CHECKMATE - When life plays game with you

3

- Come. Sit with us.

My father said with a heavy deep voice, sitting in the same place from a while back & my mother sitting beside him. They have worried expressions plastered on their faces. I must have disappointed them greatly.

- Look, Mom & Dad, Samantha was just joking. You know how big of a prankster she is.

- Yes in the same way we know that you are such a bad liar at least in front of us.

My mother's touch on my hand offered reassurance. Have I said you already that I am a highly emotional person? so her gesture, unspoken but full of understanding, brought me to the edge of tears.

- Look dear, we are your parents, you can share each & everything with us. If something is stressing you are free to tell us. Why you didn't tell us before, huh?

Said my father calmly.

- I thought you would be disappointed in me for taking a break.

I sniffed.

- Oh no sweetheart. We would never. What do you think of us? A sort of strict cruel ringmaster.

- I thought you would be angry at me for not focusing on my studies and thinking about taking a break.

At this point, I broke down and started crying like a small baby. They both hugged me and said –

- Oh no honey! Don't think like that. We are not your enemies. We just want the good for you and nothing else.

After I calmed down, they said

- Dear there is nothing to fear and hide from us. Okay? And also we happily permit you to take a semester off. If my lovely little daughter needs a little health break, she should have that rightfully. Health comes before anything.

I smiled. And that was a true smile. The smile of relief. The smile of being understood. The smile of feeling burden–less.

Later that night, I called Samantha to tell her the news.

- Girl, spill the tea.

- My mom and dad gave me permission for taking a semester off.

- Yayyyy!!! Yo, I told you they will be giving you permission.

- Hey you are saying as if you knew them forever.

- Anyway I have another good news for you.

- What? Got a new boyfriend?

- Nah not yet. Other good news. Guess it.

- Tch. Don't create suspense. Just spill it already.

- Okay. Okay. I ....am....taking....a....semester....off....too.

- WHAT?!

- Yes, I am not joking. If my best friend is jumping off the cliff I will jump too. You jump, I jump remember?

- So you are saying I am jumping off the cliff by taking a break?

- No that's not what I meant. You know what I meant.

- Hahaha, I was teasing you.

- Okay let's go tomorrow to School to fulfil all the required formalities.

- Okay then bye. See you tomorrow

- Oh-h wait –don't hang up. I will be visiting your home tomorrow after school to plan out our holiday in the best way possible.

I hung up. But I am still looking at my phone, smiling. She is the BEST friend I could ever get. I truly & seriously love her. She had no reason to take a break but she did just to accompany me so that I don't feel bad or alone.

I went to bed praying to God for Samantha's happiness and knowing that tomorrow is going to be a great day.

The following day, Samantha and I visited the college office to take care of all the required formalities. It was a long process—submitting letters, explaining reasons, and so on. While the headache was worth it, it was still a headache.

When we were leaving the college campus, I turned around to look at the big metal gate over which the "Yale College of Nutritional Science" sits proudly and whispered to Samantha,

- You know what this means?

She seemed confused.

- This means we are finally getting a break. YAYYYY!!

- YASSS!!!

We started jumping up and down and did our little dance. The people around us must have thought we are crazy. But we were too lost in our world to care.

Later that evening, my phone buzzed. The screen showed Samantha's name. She must be downstairs waiting for me to open the door.

Today we are having our cute little girls' night, where we will be discussing the best possible ways to utilise our deserved vacation. And the best part of this night, she is staying over. Yayyy!! We will have so much fun.

"Ok so where are we going?", I asked.

"How about we go to your hometown? " Samantha proposed.

Oh! I love my hometown, the beautiful beaches, the pretty houses, the big clock tower in the middle of the town making the citizens know what time is it. In the evening, you could hear the happy voices of children playing in the park and their parents' concerned voices to be careful and not hurting themselves. The lovers sitting near the fountain exchanging sweet words, the cling of the bicycle. Crystal Lake Town is my hometown, as beautiful and peaceful as the name suggests. It has been years since I last visited it. Is the town still the same? I wonder.

- Hey!

I was snapped back to reality. "Yes, yes obviously I will go. That isn't even a question. " There wouldn't be a better place than Crystal Lake town to spend my vacation. I am already so excited to go there.

We decided to leave for my hometown on Wednesday, i.e. after two days. Oh, these two days are unbearably long it seems. Were two days always this long?

We spent the rest of the night, watching Stranger Things.

The next morning, after our breakfast, I was practically dragged to the mall to buy some new slippers and dresses. Samantha promised to help with packing, and she deemed my old clothes and slippers unworthy of our vacation. Her logic, amusingly sound.

We bought all the things we needed for the trip, honestly, it did go a little over budget but I can let it slide, right? On our way back to home, I said

- I can't wait to go to Crystal Lake town with you. Aren't you excited?

- Hell yeah! Same.

I smiled and rested my head on her shoulder, I was tired from all the shopping we did today. For a moment, it felt like I heard Samantha say something to me but by that time I already drifted off to sleep land.

I was woken up by the gentle taps of Samantha

- We are almost near our station. We need to get off now.

I nodded.