Hey Guys this is my first time... SOOOOOO plzzz bless me with loads of reviews . tell me what you really feel so that i can work on it...

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The Ten Proposals…..!!

Sitting there in the park’s bench he was just wondering that when was it the laughter really died. He had tried looking back a hundred times to see where had he gone so wrong? What had he done to deserve this? His chain of thoughts was broken by the chirping of birds perching on the nearby tree.

He raised his head and allowed his coal black hair to fall back illuminating a pale drawn face with prominent cheekbones. The ebony colored eyes traced their way to the source of constant chirping which was now taking a toll on his head. Amidst the emerald hued leaves he could see two love birds and by the way their beaks were hovering over each other, he knew they were proclaiming their love.

They looked so content, so at ease, so devoid of all other emotions except love, so unlike him. He had always as a kid thought of love to be a beautiful, heavenly and a spiritual emotion which gave you the wings to soar high but when he had tried, he actually fell in an unending deep dark pit and he was still falling. How had he changed so much? From a kid who had loved to go to parties and enjoy life how had he turned into a loner, depressed and dejected man??

Memories of the past started flashing in his mind. They were black and white but he could remember the colors that surrounded them. Like a hazy curtain they fell over his eyelids and he was sucked back in time.

-X-

It was his first day in the nursery school. He was petrified and nervous. For the first time in life he was surrounded by so many unknown faces and though he was not the shy kinds but he couldn’t help feeling that ways.

A funny looking female who was supposedly their teacher was introducing everyone to everyone. It was kind of boring. They were there to play and roll in the mud and pull their teacher’s hair and not indulge in some stupid introductions.

As soon as the slumber goddess was going to bless him with sleep, he saw a flash of red. He looked at the teacher and saw a little girl by her side, way too small for her age but in a way cute. The only cute one he thought with a smirk. Being a Libran he was prone to be flirty. Other girls were fat or freckled or lunatics who kept on peeing in their skirts but this one surely was cute.

She looked scared standing in front of so many kids and as he was looking at her maybe staring, she swiftly turned her head and their eyes met. CHOCOLATE!! They were cocoa colored. Honey brown to be precise, like deep chocolaty pools. He gave her a toothy smile though mind you the only thing missing were his teeth. He wanted to know her name because deep down he knew they could be friends. He heard the teacher introducing her.

“Kids she is LILY OBEROI”, the teacher said. Lily. Hmmm. A pretty name indeed. Over with the formalities, they were soon in the playground. He found his eyes searching for the cherry haired girl.

There she was sobbing near the swings….

? Sobbing?

He hurriedly went up to her. His little feet not allowing him to reach her earlier. He did not know how to comfort her. So he stood there awkwardly staring ather. She looked up and a blob fell out of her nose. Eeukssssssss!!... Her eyelashes had merged together due to the tears and her eyes shone in the sunlight. He could guess that she was missing her mom. She was sucking her thumb now. The same thumb from which she had removed that blob of you know what.

With a croaky irritated voice she said “Woot al you doooing healll?” He was taken aback. Ummm…

”Hello, I am Ian Woodward and um...actually we are playing a game in which we need to form pairs so ….um…would you be my partner?? We have to just find a hidden object together which our teacher has concealed somewhere………..”….after much stammering and hesitating he had finally asked her in a way to be his friend. Now he just had to wait for her answer.

“NO” and she stomped away. Wide eyed, Ian just looked at her receding back.

This was the first one.

-X-

The scene shifted and now they were of the age eleven instead of being the messy five year olds. In the past five years Lily had become his closest pal. How that happened was a miracle and he never wanted to know how that actually happened.

It was the silly age of puberty. They weren’t kids and they weren’t adults and nor were they teens. Their teacher had announced that an inter school dance competition was taking place and she needed five couples from 6th standard.

Lily was very excited. Her red hair now had tamed down and fell on her shoulders in soft little curls. She was standing with her girlfriends and chatting away to glory when he approached her. She instantly hugged him and pulled him to her seat.

“Ian am sooooooo happpppyyy…… I got to tell you something”, she squealed.

“Me too”, Ian mumbled.

“First you”.

“No you”.

“Nooooo”.”My swear”.

“Umm…ohk… actually for this dance...um…I was …ahh...Wondering…will you be my pair”.

