Disclaimer: The characters are mine, the story itself is mine. So don’t steal it – it’s worth saving yourself from going to jail.

Author’s Note: Hi, back again. Just to explain the events of “Meeting” a little further, here’s the flashback that was mentioned. This contains a bit of LDR (Lejos de Romántico) spoilers, but no need to read that one before this. This is a one shot stand alone. You have to read “Meeting” first, though – just to get a basic idea of what happened in that story in order to understand this one. Or you can just read this one and then read “Meeting.” *shrugs* For those of you who want to know – in LDR’s timeline, this is just after Nirupa and Adam have finished Fires - a few days later. And this is in Nirupa’s POV (again). By the way, David’s comment was that Nirupa and Adam were acting like friends instead of enemies – and it was likely that they were going to be more than friends if they kept acting like it. Very innocent, of course. And *cringes* by this time, Nirupa and Adam knew that they love each other and are sort of “together.” Adam’s in denial still. That’s all.

Author’s Note 2: Sorry for the long explanation/note.

Cast of On That December Walk in May (along with Meeting and Lejos de Romántico):

Nirupa Vasireddy – 18-years-old

Adam Etedel – 18-years-old

I remember it as if though it were yesterday.

Mirror clear in my mind, emblazoned into my mind and my heart forever, word for word. The maddening tone that it had been told in that still tormented me to no end every single day. It would never end, I knew.

Was it yesterday, though? I wonder.

Was it only yesterday?

He and I had been walking around the set, taking in the sights, I remember: a cinematographer picking up his camera, some general fixing and cleaning up of the area (which happened to be Aparna and Anshul’s house), and some of the sets were being taken down. We had already finished filming just a few days ago – which was hard to believe.

We had arrived here in San Juan only in mid November last year – and now it was the beginning of May.

Hard to believe, we both knew.

After walking around and taking in everything, Adam and I returned back to the house where we were staying at, ready to turn in early since we were so tired from post production and helping out earlier that day.

Once we got into the house (which was affectionately dubbed Everyone’s House by one of the crew members), Adam and I went into our rooms, sleepily saying “good night” to one another, and got ready for bed.

Later would I know that we would never be speaking to each other again.

“Nirupa.”

It was a whisper.

“Nirupa.” This time it was a little louder.

“Nirupa!” Even louder than before, but not enough to wake the whole house up.

“Eugh . . what, Adam?” I said exasperatedly, blinking my eyes a few times to try to get some of the sleepiness off. “What d’you wake me up for?” I sat up on the bed, yawning.

“D’you remember what David said?” Adam whispered. He sat down besides me, his silhouette night itself.

“Today?” I asked quietly. “Yeah.”

“Well . .” he looked at the floor and fidgeted uncomfortably. “What’d you think of it? You think it’s true.” It wasn’t a question.

I let out a small – albeit hollow, which he thankfully didn’t notice – laugh. “Sure, I guess. The way we’re acting right now, you can easily tell that we’re friends.”

One innocent comment, and that was all it took.

Things went downhill from there.

And slowly, like poison making its way into my body, self-destruction began to take over me only a day after I left.

He stiffened. His eyes shone brightly – he was mad, I knew. Very mad.

Adam looked at me incredulously. “What are you talking about, Nirupa? Just because we costarred together in the same movie does not mean that we’re automatically friends! As if you would be my friend, anyway!”

“Why is that, Adam?” I asked quietly. “Is it because I’m a geek? A social outcast? Your worst enemy? Or is it because you’re afraid to be in a relationship with me, simply because of how your reputation would be trashed and tarnished? Are you ashamed of me?”

“Nirupa, I . . .” he trailed off, speechless.

“Save it, Adam. Besides, what does us costarring together in the same movie have to do with anything? I only asked you a simple question, and you bit my head off. I know you’re afraid that the press will find out that we’re together sooner or later, not to mention the whole entire school back home, but that doesn’t mean that you have to keep on dredging up the past which is already gone.”

“Nirupa . . .” he faltered.

I left.

And I never saw him again.

For on that December walk in May, everything changed – forever.