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Erasing the Mistakes
Mia finally climbed the last step. Her feet were screaming for mercy already. She picked a spot on the railing and leaned her aching back over it. She had reached the top of the 500 m high skyscraper. She had always been a mountain-lover, but this was too much.
'How do people manage to climb a hundred steps without melting?' she thought while her breathing slowly returned to normal.
Her feet were still sore within the sneakers, though the pain was receding. She brushed aside the strand that had gotten loose from her auburn hair clipped behind. She looked around at the horde of tourists. They seemed to have travelled from all parts of the world to be here, just like her.
Mia left the comfort of the railing and moved closer to the glass standing firm between her and the expanse of the city at her feet. The view was exhilarating. Everyone around her was capturing the grandeur in their phones and professional cameras. She didn’t feel the need yet. She first wanted to capture the emotions bubbling within her. After all, she had given up the habit of fiddling with her device after seeing that text from Kevin a month ago.
The wind brushed at her cheek, lifting the thought away. She observed the view minutely. There were nineteen buildings and a harbour with nine boats bobbing in the water. A beautiful yacht was racing towards the queue of other boats. She decided to give the other end of the city a chance to distract her.
She turned around and headed to the other end of the glass tomb. She crossed two Asian tourists chittering away while clicking, an old lady with a Texan accent, and a group of teenagers from Europe talking rapidly in French. She picked up a few words to know they were selecting spots to check out once they returned to the ground.
Seemed like there was someone from almost every part of the world gathered here. She spotted an empty place, next to an Australian couple, to stand and take in the view of the city and the hills beyond.
Mia strolled over callously, thinking of the time she had taken to learn French with a friend in college. She was about to reach the glass window when the man on the right turned and made her stop in her tracks. Sun was setting right behind him, pushing his face in the dark.
But Mia didn’t need any light to recognise that chiselled jawline and deep-set eyes. Ved paused, catching a glimpse of her, but clearly handled it better. He maintained his poker face that used to be Mia’s favourite mystery many years ago. It seemed like another lifetime now.
The silence between them was deafening amidst the noise of the tourists. Someone bumped into Mia and apologised in German before heading to take her chosen spot next to Ved. She returned to her senses but found herself confused about which way to go.
Should she go ahead and ask the German tourist to move aside so she could squeeze in? Or should she sprint back the flight of a hundred stairs and return to a safe place on the ground to catch a breath?
Or should she dash through the glass windows and dive into the ocean to avoid this moment?
Seeing her frozen, Ved came over.
“Coffee?” he asked, skipping the awkward hellos running through Mia’s mind.
Should she accept? Should she decline? Or would that cement the building awkwardness in her chest?
Unsure of what to say, Mia gave a slight nod with a hint of a customary smile. There was a fluttering sensation in her stomach. She’d had the same feeling seventeen years ago on her first date with Ved.
He gestured his usual ‘After you’, and Mia led their way out of the glass tomb.
“So, how have you been?” Ved interrupted her series of thoughts that involved him, Kevin and then him again.
“Good. How about you? What are you doing here?”, she asked, hoping his answer would take her mind off things.
“Just taking a break from…well, work. How about you? What pulled you away from the comfort of your couch?”
“Maybe you did.”
'Why the heck did I just say that?! What’s wrong with me?' Mia mentally kicked herself for letting that thought lose.
He paused to look at her. Their eyes met, and there was an old sense of familiarity telling Mia she was in a safe space. She couldn’t help but smile. He remembered. Her ideal vacation was on her...
'How do people manage to climb a hundred steps without melting?' she thought while her breathing slowly returned to normal.
Her feet were still sore within the sneakers, though the pain was receding. She brushed aside the strand that had gotten loose from her auburn hair clipped behind. She looked around at the horde of tourists. They seemed to have travelled from all parts of the world to be here, just like her.
Mia left the comfort of the railing and moved closer to the glass standing firm between her and the expanse of the city at her feet. The view was exhilarating. Everyone around her was capturing the grandeur in their phones and professional cameras. She didn’t feel the need yet. She first wanted to capture the emotions bubbling within her. After all, she had given up the habit of fiddling with her device after seeing that text from Kevin a month ago.
The wind brushed at her cheek, lifting the thought away. She observed the view minutely. There were nineteen buildings and a harbour with nine boats bobbing in the water. A beautiful yacht was racing towards the queue of other boats. She decided to give the other end of the city a chance to distract her.
She turned around and headed to the other end of the glass tomb. She crossed two Asian tourists chittering away while clicking, an old lady with a Texan accent, and a group of teenagers from Europe talking rapidly in French. She picked up a few words to know they were selecting spots to check out once they returned to the ground.
Seemed like there was someone from almost every part of the world gathered here. She spotted an empty place, next to an Australian couple, to stand and take in the view of the city and the hills beyond.
Mia strolled over callously, thinking of the time she had taken to learn French with a friend in college. She was about to reach the glass window when the man on the right turned and made her stop in her tracks. Sun was setting right behind him, pushing his face in the dark.
But Mia didn’t need any light to recognise that chiselled jawline and deep-set eyes. Ved paused, catching a glimpse of her, but clearly handled it better. He maintained his poker face that used to be Mia’s favourite mystery many years ago. It seemed like another lifetime now.
The silence between them was deafening amidst the noise of the tourists. Someone bumped into Mia and apologised in German before heading to take her chosen spot next to Ved. She returned to her senses but found herself confused about which way to go.
Should she go ahead and ask the German tourist to move aside so she could squeeze in? Or should she sprint back the flight of a hundred stairs and return to a safe place on the ground to catch a breath?
Or should she dash through the glass windows and dive into the ocean to avoid this moment?
Seeing her frozen, Ved came over.
“Coffee?” he asked, skipping the awkward hellos running through Mia’s mind.
Should she accept? Should she decline? Or would that cement the building awkwardness in her chest?
Unsure of what to say, Mia gave a slight nod with a hint of a customary smile. There was a fluttering sensation in her stomach. She’d had the same feeling seventeen years ago on her first date with Ved.
He gestured his usual ‘After you’, and Mia led their way out of the glass tomb.
“So, how have you been?” Ved interrupted her series of thoughts that involved him, Kevin and then him again.
“Good. How about you? What are you doing here?”, she asked, hoping his answer would take her mind off things.
“Just taking a break from…well, work. How about you? What pulled you away from the comfort of your couch?”
“Maybe you did.”
'Why the heck did I just say that?! What’s wrong with me?' Mia mentally kicked herself for letting that thought lose.
He paused to look at her. Their eyes met, and there was an old sense of familiarity telling Mia she was in a safe space. She couldn’t help but smile. He remembered. Her ideal vacation was on her...
