Platform “L1F3”

She continued to sit there, even after he had long left, watching the trains speeding past her. How long has it been, she couldn’t remember. All she does, is the fleeting sharp prod she felt in her heart when he bid farewell.

How many times have he said goodbye? Too many times, too often that she took them for granted. This time, there’s no more next time. It was his last farewell to her.

‘This time is for real; I’m leaving for good,’ he said with a firm, determined expression, before adding, ‘I’m going after her’.

There was then an awkward paused, both of them being impervious towards the crowd that were walking past them, like river rocks amidst the river flow.

‘Why won’t you stay?’  said she while hugging both her arms. Droplets of tears started to drench her slightly crumpled polka dotted sleeves. ‘You know how I...’

‘…I must go,’  he interjected, trying to avoid her teary eyes by looking at the departure board. After another period of uncomfortable silence, he said, ‘It is time.” Out of his pocket, he produced a piece of paper, folded into two, and gave it to her.

Without another word, he turned to board the train, the train that would lead to his happiness. But to her, it is a journey that would take hers away from her, one that would bring grieve unto her.

Then he paused in his steps, before uttering, ‘Thank you.’  It was almost inaudible, drowned by all the noise and din of the railway station. But she caught every single word, every single intonation, and the mixture of gratitude and sorry in his short yet cruel bidding.

She then watched him blended among the crowd through her watery eyes, trying not to blink at all, so as not to lose sight of him. But what must go would go. She wiped her face while she unfolded the note, and just as a ray of light emerged from the cloudy sky, she smiled.

“Life’s like a platform; people come and go. Some people wait, some people go.  One day you would find what you are waiting for, and go after it, just as how I’ve waited, hence now, I must go.”