LOVE

Most of my friends know me as someone who loves to write so they like to test my skills by posing certain questions. One such friend recently asked me to describe love to her. I told her I'd write it for her.

So, what is love?

Love is the feeling of being understood for what you are, accepted for who you are. When you can be yourself around the person, when you can feel yourself being lifted off the ground, when the shackles you've surrounded yourself with are broken, all this happening without your knowledge; that is love.

And many a times, we find love in the most unexpected situations. The people we often run away from can provide us the welcome we anticipate. But do we realize this at the right time? Often we don't. Because we are so busy looking at the wrong people and expecting love from the wrong sources. Look around you, look within you. You're surrounded by love, you only need to open your eyes and learn to embrace it.

And for the lucky ones who do find the love they crave from the very people they seek, a small advice.
If you love someone, love them to the moon and back. Or don't at all. Because if it isn't extreme, it isn't worth anything. Love that doesn't make you want to reach for the stars is not love. Love that helps you grow, and grows with you, is true.
Love needn't make you forget the world, it only has to remind you of itself when you're with the world.
Love is simple, like a drop of rain. But for a soul that's been wandering in the desert, the very drop of rain is a ray of hope. And that is exactly what love is - a ray of hope.

Kellogg's Chocos ke saath 'Khuljaye Bachpan'

Family is the first kind of human interaction a child has. So when his family becomes his/her closest buddies, the kid will definitely learn how to respect relationships. A loving family, a well meaning parent can change a kid's life drastically. It all comes down to how a kid is with his family or close ones, that defines his future.

I'm a single child and both my parents work. There hasn't been a single person who I've met who wasn't concerned about me for being a single kid. 'You must feel so lonely,' 'how do you manage not getting bored,' 'you have to learn how to share with others,' ; people are ever ready with their remarks. But to be honest, I've never had to feel lonely or like I need someone else to play with. Not once have my parents made me feel any more pampered than a child deserves. And so, I've never felt the so called void in my life, the absence of a sibling or a playmate.

My mother was and still is my best friend, I see myself going to her no matter what the situation is. I feel at ease with my father when I need to ask him for anything. They are more like friends and less like parents, to be honest.

This closeness has helped me over years when I wanted to make new friends. And at times when I couldn't make friends or did not like the people around me, I was still fine because I knew I had my parents to go home to.

This kind of an environment helps us to deal with every kind of situations, we almost always know how an elder person's mind works because we know our parents well.

My mother was my first teacher (she's actually a teacher) and I learnt to respect teachers from a very young age, thanks to her. My dad helped a great deal in boosting my self confidence, as he still does. He is and will always be my first hero. This kind of an attachment leads to many happy moments and leaves no place for loneliness. And for a single kid to not know the meaning of loneliness, that's a huge thing.

To note down a few moments, when I was about five or six, I could barely spell the names of my friends. But my mom helped me with the spellings and when I crosschecked the names, they'd be always be right. I was too naive to understand that grown ups could spell better, it was simply magical for me. My mom did play the joke on me for a quite a while before she spilled the beans and taught me how to spell. Now, I find my mom coming to me when she comes across a new word, instead of referring a dictionary.

My mother helped me start writing by encouraging me to keep a journal. She literally helped me in finding my talent. She taught me how to play cards, in return to which I taught her to play solitaire on the computer.

And my dad, he is the one who got me to read, especially mysteries and thrillers. He'd read to me when I was little, even when I barely understood the stories, thus seeding in me the love for reading. And I introduced my dad to the world of classics.

When I look back on those days, I find my parents with me in every phase. I realise that they were everything I wanted - parents, caretakers, friends, teachers. So I've to be thankful to my parents for the wonderful memories, for being such great parents and for all the love they've showered on me.

