Can Their Friendship Last Forever? [On Hold]

CHAPTER 1

Saturday, 28/09/1991 ... in Coimbatore, India

Sitting in the veranda of his house that morning, seven-year-old Ajay, being an only child, was feeling so bored as all his friends lived far away. Just then, his neighbour's six-year-old identical twin daughters, Preeti and Priya, came out of their house, with their dolls, to play.

"Can I play with you too?" called out Ajay to them.

"No, we don't like to let boys play with our dolls, because boys don't know how to take care of our dolls carefully," the older twin, Preeti, replied, while Priya remained silent.

Ajay felt very angry and jealous because everyone had someone to play with, except for him.

***

From that day on, Ajay became very bitter, especially towards the twins. He started to always irritate and annoy the twins, Preeti and Priya, as well as talk rudely to them because he totally disliked them, even though the three of them were neighbours who went to the same school, sat in the same class, and returned home on the same bus.

***

Saturday, 19/10/1991 ... in Coimbatore, India

That day, a couple of games and activities had been organised by their school for the pupils to take part in. All the pupils of their small school were divided into pairs of two, by their respective class teachers.

Unfortunately, Ajay and Priya had been put together as a pair by their class teacher, despite their protests because they really disliked each other. Despite the fact that Ajay and Priya usually won in all the solo activities at school, they kept losing all the first few games that day, due to their lack of co-operation and teamwork.

The last game was a relay race, where a pair of pupils had to run together till they reached another pair of pupils on the track, who would continue the race. Standing in line with the last few pairs on the track to reach the finish line, anticipating their turn, Ajay and Priya were still angry with each other, silently blaming the other for being the reason they weren't able to win any of the other games that day.

However, during their turn, halfway across the track, Priya accidentally tripped and fell. Seeing Priya hurt, Ajay quickly helped her to stand up and run with him again, till the finish line, thus helping to win the relay race, which was the last game for the day.

After all the games, as all the pupils were about to board the bus to return home, Priya confronted Ajay.

"Can we be friends?" asked Priya.

Ajay eyed her sceptically, before asking, "Will you let me play with you and your toys?"

Priya nodded in agreement.

"Then, let's be friends," said Ajay.

Priya smiled, as the two of them interlocked their fingers, clamping their hands together, signifying the start of their friendship.

***

A few months later, Priya's parents separated, after many misunderstandings. Priya's father, Prakash, left the city, taking Preeti along, leaving Priya and her mother, Amrita, to manage on their own.

With each consecutive day, Ajay's and Priya's friendship grew as Ajay filled Priya's silence, without her father and her twin, Preeti.

At the same time, Ajay's parents, Kishan and Sarita, too became acquainted with Priya's mother, Amrita, because of Ajay's and Priya's friendship. Seeing Amrita struggling to cope with the house rent, Priya's school fees and other house expenses, with her small earnings, Ajay's parents invited Priya and her mother to move over to their house, and stay with them, to minimise the latter's rent and loneliness.

Hence, the two bedrooms in the ground floor of Ajay's house, were occupied by the parents; one for Ajay's parents, and the other for Priya's mother. Meanwhile, the two bedrooms upstairs were used by the two kids, Ajay and Priya.

As carefree perky Ajay nurtured his passion for singing, Priya turned into a diligent and intelligent studious strong-willed elegant maiden, but she never abandoned her interest in practising classical dance.

To be continued...