The Ending Of A Beginning

By Sameerah Nisha Sultana

They say - " We don't meet people by accident. Sometimes they are meant to cross our path for a reason."

It took me a moment to gather my courage and calm my pounding heart because a crowd like this makes me feel anxious. But I have no choice but to be here, at my sister's wedding day, a big day for her as well as for me.

And that's when my eyes land on literally the best - looking man I've ever seen in my entire life, David Mikaelson...

As if he can feel my gaze on him, he turns and his eyes meets mine.

(Note to myself: This man is devilishly charming and dangerous)

And that's how everything started...

SEVEN YEARS LATER....

I am Kate Bullock, the breakup expert, working as a RJ at a top most radio station in Chicago.

David and I broke up. Since that day onwards, I've become an 'Ice Queen' - cold, distant and bitter about love and relationships.

I act normal by portraying a charming persona, like nothing is wrong with me, everything is perfect, and people totally fall for that act but no one could figure out that there is sadness lurking under that charming pretense and nobody will ever care to know.

Today he called. He asked me to meet him at the 'Ivy's' tomorrow evening. I agreed, out of curiosity, and I want to know how he's doing and also to see if I am still holding a torch for him which probably I am not aware of for now and get to realize it when I see him.

Everyone has a favourite restaurant that he or she loves to eat at. But in Ivy's, people come here to celebrate. This place is peaceful and vibrant, very classy and garish Italian. Also, not to mention, hideously expensive. This place has the most delicious food for all the Italian food lovers out here. The Ivy's is the most exquisite place to eat and is truly the finest and best restaurant in the city. Every time I walk into the Ivy's I obtain the best feeling by looking at the vibrant and bustling atmosphere of the restaurant but today is different, I don't feel the same way. I've come here not to celebrate anything but to see my ex-fiancé - who left me at the altar.

To everyone around me it was just another man casually sipping his red wine but what I saw was David Mikaelson, perfect and pristine, the man I thought I'd share my future with, WITH A RING ON HIS WEDDING FINGER. I felt my face heating up while I kept battling my confusion, do I or do I not ask him about it?

"Why did you want to meet me?", I asked.

"I just wanted to see how you are doing and... ", he said.

"Well, David, sorry to be blunt but please cut the crap and tell me what is it?" - I asked point blank.

He said in a low and a very apathetic voice, "I got engaged to Melaney."

And that explains why he is wearing a ring on his wedding finger.

The news of David's engagement passes through me without a ripple of emotion. But I wonder what took so long for them to get engaged and get married by now?

And why his mood is down, he should be happy. Isn't it? Ah! I don't want to know.

"Well, that's a good news. Congratulations. When is the big day? And correct me if I am wrong, is this your unique way to invite your ex on your wedding?" - I asked with a bit of sarcasm.

Good Lord, surely your blessings are with me. I feel nothing, no anger, no hurt, no past grievances. I thought meeting him might open my past wounds but I think time healed my wounds and it wasn't a bad idea to meet him. There might've been some bad blood between us but I guess the blood froze before going bad.

David's face turned pale and rigid after my question. He looks at me and says : "Kate, we need to talk."

Suddenly, the conversation got serious and I don't know how to react to that.

"What do we need to talk about?", I asked.

That's the only question came up from my mouth.

David says, "About our breakup. I guess I did a terrible mis..."

I stopped him immediately since I didn't want to hear about his regrets. It would only make it worse.

"Now, there is no point of talking about the past. You left me at the altar for Melaney, humiliating me in front of everyone and that's all I've to know", I said.

I take a deep breath and focus on my wine, ignoring him and what next will come.

I feel David's looking at me, trying to search my face for some emotion or a feeling, I guess. I don't think talking about the past will make anything better, it will be like healing the wound with salt. The era of my life with David is over. So, what would be the point of thinking about us or our past now?

"Kate, I feel there is some unfinished business between us. That's why I think, we need to talk.

And to be honest, I miss you, I miss us. So please talk to me." - David begged.

There's a tiny note of pleading in his voice that runs a chill up to my spine.

