Absolute Chaos

Puja's first day

Hey guys! I haven't posted a new story since like 6th grade, which is crazy since I've finally reached the age that I used to always pretend to be :) Anyway, this story is just a loose reflection on my life as of now and I'm just having a bit of fun with it as I go. We'll see where this takes me...

POV: Puja Kana

September 1st, 2021

My parents decided to move to America a week ago. Most of my cousins had already moved to Virginia and settled down easily, something my parents had not been able to do just yet in Nepal. I was more than ok with this adjustment, as I had never really felt like Nepal was where I would find myself. It was a pretty boring life I was living in Nepal, maybe there would be opportunities or people I could meet in America. Maybe if I got lucky, I would be able to settle down as my cousin Preethi had done as well. Her destiny was set as soon as she landed in Fairfax. She went to college to study and become a Registered Nurse, but her tuition was outstanding. Fortunately, she met her husband there, a rich and smoking hot Nepali who would more than willingly pay off all her medical school bills and build a gorgeous family with her. She got to life my dream life. I'm happy for her, but there's some part of me that wishes that were me. Who knows, maybe I'll meet a cute Nepali in America as well. Fat chance. There are barely any Desi guys out there who actually respect women and meet my standards.

I shake off my depressing thoughts as I unpack my luggage into my empty room. The townhouse we had gotten was cozy, not as huge as the standard American homes I had seen on the way here, but we had just gotten here and could barely afford this house. America is hella expensive, especially this area. Sighing, I picked up an unusually light box, and sighed in relief. My arms were already tired of picking up heavy boxes, and it had only been a few minutes "What's in here?" I furrowed my brows in confusion. With my sharp unmanicured nails, I ripped the tape off and forcibly opened the box. Inside, laid a... let's say toy. I gasped in shock as I dropped the box in one quick motion. "What the fuck?" I gasped. I don't own that? Who's is it??  I mean I don't have any siblings. My mom is... my mom, she would NEVER. What the hell? Is it mine? I stare at it's pink enormous build in horror. After staring at it for a solid minute, I gather the courage to pick it up. It's rubbery and bouncy. Fortunately, it's completely dry. I sign and fling it into a trash bag. Underneath the toy was a hidden note. Picking it up, I notice the handwriting is similar to a boy I refused to think of from back home.

"Puja dear,

Can't believe you're going to leave me to go to America. You never told me you were leaving? I know we haven't talked in a while, but maybe HMU once you get there. Enjoy the gift, hope it reminds you of someone...

- Pranav

THE ABSOLUTE NERVE. He somehow managed to ruin my first experience in America. The fact that I had my first kiss with him makes me nauseous to say the absolute least. Why is he using abbreviations in a note? That's embarrassing. You know what? No. We're not doing this right now. I need to relax, I'm going to go take a quick stroll and get to know the place area more. I stomp to the door in frustration and take a deep breath. The chemical scent of the freshy painted room grounds me to reality. "Mommy, I'm going to take a quick walk, I'll be back in 10 minutes!" I yell from outside my door. "Puja, it's already 6 o'clock. It's getting dark out sweetie, be careful." My mother hollers back from the living room. I walk downstairs and take moment. The boxes are piled in the living room, and I can barely see my mom and dad's heads. "Bye!" I yell as I put on some basic Nike shoes. I open the usually heavy wooden door and the unfamiliar sweet sweet of nature hits me. What can I say? Nepal has very unhealthy air. My feet hits the hard concrete and after a few meters I get immediately confused. What is this strange neighborhood? There are cars everywhere, something I have yet to get adjusted to. People are coming in and out of their houses, almost in perfect chaos. I can't help but long for Nepal's small villages, where it's easy to navigate through in their narrow streets.

After a few minutes, I end up on a new street, where the rich kids are. Their houses are huge, and made of expensive looking materials. The lawns are perfectly cut and colored, almost too perfect. Kids are out in the porches playing with their cluttered toys as their parents sit on the chairs and drink wine. This is the perfect image of an American home, something I have never seen. I wonder if Preethi's life looks like this too, a perfect, almost fake life. Is this what millions of immigrants slave their lives over? It even worth it? With these thoughts swirling around my head, I trip over an uneven slab of wood. "Damn it." I whisper. I sit there in defeat, lying on the concrete. I absolutely can't stand blood. I can feel it trickling down my knee however, which makes me want to kill myself, ironically. "I can't deal with this right now." I groan in agony. The pain is stabbing my leg, and I know for a fact that if I move, I'd quite possibly faint. With no options, I sit there, trying to get through the worst of the pain.