https://www.facebook.com/mychocos

It has been widely agreed on that dogs make great companions, that they make every moment worth living. I only happened to realise this truth when I got myself a dog. It's so rare for me to acknowledge the fact that my dog is a dog that many of my friends, of course the ones without dogs, find it funny. Truth be told, for me, my dog is so much more than just a pet. He has changed me in ways that were unfathomable, even for my mother. A wave of patience, compassion and love was introduced into my life with the advent of the tiny ball of fur.
Yes, he was really very tiny. All black, furry and very funny looking. I swear I was scared out of my wits when he wriggled out of the box he was brought in because he looked nothing like a pup. But then again, I had never actually seen a pup that young. (He was barely 20 days old when we brought him home.)
It took me a whole hour to get used to his ever so light shivering and the almost audible chattering of his teeth. He was in no way what I would call cute. But I started taking a liking for the little guy, after all it was due to my constant nagging that dad had agreed on getting a dog.
I wanted to name my dog Cookie. But one look at the little shivering ball of fur, I decided to call him Lucky.
My parents were relieved when they saw how quiet and soft the pup was, they had no idea what they were in for... until that night.
As the evening turned to night, we put little Lucky in a cardboard box and placed it in the patio. We had decided to get him a cage of his own (to sleep in when he wanted, of course) sometime later. At around midnight, we were woken up by this little howling noise we weren't accustomed to. Quickly flicking on the lights, we found that the little pup had somehow climbed out of the box. He was exploring the living room, howling at the walls, searching for his mother/his siblings. I felt a knot in my stomach watching the little being searching helplessly for his family that he'd never see again. That was when I promised myself to look after him, to give him all the love he deserved and to make him feel home. And that is exactly what we all did.
We never see him as a pet, he's more like an adopted (and a very spoiled) kid of our family.
I still remember his first day around our place. The way he stuttered around, marking everything as his territory, his first bark which was more like a little cough, the way he gobbled up the puppy food like he hadn't eaten in ages. Everything about that day feels so real, so fresh although it is over three years since then.
I would carry him around on my palm and he would whimper and dig into the skin on my hand whenever he felt cold. He was so warm, so tiny, so vulnerable - anything but cute. And yet, he had stolen my heart away. And I knew I'd never love anyone again as much as I love him, and it still stands true as it always will.
The little pup grew up, every passing day he'd baffle us with a new stunt, with a new headache. The time when he got his front paw twisted in a cloth and I had felt my heart reach my throat and he was so scared we were sure he'd learn a lesson from. Yet the mischievous glint in his eyes kept glowing ablaze and we sure knew we were going to have our hands full with him.
Many collar belts and leashes were bought that he miraculously got out of and dashed out of the gates, so many angry moments spent where I'd shout at him for running away in spite of all the care, nothing seemed to go into his thick skull. He seemed to be more interested in the streets than in being with us and that really broke my heart. By then, he had become even lesser of a pet and more of a best friend, a confidant.
Apart from the running away from home episodes, there was not one thing you could scold him for. He was a well behaved kid from the very first day.
As he grew up into an adult, as if he started realising how much he matters to us, he stopped trying to escape. He understood what role he played for us, he realised how much everyone cares for him. Our entire extension knows Lucky but not me. And trust me, he's not even that friendly. He still barks at all the neighbours when they come home, who he funnily happens to like being fed by.
At this point of time, I'm so used to having him around that I miss his oh-so-doggy smell when I leave for the hostel. I miss his greeting me in the mornings, his tail wagging, his notorious face, the incessant barking... everything about the boy when I'm away from him.
I can never love anyone as much as I love him because he stole my heart (probably gobbled it up, even) exactly thirty nine months ago and I'm not sure I want my now drooled on heart back.
All this was jotted while watching the handsome lad do rolls on the floor, trying to get my mother's attention. I swear you don't need any other sort of entertainment when you have him around, he's all the entertainment you'd ever need. If dogs are angels, Lucky is my angel with golden wings. 

His & Her Story

She looked up at the guy beside her. There he was, smiling at her like she meant everything to him. Holding her by her waist, he was walking beside her. She hadn't once asked where they were heading to, she didn't care about anything as long as he was beside her. It had been a year since the day he had asked her out and still she could feel herself blush every time he took her name.

"Hey?"
She realised she had been looking up at him for too long. She smiled a shy smile and placed her head against his shoulder. She was in love with everything about him; the way he walked, the way he smiled, the way he spoke her name. Everything.

As if he sensed her feelings, he pulled her closer to him and planted a kiss on her head.
"I love the smell of your hair," he murmured into her hair.
"I love everything about you," she said, still smiling.

She knew he was waiting to say something, she could sense the nervous energy in his gait. She stole a glance at him and realised he wasn't looking at her anymore, his eyes were stuck on something else. She saw that he was looking up at the sky.

"What is it that you want to say?" She spoke in a hushed tone.
"Look at that star there," he gestured toward the sky. "The brightest one, over there."
She followed his gaze and found the star he was pointing at.
"Yes?"
"That is the polar star. The brightest one. It guides people, you know." He looked down at her, and smiled. "It reminds me of you."
She blushed a deeper red. The clouds had hovered over the moon and the night was dark, but he could still see her clearly.

He held her by her shoulders and turned her to face him. She looked up at him, right in the eyes, and smiled. By the way she looked at him, he knew how much he meant to her. Her love for him was obvious, like his love for her was.
He bent down to kiss her on the cheek.
"You make me so happy," he spoke against her cheek.
"You're my happiness," she said, with a smile.

He held her face in his hands for a moment and looked in her eyes. They were them shining in the dark, like the stars in the sky. The very eyes he loved so much, the very eyes that conveyed her love for him when she found it hard to speak out.

When they looked up at the sky, the moon had come out of the clouds and everything was brighter under the moonlight. He put his arms around her again, pulled her closer and beamed at her.
"I love you so much," he whispered.
"I love you much more," she whispered back to him.

A new year day out.

