Tara

   To an onlooker, Tara was fine; she looked as she always looked, hair swept up in a hair do like a bus, she was wearing a smart dress, she even had an automatic smile for any one who waved at her, called to her or gave a greeting. Yes, Tara looked beautiful and fine and okay, Yet, she was anything but.
     She looked happy for the couple as they said their vows and joined in the applause when they kissed. Looking at her, one would not know how pained she was. No one would guess that she had once thought that she would be the one reciting vows with the groom or that she had imagined that the bride would be her main of honour at the vow recital with the groom. But, such things happened.
    The only way she had managed this far, in the ceremony was by sheer will and excellent acting skills. She was a thespian after all, and those acting classes had come in hand. But so were the two that people were congratulating even now.
     It had happened in their final year, some 4 years back. Ada and Austin had been cant as Oya and Sango in the stage adaptation of the life and times of Sango. And had promptly fallen in love. The entire department knew that Tara and Austin were an item and were very sympathetic over her apparent dump. And the sympathy made crying all the more easy for her to do. Suffice it to say, the whole school knew of her heartbreak within a month. She could still remember Ada telling her, "I'm sorry, you are my friend and i never intended for this to happen. Its just...... I love him and he loves me"................ And a similar speech from Austin.
    Looking at them now, she didn't know why she was so pained. This might be closure for her. In retrospect, her pride had been hurt more than her heart. Austin had felt like a challenge and she had lost. They really did look so much in love with each other. It was there in their smiles, the little glances they stole, the touches, the slight tilt of their heads. At the very least, she hadn't been dumped for a 2 week fling.
     No, she was dropped for a life partner and some how, that was balm to her hurt. Not a fling, but a forever kind of love.

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