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A story by Mysteroid l Monday Blossoms
Ashley Brandon, a heartthrob of Princeton College, was a sophomore student. She was majoring in archaeology. Her wish was to hold a doctorate from Harvard University. In the same field, she wanted to thrive as the best Archaeologist assisting the research team.
Except for being a book nerd, she had some hobbies. It gave her immense pleasure in exploring the new realm of that side of life. Apart from all those daily activities, she held a little secret in the trinket of her heart. As it had been in the purest form and guarded by an angel of heaven, time itself. The most precious and invaluable all of her life, which she had never shared with anyone.
It was that time of the year when Autumn started to knock on the door of weather after the monsoon. Though Ashley’s life was going perfect on the tracks she had created. Despite that, there was an amiss she always felt inside her heart. All of a sudden her peaceful monotonous life was perturbed. Since we all knew life never stayed the same. It always throws curve balls at the major events.
Something of that sort happened with Ashley.
It all started on September 13, 2021. A date which had been the closest to her all that while. When Ashley was sitting in her geology class busy doodling on her tablet. In the same year, a transfer student from the US appeared. The teacher introduced him to the
class and out of nowhere, his name was Rosh.
At first, Ashley didn’t bother herself to look up, but when she heard the name, her heart thumped. Something very faint though was brought back to life. But she chose to stay indifferent. At that moment, as if God was also conspiring to give her a breather from pain. Her tablet beeped, flashing a notification. Glancing cursorily, her line of sight fell on the date. She blinked twice and then craned her neck to size up the guy. He was taking instructions from the teacher.
Her vision was greeted with the breathtaking view of a gentleman. She noticed his pleasing smile, chiselled jawline, pointed nose, and hazel light brown eyes contrasting with his arched neatly carved eyebrows. His forehead was covered with the hood of his jacket. He had a lean yet impressive body frame which was emanating a foreign but familiar aura. She felt as if she had met the guy earlier. Though she knew clearly, that wasn't the case at all. It was just the yearning, which was making her nutty, at that moment and nothing else.
But her theory was proven wrong when the guy glanced at her. His thin brown lips were slightly stretched at the ends like Cupid’s bow. The pen from her hand fell on the floor. Their gazes met momentarily, sparks could be felt. It was a mesmerising view to behold, but enough to stiffen her expressions. A gust of wind felt on her smooth shiny skin, whooshing her hair in its enchantment. She was lost thoroughly, observing an approx 5’8” tall guy, who was wearing a white t-shirt paired with blue denim and casual sneakers. Holding the strap of a black backpack on one of his shoulders, looking cool, was standing still beside the teacher. “Alright Rosh, you can sit beside Ashley.”
The teacher gestured to him, at the third seat, in the first row, near the window. The whole class went into murmuring, pitying the new classmate. Ashley, who was originally lost, came back to her senses. When she heard the teacher, panic could be seen on her face. But, seeing the guy’s approaching footsteps, she hurriedly bent down to pick up the pen. Feigning to doodle. It was more like a puny act, not to get caught red-handed. More like saving her face, at the first encounter, from embarrassment.
“Hi,” Rosh waved at her while settling himself beside her.
Passing a slight smile and nod, Ash continued scribbling on her tab. Peeping from the corner of his eyes, Rosh leaned over to see what she was drawing. She immersed herself back in the drawing, hardly taking notice of him until…
“Woah… You are so good at it!” A gasp escaped from Rosh’s mouth.
Reverberated in her seat, startled, she turned her head glowering at him. Her death stare was enough to send chills down his spine at that instant. But he kept his calm and apologised in the next instance.
“Sorry, if I ruined it. It wasn’t on purpose, I swear,” he said innocently.
“Ummm… It’s okay. Just mind your business from now onwards,” She said sternly without
sparing a glance.
Though in reality, he wanted to get her attention his plan got busted.
