Too Late

DELILAH

October 20th 2009.

Here she was...staring at her screen again...

5minutes. Nothing.

20minutes. Nothing.

1hour. Nothing.

She was sick and tired of waiting.

'He' wasn't going to come online...as usual.

She turned off her laptop and picked up the novel she was reading.

She tried hard not to think about 'him' nor about her complicated relationship with Jonathan.

For a moment, guilt crept in but she convinced herself that this was just a 'fling'.

She was just doing this to distract her mind from 'him', but she couldn't deny that this 'fling' could hurt other people.

She had been seeing Jonathan for a few months and she found him an effective distraction from her thoughts about 'him', that's why she kept on seeing him inspite of the risks involved in it.

All she hoped was for Jonathan's wife not to find out about it...

August 11th 2009.

She was running late for Mimi's house-warming party and she didn't even have time to pick out a decent outfit.

After an hour of traffic jams and red lights, she reached a fork. She tried calling up Mimi who couldn't pick up the phone.

She desperately looked around for help and spotted a decent-looking guy.

Luck must be finally on her side because the guy was on his way to Mimi's party too so he got in the cab with her.

That was her first meeting with Jonathan. She was instantly attracted to him.

Later she found out that he was recently married to another colleague.

That didn't stop her from picking up his calls.

They seemed to hit it off really well since a casual lunch at a burger joint led to dinner and a lot of secret dates.

She didn't want to drag him too far but things just happened so fast.

Besides, being with Jonathan helped her to 'not' think about 'him', at least for sometime...

October 21st 2009.

The sound of her phone woke her up. She reached for it..it was a text from Jonathan.

'Gd mrning baby! Hope u had a gd sleep. Hav a grt day!'

She looked at the time.

8:00am. What the hell was wrong with him? He should be knowing by now that she doesn't get up before noon unless she had somthing important to do.

Sometimes he pisses her off so much. She won't be going to college today so she could sleep all she wanted.

She didn't bother to text him back.

She needed lots of rest for tonight, she was going to the club with Lizzy.

They usually partied on Wednesday nights because then the club was less crowded and they could show off their dance moves.

Most importantly, Jamal was spinning tonight and he'd begged her to come.

Jamal...another 'conquest'... She smiled lazily as she thought about her 'conquests'.

This made her think about 'him', the only guy she couldn't 'conquer'...the only guy she'd ever really wanted to be with...

She thought about his hazel eyes, his messy hair, his grin and the little fights they had on silly subjects...

She missed him...

REYMOND

October 21st 2009.

Reymond woke up with a start. It was 7:00am and he had to get ready for college.

He grabbed his jeans which were lying on the floor and put on a green Abercrombie tee.

Lucky he'd finished the project last night otherwise Professor D' Souza would throw him out of class.

He put on his dirty black Converse sneakers and caught sight of his reflection in the mirror.

He looked like a mess. He was a mess. He remembered the tee-shirt so well...the ones he'd worn on the day they were supposed to meet...

But she hadn't turned up... Suddenly the memories of her which he had tried so hard to erase came flooding back.

He could remember that day like it was yesterday...

July 20th 2009.

He tried calling her up but her phone was switched off.

That's strange because it was going to be their first meeting today, she would've never switched off her phone without letting him know.

She hadn't replied to his text the other night either.

Maybe her phone wasn't working.

He went to the place where they'd planned to meet. He was half an hour early but he was too excited to meet her, he just couldn't wait.

They met each other on the internet. They started out as friends and spent many sleepless nights talking to each other.

His feelings about her started to develop until one day he mustered up the courage to ask for her number.

They talked to each other over the phone everyday for about a year and finally decided to meet up.

He was growing nervous. 20minutes have passed but she still hadn't given him a buzz.

With the passing of every minute, he grew more restless and kept on looking at his cellular watch every 5seconds.

He waited for another 15minutes and still there was no sign of her so he went back to his hotel with a heavy heart.

He stopped talking to her after that...

November 1st 2009.

It was 9:15pm and Reymond was working on his project on the PC. On impulse, he went online, something which he hadn't done for a long time.

The number of emails surprised him.

More than 200 mails from her. She'd mailed him everyday.

He automatically selected all of it and was just about to hit the 'DELETE' button when something at the back of his head told him to open them.

The first one was dated 19th July 2009, the night before the 'date.

"Rey, I just hope u open ur mail b4 2moro. I kno we plannd on meeting 2moro but I've got an exam postponement for 2moro.

I just heard about it 2day. Coincidentally, I lost my fone 2day. Idk what I'm supposed 2 do. I just hope n pray dat u read dis b4 2moro.

If u do, I'll still be coming 2moro after my exam. Means will b comin half an hour late.

Gosh! I hope u read dis. I miss u n I love u. M so excited 2 meet u."

The first thing he wanted to do after reading the mail was to hit himself.

He's been such a coward, he'd just stopped talking to her without trying to find out the reason why she couldn't come.

One by one he went through the mails. She'd left her new number.

He wanted to break down and cry. He let her go through so much pain, she must be feeling so lost...

He wanted to call her up straight away but her latest mail stopped him...

She'd sent it the previous morning.

"Rey, I don't know if u'll ever read dese mails. I don't even kno if u're dead or alive.

Anyway, if ure readin dis, I just want u 2 kno dat I still love u...a lot.

I just can't seem 2 4get u and all the memories we shared.

But i guess its best if i move on... cuz i believe ure never goin 2 speak 2 me again.

from dis day forth, i wont be mailing u anymre.

I'll try my best 2 4get u and get on wit my life.

Derez dis guy whoz been askin me out for sumtym, his namez Quentin.

I'll date him startin from 2day...altho it wud take so long 2 4get u, i'll try.

I hope u have a great life. I'll love u always... "

His hope was crushed once again...