The view was as always amazing from the roof. There was even a clear view of GW Bridge. It was cool up there and stars were where they were supposed to be. It was all breath taking.
"Enjoying the view?" Neil asked and made me realise his presence and the reason for being there.
"I didn't say that I will talk now. " I teased him knowing why he brought me up here.
"Okay, then I will take your leave!" Saying this he turned to leave. I didn't know if he turned really to leave or just wanted me to start talking. But after today, I knew when he said something, he really meant it. So, I decided not to take any more chances.
"Wait!" and he stopped.
"What?" He asked without turning.
"What do you want me to talk about?" I asked.
He turned back and came where I was standing. He sat down and looked at me. I looked down at him. He wanted me to sit down as well. So, I sat down slowly keeping some distance between us.
"Everything." He said as I sat.
"Everything?" I asked puzzled.
"Everything that happened in the last few days. Everything that happened between you and Tee-o. The beginning. The end. Everything."
So he wanted to know my story. All this time when we used to text or speak over calls, he never asked about Theo and my story. Infact, if I ever mentioned Theo or discussed anything related to him, he would always ask me to change the topic. And today, he himself wanted me to talk about him. Our beginning. Our end. Why?
"You don't have to do this, Neil! Why do you want to hear my tragedy?"
"I want to hear about your life, actual life and it's not a tragedy. So tell me, how did you meet Theo? When and where? When was the first time you saw him?" Before I could any further interrupt him, he started with his questions.
The questions he just asked took me back in time in my mind. I saw myself standing at the living room window and looking out. I started telling Neil whatever was going on in my mind in that moment.
"I was in grade 9 and was having a little vacation after our exam ended." And then I stopped.
"You remember Ariel? Ariel Woods?" I asked before continuing.
"Your best friend, right? You guys still in touch? I remember, you guys were quite close."
"Childhood best friend, Neil. Things have changed now. Ariel's changed. But we are still in touch. We do talk sometimes." "Only sometimes now." I repeated.
Ariel Woods and I, met when she came to live near my house back in 2006. Since then, till last year's May, we were best friends forever. We were inseparable. But after that things turned out to be a little ugly.
"Why sometimes? You were practically like sisters, if I remember it correctly. Then what happened?" Neil was shocked to hear. It was unexpected for him. Well, it could have been unexpected for anyone who knew Ariel's and my friendship. But those were the old times.
"Well, I am going to tell everything to you. So, you'll know what happened!"
"Yeah okay. So you were telling me how you met your Tee-o."
"Yeah! So, it was 2009's November and I was standing near my living room's window, when I saw two kids outside my house. They were definitely someone new, as I never before came across them. The girl looked older to the boy. I was wondering who they were when I heard mom and dad talking about our new neighbours. They were coming to live in the house that was just next to next from ours. That wasn't some ordinary house. It was a big beautiful mansion."