“Oooohh Ian…am so sorry. Actually this is what I got to tell you. Watson. He asked me and god he is sooooo handsome. I sooo want to be his pair. Yupeeeeee. Love you.” saying this she scurried away, leaving him alone.

This was the second one.

-X-

Scene changed and it was Lily’s fourteenth birthday bash. Ian had sweated the whole morning setting up her drawing room and decorating it with streamers and balloons. He was at Lily’s place and he had to get ready. In the evening the room was brimming with teenagers all dressed like there was no tomorrow. Some girls according to Ian had forgotten to wear clothes or was that little thing clinging to their bodies their dress or their handkerchief. He failed to understand.

He looked up to see Lily walking down the stairs. She looked cute with her baby pink floral corset and a pair of tight fitting blue jeans and white ballerina slippers. She did not need to show her skin to look hot like other girls.

She was naturally endowed with her beauty. Her cake was the same color as her dress. Pink strawberry flavor decked with vanilla flowers. He stood next to her and as she held the first piece of cake n moved towards him, he opened his mouth. Being best friends, they always graced each other with the first bite of their birthday cakes.

As soon as she neared him he closed his eyes ready for the cake to be smeared on his waiting for like ten seconds he opened his eyes and saw that Lily was giggling and maybe blushing as she fed the first bite to Ross Wills. Her supposedly new crush. Ian was hurt. Immensely hurt. He smiled but deep inside he was crying.

She walked away with Ross, hand in hand leaving him there in misery. In an unspoken way she had rejected him. This was the third.

-X-

The foggy curtain now showed him lying on his bed. He was staring at the ceiling above him blankly. Everybody had called exactly at midnight to wish him birthday but the one call he was waiting for had not come yet, Lily’s.

He wondered what had kept her from calling him. For the past fourteen years they both were the first ones to wish each other on their birthdays and they had a bond that none of them will fight on that special day.. The silence was shattered by the shrill ringing of the phone. He leaped out of the bed and reached for the phone. It was Lily. All the tension eased out of his body.

“Hello Ian”, shouted Lily. She seemed to be out of her mind.

“Hey Lilz. How are you? And what took you so long?” inquired Ian.

“And what took you so long.”

“Me? What are you talking about? You are the one who should be calling me up and not vice versa”. Ian was getting pissed now.

“Huh!! Why are you getting so worked up Ian? What for? You had promised to give me a call as soon as you find Chase’s number… remember now?? I told you I need it. You know I kind of like him and you know how busy I was today setting up a surprise birthday party for him. Now I just need to call him and invite him to this place and for that I need his number and for that you had to call me.”

She had spoken all that in one breathe and was literally gasping for air.”Now will you please do the honors? I am dead tired and I got to sleep to look good tomorrow. And if you aren’t obliging me with the number, then I’ll go call up his friends. Thank you very much Ian Woodward.”

Ian was shocked. His vision was getting blurred.” Stupid tears”, He thought. He was angry at her but still. She had broken the bond. Broken his heart. Forgotten her own best friend’s birthday just for some dumb bloke she hardly new.

Finally finding his voice, he spoke,” Ummm… Lily I am throwing a party in the evening at Opal Lounge. Can you come there after Chase’s?”

“Didn’t you hear or what? I have planned this surprise. I have to be there till the end. Only then will he like me. God you really act stupid at times. Bye now. Am really sleepy.” Spoke Lily while stifling a yawn and hung up.

Ian was again alone. The only sound he could hear was the ticking of a nearby clock. She had again chosen some one over him.

The fourth time.

-X-

Shifting to an entirely new background he could see the walls of Clementon High School. It was a two hundred year old building and stood in the lush green grounds in a majestic way. They were seventeen and were going to pass out of the high school soon.

There was a ball organized by their juniors in the evening. Everybody was thrilled. Girls were excitedly discussing their dresses and dates. Ian had been asked out by many girls thanks to his dark tresses that had always attracted a lot of attention from girls.

He could see Lily near her locker applying a fresh coat of lipstick. They were the most popular duo of the school. The inseparable ones. He chuckled as he saw her fidget with her mascara.

“Hey beautiful”, he whispered as he reached up to her ears.

