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value of punctuality
> Short stories > Love > A few years too late

A few years too late

Samaira learns the value of punctuality the hard way, when cupid comes knocking back on her door.

“That’s just great!” Samaira sighed, trying the ignition again, hoping to hear the engine come back to life.

“I give up!” she announced. “The one time I have a valid reason I can’t even use it. I already used the ‘my-car-broke-down’ excuse. Twice!”

Chronically late, Samaira was taking a shorter route to work, pondering over a new excuse to give her boss, until the car busted.

All her adult life, whenever someone called out Samaira for her lack of punctuality, she’d joke, “I hate being late. But, I am so good at it, I don’t want to stop!” She never learned, never changed.

Scrolling through her phone, wondering whom to call for help, Samaira was jolted out of her stupor by the horn of a car. Leaning out was Aaron, whom she quickly recognised as the high school heartthrob from almost a decade ago.

“Do you need help with that, Sam?” Aaron asked with a warm smile.

He knows my name! Wait, how does he know THAT name? Samaira wondered as she nodded her head in affirmation. As Aaron fixed the car, Samaira abruptly blurted, “How do you know that?” Excitedly, Aaron began to talk about his interest in machines and engines. Samaira clarified, “Stop. I meant, how do you know that name, ‘Sam’? Only my close friends call me that.”

Unable to find the right words, she meekly mumbled, “Then, why didn’t you?”

Red-faced, Aaron turned to look at her. He seemed nervous. Muddled, Samaira repeated her question. Slyly he confessed, “I… I had a crush on you in school. I found out every little detail about you before asking you out for prom.”

Unable to find the right words, she meekly mumbled, “Then, why didn’t you?” Fidgeting, he looked at her and revealed, “I tried. I got you flowers, balloons, and a hand-painted banner that read ‘Will you go to prom with me, Sam?’ I put it all up in Mr Singh’s classroom.”

“And, then?” Samaira urged.

“You never showed up,” Aaron disclosed, grinning. “I had to quickly take everything down before the class and pretend like nothing ever happened.”

“What?” kicking herself, Samaira thought, Aaron did all of that for me! And I was late! Seriously?

As Aaron got back to fixing the car, Samaira quipped, “I’m here now…” Aaron turned around quickly, cleared his throat and asked, “Will you go to the prom with me?” Holding her laughter in, Samaira responded, “Aren’t you a few years too late?”

They both burst out laughing.

Comments (2)
  • Lokesh
    on February 13, 2020 at 2:47 pm

    Too Good. Reminded me of my school love. 🙂

    • Soulveda
         Soulveda
      on February 13, 2020 at 7:52 pm

      Thank you, Lokesh.

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