(Warning: Grammatical errors)

This is forever,
Wind blows,
Footsteps echoes on the ground,
They grow fainter,
Your silhouette dissolving in the pink mist,
I sigh loudly as the ship sinks,
Yet again,
You're gone,
And I am alone again,
I look up at the sky as a droplet falls on my skin,
I smile as I tuck the stray hair back at my ear,
I hear your whisper in my ear,
The autumn bows down to spring as your hand caresses mine,
But now my smile is hollow like yours were once,
I have drifted away,
But your charm has swayed me yet again,
And I think I am gonna fall once again...

-Eyes on her lipstick

*****
Falling in love is an easy job. But waiting for the love to be returned leads to a rough path. A path filled with tears, heartbreak and in my case death.

I felt my face turning cold as I remembered the number of debts he owed me. Goddess has sent me back to collect all the debts from him. The things I lost can't be given back, but his pain will surely satisfy me.

***

I sat in the cafeteria reading through my book when I felt a figure standing near my table. I ignored that person and marked some points from the notes I have to revise again. I knew almost everything in the book, perks of rebirth. 

"Can I sit here?" A female voice asked. There was nervousness in her voice. I looked up and smiled as I recognised her, Siddharth's crazy ex. She was wearing a crop top paired with capris, her hair in a boy cut. I nodded. She sat down, her one leg perched on the table as she smiled at me apologetically. I shook my head and went back to reading my book. After a while she interrupted the silence between us.

"Can I disturb you for a few minutes?" She asked me. I frowned at her a little irritated for interrupting my reading session and then closed my book leaning back on my chair. And motioned her with my eyes to start speaking.

"You see Siddharth isn't a nice guy. He is a creep, liar and a manwhore" The sentence was the same I heard in my last life. It had no effect on me in my last lifetime because I dismissed her as a jealous past lover. But the warning was still there. By the same person. Though I  wasn't the same, I recognised her intention. It wasn't marking territory like I thought in my previous life. Just an advice from a concerned  stranger.

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked her. She sighed loudly and closed her eyes. I observed her face as she did so. She had an oval face, sharp nose and slight laugh lines around her cheeks. She doesn't look like a bad person at all. Why did I think she was harbouring ill intentions towards me in my past life? 

Maybe before I saw her with the eyes of a rival. That's why I was blind to ignore the hatred in her voice when she spoke about him, disgust when she thought about him. 

"I know you wouldn't trust me, but I am telling you the truth. That man is an imbecile, he loves to play with other's feelings and uses them for his entertainment" She said, almost spitting out her words. I laughed at her enraged figure and wanted to slap my stupid old self. Her statement triggered a past memory.

"Hello. Who is it?" I heard her voice from other side.

"Pari this is me, Rosie. Can we meet?" I asked her.

"Sure. I am at the Yorkshire restaurant you can come here and we can talk" She said to me.

"I will be there" I said to her and cut the call. Combing my knitted hair I tried to make it presentable. I exited my house and took a taxi to the restaurant.

Entering the five star hotel I realised how comfy it was inside. I found her as soon as j entered the hotel. She was wearing a yellow off shoulder top with faded jeans her hair in a neat bun. I waved at her.

Walking towards her I noticed two more women sitting with her, dressed as nicely as her.

"Hello Pari" I greeted her.

"Hey Rosie. How are you? Your stitches don't pain do they?" She asked me concern visible in her tone.

"I am fine. I wanted to ask a favour from you" I said to her.

"Yes tell me" She said motioning me to sit. I sat down on the seat.

"Can you postpone your wedding date?" I asked her.

"Why?" She asked me.

"Because... I want to stay with him a little longer. " I replied to her question. Her green eyes looked elegant as her eyes expressed her emotions. She was a little angry now.

"I already told you Rosie, I am a selfish woman. I love him, he loves me. Then why wait?" She asked me sarcastically.

"I... you are right. It's just I want to savour every moment with him. Even if he hates me for it" I said to her my voice cracked at the end.

"Rosie you had him for 5 years. Wasn't that enough? You are being extremely selfish right now" She said to me her tone serious.

"You are beautiful woman. I don't understand. Why would you want a second hand man?" I asked her curious and desperate.

"He cheated on you, but you still want him. I like antique men. And he is gonna make a great piece. I am as obsessed with him as you are" She said to me smiling warmly.

