"I have finally found the man of my dreams. Hope you're having fun there. You have a great time. More on this when we meet."
Nisha was vacationing in the Caribbean. Aakanksha was in India. Nisha remembered what a wreck Aakanksha was back then. Aakanksha never really understood the true meaning of a relationship outside of lust. She was the outspoken and the adventurous of the two. Nisha, on the other hand was a complex though determined soul. She always searched for purpose in everything she did and the only relationship she was in ended with fidelity. She was heartbroken for having broken his heart. Aakanksha always talked about tomorrow while Nisha kept herself wrapped in her yesterday. She had always despised Aakanksha for her ways but secretly she felt secured around her. She wanted to name her daughter after her best friend. This vacation was an attempt at redemption and introspection. Those words took Nisha back to the days she tried running away from.
The mojito she held in her hands as she relaxed on the beach-chair was just the kick she needed. She felt like drowning in the very waves she soaked herself in. All she dreamed about was happiness and to be able to love she once did. All the life and noise around her, of the kids playing ball, building castles in the sand, college teens surfing those waves, honeymoon couples making out, the bartender sharing a joke with the backpackers, the smell of fresh fish, the music all seemed to fade.
All but that one distinct sound of the horse galloping across the shallow waters rhythmically. It was the perfect moment, she thought, to fall in love and escape the clutches of this heart wrenching pain that engulfed her. The red sun dipping into the horizon made her feel uneasy and weak. It was just the perfect halo, as she had imagined, circled around the horse rider's head. She just couldn't take her eyes off him. She felt frozen in that moment. The breeze that bounced off of him was brushing her hair. The waves, that were inviting her to drown, suddenly felt like the source of life. The smell of salt felt like the smell of his love. She couldn't take her eyes off him. She could feel the intensity in his eyes, simplicity in his style, raw lust in his unkempt hair and unbuttoned shirt. She lived a lifetime in that moment.
The drink fell all over her face as the ball hit her hand as she took a sip. The ice on her face shook her. She heard voices echoing in her head. "Pick up the fucking phone you lousy bitch", screamed her alcoholic husband as he kicked her to wake her up. She saw the name on the phone. Aakanksha.