“Hey ogre” she winked at him.

“Do you have a date tonight” he asked expectantly.

“Nooopy. Do you Mr. handsome locks?” she cooed.

“Umm…..no…so that means we both are single. So instead of hanging out with strangers, why don’t we just go together?”

“As a couple?”

“Yeah as a couple doofuz. Obviously.”

As she was about to say something, a shrill voice interrupted them.

“Lily there you are? I was looking for you everywhere. Hey would you like to be my Cinderella for tonight and let me be your prince charming?” said the guy whose name (Ian tried to remember) was Jared Wingdom. He was the so-called-jock of the school. Captain of the basketball team.

Thinking how stupid Jared was, Ian smirked inwardly. Lily won’t go with this dimwit. Huh. She was definitely going to say no. But his silent mocking thoughts were broken by a whispered “YES”.

As if broken from a trance he looked at Lily who was as red as a beetroot. And then she walked away with him without even glancing back. Leaving him alone in the desolate hallway.

This was the fifth one.

-X-

The evening saw all of them gathered in the hall. His date was a friend from his English classes, Vanessa Lesire. He had not seen Lily till then. He was looking forward to see her because in all these years she had transformed from a cute in an ugly way, blob dripping caterpillar to a butterfly full of vivid colors. She was the prettiest girl in Clementon.

He was offering Vanessa a drink when he saw her.

He did not hear Vanessa shriek when he unknowingly dropped the wine on her gown. He was transfixed. She wore a crystal white off shoulder gown which hugged her soft curves in the most beautiful manner. The pearly white gown had a shimmering border along the neck line. The dress flowed downwards like a beautiful fountain cascading behind her as she walked.

Her slender arms were covered with soft white gloves and a diamond shimmered on her finger. Her fiery red hairs were tied in a bun and a few flicks were set loose which fell on her face, framing it. A tiara was held in place by the bun which made her look like a princess.

He felt like he was in heaven. That was when he accepted his feelings. He was in love with her. He had always been in love with her. That’s why every time she had rejected him, he had felt bad. But he was pulled back to Earth when he saw her arm linked with Jared’s.

He apologized to the still grumbling Vanessa. Time passed and the ball was going to end. He was craving to hold Lily, his Lily, his love.

She was standing alone when Ian approached her. She looked serene.

“Hey Fiona.”

“Hey Shrek.”

“Care for a dance.”

“Um...Actually Jared wanted to have the last dance. Sorry where is Vanessa by the way. She seemed pretty pissed off.”

“Ummm...yeah.” He was hurt. Really sad. Broken could be the right word.

And Jared came. Lily smiled at him. Their hands entwined with each others as they walked away towards the dance floor. Leaving him alone and making him feel lonely even amidst the crowd.

This was the sixth one.

-X-

The film on the misty curtain was forwarded to a different scenario. He and Lily were in front of a huge iron gate. The brick red walls had a board on them which said “HARVARD LAW SCHOOL”.

It was a new life they were going to start. Since nursery they had been together. They were the epitome of friendship. He still loved her from all his heart. Her wish was his command. Holding hands they entered the premises.

Few months passed and they were getting accustomed to college life. Law was tough but equally interesting. They both were passionate about this field and that’s the reason they opted for law. It had been a great decision. The professors were such learned men and women. It was an honor to be taught by them. In the mean time Ian and Lily both had made a number of friends from all around the world but their friendship was still as strong as ever.

His feelings had grown more intense. He knew Lily was seeing no one and now maybe she would accept him as someone more than a friend. Gathering all the courage he could, he walked towards Lily who was talking to some guy. As he neared them, he could see Lily give one of those shy smiles. He could hear tidbits of their conversation.

“…………….so is it a yes then?”Asked the guy.

“Guess so………….I love you Jamie.” Saying this Lily ran away leaving him and Jamie Henderson alone. Silence prevailed. Ian was too shocked to react. His heart had practically stopped. Shit. Why did it happen with him? He loved her so much. Couldn’t she see that? How could she be so blind? The stillness was broken by Jamie's voice. The boy was very happy. He was literally jumping.

“Hey buddy. You are her best friend. You got to tell me which flowers she likes and stuff. I mean… I know nothing about this kind of thing. I was always into studies but then Lily walked into my life. And she loves me. Wow!”

