When life happens

The trio

Siri turned up at 7:30 am next day, but as Neha told her, "We expected 8 or later, so it's great."

(Siri always came late to class.)

As Siri was trying to think of a reply, Mr Das intervened, "I've explained your agenda to Neha. You two can take the metro to Eden, and no funny business, Neha."

"Of course not, sir," said Neha, shocked.

"Go now, and try to make a good first impression, not that I'm very optimistic about that. Siri, try to control her if she gets out of hand."

"Definitely," said Siri, delighted to be given an upper hand over her annoying partner.

Few minutes later, they were on the metro speeding to their destination.

"We can devote today to autograph collection," said Neha.

"Is that the agenda Prof Das gave you?" asked Siri severely.

"No, those were about some procedures and stuff. Like go and greet everyone and some paperworks," said Neha dismissively.

"What paperwork...?" Siri started to ask.

"Why are you bothered about those? Imagine...we are going to meet our national team in one hour. Imagine that and tell me if you still care about those stupid procedures!"

Siri tried to imagine that, but she couldn't even imagine that something this wonderful could be possible. 

"You aren't even excited," said Neha. "You don't see this as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity at all!"

"Do you know, Neha," said Siri. "When a person is really happy, or sad, or excited, she doesn't announce it to the whole world. She thinks about it quietly."

"Are you implying that I'm not really excited?" demanded Neha, her voice rising.

"Of course I am," said Siri, totally unfazed. "Because weren't you implying I'm not excited?"

"Point," Neha admitted.

As they reached closer and closer to Eden, Neha's vocal excitement reached a fever peak, and Siri gave up trying to extract any sensible word from her at all, so she tried to pretend to the rest of the people in their compartment that she wasn't travelling with this mad girl.

When they alighted, Siri heaved a sigh of relief, which swiftly disappeared as Neha, after jumping down the escalators, stepped on a protruding bar of iron on the platform and yelled loudly.

"This is a public place, you fool," hissed Siri.

"I know, but what can I do when this weird thing is stuck inside my foot," demanded Neha.

Siri bent down and saw that the bar had actually pierced through her slippers into her foot, and Neha was groaning so realistically that Siri was quite scared.

"Do something, Siri, don't just stand there like an idiot!" said Neha.

"What do you expect me to do? I'm not a doctor!" said Siri.

"What happened to her?" asked a voice beside them.

They looked up and saw a girl about their age, clearly having got down from the same metro.

"She put an iron wire or something through her foot," said Siri in disgust.

"I didn't put it through my foot!"

The unknown girl pushed Siri aside and bent down and yanked the wire out in one swift motion, and Neha started to howl at the top of her voice,  but Siri, who had been prepared, covered her mouth just in time.