Helllloooo.
So I am travelling and the network sucks! I have edited three or four times but due to network issues it did not get save and I had to do it again and again, hence the delay! So sorry. I hope you all like the update.
If there are any or many mistakes then please remember I have slept for only 1 and a half hour roughly in the last 24 hrs. Feel free to criticise and point our mistakes.
Enjoy:)
Anya quickly came inside the room and closed the door behind her. She jumped on the bed and covered her eyes with her fingers. The summer sun was aggressive, just as Anya was. But the sun was calm as compared to Anya. She did not like the weather or the surrounding or the people around her. She wanted to go home. But no one else wanted to go home. She was stuck and she was angry. There was nothing she could do about it. She was hoping to fall asleep, but the heat made it difficult to do anything. She kept reminding herself that she was upset. Her mind played the same video again and again. Her cousin broke her favourite wristwatch. She had kept it safe for many years and now it was in her bag, ready to be thrown away. This is why I didn't want to come, she whispered to herself. It was summer break and her paternal family was together in a farmhouse. Introvert and socially awkward, Anya, did not want to come, but her father was adamant to bring her. She had been refusing to go to family functions, events or houses for years and this time she could not escape.
After around twenty minutes she heard footsteps. Someone was running. Anya was hoping not towards her. After a few seconds, the door flew open, but Anya kept pretending she was deep in sleep.
"Di!" Dia's cheerful voice filled the room. "What are you doing here?" Anya kept up with her pretend. "Come let's play a game!" Dia jumped on the bed next to her.
"Why do you want to play?" Anya asked.
"Because I am bored. Let's do something fun."
"Let's sleep."
"No! we will play in the garden."
"Why are you so energetic? I am about to fall asleep."
Dia removed Anya's hand from her face. "Come on! We did not come here to sleep."
"Correction. I came here to sleep."
"Di!" Despite Anya's sturdy protest, Dia forced her to join her. She made her leave the room, and they started walking to where all their cousins were. Just listening to their screaming and yelling exhausted Anya. "I don't want to play Dia. I am sleepy."
"It will be fun!"
"Dia." Anya could not think of an excuse which did not put her in the negative light.
"Let's play hide and seek." Dia tried to persuade her cousin.
"It is fun only in dark."
"Board games?"
"I will sleep."
"Uno."
Anya liked that game. She did not have anything against it. But she wanted to be alone. "Can we play after an hour?"
"We will leave for the market in an hour."
"Why do we always have to leave for here and there? Did we come here to relax or to go to markets?"
"Market will be fun! We will do shopping."
"Oh, Dia. You are such a girl. Shopping is no fun. I don't want to go."
"Your mom said you will go."
"My mom says anything. I am not going."
"Why not? We will enjoy so much!"
"You enjoy everything."
Dia smiled widely. "I love everything."
Anya turned her head to look at her cousin. Dia was sitting on the bed. In one corner. Alone and quiet. "How can these two be the same person?" She whispered to herself. In Anya's mind, Dia's memory was different than the girl who was living in her house. Doubts often crossed Anya's mind. More than that anger occupied her mind. She was angry that Aman did that to her baby cousin. She was more angry at her cousin to let him do that.
"You are not going to work today?" Nani broke the train of her thoughts.
"You are not going?" Dia wished to ask, but instead, she looked at her cousin eagerly. She was hoping Anya would say yes.
Anya smiled at her grandmother before saying, "I have to go. I do not have an option."
"Then why are you sitting like that? You should get up early and get ready on time. Why are you always late? Come on comb your hair fast and leave." Nani took the cup from her hand which was still half filled and went to the kitchen.
Anya turned to Dia and said, "My boss never asked me such questions."
"Because you have a nice boss. You exploit him." Nani said from the kitchen.
"I am always on time! I never gave him or anyone else a chance to complain."
"I would have never given you the job."
Anya pressed her lips together. Dia looked at her with sympathy filled eyes. Anya was standing up when her eyes fell on her cousin. She shook her head. "She is not being serious." Dia nodded her head but she was still feeling sorry for Anya. For Dia, her cousin was the angel who cannot be criticised or who can not do a wrong thing. Someone criticising Anya was an event of disbelief for Dia. It was something she did not approve of, but she was not going to say something.
