Avi | Vrishti

Trouvaille
Listen
I'm sorry

Avi looked at the undelivered messages on his phone. It had been two weeks since he sent them. Nothing seemed right about this. Why was she offline for so long? He picked up his laptop to work on his project when he heard a knock at the door. He looked towards it only to see his father peeping in.

"Yes Dad?" He kept the laptop aside and sat straight, whole of his attention was directed towards his father.

"This letter came in the office mail today and it had your name on it." He said as he forwarded the white envelope, there were blue flowers hand painted all over it. Fancy!

Avi looked at it with confusion. Why would his documents come on his father's office address. That didn't even look like some document. He anyway took it and inspected it in order to find who would have sent it for him. His father ruffled his hair and left.

There was no name or address of the sender. He slowly ripped the edge of it and took out a neatly folded paper, looked like a letter.

Hi :P

It's me, your online bestie.

Avi's hand shook as he comprehended who sent him that letter. He took a deep breath and read further.

I know you are upset with me for not meeting but what could I do? How could I meet my forever crush like this? Lol I didn't tell you but we went to same the school as well. You were my senior though. Mad times. If not for the rumour that you and your then girlfriend kissed in the library I would have never come to dislike you. I was clearly a jealous teenager. What an embarrassing thing to begin this letter with! Yeah lol that was my reason to not like you. I feel so silly to admit that but YOLO lol.

Avi had his eyes wide open because he had never dated anyone let alone a kiss. He didn't know what rumour she was talking about. But it warmed his heart to know she had a crush on him. Who would have thought! A little smile found its way on his lips.

You would be wondering why am I writing you a letter? If you are not, you better *angry emoji*

Avi chuckled. What a cute bean he fell in love with. He shook his head and read further, smile not leaving his face.

Well, life happened. I'm sorry I didn't tell you the biggest truth of my life. I had to drop out of college in my second year because I was diagnosed with a little brain tumor.

His face was of drained all the colours. The letter almost slipped out of his hand but he clutched on it with his leftover strength.

Don't get mad at me for not sharing it with you. I was scared I would be reduced to just a patient even for you. My parents were enough for that. I know it stemmed from their utmost love and concern for me but I had had enough it. When you became my friend, I thought of you as the only normal thing left in my life and I didn't want me to lose it too. I know that was so selfish of me but spare me this one time.

Avi shook his head as if telling her she was not selfish for this. He was hurt but he understood where she came from.

Coming back to why am I writing this letter. Well, I have a surgery lined up for tomorrow (from the date of writing this letter) and the chances of survival are bleak.

Avi's heart was thumping in his head. He was only praying that everything went well.

I know everyone is pretending to be more hopeful than it honestly is. So, I don't know what the outcome of this operation will be. I'm writing this letter to be sent if I do not make it. Lol.

It finally fell out of his hand, the letter, the hope, the love, everything that he was trying to hold onto with every ounce of strength in him. It gave up. He was blank. He bent to pick the letter from the floor, his eyes welled up.

Avi, you brightened up my days with your messages. You made my otherwise dull days bearable. You (and Alpaca) were my go to people all this while when I was struggling and it would be a blatant injustice if I devoid you of a closure. When you asked me to meet and became upset when I declined, it really broke my heart. If only I could tell you how eager I was to meet you too but my health didn't allow me that. Imagine me having solid crush on you and then when we finally meet, I look like this (spoiler alert: I look very ugly). I wanted to look my best which I was not at that time. Though I thought it through later on. Then I came to the conclusion that you absolutely deserved to know who your friend was. The envelope also has a photo of me but look at it after you have finished reading this long boring letter lol.

The tears had nothing on him now. They were on their own, travelling down his cheeks and vanishing in the carpet or soaking the letter wet.

I know it's so evil of me to write you this letter without giving you a chance to vent out your anger for hiding such a big thing from you. But, forgive your friend this one time. In some other universe when we meet I'll let you lash out on me. In another universe, we will go for a coffee. In another universe, I'll pet Alpaca. In another universe, you'll smile at me. For now, allow me to go. I hope to always have a place (however small) in the list of people you call your own because you make a huge part in mine.

Avi hugged the piece of paper and wept his heart out. "How I wish I could tell you what you mean to me."

I hope you get to do what you want to do in life. Wishing you a lifetime of happiness. I know I might be a very tiny part of your life but forget me not dear best friend. Let me leave you with a song-

Main pal do pal ka shaayar hoon
Pal do pal meri kahani hai

Love,
Vrishti (Trouvaille)

Vrishti. That was her name. A smile escaped through his tears. Now he knew why she loved rain so much. Now it also dawned on him why she was so upset over what he said. It meant so much more than general frustration.

He remembered about her photo. It was a Polaroid of her smiling for the camera and pulled both of her hands to make a victory sign. She was in the hospital gown, cannula in both of her hands. Below it there was something written. It was her own handwriting.

Vrishti Singhal
31st Dec 2000 - 16th November 2020

His father ran to him when he heard him crying. He saw him out of his mind holding the paper that probably came out of the envelope he gave him.

"Dad!" He cried holding his father, like he was trying to hold onto his dear life.

"What happened Avi?" His father asked but never got the reply of. All he heard was loud cry of his son. He could only be there for him. That was it. The last of it. All was lost, before he could have it, before he could even have the feeling of having it. All was lost on him.

.End.

◇◇◇

A/N: Lol did y'all see that coming? That's the end of this story. How did you like it (or no)?

Song lyrics Translation:

I'm a poet only for a moment or two
My story will last only for a moment or two

(Rough translation)

Song link: