Not-So-Girly-Girlfriends #MissionDesi #YourStoryIndia

Nostalgia

Alisha

As today morning came to rise, it was time we said goodbye to our new friend. We meet many people in our life. Some stay forever, some leave with time. But every person comes with a reason. Filip, I'm not aware of his purpose in my life but he definitely means something to Vicky. She told us that they are just friends and they would continue talking but if fate has it, I wouldn't be surprised to know that they started dating. There is something in this boy which all of us like. Something that we are totally unaware of. And this puzzle that he is makes Vicky more interested in him. Though she is still stuck up, even she knows it. 

We just got in our flight. We will be going to Mumbai. It's a fifty five minute flight via Spicejet. From there we catch another flight to Hyderabad after a 6 hour halt. I left my car at the airport parking from where my dad would get her back home. 

"So.. what do we do at Hyderabad?" Myra asks me. 

"Why do you want to know?" I replied.

"Curiosity kills."

"I'll be the happiest if you die. Now, shut up and let me sleep," I said. She had been bugging up my head since morning, trying her luck in getting something out of my mouth, but nothing came to her hand. I am a difficult person to crack. 

"Oh, come on! Give me a hint, maybe?"

"A hint? You didn't tell us about your bookings at Goa, and see, we ended up having a good time, right? Suspense helps in boosting our enthusiasm level. So no, I'm not giving you a hint."

"'Kay, fine. You suck!"

"I know that darling, tell me something new!"

So, as expected I didn't get any 'quiet' with Myra sitting beside me, but I didn't complain either. It's always fun having her around. She mimicked cartoons and talked about random shit. Plus I like to make faces to her, and remind her how stupid she is, and how much I don't want her to change that. 

As the time swept by, our plane landed at Mumbai. 6 hrs in Mumbai is like cool. We made our way out of the airport and hired a taxi to take us to our school. Yeah, our school is in Mumbai. We were kids of Mumbai until our colleges ended and we had to go on our own ways to make our career. Sometimes we have to let go our best things, because that is the only way we get something better. That's what happened to us. Mumbai was so close to our hearts that we cried when we left it, but life goes on and exploring new places is something we should do. 

We reached the gate of Elite High School and Junior College. Memories started to flood. The sight itself made us nostalgic. We met the watchmen. They kind of forgot us, but then, when we told them that it was us who had played a prank on them a day before Holi, the oldest of them all remembered us. I don't know what feeling I had to see someone still working at the school after so many years. Oh, there will be so many more people still here inside these gates. 

We went in and entered the lift. "Remember the time when we had to carry that 10 kg bag till the fourth floor from the staircase? Those were the real work out sessions!" Zara said. 

"Duh! You guys left after 10th while I was still here carrying a little lighter bag till the fifth floor! I know the elevators are allowed for the college students but then there is such a huge crowd at both the elevators that stairs is your best option, if you don't want to miss your first lecture," I told them while they giggled. 

It was a regular school day and the kids were still in the classes. Before we went into the staff room, we took a sneak-peak into our old tenth standard classroom. Nostalgia hit us hard again. Little things we did in the class were making their way in the form of words from our mouth as stories. Those beautiful school days!

"You know Vicky, you would always sit in a corner and do your stuff while God-knows-who would come sit in front of you and tell you their fucked up stories, because they knew that their stories would be safe in your tummy," Myra said.

"Of course, how can I forget that? I used to feel like a priest of the the church whom the people would confront when they had something to confess, and I would be like 'it's okay my child, I'm glad you shared. You're forgiven because God loves us all' sort of thing!"

We headed to the staff room, so excited to find that almost 70% of staff was still here. We met all the teachers. Everyone was so excited to see us, and they were happy to hear about our success stories. Many of them were amazed to hear that I was getting married but we got to hear, "We are just teachers who teach the same syllabus for years and by the end of the month collect our salaries, but that salary doesn't make us happy. What makes us happy, is that, students like you get higher education, do something big, and come back to meet us, and tell us your stories. That feels good. I hope you keep doing better in the future as well. God bless," this more from almost every teacher. And that was more than enough to make us feel really happy. 

We had no idea how 3 hours passed by in the school . We left the place with lots of blessings and pictures, of course. We then hired another cab and went to the Girgaum Chowpatty. This is the place which every Mumbaikar has visited at least once, if not daily. There are people jogging here, sitting with their beloveds, or their friends or alone. We all went there and visited a roadside stall of Vada Pav. Mumbai's Vada Pav are 'to die for'. No one visits Mumbai and leaves without having them. We still had around two hours to kill so we went to Colaba Causeway and did a little shopping. Though we talk about not spending much money, but a little shopping wont hurt. 

When there was a little less than a hour left to our flight we rushed to the airport. After the multiple security checks we finally entered our next flight. So Hyderabad, here we come!