Anya did not want to get scolded by her grandmother again so she quickly got ready and left for work. Her grandmother wanted to send some stuff to her son, so Anya was scheduled to meet her uncle before going to her office. She got down two stations earlier. Her uncle was running late, so Anya decided to wait for her uncle outside the station so that he can directly go to work without entering the station. She called her uncle and she was informed that he would be there in ten minutes. Anya quietly stood in one corner. She watched people run. Some people were running towards the station and some away from the station. Students were running for their college and many for their office. It was a normal weekday. Nothing about it was unusual until someone caught her attention. After about five minutes Anya saw a car stopping in front of the station, but a little far from her. A girl came out of it followed by Aman. Anya's left eyebrow raised immediately. They were standing together talking about something. The girl suddenly smiled widely. Anya crossed her arms and narrowed her eyes. She was observing their each and every move. Aman was talking to her and there was not much of a change in his facial expression, but the girl looked in a cheerful mood. After a few minutes, she said goodbye to him and went inside the station. Anya kept looking at her until she was out of her sight. She then turned to Aman who was getting inside his car. Soon he drove away leaving behind an angry Anya.
Anya's mood soon changed as her uncle came. She talked to him for a while and then went inside the station to take a train again. She was hoping to see that girl again. But she could not find any trace of her. With trains coming every two minutes there was no change to see a person twice with ten minutes interval. Anya kept making different scenarios in her mind about the girl. Who she was and what she was doing with Aman were very important questions to Anya. She wanted answers for them, but she had no source to find them. She decided to do something about it after work. She had a very long week ahead of her and she did not want her work to get affected. Due to Dia's entry in Anya's life, her work had taken a back seat, which was earlier her priority. Before that, her work always came first for her. She decided not to let anything affect her work. That was her responsibility and duty she thought. So once she reached the office she started working. She gave her full attention to her work. She wanted to make sure whatever she does was quality work. So just like the old days, Anya was still busy even during the lunchtime.
"It is a very innovative idea, but can we make it a reality?" Anya asked her colleague to whom she was talking on the phone. "OK. If that is the case then we can think about it." She smiled. "Very well then. I will talk to Baskar sir and get back to you." She frowned when she heard her friends laughing. "Ok, sure. Bye." She disconnected the call and looked at her friends who were still laughing. She walked to them before asking, "What is so funny? I was having an important conversation."
"This is far more important than your conversation," Himani said while giggling.
"What happened?"
"Ask Ali," Kabir said.
She looked at Ali and realised he was not laughing. In fact, he seemed upset. "What happened Ali?"
"I realised women are the source of all the sadness on this earth."
Anya looked at Kabir and raised her eyebrows questioningly. Kabir smile before saying, "He went to see a girl for marriage."
Anya's eyes widened. "What!? When did that happen?"
"That's not the news," Himani said shaking her head.
"What is the news then?"
"Ali," Kabir looked at Ali and said.
"My mom forced me to go. I don't even want to get married."
"Did she reject you?" That was Anya's best guess.
"That would have been so boring," Himani said before she laughed again.
"What happened then?" Anya was getting impatient.
"She gasped at me," Ali said.
"What?" Anya could not understand him.
"She gasped at me as soon as she saw me."
Anya pressed her lips together to stop herself from laughing. He crossed his arms and looked away.
"OK. That's fine."
Himani could not stop herself and busted out laughing. Kabir and Anya joined in. Ali rolled his eyes and looked away again.
"Sorry Ali," Anya said after a while.
"I am sure you are not."
Anya laughed again at his facial expression. "Do I look that scary? Tell me, Anya?"
"Ah." She stopped laughing.
"Of course you don't," Himani replied for her.
"Then why do girls easy treat me like that? I understand I am dark. And I don't look good, but at times their reaction is over the top."
"Aw Ali." Anya smiled at him. "You look great the way you are. That girl was mean to react like that." Anya shook her head."Or maybe not. Some times reactions are out of our hands. I am sure she did not think of you as a monster or something like that."
"I beg to differ. She has a very bad opinion about me. "
"So? Let her have a bad opinion about you. Who cares what she thinks?" Himani tried to help.
"I don't know."
