Page 179 - Till the Last Breath . . .

‘We just kissed yesterday!’ she exclaimed. ‘He got really scared of losing

me and kissed me. I think it was out of pity, though. He didn’t want to let
me die un-kissed. Have you ever been kissed?’
Kajal chuckled as she heard Pihu blabber enthusiastically like a child.

Have you kissed someone? Who talks like that?
‘Yes, Pihu, right?’ she asked and Pihu nodded. ‘I have kissed a few

guys.’ She still couldn’t suppress her smile.
‘Oh. A few? What’s that like? I mean, how many? Is there a difference?’

she asked fervently. ‘Am I asking too much? Actually it was my first kiss
and I don’t know if I was any good and I don’t know whether it will happen

again.’
‘Of course it will happen again,’ Kajal assured her.
‘I hope so,’ she purred. ‘So, have you kissed Dushyant?’

‘Obviously, I have,’ she replied and added, ‘And he was a good kisser as
far as I remember.’

‘As far as you remember? I will never forget my kiss! Although I don’t
have much time to live, but still.’

‘Will you stop saying that?’ Kajal begged. The constant allusion to her
dying made her think about Dushyant’s fatal condition and it wasn’t

pleasant.
‘I am sorry, it’s just that the more I say it, the more acceptable it becomes
for me.’

‘I am sorry. I have no idea what you’re going through. The very thought
of death and dying makes me uneasy. Only a few days back he was healthy

and everything and now he is like this. It’s ridiculous,’ she said and choked
on her words. ‘And you’re dying? Who would believe that?’

Pihu didn’t say anything. Kajal’s eyes welled up and she didn’t know
how to react. It was as if the time after Dushyant and she had parted ways

didn’t exist.
‘Tell me about him?’ Pihu asked as she rested her chin on her knuckles
and bent forward.

‘Umm … I am not sure.’