The 3G Life: Two Buildings

Thursday 15 August 2019

Vacation is not over yet. And I have a luxurious amount of sleep. I know it is pretty bad for my health. But come on, I only have a week to have all the sleep I need. Finally, I am a bit relieved that result is published and I got four A* and two As. Though I wish I had another A*.

"Hey. How're you, it is a long time," Naaji greets me.

"You can't be Naaji. How can you be him?" I ask.

"Why? I still have the same hair as him."

"But you wear glasses. Naaji did not wear glasses."

"What to say? I grew older."

Taara laughs the whole time at our greeting. Today my childhood besties come to visit me. I met Taara a couple of times recently but I meet Naaji first time in almost six years. And he grew into a young man from the fair little kid that is imprinted in my memory.

All three of us sit down and for the first few minutes we just look at each other and laugh and smile. Naaji was always shorter than me and now grew at least ten inches taller than me. He wears a Panjabi and looks really handsome. His skin is tanned, proving that he stays outdoor a lot.

"At least we were in touch," Taara says to Naaji.

"But you forgot all about me," I reply.

"We never forgot you. Would we come to meet you then?"

"It's good to know that at least you remembered me."

"You're such an unforgettable person."

We start to talk about our childhood. Naaji and I always used to fight. And Taara was sort of the introvert and the good girl. Now Taara is the extrovert, Naaji became cooler and I became an introverted extrovert. But soon we mix up like mango and milk and there is no hesitation between us.

Both of them are still in Southpoint and I am still in Manarat. That is the one thing in so many years that did not change. Besides, Naaji still talks to me more than Taara. That is how it always is. I am a little afraid that maybe Naaji will not feel so easy with me.

Taara looks down at her phone a lot. I know it is very usual with our today's generation. But still, I do not like it. I prefer that people live in the moment. The phone can always be their company in times of solitude. But when we are surrounded by friends physically, all attention should be on them.

My mother calls us to have something to eat. I bring them in my dining room and pull out the chairs for them to sit. They say I became more formal than I was before. Then I take them to the washroom so they can wash their hands and hand them a towel gracefully.

Naaji arches an eyebrow with all my conducts and I just smirk at him. Naaji is my first male friend. I have a whole different comfort level with him. And I can feel that the connection is still there. Though we used to fight, Naaji always looks up to me in respect.

"So, what about your studies, Naaji?" asks my mother.

"Yeah aunty, it's going well," replies Naaji.

"Where do you go for coaching?"

"I do private tutorials at home."

"So, you're pretty good in your studies."

My mother and Naaji continues to chat until they finish eating. I inspect Naaji from head to toe. His hair comes over his eyes and he swiftly move them away with his long graceful fingers. And though he is lean, he has a muscular and matured built of body.

We decide to take some photos as memories. We cannot decide on whose phone to take those photos so I suggest we take them on my phone. After all I have Samsung Galaxy S3. We stand and they decide I should be in the middle. I know I look like a dwarf.

Then I want to take a single picture with both Naaji and Taara. Taara hugs me from behind and it is a pretty cute picture. And then Naaji stands and ruins the picture taken by putting two fingers over my head. I make him sit down and sit beside him so that he cannot make any more horns.

Then we decide to play ludo. We used to play it a lot when we were younger. They were pretty good players back then. Taara brings out the buttons first and I am second in row. But it takes Naaji a pretty long time to get his buttons out but he plays pretty well.

"We've to go, father texted," Taara says.

"Well. At least finish the game," I suggest.

"I want to. But he'll be angry with me."

"What can I say? Goodbye then."

"We'll hangout again some other day."

I open the door and they both step out. I shake hand with Naaji and hug Taara. Both of them seem pretty sad just like ten years before. Naaji asks me to say goodbye to my mother from them. And I ask them to convey my Salam to their parents. They leave after that.

I close the door and thank God for sending them back to me. I know they are not part of 3G but they are an integral part of my life. I also wish that Aayan will come back to me like them. Though I wish it will happen in ten days instead of ten years. Come on 3G, do a miracle.