Last year, year 2013, on New Year's eve I received a text, reminding me about the meet up we had decided on. My high school friends had decided to meet up for a New Year's day out. I was excited, by the thought of getting to see all my high school girlfriends after so long. It had been almost two years since I had seen them.

People get busy after high school, what with all the new exposure the college life tends to give us. I got busy and so had they. Not many words were exchanged either in the span of two years, so I was looking forward to meeting all of them.

I realised that I hadn't replied to the message about my consent, so I did. Everyone was happy that I was finally trying to bond with them again.

High school is like a rocking boat for everyone, but for me it was harder. I had just shifted to a new school and I took a lot of time to adjust to the new surroundings. Maybe too much, for which I will always feel bad.

The girls had been nice to me, they had accepted me and were easygoing. But I had still stayed aloof, God knows why.

So I thought of this as my chance to change it all, to go there and make things better between us and I took my chance.

All of the girls had agreed to come, except two girls. One who was busy with college and another who wasn't with us anymore.

A much closer friend of mine and I got to the place we had decided on a little early and we were having a casual conversation, when the girls started coming in one by one.

By the time everyone had assembled, the place was bustling with people and we were all still trying to get comfortable.

I'll admit, it was weird at first to talk to them after so long. I started with listening to their stories and let myself slowly blend in. They hadn't changed much, still the easytalkers they once were so I could quickly pick up the beat. Soon it felt like our surroundings didn't matter anymore. We felt like we were back in our school, like we were having a break time chat.

We talked about our time in school, the kind of fights we used to have, the fun we had during the sports classes we would beg for, our beloved teachers and how much we missed them. It was such a refreshing way to spend the first day of the year. It still makes me smile, to just think about that day.

We had no idea how quickly time had passed, but it was already time to leave. We promised to keep in touch after that and we departed.

It was indeed the perfect beginning to a new year. After all, old friendships always bring a feeling of nostalgia when you meet them after a long time. The day filled me with optimistic approach towards friendship, even the ones that were not very well maintained.

This is my story of togetherness. Of true happiness. For more, you can check the link below.

#together

https://housing.com/.

Hope- a wonderful thing.

It was a sunny afternoon, everything around me seemed to be brightened up by the blazing sun. We had gathered there to witness the birth of our friend's dog's puppies. Aaradhna, the dog's owner, had just moved into our neighbourhood and was already a part of our gang. It was solely because she owned a dog. Back then, owning a dog was a huge thing. And for a ten year old, it still is a big thing even for this generation. Her dog was a female Labrador, a beautiful yellow coated dog who was very friendly. The dog had gained all our love within no time. The fact that there would be more little bundles of happiness like her was what had had us waiting there in the sun on that day.

We had been sitting in the park in front of Aaradhna's house for over an hour. We were looking at the garage where the vet had taken her dog, Dollie, who was about to give birth to pups. We were all so excited, we had forgotten all about our lunch. It had been too long already since we sat waiting, we knew that, but our hopes were high.

We had already started deciding on the names for the pups, as if it were the most important thing to do then.

There were five of us, Aaradhna included. So we decided we would all get to name one pup each and if there were more, Aaradhna would decide. It was a fair plan and everyone seemed happy.

When it was my turn, I offered to name the pup 'Cookie'. All of them nodded and grinned. It was a good name.

I don't remember how long we sat there, staring at the garage door. When the vet came out to tell us the pups were all out, we jumped up in ecstasy and raced to the house.

Once we were inside the main gate, we decided to go in slowly, in order not to frighten the pups, and we walked in together.

When it was time for us to see the pups, Aaradhna's parents let us in the garage. There were seven pups, perfectly healthy and breathing little balls of fur. It was a wonderful sight, to look at those tiny beings. And Dollie was one proud mother, she would have beamed at us if she could, trust me.

We all took turns to pet her and slowly walked closer to the mattress on which the pups were lying.

Just beside the litter was a small lump, unmoving. The vet said that one pup had no chances of survival and pointed at the lump I was looking at. Thee little pup was tiny and beautiful but barely breathing.

As we looked, Dollie went on to lick the pup. She cleaned the pup and held it close. We weren't expecting anything, we were all kids and the vet had given up on the pup long ago. 

But then somthing wonderful happened. Within an hour, the pup began moving and breathing a little easily. The vet was shocked out of his wits too, it was a beautiful thing to watch. Dollie had done what the vet thought was impossible, such is the power of a mother's touch.

We named the pup 'Lucy' and she is still a living example of hope for all of us. The little pup who grew up to become a beautiful dog herself, taught us that hope is all one needs even in the darkest of situations.

#lookup #hope

https://housing.com/lookup

A World Remade

The world is a better place for those who know how to deal with it. To others, who cannot steep down to that level, well, survival is not a cake walk. But what if the world could be made a better place? What would it be like for everyone to have a good life? Wonderful topic to talk about.

