The Girl who will Never Die

She stared at the mirror, her focus being on her bald noddle. Tears rolled down her eyes. More or less, she was howling. I was sitting on a chair nearby, and trying to console her.
"Don't cry, Payel. You are looking, not really bad. Maybe this will be a new fashion in this year's Durga Puja. Girls with bald heads", I laughed just to boost up her self esteem.
Payel threw a pillow towards me. "Shut up, you moron. I am not crying because I am looking bald, but... ", she stopped abruptly.
         But, I knew the truth. This bald head was the reason, why she was living in a rented apartment on her own, and left her parents' house. This happened a few months ago, when she had first went to the doctor with me...

         We had been returning from college one fine afternoon. Suddenly, Payel held her chest and thumped on the ground. "What is the matter, Payel?", I asked getting tensed.
         But she was not in a state to reply me, she was drooling and losing her consciousness. I lifted her and carried to a nearby clinic. Giving her some medicines, the doctor asked me to take her to a hospital, asap. She limped on her shoulders, but asked me to take her to my house, and not hers.
I couldn't understand the matter, but thought not to question her at that very moment.
"What is the matter, Payel? What is happening to you?", I asked.
"Nothing. Lets go to Dr Banerjee", Payel suggested. I nodded. After an hour or two, we left for the doctor's house.
         Dr Banerjee was my family doctor. He had signed both my Maa and Baba's death certificate, when they had left me at just thirteen. Since then, Dr Banerjee had served as a guardian to me. Payel knew all this, because she had been my best friend since we were in class 5.
         Dr Banerjee gave some tests to be done and told us to visit him as soon as the tests report will be out.
         We again visited him, after a week. This time, Dr Banerjee opened his mouth for the worst,
"I want both of you not to get panicked, after I say a bad news. On going through the report, I came to know, Payel is suffering with breast cancer. There are some chemo therapies, that will be applied on her, due to which you may lose your hair, and many other similar reactions may happen, but I can't assure the final result."
          I felt as if the earth is opening to gulp me in it. But strange enough, Payel looked too relaxed. On exiting his house, she said,
"Tiyash, help me find a rented apartment. I can't tell my mom and dad about my illness."
I understood her situation and nodded, still can't believe that the most enthusiastic girl of our college, is standing on a piece of land of life, surrounded by death from all sides.
         We did find a one-room apartment close to my house, being rented, within a couple of days. I don't know how it became possible, but Payel could do everything, and so, this time also, she did an extraordinary thing. She convinced her parents and made them agree (which she hasn't told me till ...), that she will stay in this apartment all alone.

         Tears trickled down my eyes. I quickly hid my eyes, but suddenly noticed that Payel had became quite slim, and hot. But, her eyes has shrunk back into the holes, and she was really looking very tired.
"Payel, why are you looking so thin?"
She broke her long gaze from the mirror, and smiled at me. She gave me an expression, to leave, but to visit her soon.
         The next few days, I had been really very busy. I visited Payel's apartment after a week. Some strange feelings gulped me, as I stepped on the stairs. Finally, when I reached her room, I saw the door was slightly ajar. I moved towards her bedroom, with slow and steady steps.
"Oh! Thank God! She's sleeping peacefully", I heaved a sigh of relief. Payel was really looking very sweet, but something was really very fishy there. Suddenly, I saw a letter on her bedside table. At first, I thought not to touch it. But curiosity kills humans. With trembling hands, I opened the letter.

Tiyash,

             You are my best friend.  There's something I wanted to tell you that day. But circumstances didn't allow me to do so. In fact, you noticed that I had become thin. Actually, I went to Doctor uncle again a few days ago, alone. He told me, I have less than six months to live. At that very moment, I decided that I can't live for another six months, in this rotten state. In fact, you know how much I loved my hair. I can't stay another six months, all bald. So I chose a way to lessen my pain. I had stopped having food the day before the one, you visited me. In fact, I even stopped having water. Tiyash, don't even dare to think that I committed suicide. Okay, let me clarify the point. Some people might say that, we should place our faith in treatments to ease our pain. But despite the compassionate work of Doctor uncle, the chemos have their limits, and we have to accept the point. So, I defined the relief, when my suffering became unbearable, by getting an escape. But believe me Tiyash, one day, there will be a Payel, who won't have to find an escape, but will again live her life heartily with another Tiyash, and die in his arms. If destiny supports, you might read my last letter, otherwise not. And don't even dare to tell that I committed suicide. I am not a coward. And don't shed your dirty tears over my dead body. Please don't wake me up, I am gone. I will always remain as the girl who will never die, in your heart.

                                                                                          Best friends forever,

                                                                                          Payel😊