My brain goes blank for a moment, then boots back up at a snail's pace.

I've spent seven years learning how to un-care about everything that happened between me and David and the pain I suffered the last seven years was terrible. Also, not to forget, he's marrying someone else. I don't get it what he wants from me now then.

Nostalgia hit me for some few seconds making me think about how we used to get along well until it all just fizzled out.

I sip my wine as I bury my thoughts of how evenings like this, with him, used to be every day occurrences. We used to be a perfect couple. We used to go out and enjoy and have drinks. But now it's all in the past and I can't think about it, I shouldn't.

I watch David's eyes narrow and analysing me. I speak to throw a wrench in his wheels - "Can't we spend this time without talking about the past? Can't we leave it where it is buried? And trust me, you've made it clear in the past I'm all but dead to you.

And for God's sake David! You're engaged and after some months you will get married. Don't do anything that will make you regret more, don't do the same thing that you did to me, don't leave her or hurt her. Spend your future with her, love her, don't be a coward or an escapist please."

He tries to speak something but I immediately changed the subject, he gets the hint that I don't want to talk about it anymore, even though he doesn't like it. But it's too late to regret now and no point to talk about it.

After dinner, I got out of the restaurant, unscathed. It's drizzling outside. I close my eyes and look up in the sky and let the droplets of rain touch my delicate but triumph face. I take a deep breath.

Finally, I feel free, I got my closure, I passed my test. I don't feel sad or angry. I feel better and relieved that I escaped a doomed and a loveless marriage in the final hour. I'm relieved to know that I am not carrying a David-shaped hole in my heart A-N-Y-M-O-R-E.

FEW WEEKS LATER…

I look up into the blue sky as the sun is high over Wilburys, a bright and a warm sunny day, wearing my yellow dress matching the sun rays, I stand in the middle of my mother's garden.

The view looks amazing and I can look at this view a thousand times and never get bored. It never fails to surprise me and make me smile.

A warm, gentle breeze kisses my cheeks as I stare out across the garden.

Today is 4th of July.

I am back to my hometown. It is a very small town, so small that everyone knows everyone and everyone's secret is out in the open and there is no room for privacy - no matter how hard you try.

The cottages here are embellished in every colour of the rainbow. There are some old houses, and have been here for 100 years or more. They have lumps and uneven roofs, very large windows and cobbled paths, but all of them are endearing.

It is also famous for its history and nature's beauty. It is a nice place to spend your vacation with your near and dear ones.

I stop to smell the flowers from my mother's garden, a lush garden adorned with all manner of roses and tulips. It reminds me of the old times when me and my sister used to play hide-and-seek here in this garden.

It has been four weeks after my encounter with David.

In seven years, my life changed totally. Seven years back, I thought I will get married and have kids and raise them in a place like this. But you know, life, it is an unstoppable train full of twists and turns, but one thing I can say for sure, where I am now, I am happy. Albeit, there are moments in life where I think I should be able to have a time machine to go back in the past and do things differently or make things better.

But in reality, there is no such thing called time machine, so yes, it's not possible. Also, I've realized there are some things in life where nothing can be done to make things better or different.

After David left me I learned the bitter truth about life. It has made me realize that I can't expect to be the first choice of somebody as people are quite open towards other alternatives. And, there will always be a "somebody" who will eventually try and steal the place that I tried to make in a certain somebody's life. Everything is replaceable in this sour, cruel world. So the best thing to do is always to choose myself over others by not expecting anything from anyone. I am not going to give anyone the upper hand to make me feel validated, as I am capable of being content with myself because all my life I've spent so much time trying to be what others wanted me to be that I never stopped once to think what I want and who I had been all along. But now everything is clear to me.

I see my dad working in the garage, he waves at me, and I smile back with a kind wave of my own. Just then mom comes out of the house wearing her cute baby pink apron and call us inside to have breakfast.

P.s.: There will be good days and bad days. But I'm sure I've some good luck coming my way soon.

THE END

By Sameerah Nisha Sultana