When God created the world, (or whoever did) he must have had such great expectations from us, the people. How he must have been disappointed to see us make a hell out of it. But really, has everything changed for the worse? Isn't there anything that we can still think of and smile about?

Well, I'll start by mentioning all the things I would change in this world, if I could.

First of all, communal harmony is a must. Everyday we see people from different communities fighting each other. This has to stop! We need to understand that we are humans, that we need to dwell together.
Taking away a person's God from him is not the key here. But staying together despite the differences is. I would love to bring in a sense of brotherhood amongst people.

Secondly, education is a must. Most of us are well educated and so we perceive things is a better way. Of course, there are learned people who go on and corrupt the society but mostly, education makes a person better.
So, a world with educated people with etiquettes and love for their surroundings will be my next choice.

Next comes poverty. This needs to be completely plucked out of the world. In a place where the rich keep getting richer and the poor stay poor; not much can be done about it.
Perhaps, bringing a balance in the monetary aspect can help improve the world. So that will be my next choice.

Fourth is pollution. If we could go back in time and take a look at the world then, we would probably not want to come back (in matters of pollution free surroundings, of course.) All the kinds of pollution we have brought upon ourselves and the ways we try to dismiss them by saying it's natural is downright disgusting. Everywhere you go, there's some problem in nature. Who is to blame for that? We, ourselves.
A pollution-free planet is a yes!

Fifth should definitely be the dominance of money. Merits and capabilities are so old school these days. Money can buy your way in almost anywhere. This really needs to be taken care of.
Jobs and opportunities should be given based on skills, not background.
That will be my next step, an opportunity-rich world for those who deserve them.

Next will be equality between the two genders. Women empowerment is as necessary as the above mentioned points. Women are capable of working and those who wish to work should be encouraged.

Also, animal welfare is a must. Exploiting the natural resources, depriving them of their natural habitats needs to be stopped. They have equal rights over this planet like us, so we should respect their space and let them live.
Same goes for the flora of the world. Deforestation needs to be stopped, completely.
Richer flora and fauna will make this world beautiful. And a beautiful world is worth the time.
So this needs to be on the list too.

But the world we live in is not all dark and bad. It does have a few things worth retaining.
Like, for example, the advanced technology. What all the human brain can achieve if put to proper use is simply amazing.
Also, the advancements in medical fields and research fields is commendable, both life saving and making lives better.
Next, the rich literature that we have been bestowed with over the years. I would never want to lose it or abstain myself from the possibilities of works of more such literary geniuses. Also, libraries are a must in my version of the world. Why deny the knowledge one can get from books, right?
Then comes the love and affection of our dear ones. Who would want to leave that out? A friend of mine, Divya, says Love is eternal. It cannot be changed ever.
And of course, puppies are a must in any version of the world. The dog lover in me would never live in a world without dogs.

So, yeah. These are the changes I would make in the world, in order to make it better. To be honest, I think the world we live in today could be made better if we learnt our roles and followed/respected the rules of Nature. It's all in our hands now, to either make the place we live in better or worse.

I am participating in the #TheWorldRemade activity at BlogAdda in association with India Today #Conclave15.

Another Birthday!

The phone rang thrice before it was answered. Seher had to hold back her giggles before she spoke up.
"Happy birthday, baby girl. I love you!" Seher's excitement was evident in her voice.
"Seher, how many more times will you wish me? Come over, already!" Sia spoke, equally excited.
"Uh, Sia, about that. I'm so sorry but I won't be able to attend your birthday."
"What? You always do this to me! I don't wanna talk to you." The line went dead.
Seher snickered as she put her phone back on the table.

"She's pretty cross at me right now, so let's prepone the party by an hour."
"Your best friend, your choice." Diya stuck her tongue out at Seher.

Seher took a glance at the living room and smiled. She and her friends had planned this surprise party for far too long and finally it was being worked on. Roshni and Evelyn were sticking the balloons around and Diya was working on the ceiling decoration. Seher's work was done here, so left the three girls in the living room and went into the kitchen. She still couldn't get over the fact that she was making her sister bake the cake, once again. It was just so funny.
"Cake ready, Nish?" She asked, teasingly.
"You find this very amusing, don't you? Always making me bake the cake." Nisha looked at her sister accusatively.
"No! I just love the cakes you make." Seher planted a kiss on Nisha's cheek.
"This you're very good at." Nisha said, shaking her head.

She sighed in relief and looked at the cake on the kitchen counter. As she had planned, it was perfect. She walked out of the kitchen, to check on what the girls were doing.
"Alright, girls. Pull up your socks, we need to work quickly."
"Nish, you got flour on your face." Evelyn giggled. "Here, let me get it."
"How can anyone get flower on their face?" Roshni made a face.
"Rosh, seriously, shut up!" Everyone spoke in unison.

