That Rose

That Rose

The rear side of house and backyard was lit by a small dusty lamp. The drainage pipe was connected to the wall at a point in line with the window sill. Pipe shook as he climbed, swaying a little more with each pull, but he knew that it will hold his weight. He had been using this pipe since last three months. Victor had newly joined high school after moving to this town. His father’s transfer had brought him here and Aditi being a gabby girl in the class, became his first friend in the first week itself. Soon after few weeks of their friendship, they were occasionally seen lurking in the backside of football ground and often teased as a secret couple in school. Pipe was slippery today, perhaps because of drizzle. Victor climbed to a certain height and then swung his legs until he got his feet onto the window sill. Aditi, immediately closed the curtains after pulling him inside her room. Victor held her pressing her back against the wall, holding her wrists trapped above her head. As usual he had a rose in his lips. He always brought a rose for Aditi, despite of the fact that Aditi never liked roses, she infact liked a flower but didn’t know its name. This April of 1995 was special; it was Aditi’s birthday tomorrow. A blade of moonlight slipped from the curtains, casting a beam upon her face. He kissed her, while she kept her eyes closed. He gave a set of silver anklets. It was their last meeting, atleast for now. Despite of Aditi’s arguments and pleas, her family did not agree on leaving her alone in this city, they were all shifting to a famous metro city in Karnataka.

After completing her graduation in computer science, now Aditi was working for a famous IT consultancy. They both had lost contact in these years. He never called her or perhaps he never had her phone number and Aditi too never visited back the same city. Today while she was drinking coffee in the cafeteria, she felt his presence or perhaps she was missing him, she had always missed him. She finished her coffee and returned to her cubicle. As she sat in front of her computer, she was startled to see a rose on her table waiting for her with an unopened letter. There was no name on it.