I walked lonely around the school, lost and nervous I went round and round in circles. I bumped into Krishna. She offered to show me around the school. I was grateful for her kindness. As I toddled behind her, I saw my brother. He was with Vishal. The school bell rang once more. Fast hours fled and school was over. I looked around for my brother thinking he was lost, but it was me. Ten minutes later I found him near the front gates. ‘Where have you been?’ my brother asked. Worriedly I stared at the floor, thinking my brother would insult me as Vishal was standing beside him. ‘I got lost am sorry,’ I replied with a quiet, high pitched voice. ‘It happens,’ laughed Vishal. We walked home with him and his brother as his house was close by to ours. We become really good friends.
As the sun set and the moon shined brightly, I slept silently. Dreaming about how the next day at school would be, I opened my eyes to the dead shining sun. Unlike London, the trees stood still, not waving a single branch. Back at home, the leaves and flowers would dance happily to the tweeting of birds. Another day of school, dry and uninteresting whizzed by. I noticed Vishal many times at school. We also often met outside of school gossiping about Leicester and its people. I was closer to him than my brother was. One of my best friends, a brother he was. I told him one of my major secrets and he told me his. Promised never to inform anyone and be friends until the end of time.
After a few months I did not see Vishal at school as he had left for college. Yet still we kept in touch, still meeting outside of school.
New years approached not knowing the days zoomed by. I met up with Vishal and we wondered around in the city centre for the whole day. As stomachs grumbled we decided to go and eat. Nandoes was our first choice and that is where we ate.
Waking up to the morning sun as it seemed to glow brighter each day, I went to eat cornflakes for breakfast. I had not spoken to Vishal for 7 days by now, one whole week. Assuming he would be busy as college work was a burden I did not ring him. Until the day I got a message on my phone from one of Vishal’s close friends. It read:
‘Vishal is in a really bad state. Family members are saying he is not waking up.’
Worriedly I rang Vishal’s brother. Questioning him over and over again as there was no replies only cry. Soon he replied ‘Vishal is no more. He passed away at 7 in the morning.’ I screamed and yelled. ‘How could this be? If I knew last week was my last goodbye to Vishal, I would have never let him go!’
Silence there was as day became night and as the moon out shadowed the sun. Only one thing to hear, the hundred tears that ran down my cheeks. I could not bear to think; my very brother like-friend had gone and left us all behind with sorrows of his memory. That is all I had…memories. Unable to sleep that night, I cuddled to my mum. I shared the talks, the memories me and Vishal had. As soon as morning approached I dressed formally to visit his house. Emotions ran deep in everyone I glimpsed at. Everyone looking in one direction: towards Vishal’s great picture. Unstoppable tears ran down immediately. Everyone was displeased. It was a shock. I had never lost anyone in my life who was as close as Vishal. Never in my life did I imagine this horrendous day. Thinking of Vishal day and night, unbearable thoughts played back in my mind. I guess everyone has to go someday, but this soon? Only fifteen days until his 18th and up there he went to live with the angels above.
Time healed itself. Everyone started to act like nothing had happened. Everyone was laughing and enjoying themselves. I knew I could never act like that. Not a day had gone by where I did not think about him. I smiled, but only because of the good memories walking around in my mind. Smiling on the outside, crying on the inside, a part of me felt incomplete. Gone but never forgotten, always remembering him, the days slowly passed by. . .
In memory of Vishal Krishna Topiwala
By Priya Solanki