Kabir looked at Ali with a frown. Then he looked at Himani and Anya one by one before looking at Ali again. "Dude. She got scared." Saying that he started laughing again. Himani and Anya did not laugh and tried their best not to but failed. Ali rolled his eyes again as they all continued to laugh.
"I can understand Himani is laughing. Why are you two laughing? Even you both are still single with no appreciation or acceptance from opposite gender what so ever!" Ali regretted saying that as soon as it came out of his mouth. He was not being serious but he thought he went too far.
"Whatever brother. No one ever gasped at us." Kabir's casual reply with constant laughing made Ali feel better.
"As if it is my fault." He crossed his arms again.
"What are you all laughing at?" Baskar, with his smiling face, came towards them.
"A girl gasped at Ali," Kabir said, still laughing.
"Thank God, I am not alone. I gasped at him some times too."
Ali's eyes widened and his mouth owned a little. Others were quiet for thirty seconds before they start laughing again. Baskar did not understand what happen but joined in with them.
"It's decided! I am never getting married."
"As if you can get a girl to marry you," Kabir said laughing.
"What's up with you today?" Himani asker Kabir.
"I know right! What is up with you!" Ali exclaimed?
"I just never thought girls have that good taste. I always doubted their decisions regarding men."
"Excuse me." Anya and Himani said together.
"I stand by what I say but I guess I went too far," Kabir admitted honestly.
"It's such a nice day," Baskar said with a wide smile on his face.
Ali's eyes widened instantly. "It really is," Himani said.
"Snakes. I have snakes." Ali opened the file in his hand and pretended to be busy.
"Aw! Ali, you are upset?" Anya asked sweetly.
"Yes!"
"You won't talk to us?"
"No!"
"You won't forgive us?"
"Never!"
"Good! Now we can peacefully plan dinner at my house."
"Do that! You will never have a fun dinner without me."
"I am so glad about that!" Anya exclaimed before looking at Himani. "So when do you think would be appropriate?"
"Whenever you like," Himani replied politely.
"This weekend will be a good choice." Kabir teased Ali.
"How about today?" Anya was not going to back out. "Let's meet today. "
Himani narrowed her eyes at Anya but nevertheless smiled. Kabir smiled before saying, "I like the idea. Let's do that."
Ali's ears raised up. He leaned towards them to hear more clearly. "How about you Himani? Are you free tonight." Anya motioned with her lips to say yes. "Do you have any important work to do?"
"She has two kids. She is not irresponsible like you, Anya." Ali replied to her.
"Kids are actually staying with their cousins tonight." Himani shattered Ali's hope. He looked at Himani and frowned.
"Perfect! Then you come. We are meeting tonight." Anya said cheerfully. "Only me and my friends. Baskar sir, you also come with us."
"I will definitely not miss it."
"Sir!" Ali exclaimed.
"It's decided then. It is going to be a fun night tonight." Anya said before she stood up from the chair. She smiled at Ali and started walking. Kabir did the same and started walking with her. Once they were far from others Kabir looked at Anya and asked. "We are not going to invite Ali?"
"No. Snakes don't dine with angels."
Kabir chuckled. "Are we meeting tonight?"
"No. Snakes need at least four working days for mentally preparing themselves. "
Kabir laughed before saying, "Snakes are high."
"Because angels deserve to die."
Kabir frowned. "Isn't that a metal song?"
"It is. My brother is a huge metal fan, remember?"
"Yeah."
"Anya you cannot go for lunch without me!" Ali exclaimed from behind them.
"I am not going for lunch. I am having that in my house."
"You cannot do that either. Not without me"
"See me do that."
"Anya!"
"No! You don't like us. So it's a no."
"Anya! I was angry."
"So you will treat me according to your mood?"
"A girl already made me so upset. You want me to hate all the women on earth."
"That would be favour on us."
"Anya! Invite me."
"Why should I invite you. If you want then come."
"I am upset. You invite me."
"I will not."
"I won't come then."
"Blessing."
"Anya!"
"I am not inviting."
"Invite me."
"You kids are in senior KG or junior KG?" Kabir asked his friend.
"I will not come, Anya."
"Thank you."
"Invite me."
"I will not."
"Anya!"
"Bye." She said before she started running. Ali's mouth opened a little at her silliness. "Anya!"