Debi was astounded. "Why do you wanna come along? I am just going to receive my friends..." "Yeah, well there is no harm in me meeting your FRIENDS, for whom you can change from a nerd to a princess overnight." Well, I hit the nail right at the target, and she agreed without suspecting anything. "Okay Sikina, you can come along. But I would suggest you change into something fancy, or atleast just comb your hair because you really look like a haggard right now, and I don't want to spoil the chances..." "Chances?" "Nothing, now get ready. It's a long journey." Oh great! Now Debi keeps things from me too. But I shouldn't be the one to say.
When I went down I could hear whispering in the hall, "What did you tell her, Debi?" "Nothing Aunty, she is absolutely clueless *giggle*" And they all started giggling. Ok, so these three were planning something big behind my back. Well, I'll just play along...because right now, I had bigger worries. When I reached the hall, they all jumped up like they had seen a ghost. "Come on Debi, let's go get your friends."
******
"Is everything in place, Sarah?" "Yeah Ailee. But there is one problem..." "Now what?!" "Debi isn't going alone. Sikina is with her." "Well, not to worry. She is just a nobody. She's just made things easier for us."
******
We had arrived at the airport before time, so we just waited in the car. "So, Debi, how's your dad doing these days?" To my surprise, she jumped like I had asked her something I wasn't supposed to. But she composed herself and smiled, "He got a new job, as a manager in a big company." Her parents actually worked for Ailee's parents at their restaurant, but they were fired because evidently Debi's father had made some inappropriate moves on Ailee, which were later on proved false. Since, I had always loved her mom's cooking, I insisted she join at our restaurant, and she became really popular. But her father insisted he would get another job. And he was finally successful.
"I am so happy for Uncle, but why didn't you tell me before, Huh?" And I smacked her really hard on the head. "Because you would have freaked out." "Why would I ...hold on a second, you haven't told me the whole..." But I was cut short when she happily said, "My dad is here...and so are my friends. Come on, let's go!"
I was so excited to meet Uncle, and also her friends, though I hadn't heard about the latter. Who are these new friends of hers? Would she leave me now that she had them? Oh come on, I slapped myself, that's wrong. When I suddenly noticed two men dressed casually heading towards us, and they had something in their ears, probably Bluetooth devices. Is this the danger I had been warned about? I looked at Debi, she was waving towards the gates. And why was there so much press around us? And I could hear some chanting in the background. But I was freaking out. I could see Debi's dad coming out through the gates with another man. And I almost choked when I saw a familiar face among the crowd of reporters.
It was Ailee.