High On Life

7: Hints

I jumped out of bed, excited as hell because today was my babe Sara's Baraat ceremony.

I had been so wrapped up preparing for this day for the past two months and now it's time. Sara has always been such a huge part of my life and I cannot imagine life without her now, when she'd move away. She has seen me through everything. She was even present at the time of my birth and has seen me grow to what I am today. She's more than just an adopted child in my family who wished to serve us as a maid back then, just so she could earn. My parents refused to let her work as a maid and accepted her as part of the household, giving her all that which I had for myself. I even remember getting jealous because she got the same toys as me. Man, was I selfish back then.

She's been my everything to me, beside my parents. She never made me feel the loss of siblings since she has always been a great older sister as well as brother at the very right ocassions. But if there's just one downside to her, it's her habit of calling me Miss, all formal maid style. She had done that all my life but now realizing how close we were, I always scold her for doing that while she keeps on doing that, purposely, just to annoy me.

Sara was getting dolled up at the salon while I was still here, waking up from my hibernation at around 3 pm. We were about to leave in 6, but here I was still in pj's, growling like a grizzly bear as I left my bed for the bathroom.

I freshened up and met up with my parents for breakfast.

"Salam mama, baba." I greet them both and exchanged hugs and kisses.

They greet me back and we sat down to eat.

"Sara's at the parlour. Why didn't you go?" Mom asks.

"Because I called the salon lady up, to come here. Nothing like getting ready in the comfort of your own home." I take a sigh of relief.

"Hmm true. So did you send invites to your friends?" Dad asked.

"Yep. All done." I respond gulping another bite of my sandwich.

"Sara ki shaadi hai. Mujhe to aisa lag raha hai jaise meri apni Nida ki ho. Aik ajeeb si udaasi aur hud se ziada khushi ho rahi hai." Mom says.

"Kiyunke tum uss se Nida jitna hi pyaar karti ho. Hum sab hi kartay hain. Kiyun Nida?" Dad smiles.

"Bilkul sahi. Meri to zindagi hai Sara. Pata nahi mera kia banay ga uss ke baghair." A tear unknowingly leaves my eye.

They both leave their seats and stroll towards me, pulling me into a tight hug.

"Hum sab ko uss ki bohat yaad aaye gi. Kal raat, uss ke saath baith ke mera bhi tumhaare jaisa haal tha." Mom says in a low, sad tone.

"Kaash Sara kabhi na jaati mujhe chor ke." A few tears escape my eye as every second reminded me of the fact that she was moving away from me. Right then, my phone rings. It was her.

I pick up, wiping off my tears.

"Oye ! Kitna soyegi posti !"

"Uth gayi hun, ullu ki kaan." I chuckled.

"Acha....aik minute... Phir ro rahi ho?" She asks, surprised.

I just chuckled and she says. "Uff aik to maa aur beti ne bhi aik hi kaam pakra hua pichle do haftay se. Guys, stop crying. I'm not going anywhere." Her tone starts to fade and felt as if she was about to cry too.

It was in fact, inevitable, that she was going to leave this house, this life, and start a new life with someone else. Someone who'd give her so much love that she never even dreamed of having.

"Oye ! Makeup kharaab ho jaye ga !" I warn her.

"Kahaan? Abhi to shuru bhi nahi hua. Dil bhar ke ro leti hun abhi. Baad mein to mujhe poori raat makeup ke taane deti rahogi tum." She chuckled with a hint of sadness in her voice. Mom and dad who were also listening to our call put on loudspeaker, had sad expressions on their faces.