Our Story

Chapter 9-A Drive Into New Beginnings

[Eira POV]

Living with Sam and Arjun has been a mix of endless laughter and constant bickering. We're like siblings who can't help but fight over the smallest things—whether it's for food, the TV remote, or who gets to choose the movie. I've become their unofficial chef? I don't mind cooking—it's my way of showing love, and they're always appreciative. Some times we used to fight for silly things.

Take last night, for instance. I'd just made a delicious bowl of popcorn for our movie night, and as soon as I sat down, Sam snatched the bowl. "Thanks for making this just for me," he grinned, shoved a handful into his mouth. 

"Excuse me, Chef Eira didn't slave away for you alone!" I shot back, grabbing the bowl from him. "Guys, the movie's starting!" Arjun interrupted, grabbing the remote. "Wait, why are you picking the movie?" Sam objected. "Because last time you made us watch a movie so bad it had a 2-star rating!" Arjun argued. "It was an underrated masterpiece," Sam declared dramatically. "Underrated my foot," I muttered. "I think even the director regretted making it." 

After 10 minutes of heated debate and more popcorn theft, we finally agreed on a horror movie. I spent half of it hiding behind a cushion, but that's a story for another day. 

Fast forward to today—it's our first training day at the company, and life's getting more structured. As we drove up to the office building, a wave of happiness washed over us. It was surreal. The sleek glass façade of the company shimmered in the morning sun, and I couldn't help but smile. "Wow," I said softly. "We actually made it." "Yeah," Arjun agreed, looking out the window. "All those sleepless nights, all the exams, the group projects... it all paid off."I nodded, memories of late-night study sessions flooding back. The three of us, cramming until 3 AM, energized by instant noodles and determination. Back then, it felt like an uphill battle. Now, standing here, it all seemed worth it. 

As we walked in, we were introduced to Michael, the main pillar of the company. He managed everything for the directors and the CEO's and was the one giving us our training. "Welcome, everyone," Michael greeted us with a confident smile. "I'll be running your training sessions. We offer two time slots: 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM, or 7:00 PM to 11:00 PM. 

Choose wisely; we want you all to be well-prepared. "I looked at Sam and Arjun. Neither of them seemed too keen on the evening shift." Let's go with the 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM slot," Arjun said, and Sam nodded in agreement."I'm with them," I added. "I need my evenings free to... "Michael smiled, marking our choices. "Great. You'll get started tomorrow. We'll cover everything you need to know to excel in your role."

As we left the training room, I couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement bubbling up again. It was a new chapter, and though we still had a lot to learn, I was glad we were doing it together. We've started our training at the company, life's become a bit more routine. Early mornings, packed schedules, and a lot of learning. Every day, either Sam or Arjun takes the wheel, and I comfortably enjoy the ride. But despite all that, I wouldn't trade it for anything. 

This Sunday, we decided to take a break from our usual routine. It had been a long week with training sessions, so we agreed it was time to relax. Sam said, "Let's go somewhere fun. Maybe hit a café, watch a movie, or just drive around." "Sounds good," Arjun said, looking up from his phone. "But no horror movies this time. Let's do something light for a change."

"Wait a second," I interrupted, feeling a spark of mischief. "I'm driving," I declared confidently as we reached the car. Both of them froze, exchanging looks that screamed, Is she serious? 

"No way," Sam said, his expression a mix of disbelief and amusement. "Eira, I have dreams. Big dreams. And those dreams require me to stay alive." 

 Arjun said, "If this is how I go, tell my mom I love her."

"Relax," I said, rolling my eyes. "I know how to drive... mostly." 

"Mostly?" Arjun raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. "That's... not exactly reassuring." 

"Just get in," I said, shooing them toward the car. I slid into the driver's seat. The air was thick with drama as Sam dramatically buckled his seatbelt like he was preparing for a roller coaster. 

"Alright, Captain Eira," Sam said, pointing ahead. "Steady hands, steady heart, and for the love of all things good, don't press the wrong pedal."

We were off, and honestly, I was doing pretty well at first. The highway was empty, the car was smooth, and I was feeling like a pro. "See? Nothing to worry about!" I declared.

"Yeah," Sam and Arjun muttered, holding the handle above the door tightly. But then, disaster struck. A car appeared out of nowhere, and before I could react, there was a loud CRUNCH. My heart felt like it was going to leap out of my chest. I had officially hit a car. "Oh no," I whispered, gripping the steering wheel as if it could save me. 

"Okay, don't panic," Arjun said calmly, already unbuckling his seatbelt. "Let me handle this. You two stay in the car. "

Sam let out a dramatic sigh, covering his face with his hands. "This is why we don't let you drive, You're banned from the driver's seat for eternity, Eira. 

 Arjun approached the other car as a girl about our age stepped out. Even from a distance, I could tell she was clearly upset, her expression tight with frustration. I could hear her voice rise slightly as she argued with Arjun. "I can't believe you did this! This car is brand new!" she exclaimed. Arjun, with his usual calm behaviour, spoke softly, his tone measured. "I understand how you feel, but let's stay calm. Accidents happen. We'll figure this out. I'll take responsibility." 

Meanwhile, I turned to Sam and whispered, "On the bright side, at least now I know the brakes work... eventually. "Sam gave me his signature "I'm done with you" look. "Eira, maybe driving isn't your thing. Stick to cooking. At least the oven doesn't have wheels." 

The girl crossed her arms, looking like she was about to argue more, but Arjun didn't back down. His voice remained steady and reassuring. "Look, I know you're in a hurry. We can talk about this tomorrow and figure everything out."

 She seemed to soften a little, her shoulders relaxing. "Fine," she said, sighing. "Let's just settle it tomorrow. I really need to get going now. "She gave Arjun a nod. "No problem. We'll be in touch. "She took a deep breath, gave him a nod, and then turned to leave. "Here, take my number. You can contact me tomorrow," Arjun said, writing it down quickly and handing it to her. She took the number, and she got into her car in a hurry, driving off before any more words were exchanged. 

As Arjun smoothed things over with the girl, Sam shook his head. "I'm getting a bicycle. At least then, if you hit something, it'll only be me."

"Very funny," I muttered. But deep down, I knew he cared—especially since he didn't even yell at me for ruining his car. As Arjun walked back toward the car, Sam had already slid into the driver's seat, waiting for him.

"She was in a hurry," Arjun said, his voice light. "She took my number and said she'll talk about the car tomorrow." Just as we were about to drive off, Sam added, "She took your number, huh? You really know how to handle these situations." 

I couldn't help but laugh at their teasing. "I'm glad it's all settled for now, though," I said, relieved that it wasn't escalating further. Arjun chuckled, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "It's all about staying calm. No need to escalate things. And honestly, I'm just glad she didn't drive off in more of a rage." With a deep sigh, I settled into the back seat. "Let's just go home, okay? This day's already more eventful than I expected."  

Sam started the engine, and we headed home in comfortable silence, though I couldn't help but feel grateful to Arjun for managing the situation so smoothly. It felt good knowing that no matter what happened, we had each other's support.

Authors Note:

Thanks for Reading!!

"Let's see how this accident ends, leading to a new beginning."