27th August 2017

P R E E T I

The morning fog was thicker than usual and I was unable to swallow the lump in my throat as I sat on the floor of my room which was devoid of any furniture and most importantly, happiness. It looked dull or maybe it was just a reflection of my sadness. I heard my mom call me from downstairs, "Preeti! The Uber will arrive in 5 minutes! Get ready!". "Okay mum", I replied but my answer was barely audible, even to my own ears. I sluggishly walked towards the door of my room and looking at it, one last time, closed the door. I slowly walked across the hallway and closed all the doors one by one. Memories flashed before my eyes-the jokes I cracked with mom and dad, how we played games together and the countless sleepovers with my friends. Friends. The people I'll miss the most, especially Aisha and Abhinav. God, I feel like wailing like a baby and insisting on staying here rather than going somewhere else.

It was so peaceful in Kolkata aside from the songs being played on loudspeakers on festive occasions or the arguments of our neighbours. In Paris, I already knew I would be plunged into the world of the paparazzi following my every move as I happen to be the daughter of one of the famous designers in France. I wasn't ready. I wasn't ready for everyone's eyes turning in my direction whenever I walked into a public place, whether it was for getting some fresh air or spending time with friends. But I never got the chance to voice my thoughts at the dinner table just because nobody asked my opinion on this matter. How I wish my parents would have asked me before making all the arrangements but who was I to judge them. Maybe they thought it would be a nice change of environment. Yes, I would be able to spend more family time with both my parents but I just wished that I was brought up in Paris itself if Dad couldn't shift to Kolkata.

The sound of the cab arriving brought me out of my thoughts and, I rushed downstairs, dragged my suitcase behind me and left the entrance door open for mom to lock. Our gardener was here who had promised to look after the plants in our small little garden, out of his affection for nature. Abhi stood near the cab. He looked like he was about to cry for the first time in years. I immediately gave him a bear hug as both our tears betrayed us and spilt over our cheeks. I turned around to see Aisha standing with her head resting against the wall, a common habit whenever she was anxious or angry or was on the verge of crying. Utkarsh tapped her shoulder, signalling that I had arrived and she turned around to show her face- a pink nose, puffy red eyes and tinted cheeks. Without uttering any words, we both wrapped our hands around each other and sobbed on each other's shoulders. I knew she was keeping it all in till this very day. Aisha tried to show that she was okay and cool about me moving to Paris but, I've been her best friend ever since kindergarten so, I knew it was all a façade. We finally looked each other, eye to eye and, she was the first one to speak, "P-Promise me you'll text me every day a-and video chat with me on Saturdays or Sundays." I simply nodded and rubbed my nose on the sleeve of my dress.

"Also, I better be the first one to know who you became friends with and if you finally started crushing on a guy or a girl, not that I will judge or if you finally have a b-boyfriend or girlfriend. O-Okay?", Aisha said in between sniffles.

"Yes. Even though the latter would probably count under Mission Impossible...", I said and let out a laugh.

"Yeah right. Like you're not pretty and smart and rich as hell."

"Whatever you say." We hugged each other one last time and, I went on to talk to Utkarsh and Swastika as well. "Where's Abhishek?", I asked noticing that he wasn't around.

"I don't know. He did say he'd come", Aisha said looking around.

"Honey! We have to leave! It's time to pick up the Couffaines!", Mom shouted and, I bade my friends one last goodbye cause we might probably not see each other for another four years or so.

"Until next time", I said with a wink and a smile and opened the cab door. However, a familiar voice calling out my name made me freeze in my actions. The owner of the voice ran up to me and placed a tiny little box in my hand. "Open it", he said in between heavy breaths as he tried to catch up on the deficiency of oxygen in his body from the run. I opened the box to find a friendship bracelet, almost identical to the red one I gave him on friendship day but this one, was pink.

