'Be Happy' An AsYa OS

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tragic--flaw

@tragic--flaw

Beginner

Posted: 12 years ago

Hello!
My third AsYa OS:
First: http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3677027&PID=88526877&#88526877
Second: http://www.india-forums.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=3680726&PID=88743041&#88743041

"Be Happy"

"Zoya Farooqi!" I pasted the fake smile on my face and turned around to the beckoning voice. I analyzed her face, the same face, slightly mature, braces and glasses long gone.

"Hannah, it's been so long!" I said taking her cold, stiff hand in mine to shake.

"Duh! 5 years!" I noticed her choice in vocabulary hadn't changed. We exchanged pleasantries, how are yous, what are you doing these days, and I replied with mostly truthful answers. The awkward silence commenced after the questions. I took my drink from the table and took a sip from the red straw.

"Are you happy Zoya?" Her question caught me off guard and my smile faltered.

"Well if you can call 9-5 hours, and a roof over my head happy, then yes Hannah I am happy." I said with a laugh. She looked at me with soft eyes.

"Well good then."

She smiled at me once more and excused herself leaving me to ponder her parting question. It was partly true, happiness for me was little things, but I wasn't sure I had felt it in a while. I wondered why she had asked that question. I had made sure to cover my red-rimmed eyes up with extra makeup before coming here without him, and I had smiled, a fake one in the least.

I checked my watch, shaking my head at his lateness and decided I was standing alone for far too long. I put my weight on my four-inch black stilettos and started to walk the perimeter of the hall. Various balloons and '5 Year Reunion' banners were scattered along the room, red, green, and yellow streamers the colors of our high school were draped along walls and tables. My eyes scanned over the people casually, recognizing some, and wracking my brain for a few. Some booths were set up along a wall reminiscing about past clubs, sport memorabilia's, but one table caught my eye. I slowly walked up to it taking in its contents. The table had a banner with a photo underneath, a variety of pictures beside and under, and a white card which had signatures. Condolences. I'm sorrys, and I miss yours. I read each signature and ingrained them into my brain. They all consisted of letters, words, and numbers. I traced the pictures, not surprised at how many I was in them. Tears pooling at my eyes I let out a laugh at how silly it all seemed.

We were inseparable. Zoya and Ayaan. The whole clich, best friends since birth, went to elementary, middle, and high school together, the same colleges. Same parties, first drinks, first heartbreaks.

There was a date underneath his picture. 1990-2012. Just 8 numbers, but those numbers meant the world to me. I had lost him. My best friend, my brother, the responsible half of me, was gone.

The tears were streaming down my face at a steady pace now. I didn't have the strength to wipe them away.

"Babe, sorry I'm late, there was traffic and-

I smiled through my tears and turned around. His hair was shiny with the rain from outside. He pulled me in for a side hug and gave my forehead and cheek a kiss his words muffling against my hair. I could feel the cold from the New York rain on his lips. He pulled back from my cheek when he felt the wetness from my sadness. He looked at my face in puzzlement and I locked eyes with him and nudged him to look forward. His eyes fell upon the booth. He put his arm around me and we both took it in.

I looked at her picture and back at Asad and noticed their similarities. Though they were fraternal twins and hardly looked like siblings, some things were noticeable. They both had deep brown green eyes that shone when they were excited, and dulled when they were upset, the jet black hair that was dark as night, and the splay of freckles on their noses.

I felt him let out a breath and at his 6'2 frame he looked down at my average 5'4 frame. He let out a laugh.

"He would've hated this." I smirked and laughed along with him.

"He would've started complaining about how hideous he looked in the pictures!" We both shared a laugh and took one final look at the booth.

"What do you say we get out of here?" I smiled at him.

"You read my mind." He gave me a smile and left my side to start the car.

As I slowly walked toward the exit doors I was reminded of Ayaan. Her last days, finding me and Asad cuddled up; teasing us at what we thought was 'just friends' at the time, and him passing. His final words to me were 'be happy, because right here, even though I know I'm dying, I'm happy' and listening to my other half, the responsible half of me I smiled and let myself be happy because I knew that even though he was gone, he was happy even in her last, painful moments.

Let me know how you liked it! xoxo