Once the whole decoration and cake baking were taken care of, it left them with one last task - bringing the birthday girl over. Of course Seher couldn't go, so it left the other girls in charge.
"I don't think I'm good at convincing, so not me." Roshni shrugged.
"As long as you don't want someone to bring her chained and blindfolded, count me out." Diya scratched the back of her head.
"Wow, you two. Way to go." Evelyn rolled her eyes. "Nish, maybe we both should go?"
Nisha nodded.
"Probably, yes. Nish and Evie are good at convincing." Seher smiled.

She was happy that her plan had worked out so well. Until now, at least. Once they left to bring Sia over, Seher had to get her gift ready, she remembered. It had taken her not much time to decide the gift. She had known Sia for a long time and it was easy to choose gifts for her. For all her friends, really. That was one of the reasons she loved them for, for being so easy-going.

An hour passed and Sia was there. She was looking so happy, it was like a boost for Seher's smile. She went over and hugged her best friend.

Roshni and Diya brought in a piece of the cake and smeared it all over Sia's face. Evelyn and Seher started laughing.
Girls! Don't do that! Ew! Nisha kept shouting, but she was barely heard.
More slices went on the faces. Evelyn was about to hit Roshni's face with a slice when she stopped her.
"Wait! There's cherry on that." And Roshni picked the cherry out and put it in her mouth. "Now, hit me."
Everyone started laughing so hard. Seher glanced over at Sia and smiled at her.
"I'm sorry I lied to you. And I hope you liked this." She half-shrugged.
"I love it, you idiot. You're so sweet! I love you!" Sia hugged Seher back, tight.
"Me too. We all do! Always."
"Always!" They all agreed.

A little like love.

"Hi, Dawn! Ryan here. Call me back."
Dawn played the recorded message for the millionth time since evening.
"Call him back already! I'm tired of listening to the message." Trish exhaled sharply.
"I don't want to." With that, Dawn hit the Erase button and walked back to her room.

She picked up her laptop out of the pile of clothes. As she checked her regular e-mails, she was growing more impatient.

Just a 'call me back' after all that he's done and he thinks I'll forgive him? Huh. She thought as she desperately checked for his e-mail in vain. She looked up when Trish entered the room. She had no idea how long it was since she had been at it, but now she felt embarrassed. She closed her laptop and raised an eyebrow at her sister.
"Tell me." Trish asked.
"What?"
"What's going on with you and Ryan? And for Christ's sake don't lie, I can see things aren't fine. So, shoot!"
Dawn sighed. She had kept it from Trish for way too long anyway.
"He.. He forgot Valentine's day."
"Whoa. And you're acting weird 'cuz of that?"
"Uh, yeah. He had promised to take me out on Valentine's day. And he forgot the day."
"Sis, honestly, that is why you've been avoiding his calls?"
Dawn nodded.

Trish mused on it for a while before she spoke up.
"He isn't the kind that forgets, right? You used to tell me that all the time. Why then didn't he ask you out?"
"I dunno."
"What? Didn't you even ask?"
"This is the first time he's called in a week. I left him more messages than a stalker would."
"I won't ask you how you know that. But, hey, give him a chance to explain himself."
"Stop taking his side. It's been a week! He could've left the same message a week ago." She half shouted.
"Well, yeah. You've got a point. But aren't you the one who always tells me to reason with your loved ones?"
"Not this time, Trish. This is different."
"Well, he could've said the same when you forgot his birthday. He didn't though, did he?" She pulled on one of her infamous smirks.

Dawn turned her gaze towards the framed photographs on her wall. She felt a pang of guilt as the images of his last birthday materialised before her eyes. She swallowed hard and stood up.
She went straight to her closet and looked for the photograph she had buried between a stack of clothes. It was of Ryan's and hers, when they had first met a year ago.
A handsome, young man dressed in a black tailored suit and a beautiful, young girl in a beige dress. The photograph was taken by Trish after Ryan had danced with Dawn for over an hour.

Both lovers of literature and philosophy, Ryan and Dawn had hit it off with the very first sentence. Trish would always wonder out loud how two boring people could find equally boring companions was above her.

Lately, Dawn had grown more accustomed to Ryan and his awkward timings. He'd work all day and most of the nights and she'd wait for his text before she would doze off. This new change had resulted in Trish's moving into a different room. She could barely talk to her boyfriend or sleep in there, what with all the never ending Skype calls Dawn and Ryan would have.

Everything was going smoothly until Dawn forgot Ryan's birthday. She wasn't the kind that forgot people's birthdays, she always remembered all of them. This was just a one-time thing. She had had her exams the whole week and had dozed off before she could wish him. Thankfully, he wasn't the kind that was particular about being wished for birthdays. In fact, he barely ever celebrated it. But like Trish rubbed it in all the time, it was stupid of her to have dozed off.

Maybe I should call him back, she thought and walked back to her desk. She didn't even have to tell Trish about it, she knew her sister would call him back. She gave Dawn a thumbs-up and left.
Dawn dialed his number and waited for him to answer. After five rings, she disconnected the call and typed a message.

