Absence

It was not his intention to drink that night. The time was 9 pm on Alex's watch. The moon was at his full phase looking down, brightening the earth. He was on the top floor terrace of his wing sitting over a wooden bench. He removed the two bottles of beer; uncorked two of the caps and gave one to Clara who was right next to him. He looked at her, the very excitement of sharing the drink with her. She was wearing a white full sleeves T-shirt which came up to her little finger. Her hair was open which blew with the air. She tucked the strips of hair behind her ear which came to her face, exposing her soft subtle cheeks which shone with the moon light. Alex was amazed to see her beauty; he kept watching her from the corner of his eyes. Clara was lost in her thoughts. She thought of the time when they both loved each other, tonight the time is different. They went through tough days that brought darkness between them. May be trust was the factor which he did not have on her, maybe he realized it now and want her back in his life.  Alex insisted to meet her tonight so that he can confess his feeling. However, he preferred to have drink and then speak up. He didn’t have the guts to look eye to eye at Clara and talk about their broken relationship. However, this shall be the last chance to get her back.
They looked at each other, raised the bottle high, and cheered up. Clara was getting restless now due to the silence talks between them. She was waiting for him to start the conversation. Clara knows that he loves her still, but at the same time, she is aware that Alex is responsible for this broken relation. Alex was sipping his beer thinking of when to start the conversation and with what topic. Soon taking one another sip he asked her; “Do you like this place? “ Clara smiled, “Yeah am loving the climate much to like this place” “I am glad to know that. So tell me.?” Clara exclaimed “what?”
Do you…… still love ….me? Alex asked, his words shaking. Clara paused for a while “my love never faded for you Alex”Alex looked at her with broken smile “even though you know I have hurt you?” Clara got up from the bench and walked a little reaching to the edge of the terrace wall. She looked at the bright twinkling city;” this is very big city Alex, do you know how many people live here? How many people get hurt? How many of them move on? “Do you? People fall in love Alex without knowing they will be hurt someday because they believe in their partner and have trust on them”Alex was quiet, “I am sorry Clara for hurting you” “Yes you have hurt me Alex but rather than you it’s this big city that has hurt me a lot. Alex was listening;This city is mean and cruel and has no taste of love which I got from you; we exchanged our love Alex, it’s just that you were little careless about me. If I say I don’t want you then it will be a lie, but if you say you want me back, I will say that you are too late.“Alex cuts her “wait wait what you mean I am too late? “ Clara continued “We loved each other for more than two years; I never thought this relation would go so long. Because somewhere I had a fear, like my past love this relation would eventually end up in the middle. I use to think is this because of me? Do I make mistake or is it I give no love?Alex stops her “Clara you know it is my mistake, I never complained about your love. I know I am not that good in giving my love to you but I know how much I love you”“It’s too late now Alex, I am sorry” she burst into tears and hugged Alex.
Don’t say that Clara, I will make everything perfect again, please trust me.
Alex saw the time on the watch; it was 11:30 pm.Alex emptied his beer with the last sip, he was little tipsy. Clara came and sat beside Alex. There was a complete silence. Alex removed his cell phone and kept it aside on the bench.“I am sorry Clara for whatever I did. I know I have hurt you a lot, I do not actually mean what I say sometimes in anger. However, yes this is true Clara I loved you always “Clara cried and hugged him. Alex held her tight and then loosens her, he looked at her eyes which were full of water, and he clears her face. He wants to kiss her. Clara too wants to sense the kiss of his lips and want to express her feeling. She closed her eyes. Alex gently kissed her soft lips making it wet. His hands are on her neck which he slide it slowly around her waist then brought it up cupping her breast. The phone beside Alex fell down from bench.

The kiss got passionate and deeper. A few minutes later the phone rang. Alex was looking for his phone, soon to notice that it had fallen down and bends to pick up the phone and quickly answered the call.
“Hello?” asked Alex. “Alex this is James here, where are you?”
“I am with Clara at my wing.“Are you drunk Alex? How can Clara be with you?”
Alex was confused “What you mean?”
“I have one bad news for you Alex. But please promise me that you will meet me now itself after listening to it and will not panic.”
Alex shouts “tell me what it is?”
 “Clara is dead Alex, I just got to hear this from her parents that she committed suicide“ Alex laughed “is this some kind of prank that you guys playing with me? She is right beside me here having beer how it is possible, you guys made yourself a fool.”
James shouts on phone, “You are drunk Alex, I don’t blame you. Just meet me now; I am coming to pick you up. Clara is dead two hours back.” Alex turned to speak to Clara but notices that she is not beside him. Alex calls out Clara.Clara! Clara!
 He got up to look for her but he found her not. James was on the call calling Alex;“Alex, listen to me, where are you? Alex!!” Alex was not in the condition to speak anything. His throat was dry.  He first looked at the bottle of beer, which Clara was drinking; he noticed that the bottle is full.“You are too late. You are too late!” Alex could hear this words echoing in his ears.Alex burst into tears and cried out loud.Clara, please come back. Please come back Clara, I can’t live without you. He sat on his knees and kept crying.Nevertheless, Alex was too scared to move his legs and get down of his terrace. It was 11.59 pm. He later felt some cold breeze from his backside; someone calling him. He turned back, and saw Clara hanging in the air stretching her hands and calling him. She was crying. Alex froze and moved back with no power to shout or ask for help. He kept moving back and his leg slipped to one of the emptied bottle of beer and he fell from the 13th floor of his wing.
Her absence was for his presence!                                                     The End