Love in micrometer

~THE SISTERS FRIEND~

Shivamsha

Just when I thought I had filled all details and submitted my documents, I realised I had not taken signature from my guide. I ran back to the department finding for him. “I was about to call you, you have not taken my signature”, my mentor exclaimed. “Yes sir I realised, that’s why you can hear me take long breaths,” I joked. I finished the work I had come for, and when I was just about to leave, I saw Siddhi making a run towards me. “No, No, No, No, we are too old for this” I said and took a few steps behind, only for her to jump and tag my neck with her monkey hands. My monkey sister. She was just a high school girl a few years ago, but now, she has grown up into such a beautiful woman both by appearance and heart. It warms my heart to see my baby sister grown up so gracefully. Until she jumps and injures my neck. I struggle out of her capture, probably with a broken bone or two.

“Annnaa”, she sings. (Anna=elder brother). “Who will pay for my injuries now?” I joke. I tell her the reason why I came down till college, regarding the submission of my final documents for my convocation.  We haven’t been able to talk in a long time because of our schedules. Me occupied in my PhD, Siddhi in her master degree, we are a pair of academically burnt out siblings, who are passionate about science, still loathe it with all our heart, yet defend it whenever needed. “When are you coming home? Amma, Appa especially I are missing you. Well, not because you are important or anything, its because I don’t have anybody to blame on the mistakes I did hehe”, she smiled shamelessly. “Its high time you start understanding that not everybody is as tolerating as your handsome brother.” She makes a barfing action which makes me chuckle out loud.

“Study well, I have things to do. Tell Amma appa that I will be coming over the weekend”, I inform her. Just when I was about to take my leave, not before making sure to pull my sisters long nose, which makes her scream out of irritation, and fulfils my purpose as a brother, I realised that she was alone and her friend was nowhere to be seen. I asked her where she was.

“Two years and you still don’t call her by her name. Priya… Say it out loud P-r-i-y-a. She is in the restroom, Oh! Talk of the devil, there she is…”Siddhi points towards her direction in excitement. I turn back, and see her wearing a cute T-shirt that says Pipetting skills 10/10. I wonder if I should also get that cool shirt for myself. “Oh Hi”, she greeted. That is all she says, Hi and bye. I don’t think I have ever heard her talk anything other than those two words with me. With the stories that I have heard, she is a louder person than my sister is. I sometimes wonder why she is so awkward around me. That’s exactly one of the reasons why I am not comfortable in having conversations with her, because I am so sure that she is definitely not comfortable around me. I also cannot help but wonder why that bothers me so much. I have drawn a reason myself with my overthinking capabilities, if given the chance, I will add it in my CV actually. Yeah, maybe it bothers me because she is my sisters friend. I want to know who my sister is friends with. Especially considering her long history of believing in wrong people. Somehow I trust this friend of hers, still it bothers me that she does not look at me in the eye and talk. It bothers me that I cannot do the same, which is unlike me. I hate it how I always think of her, whenever I think about Siddhi, that I want to ask about her friend in the conversations I have with her. It bothers me. Yes, it is because she is my sisters friend.

I give her a small smile, pulled my sisters hair again. “Fine, I have to reach the lab in an hour”, I said and bid my bye to my monkey sister Siddhi, and my sisters friend.