'Hi.'

She kept her phone aside and shook her head as if to filter the thoughts. She wondered when she had become such a selfish person. Her thoughts were interrupted by an incoming message.

'Busy. Will come over in 20.'

Dawn jerked out of the chair and rushed to the mirror. She looked at herself and almost shrieked. She looked like a homeless wreck in her pajamas and uncombed hair. She knew Ryan's 20 minutes would never get over that quickly. Still, she quickly showered and changed into jeans and tee. She pulled her hair into a neat pony and put on a little make up. When she looked presentable, she braced herself for a wait of another hour or so and walked out of her room.

When the bell rang in the next few minutes, Dawn didn't even move from where she was sitting in the living room. She was sure it couldn't be Ryan. Trish opened the door, pouting.
"Oh, hey. All set to become a martyr?" Trish talked in her teasing tone.

Dawn craned her neck to see who it was at the door, but she couldn't see anything except Trish. The voice that followed made her shoot a look at the clock.
"Haha, is she ready yet?"
Ryan's voice, Dawn thought as she stood up.

Ryan was standing at the door, smiling at Trish like he was amused by her tone.
"You are.. early," Dawn muttered as she walked to the door.
"Dawn! Is that how you greet a guest?" Trish asked, clearly trying hard not to smile.
"Valentine, Trish. Her Valentine." Ryan replied.
Dawn's cheeks were flushed red. When Ryan offered his hand, she took it and smiled at him.
"I thought you never wanted to talk to him again!" Trish protested.
"Apparently, you can't resist my charm. Yes, Dawn?"
"Impossible." Dawn smiled at him.

Her.

Like the rising sun, she lights my life.
Like the falling snow, she mesmerizes me.
I was a caged bird, confined by bars,
With just a smile, she set me free.

Like the music that flows from her fingers,
When she plays the guitar for me,
Her words linger even after she leaves,
How she does that, a wonder it'll always be.

She picked me up from the deepest of hells,
And chased away the demons of my past.
Like the winter sun, she filled such warmth,
My heart blossomed with her love so vast.

~SB

First Novel Ever.

It's true that your journey as a reader depends on the first book you read. I've been a reader from a very young age and before that, my mother would read to me. I have always been a fan of comics and I had read many of them even as a kid.
But my first novel that I read myself, was probably 'Robinson Crusoe', which was a gift from a teacher in Grade Three. I read it out of curiosity and fell in love with the story. Of course I hadn't understood half of the story then (I know for sure because when I reread it as a teenager, the story was as good as new) but that did bring out the reader in me. I suddenly started looking out for books and I started reading the titles and the author's names whenever I found one. And that is how the bookaholic in me was born.

But the book (series, really) that shaped me as a reader was the Harry Potter series, by J.K.Rowling. It so happened that I was travelling on a train with my mother and was completely bored out of my wits. And I kept complaining to her about it. A co-passenger, a young guy, asked me if I'd like to read something and I jumped up in delight. I was barely nine and he knew that, so I expected him to give me a comic or, at least, a small book. But when he took out this big book, with a guy, a train and an owl on the cover I looked at him, surprised. He handed it over and asked me if I could finish the first page in five minutes. Always a lover of challenges, I took it from him and sat down to read. After what seemed relatively lesser than five minutes to me but apparently a little more than that, I looked at him and smiled. He shocked me by asking me a few easy questions about it, to which I answered quickly. I didn't expect him to be so happy about it, but apparently he was. He told me to read further and ask him if I had queries. I did as I was told and by the time I finished the fourth chapter, we had already reached our destination.
I closed the book and handed it over to him. I guess I must have looked like a lost puppy because he smiled and told me I could keep it if I promised to finish it. I said I'd and we parted ways.

It has been eleven years since that day and I still thank that guy for introducing me to Harry Potter and moreover to book series.
I went on to finish the series and then I watched the movies. I have followed and abandoned ships, I have loved and hated the characters, laughed and cried with them, and not to forget fallen in love with the Weasley twins over and again and, of course, with Sirius Black. I had my first 'I-wanna-kill-this-guy' moment when I was introduced to Voldemort. My first fangirl moment when I read about Viktor Krum. My first heart break when Cedric Diggory died. Understood what it felt like to lose a loved one when Sirius Black died. Cursed everyone I could find when Hedwig died. Cried like a kid when Dobby died and the other deaths that followed left deeper wounds. And this is just naming a few moments. I can't even get started on how the series inspired me with so many great quotes.
I still find people who ask me what is so special about the series that I just don't shut up about it. To them, I say, why not read it for yourself? And to those who still don't understand, well, I'm only human.

