July of 2016

Agra, Uttar Pradesh, India

Prisha took a transfer. Her mom and dad went back to the home after helping her arrange her hostel room.

"Oh god, the day was too tiresome." Prisha stretched her arms and back. Sat on the bed and looked around.

There was another bed opposite to hers, cupboards in the middle, and study tables just beside their beds.

She lay on the bed and looked up at the fan spinning slowly above her. The room was quiet. She could hear the sound of the fan and the tick-tick of the clock. She took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Then she closed her eyes. She was not trying to sleep. She just wanted to rest her body.

After taking a rest, she stood up, and her stomach growled. She checked her belongings, and she found out there were no snacks.

"Oh no, I think Mumma forgot about snacks. Now what should I do? Let me ask the warden if she will let me go out." Prisha mumbled, standing there. One hand on her head and one on her waist.

She took the purse and her ID card and went to the hostel warden.

"Ma'am, I have to go out to buy something. Can I go?" Prisha said hesitantly,

"Ok, you can, but you know the rules, right? Must come back before 7 pm. And yes, your mobile number. Have you given it to the office of the hostel? And yes, one more thing: bring your ID card everywhere. And listen, what's your name, by the way?" The warden said with a cold voice,

"Prisha," Prisha said in a low voice, showing her ID card.

"So, Prisha, Remember all the rules, ok? Or you will get a punishment." The warden said,

Prisha nodded her head, and she went out.

As she stepped outside of the hostel, she looked around. She didn't see any shops there.

Where is the market? Even the mall is ok for snacks.

She was mumbling, and she thought of asking someone. Looking at the security guard, she went to him.

"Uncle, where can I find a shop? I want to buy some snacks."

The security guard looked at her.

"Can you first show me your ID card?"

"Here." Prisha took it out from her pocket.

Seeing it, the security guard nodded, and he started explaining the path to her. Prisha was understanding nothing but still nodding her head.

"So, you understood? It's not that far. It's just one and a half kilometers away.

Prisha smiled awkwardly and nodded her head.

"Thank you." She said and started walking.

She walked a little, and she felt she was forgetting the directions. The security guard said it's straight, but she was not seeing any mall even after walking for 20 minutes. She sighed. Walked for just two more minutes and then looked around. Her gaze fell on a mall just across the road. She happily ran there, crossing the road. After entering the mall, she started putting snacks in the trolley.

She was wearing a crop top and pajamas. Hair tucked in the ponytail, which was swinging as she moved. She was happily putting the packets in the trolley. Her trolley was half filled with snacks.

She saw the Maggi counter, and her steps slowed. The mall was not crowded at this hour, so she walked at her own pace. Standing in front of the Maggi packets, she looked at them carefully. She even took a few steps backward, still staring at the shelves, trying to find a big packet, but it was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly, she bumped into someone. The person quickly held her by the side so she wouldn't fall. His hand touched her waist, and it felt cold. She was surprised and turned around at once. A boy was standing behind her, looking straight into her eyes. Unlike her, he did not look startled at all.

"Girl, watch where you are going." He moved his hand.

He crossed past her and walked toward the counter. She stayed frozen for a moment, murmuring a quiet "sorry." He picked up one packet of Maggi from the shelf, and she watched him move, still holding her own packet. After paying at the counter, she stepped outside the mall, her arms full of a big bag stuffed with snacks. She couldn't stop smiling at all the snacks she had collected.

"I think I bought a lot." She said, looking at the bag, and started walking.

She was going back to the hostel, and then she heard a voice from the side alley. It was like someone was fighting.

"Wow, someone is fighting. I think I have to go and watch the scene." She slowly turned on her heels and went to the place from where she heard voices handling the bag.

"But please, I am sorry for what I did. Now I want you to stay with me, FOREVER!!!" When she heard the voice, she felt like she knew this voice. She slowly went toward that alley and saw two people were bickering over something. There was no one else except them. It looked like it was the quiet part of the area. Even if the mall is closer. She still hasn't seen their faces completely, but she can hear them clearly. She thought about something, and she hid behind the wall and was trying to see who they were. She felt her voice was known.

Even she didn't know why she hid, but it was feeling cool to her. Hiding behind the wall and watching people bickering. She slowly heard their talk.

There was a female and a male standing opposite each other. A female was hiding her face with her hand. She doesn't know why, but still her voice was kind of familiar to her. Her clothes were looking kind of expensive.

She wasn't sure why she stopped. Maybe it was boredom or the thrill of being somewhere she wasn't supposed to be. She knew that voice from somewhere.

Where did I hear this voice? Maybe school? A guest speaker? A YouTube video?

She couldn't place it, but it was tugging at her memory.

"I told you. I am done. It was never what you thought it was. Please... just leave me alone. I don't want to go back with you." That boy said. She still hasn't seen their faces.

There was a tremble in the girl's voice, a mix of anger and something else, maybe regret. The boy's voice, though low, carried an edge Prisha couldn't ignore.

