Chapter-2

“Surprise, surprise!” Dina Marking grinned as she entered the door of the Sullies’, a purple fur coat dangling over her shoulder. Purple shades, purple earrings and purple high-boots marked her already all-purple outlook.

Miranda wished her best friend would someday grow out of her all-in-one-color look. Not like it was unfashionable-because it wasn’t- it just kept getting boring each day. Dina had been popular since Miranda could last remember, the basic reason being her fashion sense and her quirky attitude.

“You were supposed to come over yesterday, as far as I remember.” Miranda spoke as they both made their way to the kitchen, which had been their favourite hangout spot in the Sully Residence, starting from stealing brownies to doing their last minute Math’s assignments in high school.

“Unpacking took long enough.” Dina rolled her eyes, taking a seat at the counter.

Unpacking always takes long enough for Dina. She would pack all sorts of stuff during her visits, because she practically spent all her days in town clubbing and partying. She was the kind of girl who strongly believed in ‘living today’ and made sure she lived up to her mottos.

“I am assuming your parents are back together?” Dina shrugged when Miranda looked like she was out of words.

“Yes. They are.” Miranda sighed and smiled.

The biggest news of this year was that her parents had finally put their differences away and had decided to move in together. And not just move in, they had decided to drop the divorce case and give their relationship a try. Which shouldn’t be hard because they had lived for more than twenty-five years together. She hoped it lasted this time. Yes, they had been married, but above all, they had been best friends and the divorce was just putting a big hole in this relationship.

“Is that good?” Dina chewed on chewing gum, raising an eyebrow.

“What the heck, Dina? Of course, it is.”

“Don’t take it hard, honey. Wasn’t your mom seeing this Ryan guy from the local NGO?” Dina shrugged again, and rolled her eyes. She got up and opened the door of the fridge, pulling out a can of coke and returned to the counter.

“No, she wasn’t. Get lost.” Miranda got up disgusted. Most of the times, she wished she had never known Dina because her so-called best friend managed to get on her nerves every single time her parents were mentioned. The reason was because Dina’s own mother got married for the third time last summer and her dad had lost all beliefs on a strong marriage and had passed on his thinking to his only daughter.

“Miranda, calm down, babe. You know how I am. I just don’t think relationships work that way. People get bored.” Dina followed her to the living room, the can of coke tightly secured in her fingers.

This is how it has always been, from day one- each and every conversations about their parents had brought only fights. Both saw marriage in different ways. Dina was convinced that there was no such thing as permanent love or marriage. Miranda believed that a relationship could be made strong if both the individuals were ready to sacrifice for it. To her best friend though, this was just compromising with one’s happiness and she wasn’t willing to do that. She was dating a guy named Kevin Auckley for two months now, and this was probably her sixth relationship. Kevin was an okay guy, according to Miranda. But she knew it won’t last. It never lasts with Dina Marking.

“You know, when you start compromising, the relationship starts getting one-sided. Like how it was with Michael.” Dina would always say, after Michael had passed away and Miranda had confessed about how she feared he might never leave. How she was glad this had ended. How much she missed Michael but relieved that he might never come back.

“You let him run over you. You let him crush your self-esteem. You let him kill that once crazy side of you. You let him murder you while you were still breathing. Forget forgiving him. How could you forgive yourself for what you let him do to your soul?” Dina had been in one of her rarest moods back then. She was all about feelings and advises.

People had been so supporting back then. Even Mike’s parents, who were themselves in their worst state. Her high school friends, her college friends, her neighbors, her parents- everyone. People would come around, spend time with her and listen to her. Listen to her lies. Lies that she had trained herself to tell with a poker face. Lying had never seemed so easy until then.

“You should get your parents and your priorities out of your head for a while, you know? Go and get some life. Have fun. What say, babe? We can crash Janie’s party, get drunk and forget what life is about, if only for a night?” Dina’s light blue eyes lightened up at her own suggestion.

Miranda shook her head in dismay.

“I think you need to leave. Right about now.”

“Serious?”

“Damn serious.” Miranda walked up to the door and opened it for Dina.

“Fine. Call me when you change your mind, sweetie. I will always be around.” Her best-friend smiled as she picked up her purple hand-bag. She quickly turned around and flung her arms around Miranda.

“I love you so much, babe.” She said, cradling Miranda in her bear hug.

“I love you too,” Miranda spoke at her shoulder. In spite of all her rudeness and attitude, Dina has always been around. She was there when her parents separated. She was the one who assured that everything will be fine and that life moves on. She was the first one who warned her about Michael, but still tried to cheer her up when her relationship was on rocks. One time, she was even ready to go the police station to report about her boyfriend. Yes, she has always been around. Miranda owed her that.

“Last question, Miranda. Are you still thinking about Michael?”

A question Miranda had come to dread as of today. She should have known this was coming.

“I think I have moved on, Dina.” She smiled, breaking from the hug.

“Are you sure?” Her best-friend raised an eyebrow, struggling to look past her calm face.

“You would be able to tell if I was lying, won’t you?”

Thoughts of Michael streamed into her mind like tides of flashbacks, making her weak at her knees. Their first date, when he just kissed her hand like a gentleman, without all of those classic roses and kneeling down. To her wild amazement, it was exactly how she wanted it to be. His “Mind if I hold your hand?” always got her grinning like an idiot. She was head over heels for him in full swing. Those stomach butterflies would go crazy every time he was around. Her heart would do uncountable somersaults when his lips broke into an unpredictable smile. He had a good idea how he was affecting her, Miranda knew that very well. He would look surprised, though and laugh at her innocence. Yes, that was Michael. She always wondered how can a guy be so perfect? She had no idea back then about imperfection and humans- faithfully interwoven. Soulless marionettes to time and fate.

“Yeah. I would be able to do that.” Dina grinned and left.

A gust of wind pushed her locks away as she watched Dina walk down the stairs of her porch. Working up a smile when Dina turned back to wave her goodbyes, she waved back and seconds later, she closed the door.

“No, Dina. He is still in my mind. He still keeps calling me in my nightmares, telling me to stay away from guys other than him. He still digs into my cheeks with his fingers until it hurts. He still hits me with his shoulder, bruising mine in the process. He still wonders if I love him, Dina.”

A tear rolled down her cheek, as his calm face flashed in front of her eyes, clear as crystal. Only Miranda knew the man behind the calmness, a devil in disguise. People say that when you have got over someone, their face fades away from your mind, with only blurred memories to remind you that the person existed. Miranda wondered why that never applied on her memories with Michael. They had been as clear as they had been three years ago. Scary and dangerous yes, but clear. The darkness felt like her only hope, because the light of her memories kept blinding her.