Joan: Surprise

Joan : 2O years

It's been two years since Liza last contacted me. I check my email daily, hoping that she would reply one day.

Then one day, one of my college mates invited me for her wedding. Since the bride to be was a mutual friend of Avi and mine, she was also invited.

"This is some crazy wedding. I mean wedding at a bakery? That's a first. This is so cool." Avi shouts half drunk, grooving to the party music.

"Yeah, Avi, be careful you're drunk. Please don't embarrass me."

"Leave me girl. I'm gonna get you your favorite ice cream. Hey bartender!!! I need ice cream."

"I don't think they serve that here. Girl wait.Come back. Oh God."

I follow Avi to the counter where they were serving drinks, thats when I noticed the bartender. She bore close resemblance to that of Liza. I decided to check her out but Avi, got in the middle and blocked my view. Later I couldn't find her anywhere.

"Hey, where's the girl who was serving drinks just before you." I ask the man serving drinks.

"What about her? Did she serve you the wrong drink?"

"No I just want to see her."

"Why would you? Do you know her?" He asks me coldly.

"Yes, she's my friend. "

"Well you're lying" He smirks.

"Huh ? How do you know that? Just tell me where she is." I say raising my voice.

"She's my sister and If you were her friend, I'd know you. "

I leave the counter heart broken, eyes brimming with tears. I didn't even bother to apologise for troubling him.

It's been almost two days since that incident occurred. Thoughts of Liza, kept haunting me.

No matter what I did, I couldn't shake the feeling off. The next morning, just as usual, I get up, take a shower, get dressed and made my way downstairs to the kitchen.

"Surprise , Oh also Happy Birthday love."

I couldn't believe my eyes. It was Liza. Finally after seven long years, this stupid monkey had the courtesy to turn up at my home unannounced. Yeah, surprise my foot. This might be the surprise of the century.

For a moment I didn't know what to do. My eyes started to well up and I went completely speechless. I stood there frozen, locking my gaze with hers. Liza walked towards me and buried her face on my chest. I just stood there paralysed, unable to move an inch, soaking her shoulders with my warm tears.

"I hate you. Go away. You don't know how much I missed you idiot. No contact for four fucking years. Four years Liza. Four years I waited for you." I shouted unable to contain the anger. Liza just stood there, without saying a single word.

"Do you think showing up unannounced is gonna make everything better? I thought you were dead idiot. Damn it Liza. This is not funny. Do you think this is a game. This is not fair Liz. What you did is not fair play at all. I hate you. I hate you. I hate you. " Happy tears kept flowing out of my tear ducts and I couldn't control them. I kneeled down and I cried. I didn't know what else to do. Liza approached me and kneeled down, facing me.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sor-". I put my palms over her mouth to prevent her from making further apologies.

Her warm breath pierced deep into the crevices of my fingers. If only single touch of hers could make me feel this way, I can't even possibly imagine what might happen if she ever kissed again like she did that day when we were young, thirteen and stupid. I can't believe that even after this many years this beautiful girl had the ability to awaken repressed feelings in me. I stare at those star speckled eyes and they mine. Finally she was back. Liza was home again.