Am I obsessed with Sid?. No, I am not.

"I think you are wrong. I am not obsessed with him. I genuinely love him" I said to her. She looked at em curiously.

"Even after he destroyed you?" She asked me.

"Yes I still love him" I replied to her. She smiled at me and chuckled suddenly.

"You are a nice girl. The problem is Sid doesn't do good girls" She said to me looking at my outfit.

"What do you mean?" I asked her.

"Can't you understand? He used you" She said pity in her eyes.

"He used me?" I asked dumbly.

"He did" she replied.

At that time I didn't believe her. He was the man I loved. How could he use me? He must have loved me at one point. I made eye contact with Sid's ex. Genuine concern in her eyes as she studied me. It was so strange for me. I didn't even knew her but she was still willing to warn me. In my past life I lacked friends, maybe because I was so absorbed in Sid that I forgot people except him exists too. He was the only one who mattered to me.

"I like you. Be my friend" I said after thinking for a while. She looked at me with a shocked expression not expecting such a reaction. 

"Are you kidding?" She was suspicious of my intentions. I laughed and shook my head. 

"No. I think he is a jerk too" I confessed. 

"Okay. But why do you want to befriend me?" She asked, still unsure about me.

"Why not? You seem to hate him to the core so you can help me not to fall in love with him." I gave a reasonable answer to her.

"Seems fair. I would love to help you not fall in love with him. And, you can continue studying, I won't be a nuisance to you anymore" She said and laid back on her chair. I didn't reply and started surveying my book again.

***
I entered the library wearing a red kurta with a makeup that would make me look delicate. I schooled my expression trying to look like a lost bunny as I stood at gate. The word new student was literally pasted on my face. I found him sitting in the second  last row studying from a fat book. I smiled internally and passed him. And seated myself on the last desk. 

I turned the pages of the book and started scribbling notes. Turning to the page where I got stuck I tried to think hard even though I knew it. I tapped the desk and said 'ugh' loud enough for him to hear. And it worked.

"Do you need any help?" He asked. I looked up feigning a shocked expression on my face.

"Um no" I muttered my face getting hot as I felt his eyes on me. I bit my lips as I acted like attempting to solve the problem. I could feel him standing right there not moving an inch. My hands shaked as I felt goosebumps arise on my skin at his gaze. I was giving him a cold shoulder. Like he gave me. But this was far from revenge. As that time it truly broke my heart, his cruelness.

I tuned them out as I faced the groom and the bride. She was wearing a green peacock gown with a crown to adorn her head. She was dressed pretty much simply but the elegance she had made her look like the bride. While Siddharth was dressed in a tuxedo.

"Siddharth" I called his name. He flinched as he saw me. I gave him a smile and passed them their bouquet.

"I have a request if you don't mind. Can I talk to you Sid?" I asked him. He turned toward Pari and she nodded her head.

"I am sorry but I think you should talk whatever you want in front of my wife" I flinched.

"Honey don't be rude to her-" She started persuading him but I left the couple and walked towards my own table.

I smirked coldly as I thought back about the past. This time around I won't fall for him. He will fall from me, hard. I continued acting like a delicate white lotus.

"Please go away, I don't wanna talk to you. Wasn't it enough? Yesterday it was all about you!" I complained my voice breaking at the end as I continued scribbling away, not bothering to look at his face.

"I am sorry" He muttered. I looked up at his grey eyes that were moist with guilt, his head lowered in shame. He was much better actor than me.

"I forgive you" I said closing my book and standing up.

"Can we go on coffee? Consider it an apology on my part. Please" He pleaded his grey eyes turning a lighter shade as he looked at me with the puppy eyes. I found myself losing in the depths of those gravity defying eyes, the ones that coldly left me stranded. The same grey eyes which neglected my pain. His grey eyes held a power over me. Like a connection to my past life. His long eyelashes fluttered slightly as he pleaded me. I found myself nodding back at him. Agreeing for the date like I did in my last life.

It was the same again. The situation, him and the pathetic me. Why do I still love him?

****

So this is chapter 3 of 'Eyes on her lipstick'. I know it sucked. But I am trying get the vibe back. It's been a long time since I  updated.

What do you think about the ex?

Do you like the new book so far?

Guess what's about to happen.