Purplexcity

1^st December 2018,

Its 12:00 AM, I sit on the rooftop with a purple candlelit. Tears falling from my eyes. The wind blows the flame. Just a second, the flame becomes smoke. Its been a year. I celebrated Veda’s birthday.

2009

I was in front of the computer, playing random video games. I increase the volume of the system, so it covers the fun laughter of the children playing outside. I hated the idea of friendship back then. More than me hating it, I just never had the need of a friend. I shut my world to people and concentrated on books and video games.

The doorbell rang. The sound overpowered the sound of the game. It was unusual for my parents to return from the office. So I rushed to the door. I dragged the chair, stood on it. Peeped through the small hole to see a small girl, probably my age, in purple with a big smile plastered on her face. Mumma told me to never open the door to strangers, so I did not. She rang the bell thrice and yet I left it unanswered. Eventually, she left, head hung low.

That was our first encounter. Next day, again at 4, she came and rang the doorbell. I did not answer it again. I kept peering through the hole to recognize her, but I couldn’t. 3^rd day. She came, at 4 again. Rang the doorbell three times. I still didn’t answer. But this time, she sat down on the stairs, she waited for me to open. I gave in and opened the door. She got up and smiled. “Hi, my name is Veda. Do you want to play with me?”

I was a shy and quiet child. So I shook my head and went inside. Instead of walking away, Veda followed me inside. She sat on one of the sofas and asked me why I was quiet. I simply stood there, not knowing what to say. She could not keep her mouth shut, she shot questions to me like bullets and I kept dodging most of them.

Her visits became more often, and I became less quiet. I enjoyed her company. We even joined dance class together.

We were inseparable. As we walked down the whole layout, every evening at 4. Stopped by the grocery shop to buy our favorite drink, 'mogu mogu'. We always got the purple one because it was our favourite colour. The last bench of the park was reserved for us. As we sat there with all our emotions out. Spoke about our days. Played together. Danced. Sang. Cried. Laughed.

 Years passed like this and our love for purple like our friendship grew stronger.

2016

4:00 pm. We sat down on the park bench with our usual grape flavoured mogu mogu. With smiles on our faces, Veda showed me a piece of her poetry that she wrote for me. She titled it purple-xcity (perplexity: a state of confusion).

Her words of love and happiness dripped from those sheets and I considered myself the luckiest for having her beside me.

With our bond growing strong, our families grew closer. So, on one of our trips to Udupi, Veda and I went to a beach and we spend hours near the ocean, being childish. That’s when Veda saw this old woman selling beaded bracelets. Fascinated by them she bought one and vowed to never remove it to mark our friendship. But that was the last time we could be together, happy, sad, hyper. Perplexity.

Veda cracked open the shell of an introvert in me, as I took a step to the bright world of friendship. She held my hand throughout the journey.

2017

I was in the purple house. Kneeling near the bed. Eyes bloodshot red from the unstoppable flow of tears. My hand clutched onto her cold hand. Praying it's all just another nightmare. I could see the small smile she always had on her face. The smile of a ray of positivity that changed my whole life. As I sat next to her, whispering my last goodbyes to her. A piece of me was lying on the bed, cold as ice. I fell numb onto the floor as they took her body away for her funeral.

DAYS AFTER.

I was in the purple room. Her mother walked up to me with a piece of paper and the bracelet. The letter read

Dear purple minion,

Remember, I am not here anymore, but that doesn’t mean you go back to your video games and drama series and forget human civilization. I will keep an eye on you. Your existence was the reason I survived all these years. I know I gave up too soon, but I had to. My head wasn’t in the right place. But I don’t want you to give up. You have bloomed into this beautiful purple butterfly that flutters away to great heights.

We grew up together and I know it will hard for you to grow a little more without me. But you never failed to keep me happy. Remember we should paint the chaotic town purple? Also, when you grow into the famous writer, buy the mogu mogu company and make me proud.

I am leaving the beaded bracelet for you. These beads represent our friendship. Unbreakable. Didn’t know our final trip would be this memorable. Remember, every bead represents the laughter, the tears, the fights we shared. Make me proud and you shall build a small shrine for me xD.

I love you. Forever and more

Yours lovingly,

Purple monster.

Author: Arya Jayan