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The last cupcake

One day, there was an invitation to the 50th high school reunion. Butterflies began to flutter. Should I go? Will he come?
By

23 November 2019

The St Thomas High School reunion couldn’t have been more predictable. Everything was the same. The red, chipping paint on the school building, the vast banyan tree in the garden, and even the watchman.

As the alumni walked into the assembly hall, they smiled at each other hearing the music reminiscent of the years long gone by. A decked-up, albeit nervous Leela stood at the end of a snack table. She didn’t know what to expect from the evening as she stared at the cupcakes spread across. All she knew was she wanted to see him.

She couldn’t help but think of the ‘cupcake thief’. How many years had it been? She reminisced hesitatingly. Two gawky teenagers stood at the canteen counter, eyeing the last cupcake. Subodh got hold of it. Thus, began the infamous rivalry between Leela and Subodh. They lived in the same neighbourhood, so avoiding each other was almost impossible and tolerating each other, out of the question.

Three years went by and it was the final year of high school. The board exams were all everyone could think about. Except for Leela and Subodh. They thought about each other. It dawned on them that the one thing they thoroughly enjoyed—getting on each other’s nerves—was soon to turn inconsequential. It was time to graduate high school and take the first step towards real-life—college.

Amid the crowd, she spotted him. Quickly adjusting herself on the chair, she gazed as Subodh walked her way.

They moved to different colleges and communication went from ‘spiteful glares around the neighbourhood’ to ‘a polite hello every now and then.’ Things started to change and they discovered that being around each other wasn’t so bad, after all. That was the start of a friendship, which as time went by, blossomed into love. But fate had other plans. Even before they realised their love for each other, Leela and Subodh were married to different people. Life went on as children were raised, dreams were chased, and broken hearts were mended. Yet, a tender ache remained.

Then one day, there was an invitation to the 50th high school reunion. Butterflies began to flutter. Should I go? Will he come?

A clanging sound at the table brought Leela out of her reverie. She looked around apprehensively. Amid the crowd, she spotted him. Quickly adjusting herself on the chair, she gazed as Subodh walked her way. Accidentally knocking against a table, Subodh sheepishly looked at a giggling Leela, as she pointed at the last chocolate cupcake sitting on the platter. The giggle grew into laughter as Subodh leaped towards the platter but Leela swiftly snatched it away. She chuckled like a child, “I got it this time!” Subodh and Leela broke into a fit of laughter.

A lot was said in that shared moment.

Edited by Shalini K Sharma

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