Silence

I met Mira in the degree. On the first day, I had come early and had occupied a third row seat which was kind of in the middle. As students were joining in, they had been occupying the seats as per the wishes. Then entered Mira. She looked around and approached me. She asked me if anybody had taken the seat next to me. When I told her that she can sit, that is when our friendship began.

Mira and I had been together for all four years. Not just friends but we also were the lab partners in the practicals. Mira and I both of us had been more concerned about studies and we did not like partying. We would sit together in the college. We would study together as well. Sometimes we would study at her place while other times we would study at my place.

Everyone in my home and in Mira's home knew about our friendship. I used to feel that Mira and I had been sisters rather than friends. It was my understanding that our friendship would continue even after the college ends. Unfortunately that was not the reality.

As our college ended we started applying for the jobs. Mira accepted the opportunity that came to her first. While I kept searching for the job opportunities till I found the one that would be suitable for me. Now Mira and I had been working in different organisations. We had made a promise that every weekend we will meet or at least we will speak on the phone. The promise quickly died within few months.

Every weekend I would be the one who would make the phone call. Initial few months Mira would speak for some time and later would give excuses to end the call. She would tell me that she was tired; she had headache; or guests had visited her home; so that she could avoid meeting me or speaking with me. Initially I believed her stories were true. But later on I started to see the pattern.

When I would call her parents would pick up the call. They would spend some time asking me about my life and job. Then they would tell me that Mira was sleeping; she was unwell; or she was at neighbours home. Whenever I would ask her to meet she would come up with new excuses. Then I realised that it was better to not call her instead of hearing new excuses.

After deciding that the first weekend was really painful for me. I felt guilty for not keeping the promise that I had made to my friend. That weekend I desperately waited for Mira's call. But she never called me. Then came the next weekend where I was still waiting for her to give me a call. This time also she did not call. Then I decided that I would not call until she makes the call first.

Weeks turned into months and months turned into years. Mira had not given a single call to me. Not even to wish me on my birthday. Though it was painful even I decided that I would not stay in touch with her. I was feeling that she deliberately decided to go no contact with me. It had been over 3 years that we had not spoken with each other.

One day I received a phone call from my college friend Suraj. He had called me to inform me that he was marrying Mira. He was surprised to know that Mira had not informed me and also both of us had not spoken in years. That phone call really broke me. Suraj who had not been a close friend still felt the accountability to inform me that he was getting married. But Mira who had been my best friend did not even feel the need to inform me about her big milestone. Surpricingly the wedding invitation came only from Suraj and not from Mira.

10 years later Suraj still remains in touch with me giving me the life updates. Whereas now Mira feels like a ghost from the past. She feels like a friend who decided to disconnect all the communication with me. Well now even it does not hurt me. To me Mira does not feel like a friend but just someone I used to know in the past.