Lost & Found

Maya....

I am just another ordinary person....nothing special about me. Just another face in the crowd. You might see me a million times in a day and yet at the end of the day not remember seeing me at all. This is me... Maya.

I wasn't always like this... or I guess I was and I never really realized it, because he was with me.

It's different. I feel hollow. Lonely. Ditched. Like a promise was broken. A bond was broken.

I did at a point of time care about the world. But now I don't. And maybe I shall never. My world had collapsed... and under, it so had my soul.

The sound of jazz music floated in the air. It wasn't loud but comfortably audible. It gave the darkness around me a new life. Music.

'May I have the honor of a dance with the lady?'

I smiled. I took his hand and got up and brushed the dirt of my denims.

And before I knew I was dancing... dancing. I mean ME and dancing repel each other... so yeah me dancing or even moving in coordination with anything is a huge deal.

But it seemed so easy to me with him.

With him it was as easy as breathing.

I could jump off a cliff, if I knew he was there next to me and FYI... I am petrified of heights.

'Did you miss me much?' he said smirking.

'Define "miss'?!'

"Ah... c'mon... Accept it already... You DO miss me..."

"In your dreams..." I rolled my eyes.

"Well... This IS your dream... So maybe I should be saying... In your dreams'.

I shot up on my bed. I switched on the lamp and looked around my room. There was no one... But I was sure I could hear a muffled snigger.

I sighed.

"Get over it Maya!! ' I said to myself aloud.

Didn't help.

I cried myself to sleep... as usual.

# 1

I didn't want to wake up. I wanted to sleep... urrgh I am so NOT a morning person.

The house was chaotic, and I could hear the voices of my parents and my relatives all too well.

I sighed and got dressed. I should be happy, but I wasn't. I was starting off to college in 2 days and this is we had wanted since eternity.

The thought made me stop.

WE.

That "we "was long gone now. It was just me.

I stood there in front of my window overlooking the little playground. I could see the children play and it seemed like just yesterday.

*Flashback *

"Okay so I was wondering... What would you do if someday I just disappeared? "He said throwing the ball towards me.

"What? "

"I said... What..."

"Yeah I heard what you said... what I meant was... What do you mean by disappear? What are you like learning magic tricks now?" I said rolling my eyes.

"Well... I don't mean it like that. Like let's say one morning you wake up and don't find me standing there on your porch. You go to school and I am not there

either. You wait for me at lunch and I don't show up. And it's the end of the day, and you are about to sleep and I am still no there. It's like I just... vanished! POOF... Nowhere to be found... dhun dhun dhun dhunnnnnn!! "He said being his very animated self.

I stopped dribbling the ball. He had this look in his eyes which I could not understand. I couldn't understand if he was being serious or was he being his usual jerk self and pulling my leg.

I couldn't say anything. I just stood there, looking at him, trying to imagine that day. Even the thought of it gave me goose bumps.

And that mutt just smiled, took the ball from my hands and scored a basket.

"5- 4" he shouted, doing his so called victory dance. "HA... I win you lose!! Sucker!! ". He was dancing around the court by now.

I just rolled my eyes. I was about to say that it wasn't fair and that he won by cheating, but I couldn't.

The thought of me waking up one day and him not being there scared me. I thought how empty my life would be. I thought I would never be able to live through it.

He waltzed up to me and smirked.

I just looked at him and then his smile broadened.

"Ah you are so easy ... so so so easy. It's so easy for anyone to get under your skin... tut tut tut... this is beyond pathetic... "He said throwing his head back and laughing.

"You jerk! "Said I and hit him hard on his stomach. That mutt didn't even flinch!! Urrrgh!! I hated him.

I stormed off cursing him.

I was pulled back by my arm and I turned around to face him.

"Never let anyone get to you. Never show your weakness." He said seriously and let go of my arm. "And then... why would I disappear and leave you in peace? Naaaa... I am so going to make you life miserable till eternity... "

He started to walk away.

"Hey Bozo!! " I called... "This so ain't over mutt... I'll beat the hell outta you the next time".

He turned... smiled and walked away pretending to be scared.

"Loser! " I muttered and walked back home.

*PRESENT *

I was brought back to the present by my mom's shouting.

"Maya!! If you intend to make it for your graduation... you better get down here NOW!!"

" Yea sorry... coming."

I put on my graduation gown and ran downstairs.

During the drive dad took a different road. Apparently the main road was blocked due to some accident. I looked out of the window lazily and hummed along

with the song on the radio.

We were crossing my old school way and for just a split second I thought I saw him. I shot up and put my neck out of the window to see properly.

" Maya! put your head back inside" dad yelled.

I sat back and told myself that I was just hallucinating. And its not that I hallucinate a lot.. OK FINE!! I DO hallucinate a lot, but its normal.. I guess.

I remembered what he had said... " what If I disappear... " He always did what he said. That jerk.