Ian was still in shock. Recovering from the shock he nodded his head at Jamie. “Keep her happy.”Jamie smiled and went away.

This was the seventh time.

-X-

The foggy screen now was showing the graduation ceremony. They had passed out after five years of studying law. They were graduates now. Ready to face the world. Ready to fend for themselves. It was emotional for them to leave Harvard.

It had been their abode for the past five years. After the graduation ceremony he went up to Lily. She was crying silently next to the oak tree. Her graduation robe seemed little wet. Her habit of wiping her nose with her clothes had yet not gone. As he neared her, she looked at him. Her eyelashes merged with each other due to the teary eyes. It was some kind of déjà vu. He had seen it before.

Oh yeah.

Back when she was crying in the nursery. He let out a little chuckle. She looked at her with surprise but pressed her head on his chest. And at that moment Ian forgot everything. Forgot that there was Jamie between them. Forgot that after this he would be off to New York and she to Venice. Forgot that she did not love him. Forgot that what would happen if he proclaimed his heart felt desire in front of her.

“Will you marry me Lily?”His voice was a mere whisper. He could feel her tense in his arms. He knew at that moment that he had lost her. Lost her as a friend. He was scared beyond belief. And then he felt her shaking. Oh shit. She was crying. But his thoughts were proved wrong when she faced him and unable to control her laugh, she fell to the ground bursting with laughter as if a demon had possessed her.

“Ian….hahahaha…… I never thought you were capable of cracking such a joke?”

He was shocked. Realizing what was happening he pouted and said,” Don’t you dare underestimate me my love. I could make a better husband than that book worm Jamie. And I couldn’t see you crying so I just made this up.”

“Umm… you know how much I love this thing about you Ian. You are always there to make me laugh. Anyways talking about marriage…..ummm…….Jamie just proposed to me this morning.”

She showed him the diamond ring.” We are marrying next week. And then we’ll shift to Venice. Ummm …. Well Jamie wanted you to be his best man. Even I want it. Please don’t say no.”

The world had stopped for him. He could feel the ground moving beneath him. He could not breathe. And yet he found himself saying,”Anything for you.” Anything. At that moment Jamie approached them. He saw the couple hug and kiss.

They were so happy, so content and so complete. He stood there listlessly while the couple in love walked away. He was left alone to cope up with the pain in his heart.

This was the eighth one.

-X-

The screen moved and now he could see a gondola. In fact he was riding in one. He was in Venice. Lily had called him and it was sort of urgent. It had been three years to her marriage and they had stayed in touch through phone and letters.

Ian still loved her but fed up of being alone, he had married a fellow female lawyer. Things did not work out between the two and they had divorced last year. The gondola had halted. He got off and started walking in search of some Twitcher Street where Lily and Jamie lived. After an hour he found her place.

The moment he walked in, he knew something was terribly wrong. He found his way to the bedroom and saw Lily sprawled on the bed. He coughed to make his presence known. She turned to look at him, instantly jumped out of the bed and came flying into his arms. It was so good to hold her again. She was weeping and she was hysterical. In between the sobs she was mumbling something.

”He’s gone. He’ll never come back………How could he do this to me?? How could he leave me? How could he die?”

Die?? Ian was shocked. Jamie was so lively. How could he? Oh god. He tightened his hold on Lily. His eyes brimmed with tears. He really liked Jamie. He liked him because he had stood up to his word. He had made Lily happy unlike her other stupid crushes and dates who had ended up ditching her. If anybody else could love Lily like Ian did. It was certainly Jamie.

The hazy curtain was now showing a park. Two years had passed since Jamie had died in a car accident. Lily had moved to New York in the same law firm with Ian and lived in his vicinity. She had busied herself with work. She did not go out. She just worked and worked and worked.

So one day he decided to take her out for a walk. They were now sitting on a bench and watching kids play. Holding her hand in his Ian held it to his lips and gently kissed her. As if broken out of her trance she looked at him.

He moved closer to her and said,” Its time to move on Lily. Be mine. I’ll always keep you happy. I have always loved you. Always wanted you to be with me. I’ll always be there with you. Please say yes.”

