazy.

How crazy would I have felt if it really had happened ? Yes. It was the worst birthday ever. It was the first birthday where I had real expectations. Expectations pull you down to hell and suck out everything from you till you feel dead inside. I felt dead alright. The clock ticked. It was 11.59 pm. I was looking at my phone eagerly. Then it was 12 and then it was 12.01 am and 1 am. I was in disbelief. I even thought if it were a nightmare. But it wasn't. It was all real.

Finally at 6.14 am, my phone beeped. It was Ramya. Even then, I wasn't mad. She must've fell asleep unknowingly, I consoled myself and picked up the phone. But the message made me burst into tears. The message read 'GOOD MORNING.'

She had forgotten my birthday and he had also forgotten my birthday. It felt like the two most important people in my life weren't important to me anymore. Since I didn't want my parents to see me crying on my birthday, I went into the bathroom fell apart while I was bathing and faked a smile in front of my parents.

I really didn't want to go to school. For the first time in my life, I didn't want to see her face. But I didn't want to spend the day crying at home and make my parents concerned either. So I left for school leaving the two special chocolates which I had bought for the not-so-important two special people at home. I prayed that I shouldn't see their face that day.

Like I prayed, I didn't see Rohan's face that day. Infact he was on leave and made me hate him even a little more. The only good thing that happened was Pravesh's unexpected gift and wish which happened in the morning assembly.

The boy didn't forget me even though I had not been talking to him so much lately. Infact there wasn't any conversation between us for nearly a month. Even then he remembered. I made up a point to not lose Pravesh in my life and to always keep in touch with him.

In the morning break, Ramya just like any other day came to see me. She had that red angry tomato face. I guessed it should be because I didn't reply to her good morning text. But on seeing me, she was shocked.

Seeing my non-uniform color dress code obviously made her realise that it was my birthday and she had forgotten it. Tears started rolling down her beautiful eyes and without uttering a word she went back. I felt very bad because it was the first time I had seen her cry and she was crying because of me.

In the evening, I searched for her and asked her to wait so that I could give her the special chocolate. She agreed and I raced home in my bicycle. I collected the chocolate from the fridge and immediately left to meet my angel. It was then that the unexpected happened.