"Promise?"
"I swear!"
They hugged.
"You're my best of best friends!" exclaimed Shree.
"So are you!" replied Teja.
The sunrays cast morphed shadows onto the earth,as a shade of evening red set upon the village. Shree tightened the straps of her school bag, it was time for them to part ways.
Teja and Shree had been friends since a long time, although hailing from different backgrounds,they never let it affect their friendship in any way. Shree was from the influential family of landlords while Teja was a simpleton,the daughter of a peasant.
Every evening on their way back from school they stood a while longer at the fork of the village, which separated the high and mighty from the simple village folks, hoping that some day this disparity will be eliminated.
Shree's parents never minded her being with Teja, nor did Teja's parents have any objection. But the 'society' around them could not see them happy that way, and that saddened them.
School was a 7km trek from their humble village, but for the two girls, even the 7 kilometers felt less to spend time talking to each other. Friends never need any topic to talk about!
"I have already decided what to get as your birthday gift!" shrieked Teja.
"And i can't wait to see it," said Shree.
"Looks like it'll start raining.. Bye for now. I will meet you for sure! Tomorrow, don't you forget!"
Shree laughed, "How can i forget, silly! It's my birthday afterall!"
Heavy clouds set in as the two girls ran to their homes.
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"Where's my gift?" asked Shree extending her arms.
"First close your eyes," begged Teja.
Shree finally closed her eyes, in her excitement she did not realise how weird Teja had been behaving that day. She did not hug Shree, and was so distant. Moreover, she looked pale and weak, but was still her chirpy self.
Shree felt something soft on her fingers and opened her eyes a crack to see beautiful bunches of laburnum placed in her arms.
"Happy Birthday, Shree!" said Teja and began clapping.
Shree's eyes welled up with emotions, "It is beautiful!"
"And that is why i wanted to share it with you, you should know that not everything yellow is gold!" laughed Teja, "Also, Maa has sent you her famous pickle today."
Shree giggled. It was a wonderful day for her.
The fresh friendly chatter continued as they started their long walk to school,sloshing in muddy puddles every once in a while. It had rained hard the previous night, with thunder and lightning. But everything was calm and composed now.
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"You're so cold," murmured Shree as she let go off Teja from a tight hug.
"Must be the weather," replied Teja.
Once again it was time for them to go in their different directions.
"Thank you so very much for giving me such a memorable birthday, i shall never forget it!"
"I hope you never will, because maybe from today, Shree, you have to be strong."
"What?"
"Yes, and i'm always there for you and also always there with you."
Shree was puzzled, slowly Teja turned around an left, without even looking back once.
Shree trugged home and as weariness took over her, placed her flowers at the corner of her bed and drifted into a peaceful sleep.
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"Where were you,Maa? I had been looking for you!"
Shree's mother entered her room and held her daughter close.
"I need to tell you so much about all that what happened at school today!"
"Shree, how are you my child?"
"Huh?"
"It must have hit you like a shock!"
"What are you talking about,Maa?"
Her mother bowed her head.
"Since nobody had told you..i must. Teja is no more, my child. She has passed away."
These words were like poisonous arrows to Shree's ears.
"What? When? How? But.." she mumbled, trying to make sense of all the words she had just heard.
"They say, last night, during the storm Teja went out to pick some flowers, but she never came back. She was struck by lightning, a horrible way to die for a young girl like her."
Shree's mind was a complete blur, she kept staring at those laburnum by her bed. Her thoughts were numbed as inked on her birthday card were the words:
Some promises last longer than life.
