Paris, Mumbai, New York | √

New York jugni

The girls had another video chat the next day, and they were going to hear Ria's story, but instead of narrating it to them, she  decided to write it down and send it to Anaya and Sanvi by email, as she was to embarassed.

"What can be more embarassing than Anaya's story?" asked Sanvi.

"Hey!" protessted Anaya.

"I mean she gave money to a stranger and he disappeared completely." smirked Sanvi.

Before she had to listen to another one of their arguments, Ria cut off the chat and sent the email she prepared for them. She took deep breaths, trying to calm herself.

Dear Anaya and Sanvi,

Last year, the day after my eighteenth birthday, I decided to try out the new scooter my Dad bought  me.

I had taken bike lessons, but I was so nervous at first, that my scooty went a bit haywire and I lost control for a bit, it was only a few seconds, but it was enough time for me to run over someone.

For a few seconds I just watched the guy, thinking he was dead, but then he started groaning and I got off my scooty and helped him in a sitting position, he wasn't bleeding or heavily injured, and Thank God he was conscious!
But his leg was very red and he kept grunting in pain.

"I'm so sorry." I say, panicked that he might faint at some point.

"Sorry is not going to take away the pain..." he says, but a faint smile appears on his face.
When I pay attention, I realize he has very beautiful features, brown eyes and a charp jaw.

"Should I take you to hospital?" I ask to stop myself from staring at his face.

"I'm kind of scared you might give yourself an injury if you try again." He jokes, his voice is calmer.

I brush the dust off my jeans and slowly help the boy on my scooty, positioning myself  in front of him, so this time I have no accidents.

"You're meant to take a few steps with the scooty before you mount on it properly," the boy says, and I doubt his ability to give me instructions, but when I look into his eyes, I decide to trust him and do what he says.

"I'm Niall by the way."

"Ria."

"Nice name. Now push upwards with your legs and mount on just before starting the engine..."  and like that he keeps giving me instructions while we drive through New York, to our nearest hospital, and we chat about other things , our likes and dislikes.

I tell him about my family, and how my real dad is in jail back in India (the scooty was from my step-dad.) and my life in New York, and when he asks about siblings and I tell him about my step-sister in London.

And then we finally arrive to the hospital.

"I could come in with you." I offer, hoping he would say yes.

"No, that's ok." Niall says. The disapointment on my face must have shown, because then he asked for my phone number.

"So that I can file a case on you." he teases and I laugh.

"I'm from a rich family, my dad will handle it." I say while driving away.

I did give him my phone number, but he never called. I'm still waiting.

Just as Ria finishes reading of her email, both girls start video calling her. When their faces pop on the screen, their exspressions are exactly what Ria thought they would be.

"Wait...are you honestly saying that you've waited for a boy to call for a year?" asks Sanvi, her eyebrow raised.

Ria, feels to ashamed to speak, so she nods. 

"Ria, boys ask for a girls number all the time, and never bother to call," says Anaya "But I understand why you do it."

"Look, I also get that you really liked this Niall guy, but its been a year." Sanvi says as a matter of fact.

"A year, two months and four days." corrects Ria.