Prisha felt so bad for that girl. Suddenly that girl removed her hand from her face, and Prisha saw her face. She couldn't believe her eyes. She rubbed her eyes twice before coming to any conclusion.

That girl held that boy by the shoulder.

"Why are you doing this to me? I am really sorry. Please understand my feelings."

He jerked off her hands and turned.

As he turned, Prisha hid immediately.

What? Ka... Kanika Vaidya? I mean, what the hell did I just witness? I think I should give them a little space. I should go.

Prisha thought and turned, forgetting about her bag, which was kept between her legs; it tangled up, and she fell down with her bag.

"Who is there?" She heard that voice. The male voice.

She tried to get up, but because she was tripped and her legs were crossed, she couldn't stand up quickly, and she saw that person coming towards her.

"Oh god, Prisha, what you did." She mumbled and stood up, and as she tried to run away, that person came and stood in front of her. Her head was down because of guilt.

"You? Again?" He spoke, but she couldn't take the courage to look straight.

Prisha held her bag tightly and tried to run away, but he held the bag as well and stopped her from going, which made her bag fall on the ground.

"What did you hear?" He said.

There was no anger in his voice; it was calm. She can feel his eyes piercing her, but still she took courage and looked straight in his eyes. She also remembered he is the one whom she met in the mall.

She felt there was softness in his eyes; she expected anger. When she felt he was not angry, she slowly said to him, "I didn't hear anything. I am going bye-bye."

As she took one step further, she heard his voice: "Do you think there is written 'a fool' on my head? Just stop right there." He said.

This time his voice was a little demanding. Prisha stopped right there, looking down.

"Who are you?" he asked.

His gaze fell on the ID card she was carrying with her, and he noticed the belt with her school's name on it.

A cheeky smile appeared on his face.

"Listen to me, whatever you saw or heard, you must not tell anyone." He said, crossing his arms and controlling his facial emotions.

"Oh, okay, I won't," Prisha said, looking at the ground. She rubbed her toes against her slippers nervously.

"Are you even listening to me? Look at me and tell me that you won't tell anyone, or," he stopped.

She looked at him. He was looking a little confused.

"Listen, I am not interested in telling your secrets. I don't even know you, so don't worry, I won't tell anyone about this."

"Ohh, courage. Hmm, ok. You are lucky that I don't hold grudges. I just don't like people to yap here and there about my secret life. That's all. You can go." He moved aside, but suddenly he went towards her and held her by her shoulder, and without her permission, he clicked a selfie.

"Hey, why did you do that? Delete that right now." She put her bag aside and tried to take his phone from his hands. He stood up with a raised hand with a mobile. He understood that she can't reach. He was just looking at her, trying to take that mobile phone.

Within a few minutes she got tired and stopped trying.

"Listen, you can't click a picture like that. Delete it right now."

"Why are you jumping like a rabbit? This picture is just for a memory. You know a peaceful memory. And I can click as you invaded my privacy. I need proof, right? So, Miss Rabbit, I have to go now,,,, or,,,, whatever. I am just going. Bye. I hope to see you soon." He said and winked at her.

Prisha's jaw dropped at this act. She wanted to take his mobile and delete that photo, but she saw his ID card hanging out from his pocket. Before she could say something, he left.

"Is he crazy or something? Whatever, whenever I meet him again, I will make sure to delete that photo. He is in the same school; I am sure I will find him out." Prisha mumbled and hit the ground.

She went back to her hostel room. When she went to her room, she saw one girl sitting on the other bed. Her clothes were dispersed on her bed. I assumed that she might be unpacking.

"Hello, are you my roommate?" Prisha asked her.

That girl looked at Prisha and gave her a soft smile.

"Hello, yes, I am your roommate. I am Isha, and you?"

"Isha? I am Prisha." When Prisha heard her name, a big smile came upon her face. Their names have a difference of just two alphabets.

"Prisha? Wow, what a coincidence! Our names are almost similar." She said, folding her clothes.

"Are you also in 11th?" Prisha asked her with curiosity.

"No, I am in 12th." She said,

"Oh, I am in 11th." Prisha said while going inside.

"Ohh, hi, Junior." She said, and she patted on her bed, signing her to sit there. She went there and sat with her. Helping her fold clothes.

"Arey, you don't need to do this. You just sit here. We will talk, and I will do this so it will be arranged shortly. And these are not much." She said,

"But,"

"No but,"

Isha held her hand and made her sit on the bed.

"Sit here and just tell me about you."

"Ok," Prisha said, and she started talking.

After a moment, as she admired how neatly she had arranged her clothes, her eyes landed on a beautiful crop top.

"Didi, this is so pretty." Prisha said, showing her that crop top.

"You liked this?" Isha smiled, putting a book in her bag. "I will give you this to wear someday." She said, looking at that crop top.

"Really, Didi, will you? Thank you so much." Prisha said and hugged her. She patted her head like an elder sister.

Prisha didn't know that just after entering the hostel, she would find an elder sister.

Suddenly, a growl from Prisha's stomach interrupted the moment. She shyly broke the hug and went back to her bed.