Eclipse of Heart

8 | Rewind

"He went to bring your school's annual day DVDs." She mumbles looking behind the cushions on the sofa.

"What? Why?" I ask confused standing up from my crouched position and almost bumping into Amaira beside me, if it wasn't for my reflexes we both would have had a fall.

What clown I am around her.

It's like all my basic reactions and senses are turned off.

I take a step back immediately almost stumbling backwards and catching myself at the right time. Amaira looks at me surprised coming out of her short statue phase as her hand shoots out to me. I straighten up soon and dismiss her help and she fists back her hand looking away.

"Finally!" Zia says pulling the remote from under the sofa and sitting on the ground.

Faint footsteps descending the stairs reach our ears before Akash comes into our view with a couple of CDs and a huge DVD player.

"Let's watch the last annual day." He says with a gleam in his eyes and an excited smile as plugs in all the cords to the TV and the DVD, inserts the CD and clicks on the remote

I and Amaira stand there quietly looking at Akash. "Why are you people standing? Settle down." Zia says tapping beside her on the ground and Amaira moves rigidly to the place beside Zia while I sit a little away from Amaira not wanting to invade her personal space.

The familiar school introduction song fills the space and my head immediately swirls in the direction of the television. The nostalgic feeling crawls up my heart and a small smile tugs on my lips at seeing my school building.

I tilt my leg to look at Amaira and Akash to see whether they have the same happy smile as mine but I met with only one of them. Amaira sitting there quietly staring at the screen. So many emotions on her face but none of them resemble anything close to happiness. My mind clouds with confusion looking at her.

Then she immediately snaps her head down looking at the plate which Zia pushes into her hand smiling. Amaira smiles back tightly and starts mixing the curry and rice. Then Zia hands me my plate with rice and curry and a spoon.

I glance once at Amaira who doesn't seem to notice anyone in the room as she ignores everything around and quietly starts eating and I start eating mine.

After quite a few introductions and the guests being escorted into the front seat of the audience, our coordinator of the school in a formal voice announces how it is important to start an event with a devotional song or something because my mind is distracted between the television and Amaira who seems different from there previous one.

"Oh look! It was Samaira who sang the welcome song that annual day." Akash announces to the people in the living room and I see Amaira sink and more like she is trying to hide herself but she can't.

My gaze snaps to the TV and see Amaira's sister take up the stage with a formal smile and confidently stride towards the mic arranged for her. A background score starts playing, followed by beats of traditional instruments before Samaira's melodious voice flows through the living room. I glance at Amaira briefly when I notice a movement to see her unfocussed and adding curry to her rice, she briefly glances at the TV before her eyes again back on the food.

My confusion only increases before I am again distracted by Samaira's voice on TV. She looks lit up and happy when she is singing in front of hundreds of people with so much confidence. You can see the happiness in her energy.

"Damn. I always liked her voice. Tell your sister I like her voice Amaira." Akash comments his eyes still on the TV and Zia looks amused at his boyfriend. She is not jealous at all and she knows Akash appreciates talents when he sees them. Amaira nods which Akash doesn't notice.