Crossing the Mirage:Passing Through Youth

She stopped as though she was going through that moments all again.

“Well,” she resumed, “that was owing to a silly misunderstanding, but though we made it up, I held on to my girlfriend on purpose and as I prolonged the tease, he left in a huff. While I invited him the next day, he coolly told me to fetch my friend for myself and I told him I wouldn't get from her what he had to give me. Oh, romantic it felt as he enjoyed my comment and complimented me in kind! It's so thrilling even as I recall that now. But that was just a tease. Getting involved with another man was no joke. While I waited for him in trepidation, he called me in exasperation and I managed to be with my father to gain time for the encounter.”

As she began crying like a child at the loss of its favorite toy, Chandra's eyes too turned moist. But composing herself she continued.

“Have you seen, Ave Kallu?” he asked me, after talking to my parents for a while.

“It's a nice movie,” out of turn, my father answered for me. "We've all seen it.‟

“Do you think it's worth repeating?” he asked me again.

“Maybe,” I almost murmured

By the time he managed to find me alone, I prepared myself.

“Why that question?” I asked him tentatively.

“Don't you know the answer?” he asked, sounding like he knew it as well.

“Vasu took me on a date,” I replied, looking for his reaction.

“How come?” he said affected by my betrayal.

“Why should it bother you?” I taunted him, feeling bitter.

“What do you mean by that?” he said puzzled.

“Anyway, you don't love me, do you?”

“Who told you?” he said clearly on the defensive.

“Are you not in love with your classmate, whatever her name?”

Oh, having said that, how I hoped he would deny that but he said instead, “Is it Vasu who told you?”

“How does it matter to you?” I said enjoying his predicament.

“I had a crush on her,” he said lovingly, “that was before you revealed your heart to me and as your love opened my eyes, I lost my hear to you and closed my eyes on her.”

I was so stunned by what he said that I was unable to comprehend our situation. Oh, how I regretted having jumped into the imposter's bed without giving my lover a fair hearing. But then, didn't Vasu's idea to get even with my lover appealed to my jilted mindset then? When I could see that it was to gain me that Vasu had spurred me on to err, it was neither here nor there, well, by then, it was beyond redemption.