The Kitkat Breaks

By Gurpahul Singh

Based on the prompt: It’s a regular day at college. You attend all the lectures, go back to your hostel room, open up your bag and find something that fills your heart with overflowing emotions

With blood-shot eyes, hair going in all possible directions, a mouth- just about to shut after inhaling a yawn, and with dizzy strides, I opened the door of the lecture hall with the air of a man accidentally entering some-place he is not supposed to be in. Even before the sense of sight- carrying the vexing bright light from the LED s above and the intent gaze from my classmates- could reach me, the speed of sound did, from near the board,

“Very good, boy. It’s the 3rd consecutive time you’ve been more than 15 minutes late for my class. I would be grateful if you could shut the door behind you on your way out.”

I could have felt ashamed and embarrassed but I was too drowsy to comprehend those emotions. I did what was asked and went straight to the cafeteria downstairs. It was still 40 minutes for the next lecture and I thought I should catch up on some sleep.

I woke up just 10 minutes before the next class, certainly less sleepy and a bit hungry. I opened up my bag and took out a 3 piece Kit-Kat, unwrapped it and….

Kit-Kat was the love of my life. I always used to have two- 3-piece or 4-piece- Kit-Kats that I kept in my bag every morning. I had a full box of them in my hostel room. Whenever I was hungry in between the lecture breaks, Kit-Kat came to my rescue. It was my savior to savor. An affordable one too for that matter. And all the more delicious. The hunger was satisfied as soon as it touched down the stomach, and I picked up my bag and headed for the lecture room.

The professor looked at me with a smirk on his face as he exited the room. I pushed open the door and entered.

She was there, sitting by her friends in the middle row, where she always did. Not too much in the front, certainly not among the back benchers. I knew she didn’t look at me, or maybe I didn’t and she did. I took away my eyes, as quickly as I had set them on, and climbed up the stairs to sit in the 2nd last row, where I always did. Just as I was about to sit, flashbacks from the ‘Chocolate Day’ came to my mind.

It was a normal evening, just about dusk. I had texted her up for a walk. It was a sweet conversation, more about knowing each other compared to the earlier talks. There was no way escaping her eyes though. They will keep you transfixed for all the time that she’ll speak to you, so much so that you’ll forget to listen once in a while. She’d laugh heartily on one of your silly jokes but you wouldn’t want to join into the laughter because it’s too beautiful to meddle in.

“I am a Virgo, 25th of August, and you are?” I asked softly.

“18th of September.” She stated like an answer.

“Oh nice, so you are a Virgo as well,” I said excitedly, “you know, same Zodiac signs are quite compatib….”

“Well that makes me a Leo, doesn’t it?” she interrupted.

“No but…,” I quickly took out my phone to confirm the dates while she laughed at my frantic actions and concerned look. This time I joined in.

Towards the end, I gave her a 2-piece Kit-Kat. She hesitated at first and then took it, thanking me for the same.

Sitting there in the lecture hall, I thought to myself, smiling, “She surely must not have thought through its significance”. As I said I loved Kit-Kats, and by giving her one on that day, I just wanted to share my love, with her…

The professor for the next period came in and the lecture began. The lecture next to it also went by till it was time for lunch break. I took out the 2nd Kit-Kit that I had and began to munch it, before going for lunch. Then, I kept my bag on my seat, and went straight to the mess.

After about half an hour, I re-entered the hall talking (well, more of laughing) with my friends. She wasn’t there in the middle row, rather sitting in the 2nd last row, 5–6 seats away from where I sat. Well, it wasn’t a big deal; it was Earth Science lecture, so she did sometimes come for the seats at the back. I waved her a “Hi”, picked up my bag from the floor, kept it on the adjoining seat and sat where I did earlier.

The Earth Science lecture got over (thankfully!), the labs lingered on, stretching the day with themselves, and straight after the evening snacks, I could be found in my hostel room, more tired and sleepy than how I was in the morning. With my whole body lying on the bed and an outstretched arm, I reached out for my bag to check if my earphones were in there. What I found instead was a 2-piece Kit-Kat.

It was confusing. I was sure I did not have any source of 2-piece Kit-Kats. The box in my cupboard was full of 3-piece Kit-Kats. The only time I did have a 2 piece Kit-Kat was…

I picked up my cell. My heart was racing and filled with emotions about to overflow. I texted her if we could meet up and for the first time I knew the answer would be in the affirmative. She replied. I got up from the bed, watered my face, tidied up my hair from the morning and walked out, almost forgetting the Kit-Kat behind. Went back, clutched it in my hand, and rushed outside.

She was standing, waiting outside the hostel, looking beautiful as she always did, just a tad special today. She anxiously played with her soft and shimmering hair, as she saw me pace up to her. We walked up to the campus park, talking normally about how the day went by, and the tests we had the next day, till we found a bench and sat.

I began, “So, I found this Kit-Kat in my bag today; I am sure it’s not mine. Did you keep it?” holding out the Kit-Kat.

She looked really nervous and with a steady gaze towards her restless hands, she said, “Yes, I did.”

“Is it the same Kit-Kat I had given you that day?”

“Yes”

“Why, don’t you like Kit-Kat or something, or you didn’t want to take it from me?”

“No, it isn’t that.”

“Then, what is it?”

It was a long awkward pause. She had been nervously clutching and rubbing her hands. And then she looked at me, those beautiful eyes, and hesitatingly let out,

“Actually, the thing is… I really love Kit-Kats. Kit-Kats are the love of my life. And… And… by giving you this, I just wanted to share my love with you.”

With that she took the 2-piece Kit-Kat from my hand, tore up the wrapper, held up the bar in both her hands, and…

The Kit-Kat breaks…..

By Gurpahul Singh