Page 47 - FATE & DESTINY

FATE & DESTINY

“Oh, really?” I said. “Let’s chat next time. You’re getting late.”
She flashed me a coquettish smile and scurried away.
Darjay showed no interest in whatever I did. He just stared into the distance with a worried face.
“What’s the matter, buddy?” I said.
“It’s time we returned home,” he said.
“Why?” I said. “It’s not even a week.”
“We must go.”
“I won’t.”
“What? Don’t even think of staying back.”
“I am staying here.”
“Your granny would bark at me.”
“Tell her I would come next week.”
He sighed. “Fine, will you escort me till Wamrong?”
“I will.”
Yethrolma would come to work every day. Sometimes, I would carry her basket. Her friends would
gossip in envy, but it didn’t bother me. Soon, I followed her to her house.
“What’s going on?” said her mom. “You will be in trouble if your brother knows about this.”
“Nothing, Aunty,” I said. “We’re just friends.”
No wonder her mom flushed her anger at me, I followed Yethrolma to her place almost every day.
Despite gossip and her mom’s stern objection, Yethrolma and I never stopped seeing each other.
With each passing day, our attachment burgeoned, but I had not expected parting would be the hardest.
The day before we parted, I arranged our last meeting place, but she didn’t turn up. I tapped the ground
with my feet, glancing in the direction she was supposed to come. “Why isn’t she coming? Did her mom
stop her?” I held my chest as the pain ripped my heart. “Never mind, I would write her a letter.”
Crestfallen, I got up to leave. Yethrolma stood right before me. Her faint smile that concealed sorrow
said it was almost too much for her to bear.
“I almost left,” I said. “What took you so long?”
“I was kind of a bit busy.” Sadness flowed with her soothing voice. “Sorry for being late.”
“Never mind. I am glad you turned up. So?”
She blinked her teary eyes. “So what?”
“You’re crying, aren’t you?” I said, jokingly.
“Why should I?”
Her voice trailed off. Her eyes were obvious, but whatever happened inside—from the auditory
sensation of her tumbling voice—I could tell her heart cried as much as mine.
“I am glad you are not,” I said, lowering my eyes. “I thought you wouldn’t come.” I slipped my arms
around her shoulders. “Thanks for coming.”
“Really?” she said, fiddling my fingers. “You’re welcome. I am gonna miss you.”
“I am gonna miss you too.”
She then snuggled into my arms and said, “You won’t forget me, will you?”
“Not in this life,” I said, trying to conceal my sentiments. “But we’re gonna meet soon, won’t we?”
Silence floated around us for a while, except for the breeze that ruffled the leaves above us.
“I hope so,” she said. “Let’s pray.”
I gave her hair a gentle stroke and said, “You can count on me.”
She sniffled. “Why did you come into my life? I can’t believe you are leaving after all the folks have
come to know about us.”
After a momentary silence, I said, “I am not deserting you.”
“Do you believe in fate?”
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