Part 1: Things about Life and Relationships

A Short Story - The Story of Us

Where do we begin? Is it we or is it just me? For now, it’s just me telling you our story. Someday, may be he will too. After all, every true love story doesn’t end up with the ‘happily ever after’ right? He is a 3-relationship old man with, plenty dating and one night stands here and there. His first and longest relationship was with a high school sweetheart when he was 13. Jumped into the so-called ‘puppy love’ right at the dawn of teenage. Puppy love now but real love during that time. I don’t know how he looked when he was 13, but now he looked good and immensely desirable. They were innocently into each other. First time into anything is always special. It was the first time they were in love. A beautiful and a must feeling to experience. First time making love. First time having sex. First time living together. First time being a couple. First time from being friends to being in love. First time doing drugs. First time for her and first time for him. That’s what makes it so special even today. Despite being that young, they did jobs to pay their rent and afford a living. They discontinued school and worked. They knew this relationship is going to last forever. How could it not? Everything was just brilliant including sex. Everyone in his family loved her. They used to joke about their marriage and discuss the names of unborn kids. She spoke their native language and was a hit instantly. But two things are bound to happen when you are in a relationship that young. You either grow together or grow apart. The latter happens most likely. You end up being two completely different individuals wanting different things from life. As they grew up and grew old, they fought nearly everyday. They found each other weird. Like ‘did I like this girl/guy? I must have been outta my mind or passed out the day I proposed’. They were so used to each other and didn’t want to break-up. But they couldn’t live together as well. They tried hard. There were plenty of break-up and make-out happenings. This on-going pulling and pushing was not working. And the forever had to come to an end. End of an 8-year love and live-in relationship. Love and heart break are two sides of the same coin.  Heartbreak happens to every single human being. And one must always be prepared. Today she is married and a beautiful mother to a 4 year old. What could be his was someone else’s now. It is never easy to move on. He resorted to more drugs for help. From having a person available all the time to having no one was not acceptable by the mind and body. He now realized what he had was true companionship. Someone to spend evenings, weekends, go to parties with and sometimes it’s just about sex – just to satisfy the physical desires and nothing more. 

In less than 6 months, his heart was starting to experience love again.  She was like-minded; a year older to him not that it really mattered. It was three wonderful years now and everything was going right. She was the most amazing woman he felt. And once again… he was heartbroken. This time shocked and devastated. To him, honesty and loyalty were extremely important in a relationship. Past never mattered. Everyone has a past. Past helps you rise and become wise he felt. He had to talk about what he just saw and found out. He went up to her clearing his throat and said ‘we need to talk’. She said ‘sure, let me make some cappuccino for both of us and talk?’ They both sat across the table. ‘I saw you making out with that white dude in the car last night at The Courtyard’. He wanted to go on although it was extremely painful but intentionally paused. She froze. ‘Uh.. its not what you think. I still love you and want to be with you. I know its wrong. But we got caught up in the moment and kissed.. And neither of us could stop each other. But I promise its just a one-off thing. I know it shouldn’t have happened. And I’m terribly sorry’. He was breaking even more and said ‘and what about the stealing? You have been stealing money from me? Why? Haven’t I offered you everything you wanted? Why did you steal?’ She shrugged and was shameful again. ‘I was just about to talk to you about it. Cathy and me have been stealing money to buy things we can never afford. I don’t know how it all started but Ive been happy and guilty since then. Happy coz I could now afford what I wanted. And guilty coz maybe its not the right way. ‘Of course its not the right way’, he shouted getting up from his chair. ‘And Cathy is a bitch, alright? She is everything and into everything a girl should not be in. And you never felt like sharing all this with me? I can’t believe you’re the same girl I fell in love with three years ago. Now everything looks like big mistake to me. And how could you cheat on me with my friend? You still love me? You still want to spend the rest of your life with me? Well.. guess what I don’t. I just cannot love you again. And when I know there is no hope of love, there is no hope of us as well’. He sat motionless on the floor staring down, drained mentally and emotionally. 

Later that night, he couldn’t sleep. She wanted to live in the same apartment. He could not live with her anymore. So he finally decided to move back to his parent’s house. Family is always there for you when you need them or don’t. Packing is never easy and always takes longer time than expected. So many memories attached as he was giving away things they had bought together. Moving back did not heal him completely. He was angry. He didn’t know if he was dumped or if he was the dumpee. For 10 years of his life he has been in relationships. Two important investments in a relationship one has to make are time and effort. He did it all and now he is tired. He just wanted to have fun and pleasure became everything. Having sex with random women and wanting to have more was fun. He was happy to be single again. He was happy to be with his friends again. Partying like mad, reckless and foolish was all he knew now. He didn’t know where all this will lead to and didn’t want to know either. 

To be continued...