When Love is Pain

The Reunion

Nisha thought maybe Maya needed space, maybe people shouldn't be judged by their digital behaviour. Even Nisha is not friends with her parents on f*******: but that doesn't mean she doesn't love them, it's just that she wants some privacy, maybe Maya is like that. Nisha decided to reconcile with Maya. It just began with a simple yet heart touching comment on Maya's photo: "Ma,am, you look like the eighth wonder of the world!" Maya replied almost instantly,"You're crazy!" with some smiling and laughing emojis. Nisha didn't think of Maya as a villain in her story, she thought just because a person is nice to everyone doesn't mean they'll be nice to me!

College reopened in January. Now Nisha didn't wait for Maya in the evenings, because Maya's restriction somewhat broke her heart and she's not over it completely though she had forgiven Maya.

"Why make myself suffer and take the pain of waiting outside in the chilly weather, literally shivering and making my teeth chatter and falling sick for her? For someone, who doesn't even acknowledge how much I try to do for her?" However Nisha didn't go to her classes before she had just seen Maya once, she couldn't think of beginning her mornings without her. Nisha noticed how Maya looked beautiful even without makeup even when she was just hurrying for her classes. Sometimes Maya would just show up in yesterday's clothes but she still looked fresh and energized.

"She's a workaholic, totally devoted to this university," Nisha thought but she still felt a pang on her chest because was Maya even looking half as much as Nisha looked at her, studied her, Maya wasn't even interested to know that Nisha likes literature and art just like Maya.

Maya's Physics department had hosted a lecture on astrophysics by a renowned scientist. Nisha was never much interested in Physics but she liked astrophysics. One day, after that lecture, Maya sat behind Nisha, the latter doesn't know if it was intentional on Maya's part. Nisha noticed this. She slowly turned back to face Maya. Their eyes met and their lips smiled almost simultaneously, but again there was no prompting on either part like," Hey, look at me!"

"Ma'am, I wanted to attend that lecture."

"Why didn't you come then? It was open for all!"

"Because I was too shy and introvert."

"It's okay, when I was your age, I was like you."

Maya behaviour wasn't resentful at all, as if nothing had ever happened between them. Nisha thought Maya won't be speaking to her after she had turned her back on Maya and left after that restriction on f*******:, but here she was, being ever so gentle and warm and forgiving. "She loves me!" Nisha thought.

One fine day, Nisha saw Maya entering their building the one which was the administrative building as well as the School of Business. Nisha quietly followed and as Maya entered the lift and Nisha stood facing her, Maya gestured with her hands asking Nisha to come with her in the lift. Nisha had remembered how their Dean had once scolded some students for using the lift because it said," STUDENTS ARE NOT ALLOWED", hence Nisha politely rejected the proposal. As the lift went up, Nisha hurried through the stairs almost galloping to catch Maya before the lift arrived and she did but when Nisha saw Maya heading towards the Chancellor's office, she stayed back. She again followed Maya when she came out.

"Ma'am, none of my friends turned up today, so can I sit with you in the bus?"

"Okay then keep space for me in the bus."

Nisha didn't quite expect she'd be welcomed again so easily. She was dancing in joy.

Therefore they say again together, Nisha and reserved the window seat for her, the one Maya loves but this time Maya was the one who spoke the entire time, Nisha just kept looking at Maya and smiling at her, she wanted to say something but again she also didn't want to say anything. It was Chocolate Day and Nisha was sitting beside her chocolate, the one who brought sweetness in her life but her chocolate was either complaining about the mosquitoes or talking to her colleague turning back about her work.

Nisha thought it she should indirectly tell Maya that she loves her. Like Nisha would say," Ma'am I think someone has got some feelings for you" and when Maya would ask who the person was, Nisha would say," If I disclose the name, I'd be breaking my promise. It's a top secret ma'am!"

Something happened between them after that which made Nisha think it was prudent to not tell Maya that someone's crushing on her.