She looked at him. Her brown eyes filled with anger.” How can you Ian? How can you expect me to love you? You are my best friend. I have always seen you in that light. How could you take my friend away from me.”

Saying this she stood up and stormed past him. Leaving him alone yet again for the ninth time.

He had lost her forever.

-X-

The fluttering of the wings woke him from his languid state. The birds had flown away. Even they had walked away from him. How long had it been? He felt drained. Reviving the memories was emotionally tough for him.

It had been six months to that day when he told Lily about how he felt. Since then she had not spoken to him. She always looked lost. As if thinking about something. Many a times he had caught her staring at him. She had worn a strange look every time he caught her staring. He thought that she was still mad and would never forgive him. Whenever in office he walked past her, she stopped talking. She always looked drawn as if trying to come to terms with something.

“Maybe she was trying to come to terms with her best friend’s betrayal”, Ian had thought.

He had been tired. He wanted to rest. His best friend and the love of his life was running away from him. Trying to avoid every contact possible. He had again caught her looking intently at him as he had made his way to the park near their Law Firm.

Sitting on the bench now, he gazed at the empty branch of the tree on which the love birds had been sitting. It was as empty as his life. Ian could hear the rustling of leaves. Someone was approaching him. He turned his head to look in the direction of the sound. And then he saw her. Lily. His Lily.

“I love you Ian” whispered Lily. She waited for him to say something. But he just smiled at her lazily. She was standing right in front of the sun shielding the rays from him which cast a halo around her head. She looked like an angel. So that’s what she had been contemplating all the while.

She was coming in terms with her feelings for me. It all came to his mind at once. Falling in love with her best friend had scared her and that’s why she always ran away from God. It had taken her six months to acknowledge her feelings.

She was near yet so far. He was feeling dizzy now. Was it because of happiness or something else? And at that moment a bottle slipped out of his hand and fell near her feet. He saw her bend and a horrified expression masked her face.

He just kept on looking at her. She had really grown. From that little shy girl to a confident woman. It’s said that when a person is dying he relives all the beautiful memories and his memories were of just Lily.

He could feel her tears on his hand. She was hugging him and crying. But he could not feel anything. The sun rays were directly hitting his face and he could see a light faraway calling him. He smiled thinking that this one time it wasn’t Lily but him walking away.

This was the tenth and the last proposal. The unending tunnel had just ended. He had hit the dark bottom. His eyes closed. Lily was sobbing while holding the empty poison bottle in her hands. He could do nothing to comfort her. Actually there was no comfort.

And suddenly it struck him. They were living a life of pretence. Were they really best friends? He had loved Lily for past 25 years and she could not perceive it and when she fell in love with him for the past 6 months, he couldn’t comprehend it. Weren’t best friends meant to understand each other? Or maybe they or maybe the whole world lived in this false hope. He now knew.

Friendship and love were two complexly simple emotions. They were pure and impure; they were joy and sorrow; day and night; comfort and pain; real and illusion; true and false. They were life and death. Too complex for a human to understand but too easy for him to fall for them. And he had fallen for both together. He had won in the end but still lost.

Lily had hurt him for 25 years and now he was hurting her. Giving her the pain which would remain with her till her last breath. And they both claimed to love each other.

How ironic?

-X-

FAQ:

Q- Why is Lily so dumb and why is she so evil?

Well yes she is dumb to not understand her best friend's feelings, but Lily had never seen Ian in that light . For her he was always "just a Friend". Yes she forgets his birthday and other certain stuff, but that is because like other teenage popular girls she is busy trying to attract guys. She is maybe a little superficial, the kinds who give their boy friends more importance than their friends...!! Because every time Lily has hurt Ian, some other guy has been certainly involved.

Q- In the end, how come Lily falls in love with Ian suddenly?

Well i didn't include her reasoning because my story is entirely in Ian's POV. So we hear him telling us that for the past few days Lily is acting strange as if she is contemplating about something. I hope you get it. Lily was always the kinds to fall in love in a short span. But this time (what i meant with contemplating) it is that she thought about what all hints Ian had given her earlier and stuff and then she realises that he was in love all makes her love Ian.

Tada...THE END...hope you liked it. i have written i in a hurrry so please forgive the mistakesss...am JUHI...LOVE YOU ALLLLLL...mwaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa