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The Inseparables

by Manal Pednekar
(Mumbai, India)

She had updated her profile picture on Facebook. It had 286 likes and 73 comments. It was her wedding picture. Wow! She looked gorgeous. She must have been the most beautiful bride ever. I remember her hugging me on her wedding day. A long, teary-eyed hug before I freed myself from her arms.

I have known her from ever since I can remember or perhaps from even before that. We grew up together. I don't care what all tags they put on our relationship, for me she is and will always remain my closest friend. We went to the same school and then to the same college. While I was of the timid and nerdy type, she was more bold and brazen. I remember she abusing the hell out of a college bully right in the hallway. His fault? He tried to bully me. Everyone stared at her in such bewilderment as if dinosaurs were back from extinction.

While she was the "Miss Popular" who was friends with almost everyone in school and college, I was always an introvert and did not have too many friends. I had only her.

Despite being completely opposite, we bonded really well. We were not inseparable but always found great comfort in each other's company. I was her best friend. At least until the last year of college when her guy came along. Suddenly, she had a new best friend and I became this side kick. She said she still loved me but things were not like before. He got all her time and all her attention. He took my place as she drifted away from me. When I saw that she was really happy with him, I gladly took a backseat even though losing my significance in

her life made me feel insecure. She started spending most of her time with him. Somewhere deep down I knew this day was going to come when someone else would take my place in her life. Finally that day came when the news was broken to me. She told me she was going out with him and how they were madly in love with each other. I thought I would be prepared for this but no I wasn't. A sudden sense of envy poured into my heart. I envied him. I envied how he could keep her happier. I envied him for taking my best friend away from me.

I wondered if he really deserved her; he did. Now I know she got the right guy. She used to always describe her ideal match and I always promised to help her in finding one. But then she found him before I could even start looking. He fitted the bill perfectly. So after all these years they got married last week.

Now that she has gone away from me, I realize her worth. I miss being part of her everyday life. I miss talking to her. I miss fighting with her. I miss her pulling my cheeks just to annoy me. I miss irritating her and getting punched for that. I miss being slapped for being stupid. I miss each and everything about her.

I know she will always be there for me and I will always be there for her but it's just not the same anymore. Nothing is like before. It will never be. It's like I am all alone now. It's like a part of me has gone missing. After all, she was once a part of me before the gynaecologist separated us.