OK, This is way shorter than the previous part. You can skip the first chapter if you wish, but read the first part of the second chapter in order to understand this. And please please review this!
Chapter 2....The picnic (contd.)
“Isn’t it better? Just the three of us,” Aanam said aloud to no one in particular.
“Yeah,” I had to agree as I plucked a leaf from the tree we were sitting on.
“Stop that!” Aanam slapped my hand, lightly with an angry look fladhing in those round, sparkling eyes. As she did so, the leave fell off my hands and on to the soft grass that was matted on the ground.
“Why? Roma said so?” I asked with that thought of irony burning in my mind.
“Oh yes! You should always listen to Roma. You know, she’s the best,” Leandra remarked sarcastically. “So, Aanam, you also planning to cover up the front part of your car in aluminium foil because she does?”
I burst into laughter but avoided Aanam’s gaze. Even though, I couldn’t see her, I knew she was angry as hell.
Roma was Shabeen’s favourite teacher and mentor. She had short hair and sparkling eyes, with the warmest smile of all. She was pretty, no doubt, but it was annoying when Aanam tried to do and say everything like her. For example Aanam’s smile! Aanam’s never-ending smile was definitely inspired from Roma. Roma was a value education teacher and like most of val.ed teachers, she was a nature freak. Always organising treks and camps to provide awareness about the nature, but at least her trips were packed with activities and wouldn’t end us up on trees talking non sense.
“They’re not aluminium foils!” Aanam snapped. “Its for some radiator stuff. I don’t expect you guys to understand.”
Yeah, because Aanam didn’t understand it herself. Anyway, if Roma was so environment friendly, why on earth was she using a car? Couldn’t she use a bicycle or something that creates less pollution instead? I thought it but I didn’t dare to say it for Aanam was clearly annoyed by our sarcasm
“Anyways, she’s the best teacher in school, ok?” She continued “At least she doesn’t have a problem with us like the rest.”
“Being in this school all my life, I don’t really believe that a creature called ‘best teacher’ exists.”
“Yeah,” Leandra agreed. “Did you guys hear what that Veronica said?”
Veronica was the teacher who had made the comment about us.
“I know! I mean, what is her problem that we don’t want to play dumb charades. It is a dumb game anyway,” I said, this time tearing away the leaves more furiously.
“Listen, I think the problem is that the three of us are always together,” Aanam bit her lip and shuffled uncomfortably, which wasn’t a surprise because she was sitting on the weak branch of a tree. “Teachers kinda think it’s bad.”
“What? We can’t pick our friends now? And who gave them the right to judge anyway?” I was disgusted at the thought.
“Its like, we are friends. Really good ones. That makes them think we don’t include others, we aren’t friendly, you know,” Aanam explained.
“Well, I am choosy and I don’t choose the others as my friends,” Leandra spoke up, looking towards the girls far away.
“Yeah! You people are the only ones I can talk freely to and enjoy my time. And its not like I am with you’ll 24/7. It’s only recess, lunch and weekends. The rest of the time we are in classes,” Aanam sounded like she was standing for elections.
“And even when I am in my class,” Leandra continued “I have other friends.”
When Leandra said this, I felt a guilt pang. I slowly opened my mouth “You know, I don’t have friends in my class.”
“What do you mean?” Aanam asked like she didn’t understand English.
“I mean without you guys, I am a loner.”
“You know, that isn’t true,” Leandra tried to comfort me. “Till you have us, you’ll never be alone.”
I smiled at those words. Leandra always knew what to say.
“Anyways, who wants this depressing talk,” Leandra hated pep talks. “Anyone for polo?”
I nodded, so did Aanam. We definitely needed something sweet in our bitter lives.
All in all, the rest of the trip was dull. Every minute was spent in pure agony and boredom.