I might not be the same admirer of Harry Potter as I once was, but it shall always be the first loved series in my life.
For me, this series has been a life turner. It's because of these books that I fell in love with books and the literary world. So whatever I am today, in terms of literature, I owe it mostly to the guy on the train. And of course, to JKR. :)

Also, life is wonderful when you can forget the reality and dive into a book. Reading is indeed a boon and people very seldom realise it.

A ray of hope.

"Ar... Arjun?" Adaa stuttered into the phone.
"Adaa? What happened?"
"I think I'm lost." She sniffed.
"What do you mean lost? Where are you?" He demanded.
"I don't know!"
"What happened?"
"I stopped to put on my helmet, but when I looked up they were all gone," she gulped, she had forgotten how scary her brother sounded when he was angry. "And I called Siddharth but he didn't answer the call."
She stopped for a breath.
It didn't make much sense to him, but he waited patiently.
"And?" He prompted.
"And I don't know where I am. I'm lost."
"How can you not know, Adaa? Where were you going anyway?"
She was so scared, more of him than of being lost, that she began stuttering again.
"We were on this road trip, and everything was fine. Until they all left me."
He realised that he was shaking in rage now. Calming down a bit, he went on.
"Are you sure you don't know where you are?"
"Honest."

Arjun sighed. He, of all people, knew too well how it felt to be stranded in an unknown place.
"Anything of significance around? So I can send someone to pick you up right away."
She explained her surroundings to him and waited for him to reply.
"I think I know this place. I'll send someone soon. Stay safe, get it?"
"Arjun," she spoke slowly. "You pick me up."

Arjun went blank for a moment. He knew how much he mattered to his sister and that he was one of the few people she trusted. The very thought made him smile.
He also knew that he had to rush to get her back or she'd be too scared. And then he'd have some other people to attend to as well, he thought, angrily.
He rushed to his car and fiddled for the keys. As he did so, his thoughts raced back to the time when he had been abandoned on a family trip for almost half an hour.

He had been barely a month over five when this incident had taken place. He had been forgotten on the beach and his family had started back without him. Until the little girl started asking for her brother.
Adaa.
Even as a toddler, Adaa had always been extremely fond of her elder brother. And Arjun had grown up being looked up to by his sister. He could never forgive his parents for the abandoning, though he knew it wasn't intentional. And he could never forget the fact that his sister's attachment to him had brought him back home that day.

He reached the place before he could know and looked around for his sister. He sighed out of relief when he found her playing with a litter of puppies by the road. He walked up to her and she turned before he could call her name.
"Arjun!" She hugged him.
"It seems you've been enjoying this. And I got so worried about the whole thing." He faked an accusative tone.
"I was scared. Until I found them." She gestured at the puppies. "Apparently, abandonment is a routine thing for them."
One look at her and he knew what she was going to say.
"No, Adaa. You can't take them home. Mom will never approve any more pets."
"But. They're by their own here. What if something happened to them?"
She sounded so sad, Arjun almost forgot it was the same girl who was scared just a few minutes ago.
"Let's see what we can do about them, alright? Now tell me what brought you here? Why didn't I know anything about this?"
She braced herself for the worst and began narrating the whole thing to him. How Siddharth and her other friends had asked her to accompany them on this road trip and how they had left her when she only stopped to wear her helmet.

Arjun could sense his body warming with anger. When she was done narrating, he hugged his sister once again, glad that she was fine and took her back to the car.
He also picked the three pups and put them in the back of the car, as he knew Adaa wouldn't move without that being done.
"I'll drop you home and go take care of those people. I'll make sure they'll never mess with you again." He spoke in a gruff tone.
"Like you used to take care of the people who bullied me in school?" Adaa smirked at her brother.
"Exactly."
"And the pups? Can I keep them, too?"
"No. You already have enough dogs. I'll take them to the nearby shelter, so someone else can have the privilege of having a dog to love them." He looked at the puppies, dozing off one over the other in the rear mirror and smiled.
Adaa nodded and sat back in the seat.

"Arjun?" She spoke up after a long pause.
"Yeah?"
"You've always been my ray of hope. And, I love you."

He looked at his sister and saw the same toddler who had grabbed his finger as soon as she had reached him on the beach sixteen years ago.
He could only smile at her. And he didn't even have to tell her, she knew he loved her back, more than words could define.

A promise to keep.

"He texted." Stella beamed at her sister. "He says he'd love to come over to pick me up."
"Good." Jane replied.

She hated how Stella acted when she was talking about this guy. This guy she had met a few days ago, who she had got so much interested in. It wasn't anything new, Jane was used to her sister's craziness.
But Stella seemed so different these days, always talking about this guy, expecting his replies and jumping up at every incoming message's notification.
Jane thought it'd be better to sort it out with her sister.
"Stell, let's talk for a moment?"
"Uh, sure. What is it?"
"I'm a little-"
"It's about him, isn't it?" Stella pulled a face. "You haven't even met him yet, Jane. Give him a chance."
"Right," Jane sighed.

