Something happened.

Naaz, what plans for this weekend. Ajith's text read.

I called him back.

"Hey Naaz, what's up?" He sounded cheerful.

'Ajith, I'm going to my native for a few days'

"Oh, what happened? When? For how long?"

'My granny isn't keeping too well. My mum and I are leaving tonight'

"Oops. I'm so sorry. For how long are you away?"

'For a week, I guess.'

"A week??????" 

'Yeah, she's my granny and I love her a lot. That's why a week.'

"I know that."

Brief silence.

"I'll miss you so much, Naaz"

'I'll miss you too, Ajith.' I said softly.

"We will be able to speak over the phone right?"

'I have no clue. May be we can.'

"Alright, you take good care of her. I will pray for her speedy recovery."

'Thanks, Ajith. I'll text you.'

"Sure."

'Bye, Ajith'

"Bye, Naaz"

Something weird just happened right? I thought to myself. We were very good friends, yes. Not lovers. We shouldn't be bothered about being able to talk over the phone or not. 

I packed my bags and left to the station. I couldn't stop thinking of Ajith. 

I helped my mum with her bags as we got into the train. She had the lower berth and I, the upper. I placed my luggage with hers and quickly climbed up to my berth. 

I checked my phone. 

2 unread messages. 

1 message from the bank guys notifying me about my bank statement generation for the month.

1 message from Bhargavi. 

No message from Ajith. 

Bhargavi wrote: Hey Naaz, don't worry. Your granny will be alright. You take good care of her and you also take good care of yourself. Love you. 

Naaz: Thanks di. I will. You take care too. Love you loads. 

I took out my train book, Ulysses. 

But I was in no mood to read. My mind was so occupied with my conversation with Ajith. There was something to the way he said he would miss me and the way I reciprocated. 

I didn't know I should text him. I was extremely restless. 

It was a 14 hour journey to Kerala and those 14 hours were my life's most restless hours. I couldn't sleep, I couldn't read, I couldn't eat anything, I didn't seem to exist. My mum didn't say anything. She was already overwhelmed with my granny's condition. She just touched my hand before going to sleep and kissed me good night. 

All night I kept staring at the phone. In the middle of the night, I got an SMS. 

It was a message from my phone provider telling me that I had now entered Kerala and roaming charges would apply here on. 

We reached Cochin early in the morning. My uncle came to pick us up from the station. All of us were dull and tired that morning. I wasn't looking forward to going to my granny's house because I just couldn't bring myself to think of her as a sick patient and being bed ridden. 

We reached home and all of my aunts, rushed to hug my mum and they all cried. As if it was not enough, they all looked at me with tears flowing down their cheeks. I couldn't cry. But I was sad. 

I walked up to my room and lay down on the bed. I don't know how, but I fell asleep. I slept for 8 hours straight. 

Nobody woke me up for breakfast nor lunch. 

I checked my phone and no message from Ajith. I took a bath and got ready to finally meet my granny. 

As I entered my granny's room, I forgot everything else. I forgot Ajith. I forgot my loneliness. I forgot Dev. Everything. It was just me and my granny from here. 

I sat down next to her and touched her hand. She had shrunk miserably and she couldn't recognize me anymore. I felt her bones as I caressed her. She lay calmly, she was unaware that there were so many in the family, filled with anguish and anxiety over her illness. She slept like a baby. 

When I was young, I would come every summer to live with my grandparents. I loved my summer vacations here because my grandparents looked after us with so much love and care. I once fell very ill while on my vacation and I remember my grandparents would stay up all night beside me, holding my hand and crying and praying that I become alright soon. My grandad passed away many years ago and my granny was inconsolable ever since. They loved each other a lot. That's what I admired in my grandparents. They loved each other through thick and thin and old age and sickness and everything that came their way. She was lonely after he left and she ceased to exist. She loved us, but she was no more my old granny. Part of her died when my grandad left. 

I took her hands in mine and kissed her hands. The same hands that took care of me, cooked for me, braided my hair. My mother sat next to me and cried. I think she knew something and couldn't come to terms with it. 

All of us were going through a rough time.

My phone beeped. 

I miss you, Naaz.

I kept reading that message like it had all my life's answers in it. Like it was my very purpose of life. Like it was all I had ever dreamed of. 

After Dev left, I was filled will loneliness. I was depressed and sad. And now somebody else was filling that void. And I liked it. 

I miss you too, Ajith. 

I meant it. I was really missing Ajith. He made me happy. The happiness I thought I'd never be able to experience in my life. 

Naaz, what is wrong with us? His text read.

I wish I knew. I responded. 

It hurts. Because you are my best friend. And it shouldn't hurt so much. But it hurts.

I didn't respond.

And then the saddest cry filled the room. My mother was shrieking. She wailed. She fell down. Everybody around me, fell to the ground as if great doom had set upon them. 

My granny passed away. She was waiting to see my mother. She died in the presence of all her children. She was calm. She just passed away. 

I love you, Naaz. I am sorry if this is wrong. But I love you. 

I cried.