"I stayed up all night to make it look as perfect as you made it and fell asleep by mistake so I woke up pretty late. Sor-", I cut him off and engulfed him in a hug saying that it was okay and glad that he made it on time. "I love this, really", I said and he smiled back in return. Abhishek held the door open for me as I got in and seated myself properly. He closed the door and stood back waving goodbye along with the others as the driver started the car.

"WE'LL GO A LONG WAY,

WITHOUT YOU MY FRIEND,

AND WE'LL TELL YOU ALL ABOUT IT WHEN WE SEE YOU AGAIN!

WHEN WE SEE YOU AGAIN!"

The song that they sang together melted my heart and made me cry again, but in happiness this time because I knew that they wouldn't forget me no matter how much time passes until we meet again. The car turned around the corner and I waved at my friends who waved back until they disappeared from my eyesight. I could see even the driver smiling through the rearview mirror. My mother gave me a comforting smile as I wiped away the tears on my face with my handkerchief.

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The air hostesses rushed from one end of the plane to the other as the aeroplane started to make its way to the runway. I looked through the window at the Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport and sighed. I was going to miss this city so much. I felt a hand rest on my shoulder and looked to my side regretting it instantly as black eyes gazed into the calming blue ones. We were transfixed for a second until a flight attendant interrupted us by telling Luka to wear his seatbelt. I looked down at my pink slippers.

"Hey, do you mind if I sit cross-legged on the seat?", I asked Luka as he pulled out a magazine from the back pocket of the seat in front of him.

"Sure! I don't mind."

Why does he have to be so sweet?

I pulled my legs closer to avoid cramps and was careful about not letting them bump into Luka. However, I saw him keep his magazine on the seat beside him (the flight attendant also told us it would be empty for this flight), pushed the armrest back and opened his shoes to sit like me as well. I laughed at the copycat and he gave me a dorky grin in return.

Honestly, I was confused as to why mom let me sit beside him cause as far as I remember, she never let me spend time with any boy other than Abhinav who was accompanied by Aisha all the time. I peered at my mom, who sat right in front of me, through the gaps in between the seats and saw her happily chatting away with Ms Couffaine.

I sat back in my seat and stole some glances at Luka when he was submerged in his magazine. It was the air of calmness that he carried around, which had first attracted me to him. And his eyes always changed forms like the sea. Sometimes the sea was calm, sometimes it was stormy when he was irritated or sparkling when he laughed wholeheartedly. I knew I had a crush on him but was not ready yet to admit it to anyone cause I thought it would be weird. It had been only two weeks since I met this guy (even if it felt like we'd met each other before) and, already starting to like him romantically, seemed insane. But maybe it wasn't a crush as I never did have any experience in that department. Maybe, it was just a friendly attraction I felt towards him or perhaps I was as confused as Ron was when he started to look at Hermione differently without even realizing it. Suddenly I recall the lines I had heard or read somewhere before:

"Love has so many different forms that one is bound to get confused when they try to categorize their love for someone who doesn't share their blood."

True. There are so many forms of love: self-love, friendly love, familial love, sibling love and romantic love. That is why love is often said to be perplexing. I look at Luka and try to compare my feelings towards him and my feelings for my friends. It was different, I must say so, I needed more time to be sure if I had a crush on him or if he was just a friend.

The flight attendants finished their briefing quickly, strapped themselves in their seats and, the flight took off. I looked out the window at the sun shining on the City of Joy. The memory of my friends singing for me when I was about to leave came forward, again and, I whispered to that beautiful memory, "I'll miss you a lot".

"I'll miss the food."

"That was something I said to myself Couffaine so perhaps you should respect my privacy", I said glaring at the blue-eyed boy but he simply handed out one of his earplugs to me, changing the topic, "This is one of my favourite playlists which I hate to enjoy only to myself so will you give me some company?".

"Sure!", I said without giving it any second thoughts. I adjusted the blue coloured plug in my ear and listened to the slow, calming songs.

And surprisingly, the songs were centred around different forms of only one thing... love.

T H E   E N D