...WAIT FOR ME TO COME HOME

Title from the lyrics of Ed Sheeran's song : Photograph. 

As she set her foot on the entrance, her heart trembled. For the last six years, she called it her home, though there were days when she entered with a curse. But that morning, a warm Wednesday morning, her heart wept with her as she set her foot on the entrance.

Tracing the path to the main building, she could feel the memories rush back to her. The walks to the store to get chocolates for her classmates, though she would secretly hide one so that she could enjoy it on her way back home.

She checked her watch; ten minutes past twelve. Ten more minutes and the bell would ring for lunch break. She walked to the room where her master, the one who lit her way to the new school, keeping the light of the old one still alive, sat on.

Twenty minutes past twelve. Her heart quickened, and then she heaved a sigh. Would they remember me? She wondered as she climbed the steps. On seeing the happy bunch, she withdrew the thought. She held her hand tight to her friend’s who she hadn't seen in a while. One by one, they came to her, had a chat, gave a hug and a smile and returned. Few of them dragged her to their classes, and at that moment, she felt that she was home again. In all these moments, she never let go of her friend’s hand. They resembled of a Siamese twins, bonded to each other with hands. Her masters gleamed at her with surprise and gave her the fuel she wanted; their blessings. She heard the bell ring again, announcing the end of time. On her way, she encountered her friend who invited her to come on that day without any shy. The footsteps became short as they talked and walked. “When will we meet again?” The question hung in the air. Being not prepared to shed tears in a beautiful day, she let her smile answer that, and headed her way out. Looking back, she saw her past life, where she was the queen and others her kingdom.

She watched her home getting smaller and smaller in the rear-view mirror as the car drove away. A sad tune played in her mind, making the moment nothing but a perfect movie scene. The realisation of the song not being on the mind but on the radio drew her back to reality, and she saw her home no more in the mirror.

She realised that some things were meant to be. She believed that scars had healed and she had moved on. But on seeing her home again, feeling the love and laughter, she realised the scars had only deepened, and tears in red were being shed. Some things were meant to be. To love and to be loved, she was lucky. To feel it again, she had to wait. And so she did, darting her eyes from the mirror to the road, the road that she used to travel almost every day.