Finding Him and Me

Chapter 32 - The US Group Meet Up

For two hours until noon we talk about random things, exchange different stories, share peals of laughter and get cozy and cuddly on Tara's bed. Its a king size bed unlike my queen size, and the three of us can fit easily with extra pillows.

Noor is going to Dalhousie for a week and staying in a farmhouse whereas Tara is going to Dubai towards new years. Tara recently heard about her cousin grandmother's son's son, aka her crush. He stays in Dallas and she her eyes turn into literal hearts when she talks about him. It's a different story that she always refers to him as an asshole, even though he is nothing of the sort, but its really really cute.

Her entire huge ass family is planning a trip to Goa in the summer and Tara is definitely imagining him walking out of the beach in pink shorts. Aw aw awwww.

At 12 we decide to order pizza, because I'm a vegetarian, but her Mom made kheer for dessert, so I can eat that. When Tara goes downstairs to receive the delivery, Noor and I steal her phone.

"What's the password? Last time it was 2004." Noor laughs.

"Something stupid for sure." I snort trying 0000.

It unlocks. Oh my god.

"Dude she's mad. Why does she even have a password?" We both start howling with laughter and fall back on the bed.

"Okay, okay, open the gallery quickly!!!" I gasp.

Noor opens the video album and clicks the last one.

"Hey guys, this is Bramty and welcome to my youtube channel Bramfams! Today we're going to buy furniture because I'm tired of seeing my house look like a junkyard. Like I can't stand it. So me, my mom and Penelope are going o get stuff to organise and make my house pretty!
Now Penelope, I don't want you to jump on the beds, on the couches or tables otherwise Santa isn't going to get you any gifts for Christmas. Do you understand ? Will you be a good girl. Yes my baby girl, Yes!" Noor and I flip and the phone falls off the bed and hits the floor as tears of joy roll down our cheeks.

The two of us have never seen this version of Tara, with full on expression and attitude. Its bloody hilarious to say the very least, especially when she goes all out saying, "Yes my baby girl, Yes!" It's fucking mad.

"Guys, I got six cans of coke, because I'm such a nice friend." I hear Tara from outside her room, in a sing song voice. "Does anyone want chips now?" She asks from the outside door.

Noor springs into action immediately and screams, "Yes! I want chips now," she rushes to the door and yanks the pizza cartons from her hand. "I want it now, go get it quickly." She tells her.

"Um okay whatever." Tara mumbles taken aback.

Meanwhile, I lie curled up in a miserable little ball on the bed. Unable to move.

Sadly, Noor only grips one pizza box and the other pizza, garlic breads, chocolate lava cake, six fucking cans of coke and a chinese take out box fall down with a string of smashing noises. I lose my god damn shit.

"Alia, stop laughing like Bertha Mason and help me!" Noor cries out scrambling to pick up everything. I slide off the bed and hide my face in my hands.

"These oregano sachets are the worst. There are like 678 packets. Fuck. Tara's mom will kill me if I get anything on the polished wood. Fuck." Noor says stressed and agitated. Cute.

I help her pick up the boxes and lay it neatly in a line on the study table. Just as we finish, Tara walks in with a 500 gram packet of hot chips. Is she feeding everyone on Noah's ark or what? She tosses it to Noor and for a second everything is still. Tara slowly turns her head and listens. She slowly opens her mouth in shock and demands with her scary big eyes. "Where the fuck is my phone?"

Noor and I burst out laughing again.

"Oh my god, I hate youuuuu." She fumbles to pause the video that was still unfortunately for her, playing and locks the screen. "How can you do this! I'm changing my password right now!" She's definitely pissed as shit at us, but she her lips twitch and her face cracks into a smile.

Noor and I hug her from either side.

"I hate you." Tara whispers.

"Love you too." Noor and I laugh.

Tara switches on the AC and draws the curtains, while I arrange small bed tables and pillows for us to sit and eat. Tara is the middle, me on the right and Noor on the left, and lay the food accordingly. Noor switches on the TV and sets the first episode of Strangers Things on Netflix.

"Tara, I want that Kinder chocolate." I tell her.

"Okay. And also, you don't have to hide the coke cans behind the pillow, I know you love it." She giggles.

"Guys, I'm starting the show." Noor announces and we all fall silent. Cuddly and warm, eating and drinking. This is us. The US group.

By 3 we finish the first three episodes and order ice cream from Corner house and make some tea for me. Yes, we eat a fucking lot. Tara and Noor want coffee and we walk to my Mom's cafe Enerjuvate that's a few minutes from Tara's home. Enerjuvate has a small Flying Squirrel Coffee counter, which is simply the best. After picking that up, we walk back and do a small and very very cringeworthy photo session. It's for memory's sake. One nice picture for every meet up.

Memories, you see are very precious. Because, god forbid but there will be times when the three of us fall apart. Ups and downs are a part of our friendship. The wild fights and shy make-ups, the 'you fucking bitch troll' and the 'I can't live without you' moments, they are all one package. And these pictures are a sign of all the immensely happy moments, when we share the most highly priced feeling of joy, belonging and love.

After sometime, Noor connects her phone to the Bluetooth speakers and blasts Majimakcheoreom (As if it's your last) by Blackpink, and we start dancing. Noor has practiced the choreography a hundred times and she remembers the lyrics and steps by heart. I'm pretty bad at it, but I manage the chorus step looking a little clowny and Tara simply watches the show and takes a video. We play lots of fun songs and dance around. More accurately, we clown around and dance a little.

That day, in Tara's little room, we made a million memories, right from her crush's pink shorts, to the video, to the dance, the kinder chocolate wrappers, finding Dustin cute and picking up oregano sachets with Noor.

We chatted for a little while until 5 over some raw mango slices and ice cream. This time about tenth grade. It was scary, because the one thing we were told to fear and really work our asses off for was finally going to hit us. We had some brief clue of what shape we'd like our future to take, but it wasn't something we were looking forward to. However, I think, together, we could get past it.

Noor and I decide to leave around 6. We meet Tara's grandmother, who gives us a little gift and her aunt. Then we say bye to her mom and little cousins. I change into my ballet clothes before leaving and hug Tara tightly. "I'll miss you so much. Talk soon, love you babe."

"Love you too, bye." She hugs me back.

I get into the car with Noor and drop her home. I then head to Ali Askar Road, for another ballet rehearsal.

***********

Here's to all the best friends in the world! Lots of love and wishes.

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