The Perfunctory Hug

He just came over and hugged her. Her stiff body was as awkward as her feelings.

She was just so angry at him. She hadn’t wanted a hug. She wanted to be pleased, to be coaxed, pleaded to. But he was upset. Her taunts had impaled him to the point where his innermost insecurities had come to the fore, haunting him again.

He wanted to make amends. So did she, but after being worshiped, so to say. But it wasn’t something he was prepared to do.

It had been months since they had seen each other. Months of bitterness and sorrow. They had been fighting like anything. For reasons they both knew but failed to admit to each other.

Her obsessive behavior. His incessant rants. His unfulfilled promises. Her skyrocketing expectations. They had all taken a toll on their relationship.

She was averting his gaze, looking everywhere but at him. His eyes, boring into hers, seemed to be asking why were they at this stage.

“What is your problem?” he asked.

Quickly getting out of his arms, all she could manage was “Nothing.”

And that was where it ended. They didn’t even say bye to each other.

She just ran and got into the tram on the other side.

Their perfunctory hug remaining the only evidence of what could have been a fairytale.

© 2013 Ankita Kala

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