Everything Was Fine Until...

Beginning Part IV

10th August, 1993

The trip had been what you call a memorable trip, each person was satisfied and a bit emotional, as this was their last year in high school and their last trip. Only final exams were left to be done, which was the main reason for the anxious atmosphere that had enveloped the whole school.

But Anshuman wasn't worried about the exams, he had recently made his relationship public with Meera, which had met with a lot of cheers and congratulations. So a lot was going in Anshuman's life and Meera's too.

There was only one person who wasn't ecstatic or even a bit happy with the news. It was her, who was also his half sister and Anshuman considered her as his best friend.

He had been noticing from the past one month, since they returned from the trip. She has been behaving weirdly or oddly. It felt as if she wasn't the same person anymore as if a completely different person has taken his best friend's place.

She recently had acquired a really bad reputation in school, much to Anshuman's dismay. She had been caught smoking in the class, assaulting her fellow classmates and she even manhandled a teacher.

"Anshuman, what are you looking at?" Meera said coming up from behind Anshuman and followed his gaze and her eyes landed on her who looked as she was bullying a junior.

Meera kept a hand on Anshuman's arm and said , "Anshuman, you should talk to her. It's been a month since you two talked. Her mother has invited you and your mom for dinner, you should go there."
Anshuman turned around and faced Meera, he still had that concerned face

"Yeah. I'll go, I'm just really worried for her. Today she didn't even make an effort to tidy herself up. Neela Aunty is really worried you know. She said that she keeps writing something furiously in her book and doesn't talk much."

"Anshuman I'm sure if you'll talk to her, she'll confide in you. Maybe she's going through something big." Meira said in an assuring tone.

"Yeah and what about you? When are we going on our first date?" Anshuman said nudging Meera in the shoulder with a playful smile playing on his lips.

"I'll tell you the date and venue." Meera whispered with a mischievous glint in her eyes and for a second looked around and kissed Anshuman on the cheek and sprinted away. Anshuman was totally astonished at this gesture, his cheeks had started to warm up and turn pink. A boyish grin broke on his face, he looked at Meera's retreating back and covered his face.

"She is too cute." Anshuman muttered to himself, he looked over and saw her glaring at him. He was shocked at that inhuman expression of his best friend. Never has he seen her with such an expression.

He waved at her but she blatantly turned the other way. Ignoring him. Anshuman felt a bit hurt at this outright rejection by her.

"Anshuman, how much more time?" Amrita yelled from downstairs.

"Coming Mom!" Anshuman yelled back. He quickly turned off his room's light, closed the door with a soft thud. Climbed down the flight of stairs.

"Mom, I thought you were going to wear a saree?" Anshuman asked, looking at his mother who was in her usual attire. Loose blue denim pants and white embroidered top, with silver oxidized earrings in her ears. And her shoulder length hair parted from the side.

"Yeah, well we would've gotten late. And I gave my saree for ironing and I forgot to go take it today." Amrita said holding her clutch in one hand and dangling the keys in the other.