You are the one

Beginning of something new

"Baba!" Palak cried out feigning anger. To be honest, she missed him teasing her. 

"Prakash, don't tease her like that! No beta you are perfect! don't listen to your father!" her mother irritatingly snapped at her father, who now pouted like a little boy.

 "Maa, Baba, I don't want to go back after three days, I want to stay here with you both only" Palak complained.

"Palak, no matter how much you grow up.... you will still be a child" saying this her mother patted her head playfully. "Now go and wash up! ... go!"

Palak knew that angering her mother meant, knocking at death's door. So, taking her luggage upstairs to her room, she hurriedly went to freshen up.

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In the evening, It was "Tv time for the Basus", As it was named by her father. After her mother's endless 'serial sessions', It was finally hers and her father's turn. They both had decided to watch a documentary together, but she tricked him into watching Chennai Express. In any other regular day, It would have led to a sermon session, but today was different, she knew it, and that is why he was also watching it quietly and peacefully. Even though he liked the movie, Palak knew he wouldn't admit.

She was completely engrossed in it, when her father's deep voice broke away her concentration.

"Beta, what about the problem with your flat? could you solve it?" he looked at her curiously. Palak remained silent for a while. All the dorms in the college were full and the flat she was staying in now, was quite far away from both NIFT and her company, so It had been difficult for her to travel everyday. At the first three years, she used to stay with a senior girl in her flat, but after she passed out, Palak couldn't stay there alone, as the rent for the flat was quite high for her... to pay all alone. She had been trying to find better flats, in affordable rates, as a student, but still now, to no avail. He had suggested her that he would pay the rent for her, but she wanted to fend for herself and didn't want to add to the expenses for her father, after his retirement.

"No, Baba, I am still searching for good flats, nearby NIFT and my company, all the flats I have seen are either far away or are not in good condition... but I have not lost hopes yet"

Before her father could answer, her mom came running to the living room with a smile and asked "Prakash, do you remember Arvind da?"

Palak watched her father's face light up in a rare smile before he answered, "Arvind you mean Arvind Kohli? Who used to work with me? My classmate in college?" 

Kohli?!

Palak suddenly became super attentive to her parent's conversation, her mind wandering to that shy boy she met last back in class ten.

"Just an hour ago I got a call from Veena! after all these years, all of a sudden and I was so surprised!... she told me that they were back in Kolkata, after Arvind da's retirement and have recently, permanently shifted here, back to their old house!" Her mother squealed happily.

"That's a great news!  but why didn't they contact sooner?" her father asked, surprise and happiness lingering beneath his voice. 

"I know right, when I told her that I was upset with her for not contacting me, she apologized saying that she had changed her number and had lost all the numbers on her old phone but fortunately found, mine in her old diary" saying this her mom added with a smile "she also invited us for having dinner with them tomorrow and I agreed to it. You both are okay with it na?" Palak nodded, without realizing it.

"Dinner, of course! why not? There is nothing better than meeting up with old friends and remembering the good old days" her dad replied with a smile and after that got up, following her mother inside to their bedroom.

Palak suddenly felt a bit weird. It had been eight years since she had met Veer, Uncle and Aunty. Though they might have been close friends in childhood,  but meeting him after eight years, all of a sudden made her feel awkward and nervous. Maybe there would be only uncle and aunty... maybe Veer was not staying with them at all... these possibilities eased her nervousness but the reminder that he might also be there with them, made her feel nervous all over again.

Veer might have forgotten about her, had he? She wondered.

(Bonus):

That night Palak opened the box which contained all her class photos, her school report cards and certificates. She found that she had forgotten many of her classmate's names, except a few with whom she still had some contact. Suddenly, among them she found Veer, and a small smile spread along her lips, remembering the shy little boy he was during that time.

He always used to sit at the window side and also was a scholar in studies, always topping in class. She remembered how she befriended him for the first time.

That night before going to sleep, she asked herself...How much had he grown up? 

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Hi!!!

This is the first chapter. I hope its good. I will try to update two chap or one chap per day, so please save this story. Please vote and comment if you liked it.

Total word count: 1552 words.

~ Millie ❤ ❤