The Past

It was a snowy evening. She was sitting with him at the table in the lonely corner of a small café. They were sitting cozily, all by themselves. No one else could hear them, nor there was anybody’s disturbance. They were so engrossed in each other. Talking joyfully, sharing memories, experiences, opinions, feelings, everything they could share. They were enjoying each other. Giggling, teasing, laughing loudly… 

And all of a sudden everything blacked out. Everything turned into nothingness. A complete dark void. She had woken up. She had come back to reality. He was her high school best friend-cum-crush. She hadn’t talked to him in years. They had no contact whatsoever. She also hadn't thought about him in months. Although, she hadn’t also forgotten him. He was there all along, in her subconscious. And this dream had got him his way straight into her mind. 

The dream staggered her. She just couldn’t get him out of her head. Now she actually recalled his memories. She was overwhelmed. Little surprised, a little happy, a little sad, a little clueless. She hurriedly checked her horoscope. But alas! It showed no sign of meeting an old friend. 

She went to her workplace carrying him in mind. But even there she couldn’t focus. He had become the main character in her life. She spent the whole day thinking about him. Recalling the memories, experiences, feelings. Her whole mind revolved around him. 

Then she decided to find him! She called all of her friends trying to establish some contact. Checked all the social media handles. But as she only remembered his first name and striking looks, she could not find him. She even approached the high school administration! But pity her, she just couldn’t get him. 

Her entire day and evening passed pondering about him, replaying old scenarios, contemplating his reminiscence. She went to sleep with the same thoughts, hoping that at least last night’s dream would continue. 

There he was. All dressed up in a brown woolen coat and a shiny black muffler around his neck. She clearly recognized his handsomeness. But they weren’t in the café. They were standing under a lone streetlight. Nothing else was in sight due to the darkness. She started the conversation. Bringing up how they troubled each other in the school. But there was no response. He couldn’t hear her. He couldn’t feel her existence over there. He turned around and started walking away. 

She tried to stop him, but to her surprise, she could not take a step forward. She tried very hard, but she was just stuck to the ground. She was helpless in her own world. She could do nothing but watch him fade in the dark. 

There she was, standing alone in the dim streetlight, still thinking about him, his memories. She was sad, feeling empty. Something just didn’t feel right… 

And there was a blackout all over again. But this time it was not nothingness. She had realized something. This realization had gotten her out of all her sadness and void. It finally got ‘him’ out of her mind. She finally realized that she loved the past all this while, not him…