Tall Tales - and other sad stories

What to do?

Maliha lay in bed staring at the fan above rotating in perfect torque and wondered why she couldn't keep a goddamn thought to herself.

'Calm down Maliha. This is not the end of the world." she said to herself.

You could have embarrassed yourself in a number of ways. They could have been worse than this,but.....

But you chose to do it this way. Just blatantly letting out your liking for a dude whom you became friends with a few months ago, and getting rejected, politely.

At least Raihan didn't make a big fuss about it. She rolled over to the other side of the bed.

 Well, he did give a good enough explanation for his answer but he could have just said yes, couldn't he?, she contemplated.

And in which world does the girl ask out the guy , what was she thinking? She thought on introspection.

Honestly, am I that unlikeable, pondered a sad Maliha. She was never the good looking one, neither the most charismatic one. But her naive mind presumed that this person, will find her thoughts amazing. Not because they were uncanny and sometimes sounded like a liberalist's conspiracy to take over the world but because they were...

She couldn't find a word to finish her speculation. She realized her thoughts aren't special, just like her; and simply like you say no to the next serving of polao at a biye bari, her thoughts also, could be said no to. This apprehension made her more wretched.

At least your parents finds you special, her sad heart consoled itself.

But doesn't every parent think of their child as the most amazing piece of being to exist, although they might just be a regular piece of annoying shit, replied the inner loser within her.

This conversation with herself could have gone for hours but her mother barged into the room.

"Maliha do you know today is the full lunar eclipse?"

"Yes ammu"

"Drink water and go to the bathroom if you need to but do it before 12.30 am. And try not to use any electronic device from 12.30 to 3.00 am"

What is she even saying? Is she joking, maliha thought to herself.

"Why... what are you saying...."

"Tumi kokhono amar kothar daam deo na maliha. Tomar abbu facebook e dekhse eta. Ekhon jao pani khao"

Maliha stared at her mother for a moment until she realized that this was not a joke. And how could it be. The facebook God has unveiled this commandment, so it must be true.

She would have questioned her mother for some rational explanation, but a message popped up.

It was from Raihan.