Aloof, around the corner.. it stayed absolutely still, occupying that teeny space on the corner table. It breathed. Anticipating someone to approach it. Everyday, my exhausted eyes sent a glare across it, and it would gleefully flutter its dusty pages eagerly awaiting something to happen. It stayed still... But, never had it been opened.

The red cover articulated with some fancy looking bold letters displayed its sparkling plastic with panache. Even the dust that settled over it for ages could not deter its determination. Everyday, it would make noises under the influence of the ceiling fan, and ask for forgiveness as if it were all alone in this world desperately waiting for someone to hold its hand. Someone familiar, probably me who left it there ages ago. It was my engineer textbook. And as a sincere engineering pass out, I left it untouched since the day, I passed the exams. Unable to find a suitable buyer, I took the pain, to bring it along every time I shifted my place. And somehow, every time I would place it on the same spot, that teeny space on the corner table. Even though, it was torn at places, it still looked as elegant and charming as it used to be! And as it gave another questioning look, as I entered the room, and with a rustling sound it flipped open to the first page!

With a wipe of my hands, the letters became clearer, “Sidz Semester second”. A mesmerising retrospect. How it used to bring grief when the shadows of lesser marks and feared exam questions would befall upon me. Happiness when the second Para of the thirteenth chapter revealed the exact same words as I wrote in my exam paper. It had been with me through sleepless night outs, bumpy bus rides on the way to exams. Anticipated exam result days, with sometimes gleeful excitement, and sometimes saddening revelations. It had been long, since I slept over e’m pages of that silly inexplicable fourteenth chapter. It had been long since I forgot to take you with me and as a result, had to complete that lame physics assignment twice! You had been long forgotten, and were lonesome. But, oh how I missed your company. Flooded with work and tension, how I anticipated a tiring yet overwhelming night out with you and those hostel Coffee cups.

I miss using you as a paperweight which rightfully explains the usage, as a weapon of self defence to cover my face when that annoying bully showed up unexpected, as a friend to tell stories I was supposed to write in e’m theory papers, As a philosopher who would tell me things to know, things to cherish, as a guide to lead me into the righteous path.

As it lay open in front of me that day, only the cheerful memories brushed past my memory cells. Rejuvenating, refreshing, mesmerising. Cheerful memories. As I stared at it, it stayed absolutely still, but now it glowed with the content and the happiness of companionship. Though, probably in sometime it would be replaced with a bulkier version of a book for work, that I am planning to buy, I have decided not to replace it, nor its spot. It book'ed a space in that corner of the table and my heart too. Stay there and I would occasionally visit. A passing gush of wind, and it fluttered again, as if acknowledging my decision with a nod! We stayed still...