Short Story by Raconteuse

  Oh Mom! I was so scared after I saw Suki’s letter. I mean who does something so crazy? I met Avyaan today and he was fine. Not that we ever have any heart to heart discussions. He was not discernibly disturbed. I think if she went ahead with the discussion, he obviously, comfortably, chose her. I am relieved they are still together. Not once did I expect it to be otherwise. Why would he choose me? Today, in the library, he asked all of us for movie. He, then, messaged a girl from our class asking if she wanted to go, too. She promptly said yes. I started giggling because a thought ran in my head. Being the child he is, Avyaan started pestering me with the reason for my giggling. I gave in and said that she said yes so promptly because she thought it was a date with just two of them. He said, “How could she? She knows about Suki.” I replied, “She does but you can never bridle the secret expectations that one has.” The conversation that ensued perturbed me. He said, “Do you think S...

  Dear Edena, I, honestly, do not know where to begin. Last time I wrote a letter was for my school assignment. I battled with the thought of telling you everything in person but it seemed better to leave you this letter so that you read it alone.  When Avyaan first told me about you, I would be lying if I said I wasn’t jealous. Not a lot but I was. Could have been because we had just started dating and he had to move. He ended up becoming friends with you so soon that I almost thought I would be forgotten. But to his credit, he didn’t let a day pass by where he didn’t make me feel special. He made sure distance was just something temporary. I had no complaints. He might have sensed that his friends made me envious so he curtailed the discussions about you all.  When I decided to surprise him and you offered to let me stay with you, I liked you immediately. All my inhibitions seemed to have gone out the window. You are genuinely the most benevolent person I have known....

Hey, Mom! Sorry, mom! I haven't written to you in so long. It is almost six months. I was caught up in the coursework for my Diploma. You really encouraged me to study and after the pandemic, I was really low and in between jobs. I decided to pursue the course. It wasn't a big deal because it was just a diploma. I didn't want to bother you with it.  Since I am writing to you, I know you must have figured out something is wrong. I have a nagging feeling lately. I wonder what would have happened if romantic movies/stories became a reality. It’s just a wishful thinking. This has been a recurring thought for almost three months now. I was in denial for almost two months until one day I succumbed to the obvious. Avyaan is the cause of all the upheaval in my life. My life wasn’t great before I met him but at least the only sorted thing was my incapacity to get infatuated to someone.  As you are aware, I had been in a complicated relationship for nine years. You remember Viraj?...

Ever since Mohit moved in next door, Sid has been visiting almost every week. He never stayed the night, except that one night. He mostly visited on Saturday afternoons. I have come to expect his messages on Saturday mornings.   “Hey, Suha! Same roommate thing. Want me to pick lunch on my way over?”, he would say every time.   “Hey, Sid! No, we will order in. Waiting.”, I would invariably reply.    He has always given the reason of his roommate and his girlfriend occupying their apartment but I  think the real reason is that Sid worries about me. Firstly, the arranged marriage fiasco that broke my heart makes him think I might need a friendly face around. Secondly, the stranger next door, who carefully traces his moves every time he pulls in my driveway and walks to my door, has him worried. He thinks my neighbor is a stalker. He still doesn’t know the cause of his worry in both the cases is one person- Mohit. I couldn’t tell him fearing the consequences....

 "Childhood love stories are the proof of one's naïveté. Not calculated or augured. Just run by compulsive hormones- first, pheromones and then, dopamine", I say as I sip my Diet Coke through the paper straw. I hate the paper straws. I mean they are good for the environment but they get soggy really soon, as has happened with me. He has asked me so many questions about my job as an associate manager, my BBA and MBA, and how I liked the job in my present company. His questions and excitement thwarted my efforts to ask him anything at all.  Viaan has done the impossible- he made me talk about my feelings. I rarely do that with strangers. Yet, here we are. I am talking and he is looking at me with an inexplicable gaze. I want to look in his eyes. I want the time to stand still. But neither I can nor the Universe can do that. His eyes have a piercing look. Every time I try to look into them, I get shifty. I know as a matter of fact that I still don't hold a candle to all ...

The frantic knocking on the door made me reluctantly leave my bed. I spend most of my days in bed these days. It's been 3 months since that horrendous evening. I close my eyes and replay those two days in my head endless number of times. I always want it to end differently. I open my eyes and it never changes. Tears are my only companion. The pain hasn't changed. It still hurts.  On hearing the knock, I wipe the tears and try to shake the sadness away. I try, but fail. I go to open the door. It is my friends. I have been avoiding them for 3 months now. To be honest, I haven't been out at all. I haven't been to any open mic. I just work on my proofreading job at home and order food. These food apps have made life so much easier. I talk to my parents over call. After one week of that unspeakable evening, I told them that Mohit wasn't the one. They did try to reason it out but I simply said that I don't want anything to do with him. They didn't pester me any mo...