I won a prize!!!!! ;):):):)

I got the second runners up prize for a contest!!Yaiyee!!! Yes! Thank you thank you! So I wrote two alternate endings to this particular story. This was the "And Then..." contest was on Ruchi's blog. Here's the link to the first half of the story:

The Scene

So this is my prize-winning masterpiece entry:

 image source: http://www.bayareaonthecheap.com

 A Second Shot

The memories were like snapshot bullets that she had been dodging for years and had finally hit her, square in the face- that face of the man who had once meant everything to her. It was overwhelming! She sat there motionless for what seemed like eternity.  The flight was in the air. She went to the washroom and barfed.

Looking into the mirror she saw how far she had come from those days. Then she had been a smiling girl in her early twenties with the glow on her face typical of those in love. The glow was gone and so was the love. The hair was shorter, sassier. The clothes were no longer t-shirts, jeans and sneakers but smart suits and stilettos. The woman was no longer the girl he had known. The only thing that connected the woman and the girl was the pain that he had left behind- the hurt that had become a part of her life and had never left.

This was probably her only chance. She walked back with a calm face; she wasn’t going to let him go this time. A deliberate trip on the Jimmy Choo and she was on him. He stared at her like he was seeing a ghost and then his expression changed. Straightening up her ruffled clothes, she looked at him and acted like she was surprised. “Matt,” was the only word she said. He looked quite taken aback himself. “Lizzie… Wow! It’s been so long. You look…look so different,” he said.

“Yes Matt. It’s been a while. You look almost the same. Nice meeting you after so long.” He did look the same. The neatly ironed shirt and trousers, the cropped spiked hair and the goofy grin were all at odds with each other but blended so perfectly on him. She wasn’t surprised that she had fallen for him. He ran his eyes appreciatively over her and she blushed. She returned to her seat but they kept talking. He was a senior editor now. They talked about old times, their college friends, work… The more they talked the closer they came; she could see that old look in his eyes. He wanted her back.

The flight landed. He invited her over. It was a cozy apartment. As she was about to go to the guest room to crash he pulled her towards him and looked into her eyes. She was uncertain; did she really want to do this? All her courage almost melted. “I missed you so much. I’m glad you’re back,” he said and leaned in for a kiss. She kissed back and soon they were in a passionate embrace. She broke the kiss and said they’d better sleep. He looked at her dazed with desire and confused. She kissed him on the cheek and went to the guest room and locked the door.

He woke up in the morning and found her gone. There was a note on her bed that read:

“I’m sorry. Goodbye.”

It was his handwriting, the note he had left for her on their bed when he went away.

In a coffee house, Liz sipped on her cup of Cappuccino and smiled. The last laugh was finally hers. And the hurt was gone. She was free.

 image source: http://yuvakuran.blogspot.com/2005/08/cappuccino.html

  

 (P.s.-I'll post my other entry in a separate post so that my post does not stretch endlessly and make your yawn stretch as endlessly!:P :P)

Here's the link to my victory bhaashan if you're interested! ;)
http://ruchiballal.wordpress.com/2010/10/06/and-then-the-winner-is/

(Pss...guys!Thanks for all the congrats and pats on my back... appreciated! :) But please do leave your comments on the story as well..what you like, what you don't whatever! My story is complaining of being shoved out of the limelight by my victory laugh! Waiting for your feedback!!)