“Do you still love me after all these years?” He asked her.
“Don’t you?” She asked back.
“I don’t know but we are now a lot more mature and I kind of have feelings for you but not like earlier times.” He was trying hard to give a genuine explanation but failed to.
She smiled and tried to catch his eyes while he was speaking. He stopped for a while and she was still looking into his eyes.
“What…What are you looking at?” He asked.
“Nothing” She smiled and kissed his cheek while holding his chin with one hand.
“Look I told you I don’t feel the same way for you anymore.” He shook her hand away.
She smiled and said, “Its okay! I know people change but why is it that I haven’t been able to change my love for you?”
His forehead with lines of anger was a proof that he was not even ready to talk about all that but since it was his decision to meet her last time he said, “Be practical Aashi. I moved on but now I seek just a good friend in you”.
“Oh, so you have a girlfriend currently?” She was not really sad.
“No, but I had a few after our break up.” He was a bit guilty.
“Oh nice, so you had a great time.”
“Stop making me feel bad” He said and turned his back.
“I am not making you feel bad. I am sorry if you felt so.” She said.
He did not speak.
“Okay listen, I came to see you but with no hope of anything. Our break up was a turning point in my life. I have grown each day and I have become better each day. Now I love myself enough to make a decision for myself. Unlike you I have kept that love safe in my heart. No person can ever change my love for you. And I can never forget you because it was only you who made me feel the emotion so pure.”
“Aashi I told you to be practical” He interrupted her because all that she was saying was making him feel worse about himself.
“What does practical mean to you?” She switched the topic immediately.
Before he could even reply she spoke again, “Does practical mean moving on? Does practical mean having a number of relationships or flings for that matter after a serious relationship? Or does it mean that it’s okay to fall in and out of love at any time you want?”
“I don’t know where you are taking this entire discussion.” He sighed.
“I am not taking this anywhere Raghav. You should at least be aware of what you are saying. You talk about being practical but you are actually stuck with me in your thoughts even when you have dated many women.”
“May be I am or may be I am not” He shook his shoulders.
“So for you insecurities and dilemma, you want me to surrender to your friendship. Just because you want to see if the love gets aroused while talking to me or not.”
“I don’t know.”
“Well, I know one thing. I am being practical which means I love myself enough to let you go. I have grown enough to forgive you. I have loved you enough to love you even more without you being in my life. So I would suggest you to be practical and stop playing with others’ lives just because you have insecurities”.
She picked up her purse, kissed his forehead and moved towards her car.
He could not utter a single word but stare at her new BMW she had got herself; bigger than his Audi.
She was once again the winner and he was the clear loser.
Did anyone say being practical? Well she earned a BMW for herself and above all a self respect that she cannot lose to anyone.