The Last Kiss

There was a brief silence.

“Is there no hope at all now? Is that all we can do?” Rajiv asked in a quivering voice.

“They are not ready to listen to me at all. I am really sorry, but I can’t go against my parents’ wishes.” Nisha replied. She was about to break down as well.

“What about my wishes, my love for you? Do they not matter to you anymore?”

There was no reply from the other side. Rajiv could hear her sob. He was raged, he was sad. He was going through an emotional turmoil.

“Look, it’s as difficult for me as it is for you to forget our relationship, and we had a beautiful one. But I’m helpless in this situation. It’s absolutely my fault that I don’t have the guts to go against my parents. Please try and understand this.”

Rajiv was trying hard to keep his emotions in check.

“Are you really sure about this?” he asked.

“Yes. I’m sorry, really sorry.” she continued to sob.

“OK. Then this would be the last time we are talking I guess.” The rage within him had vanished and his heart felt very heavy. He disconnected the call and broke down. It was a difficult time for him. He had so much love for Nisha, but fate had different plans for them. He decided never to call her again.

It was 11.30 pm. Rajiv had fallen asleep. He got up, his head felt heavy. He went into the bathroom and looked into the mirror. He looked terrible. He washed up his face and came back to his room. He felt like talking to Nisha again. But his brain was adamant on not allowing his heart to rule. He switched on the TV and sat down. He felt lonely. All the beautiful memories of him and Nisha came to his mind. Their immense love for each other was so evident, that their friends had termed them as ‘Inseparables’. He loved the way Nisha cared for him, life was unimaginable for him without her. The way she used to say, “I would love you forever and ever...” with her eyes closed and the red-nosed face, was unforgettable for him. He was deep-immersed in his thoughts.

Suddenly the door-bell rang. He got up lazily, wondering who it could be at his door step at the middle of the night. As soon as he opened the door, he was shocked. He couldn’t believe his eyes. It was Nisha!

“What are you doing here at this hour?” he asked her, sounding alarmed.

“I have come here to tell you sorry again. You did not let me complete on the phone.” She replied with a sad-looking face.

He allowed her inside and they sat down.

“Look, I know you love me a lot. I love you too. I am not lying about this and you know that. But I love my parents as well. They don’t like you, and I cannot go against them. So you’ll have to let me go.”

“But...” Rajiv was about to say something when Nisha sealed his lips with hers. It was like their first kiss – passionate, yet innocent; tempting, yet divine. All the rage, anger and sadness within Rajiv had melted down. He looked into her eyes. They looked so beautiful.

“That was our last kiss. I will love you forever and ever. You’ll get a better girl than me. Marry someone nice and be happy, please... for my sake...” A tear rolled down her eyes as she spoke.

Rajiv was unable to reply to her, he still couldn’t believe his senses.

“I love you.” That was all he could say.

“Rajiv, promise me that you’ll be happy for the rest of your life and settle down with a nice girl.”

“I can’t.”

“Promise me, you’ll at least try.”

“Okay. I will.” Rajiv said, after a long pause, with a heavy heart.

“It’s time for me to go now. I must leave.” Nisha said with a face filled with content, but sad.

Just then, Rajiv got a call on his phone. It was Ruchi, Nisha’s friend.

“Hello!” Rajiv answered the call.

“Hello! Rajiv! Where were you? I have been trying to reach you since long!” Ruchi was crying.

“Sorry, that could be a problem with the network, what happened Ruchi? Why are you crying?”

“Rajiv, Nisha is dead! She slit her wrists two hours ago and has committed suicide.”

“What? What nonsense are you talking about? She was right he...” he turned around and nobody was there. There was no one else in the room except Rajiv and an eerie silence around him.

“Hello... Hello... Rajiv, are you there?” Ruchi kept on asking him. The phone slipped out of Rajiv’s hand and fell on the floor.

Darkness filled his eyes and he lost consciousness.

“You’ll have to let me go... That was our last kiss. I’ll love you forever and ever...”