“Seems like you need to work harder this time, Roshy…” he thought inwardly.
She never paid attention to others' details. Preferring her aloof character she hardly befriended others. It was a no on and bane suitable in situations. The same way she treated her new deskmate at first, like her other peers. But, something was different in him from the beginning. She even started to notice him. Though he was annoying at times, they got along well.
People admire her on one hand and criticise her on the next, which she hardly cared about. She was a combination of “Beauty with Brains”. Fiesty to the extent that she could break the bones of burly guys. Did it once, back in her freshman year. It was the naughty group trying to rag her down. She had beaten the hell out of them.
From then onwards, she became a hero of the girls' gang and was admired by her suitors. At the age of 20, she became a martial arts black belt member. No matter what, she never missed her training. There were two things she does punctually and religiously. One, her martial arts practice and second, visiting her mother's grave.
On three reasonable occasions, she visited without fail — namely: her birthday, her mother's death anniversary, and the departure day of Rosh, her childhood best friend. That day was December 15, 2021, her birthday. As usual, she left her house in the morning, with
a bouquet of white orchids and lilies, her mother’s favourite flowers. It was the same day, when Rosh re-entered her life, after a decade of waiting and yearning. Being alone in her life, she never celebrated the day with enthusiasm. Instead, commemorated
it at her mother’s cemetery and later visited the Norwood Colony.
That year, a new mate had joined her journey, secretly. He was keeping a watch, from a closed distance throughout the day.
Sitting on the edge of the grave, she was in a deep trance. Unaware of her surroundings, and reliving the incidents from her past years of life. She remembered her mother’s funeral day, which happened on June 10, 2011. That day, the clouds were downpouring heavily as if they had got holes. The Antalya Cemetery was situated on the east coast of Clock Street. Some five miles away from her home. Around 10:00 am the burial ceremony had to begin. The closed ones gathered in black despite the weather's inadequacy.
A ten-year-old girl was crying uncontrollably in her father’s bosom. The aggrieved man was pacifying his daughter with tears stricken face.
After that day, she never knew when he held her finger or she laid her head down on his lap. Burying himself at work, Tennison Brandon never looked back at his daughter again. It was more like he was ashamed of ruining his happy family. But he just couldn’t bring himself to open up the truth. Ashley had always been closest to her mother. As a child, it was a natural phenomenon to crave
for her. So, she often went out after Tanya’s death, to find her in the nearby parks.
It was June 29, 2011, when Ashley went out in search of her mother again, in the neighbourhood yard. As she was growing up without her mother’s care, it became difficult to bore everything alone. At that time, she met a guy, who was of her age. He came into her life as the guarding angel. Ashley was sitting on the bench alone, her face was red, clearly visible that she had cried.
“Hey little fellow, my name is Rosh.” Rosh extended his hand enthusiastically in her direction. His family had relocated to that neighbourhood shortly so he just wanted to befriend someone. She didn’t bother to shake his hand. As Rosh was a curious boy, he went closer and sat beside her.
After a week’s accompaniment in silence, however, Rosh decided to talk to himself. And somehow he finally gained her trust. Ashley felt he was genuine so she finally started to open up to her new friend. They became childhood best buddies, but the friendship was short-lived. Those months of the year were hated by everyone the most, due to precipitation. It was September 7, 2011, before the sun hit the peak hour of its heat strokes, and the breeze was also filled with humidity.
Rosh barged into Ashley’s apartment, huffing, as beads of sweat glid down his chubby red cheeks. He shouted hurriedly, “Ash, I’ve to tell you something.” Rosh was crouching on his knees to grasp some air. She patted his back with her chubby hand, and asked cutely, “What?”
Bursting into tears, he said hysterically, “I’m leaving in a week for the US. I’m sorry to leave you in the middle.” It was evident that he didn’t want to leave but their fate had already been decided.
“Tell me it’s a prank, Rosh!” Ashley asked with a hoarse throat.