CHRISTMAS GIFT- Swaron OS

CHRISTMAS...The time of the year when everything around turned white. Streets, trees, buildings, everything covered by snow. The perfect time for sitting by the window with warm fur covering every inch of you and watching the view outdoors with a cup of steaming coffee in your hands.That time when families gathered for celebration. Decorating the Christmas tree, waiting for santa claus, the Christmas gifts, a dinner with your friends and family or taking a walk with your bestfriend. Everything about Christmas had always been my favourite. For me, Christmas was the best time of the year. Yeah, it WAS the best time of the year.

NOW, its just an unwanted time which brings out all the suppressed unforgettable memories back with much more intensity. The memories of the time we spent together. It only took one person to ruin all my liking towards Christmas, unintentionally but irrevocably.

Swayam Shekhawat, my best friend of seventeen years. Until 3 years ago, he moved away from me to pursue higher studies, leaving me behind on this day just like a hurdle in the way of his success. He had left me on the day when I was to confess to him that I was unconditionally in love with him. Nevertheless our families were still as close as ever. The only things changed were that swayam was out of the picture and I had been avoiding his parents ever since he left as their faces reminded me of him. However Christmas was one occasion when I didn't have that choice. His family as always showed up at my place for the get together and I couldn't avoid them. Which made things worse for me, when swayam's mom would give me a warm hug as always saying , " I missed you Sharon, honey." And his dad would just place his hand on my head with a warm smile and polite greetings. Such things made me feel guilty, which I didn't want to feel.

Suddenly I heard my little cousins shouting "Choco Truffle" as my mom served them on the dinner table. Ignoring all other thoughts for a while,I dug into my share of my favourite Choco Truffle until I heard my grand mom say, " Kids, I think I heard Santa outside." To which all of them jumped and moved to the porch area. I followed them silently to find my Grand pa dressed in Santa Claus costume as always. I waited silently until the santa came towards me with a red envelope in his hand. I opened the envelope patiently to find a letter inside it. This was so not grand pa. He used to always gift me something big and most importantly something I was in need of , like last year when he had gifted me a car as I had to walk 3 miles to reach home one midnight as my car broke down suddenly a week before Christmas and never started again.And this time a letter? Confusedly, I opened the letter and found a familiar handwriting. But it was definitely not grand pa. I felt a lightening strike me as I realized it was his hand writing.

Suppressing the tears that threatened to burst out any moment I read the letter.

Hey Baby Doll,

Surprised to see my letter? Well firstly let me confess that I have been writing a letter to you everyday for three years now. But somehow I never felt strong enough to post them. I have missed you Sharon. A lot more than lot . Did you? I really wish you have missed me as much as I did. I know your angry on me for leaving you, you have everybody there with you to make you forget me. But you know whenever i hear the word family the first person i remember is you. That feels disrespectful towards my mom and dad and i'm even guilty for that but i dont regret it.

Its just you, you and you Sharon. And you know what? As much as I regret leaving you I also feel good about this decision. This distance, the longing, the yearning for you is what made me realize how I actually for you. But I want you to know that when I come back we wouldn't be best friends anymore. What I feel for you now is far more than the boundaries of friendship.

I love you Sharon.

Whatever your decision may be, I always will love you.

I am always there for you.

All you need to do is close your eyes and feel me.

A tear drop fell on the letter making me realize that I had been crying all along. I looked around. Everyone had already moved back to the house. I held the letter close to my heart and closed my eyes as instructed by him. The next moment I could feel a pair of cold hands wrap around my waist, I could smell his overwhelming fragrance as I felt his cool breath all over my face. Before I had the time to open my eyes his soft lips were on mine. Kissing me slowly with utmost passion and intensity. After an eternity when we broke off, his velvet voice filled my ears making me smile instantly forgetting all the pain and anger. " I love you Sharon" he whispered. " I love you too" was all I could reply in my choky voice as he hugged me tightly to his chest whispering in my ears, "Merry Christmas my love."

Santa gave me what i needed the most after all...