We were secretive to each other. I had to tell her everything yet pretended I had secrets, and she kept my secrets as well as hers. That was my girl.

She was my time. It was as though time held my hand and walked with me. She took me to where maybe I knew myself. And then came a time when the lights dimmed. I was scared and wanted to know where we were. And there I saw her standing with all my dreams in her arms. ‘One by One Manali’ is all I hear.

To think of what might have been if she was around isn’t very difficult. Life wouldn’t have been any simpler, but definitely the intensity of troubles would have been a little lesser. Now, it’s only the distance that hurts.

Wish the distances would vanish and ketki would be back on her scooty, honking away to glory under my window. My ‘romeo’ I called her. We loved the afternoon quota of fresh cut watermelon and sunfill.

My heart fills up with her memories, but my hands still are left empty without her trace.