Dear You, We're Just Friends.

6- Days Auld Lang Syne

"Infinity Advertising, Incorporation. Samaira Singhania speaking."
"Didi?"
"Pavitra? You're calling at my office, all okay? Is Mia okay?"
"Yeah-yeah didi. Your phone was unreachable, so..."
Samaira glanced at her watch. Crap, the meeting's in 5. "I gotta rush, tell me? Does Mia need anything? Do you?"
"No no didi. She told me she's leaving for hostel today. Do you need me to pick her up from Play-Day early? Or help you with the packing?"
"I'll leave by four and pick her up from the crèche on my way back. The rest is done. Just come and meet her, okay? We'll leave at 7."
"Ok didi."
"See you. Bye."
She quickly cut the call, not having any spare time to exchange pleasantries. She'd wanted to go and freshen up once before the meeting, but guess that would have to wait. Not that anything could've prepared her for seeing him again.

"Sam!!!!! Why weren't you there when I woke up?" Mia enveloped Samaira in a hug, and just like that, evaporating all her daylong stress.
"It was a mayday at work. I had to leave early. Sorry."
"I told Pavitra aayi that I'm going. She was upset."
"Of course, she would be honey. She's looked after you since you were little."
"I'm still little." Mia giggled in her ear.
"You'll always be little to me. My little princess."

As silence settled, Samaira couldn't help but brood over. Another section of her routine that she'll have to pluck out today. Another person she'd have to say goodbye to. But she won't forget her. Not in a lifetime. The gratitude she felt for Pavitra was immense. A typical Keralite, with her peculiar thick eyebrows and full blown lips on her rather brown skin, she'd not just been a nanny to Mia all those years but the one person who hadn't turned her back on them when their parents died. The one person, who took care of them when they had nothing to give in return, who till date had only pleasant words to say about their ma-pa.
And among all these adjustments and farewells, fate had now chosen to rub in her face bygones of her days auld lang syne. When she was just building back the blocks of her present, still reeling from the past turbulence, Samar decided to waltz in like a bulldozer, barging through and leaving her crumbling yet again.
"Sam! Your phone's beep-beep beeping."
I

t was a message from the office. Noticing her bank account had been credited with her salary, she breathed a sigh of relief. She quickly transferred half of it to Raj's account, not wanting to delay it any further.
"Baby, we're there. Say thank you to driver uncle."
Mia mumbled a response, stirring in a state of semi consciousness.
"Come, let's hurry. The faster we leave home, faster would you go to your new school."

As Mia snuggled deeper in her new princess bed hugging her new princess pillow, at her new princess school, she tried harder and harder to sleep. Inspite of how delighted she was to make new princess friends, she was still trying to acclimatize to the foreign environment.
Mommy used to say that a goodnight story is a promise of a goodnight sleep. She ripped open Sam's childhood toys to look for a nice fairy tale. Without having to dig any deeper she found what she was looking for.
In her hands stood all of Samaira's secrets and memories, as she held her diary. Not wasting any more time, she flipped it open eager to reveal another princess story written within.

14th Feb, 2008
Dear You,
I don't know how and when?
Was it when you punched my crush back in 9th grade for making fun of my specs and calling me an ugly four-eyed weirdo?
"Are you all blind? And stupid? Maira's eyes from far may seem like a simple yet breezy chocolate brown, enticing you to dissolve yourself in it's sweetness, but on going closer you'll realise they are the most extraordinary shade of caramel alluring to get lost in it's depths. And when the sun whispers on them? Oh God! They turn into a bright and brilliant topaz hue, rimmed with a touch of olive green, reflecting the inner gold beneath her. She's far from ugly. Infact She's the most beautiful girl I know. Inside out, you bunch of idiots!"
Even now, after so many years, when I look at myself in the mirror, your words find a way back, resonating in my mind. Reminding me how with one look you still manage to lay bare my soul. You hadn't just looked at me, but into me, bringing the words 'obscurum by obscurious' true to life.
Remember how you got picked on for the rest of the year as 'Romeo Boy- madly in love with me' , how I now wish, it was true!
Was it when we started sneaking out at midnights to go stargazing? And while you used to be busy absorbing the beguiling sight before your eyes, I used to breathe in that before mine; discovering the entire galaxy of stars by merely looking at you. At your narcotic grey orbs glistening with wonder, your ensnaring smile that could light up the whole town, at your dimple adorning your beauty.
Or was it today, when you ditched your probably seventh girlfriend of the semester to spend Valentine's with me, and I realised the only girl I want to see in your arms is nobody but me?
I don't know how and when Samar. I wish I knew.
But all I know is,
Crap, I'm in love with my bestfriend!
Love always,
Just a Friend.

This chapter is dedicated to sassynutella. Thank you, sugar. For being one of my first readers and supporting me all along.
Please vote and comment!