She decided to wait for the guy to come over before she could pass her judgement. She wasn't always this prejudiced about anything but her sister's boyfriends had always been an issue to her. She was concerned about her little sister and she knew that was alright.

When the doorbell rang that evening, Jane stood watching as Stella climbed down the stairs gracefully, looking pretty in her short, blue dress. Her sixteenth birthday dress, Jane remembered, the day Stella had first known the truth about herself.
Stella and Jane wouldn't have had anything to do with each other if it weren't for Jack.

Jack was Stella's biological father, who had once stayed in Jane's neighbourhood. Stella was just over three when he had abandoned the child and fled. That was when Jane's parents had taken in the little girl, adopted her and brought her up as their own. Jane and Stella weren't related by blood but she loved Stella like her own sibling and the family made sure the truth was hidden from the little girl.
Until the day she turned sixteen.
Jack had come knocking at their door, demanding to see his daughter. In spite of their efforts to keep the two away, Stella had finally come to know the truth.
She wasn't devastated, as everyone expected. She looked normal, in fact she was suddenly interested in her father now. This worried Jane the most.

She was brought back to reality by the new voice she heard from the porch. A gentle yet dominating, male voice made her walk toward the front door.
She stopped when she reached the door where a young man stood with a bouquet of white roses in hand. He was handsome, to say the least. Well dressed, intelligent looking and, of course, the soothing voice. She was beginning to wonder why she'd hated him so much in the beginning.

He reminds you of Jack, a small voice reminded her and she found herself swallowing hard.
Of course she couldn't stand this guy, he was just like Jack. But what she didn't understand was why Stella couldn't see the similarities, why she liked this guy instead of wanting to stay as far away from him as possible?
"Jane, this is Ross. Jack's son, my half brother. He's taking me to Jack's so I can know the family better."
Stella sounded so excited, it got Jane worried sick. She had grown up despising Jack with all her might and now her sister wanted to know him better? She was torn between slapping some sense into Stella and kicking the hell out of Jack.
She had stayed quiet before, because she thought Stella would cut away every bond with the man who'd abandoned her. She had waited patiently for that to happen.
But what was happening here was completely unexpected. Stella was about to leave with Ross, her step brother, to go see her family.
Jane was devastated. Who she expected to be one of Stella's new friends was her step brother, Jack's son. Stella was going to meet her real family that night, she was going to stay there for a night.
What if she likes it there? What if she never comes back? What if Jack threatens her to stay? Will she be alright on her own? Jane's mind went haywire with crazy thoughts. Before she could stop her, Stella was already at Ross's car, waving back at her.
"Bye, Jane. I love you!"

Jane felt her cheeks moisten, words failed to form in her throat.
Stella was more than just a sister for her, she had grown up taking care of the girl. She had threatened those who bullied her sister, she had finished her homework when Stella had dozed off mid way, she had been there for her when she went through her first heartbreak. And Stella had been there to share every grief and joy with her.
Stella was that someone for whom she'd always thanked God.

As she walked back into the house, she suddenly felt incomplete. She sat on the swing and watched the clouds engulf the moon. For the first time in months, her thoughts went back to her parents. She realised how lonely she was without them, now that she didn't have Stella by her side. She stared at the night sky and lost count of her tears.

She had no idea how much time had passed but a tiny movement caught her attention. She looked up to see Stella making her way towards her.
She quickly wiped her tears and stood up. Stella walked closer and hugged her sister in a tight hug.
"Jane!"
"Hey, I thought you were going to stay with your family tonight," Jane stuttered.
"I couldn't do it. The moment I left, I started missing home, missing you. And then I realised that no matter what people say, I belong here. With you." Stella sniffed in that cute way that always made Jane laugh.
"I thought you'd left forever. Jeez, I was so scared. I thought you'd forgotten the promise you made to Dad."
"Jane! It was a promise I made to my hero. A promise I shall keep till I breathe my last."
"Sisters, forever?"
"Sisters, forever and after!"

Both the sisters looked up at the sky and smiled, wishing their parents could see them standing together, their bond stronger than ever.

All time favourite TV shows.

Time for some show-talk, yeah? Here's a list of all the shows that had/still got me addicted.

1. Definitely, FRIENDS.
This show has so many amazing moments to remember it for. Most of all, the fact that the six stayed together through all the hardships, makes it a personal favourite. Also, I remember how devastated I was when the show ended. 10 years of awesomeness came to an abrupt end and I was left craving for more.
(Chandler is my favourite. Love that quirky guy. Also, Matthew Perry is one awesome actor!)

2. Sherlock, hands down.
For an ardent Sherlock Holmes fan, what would sound better than a TV series where Benedict Cumberbatch plays Sherlock?
Nothing!
(There are times when I re-watch the show just to swoon over Ben. Jeez, that guy!)

3. Game of Thrones.
I admit that I'm not strong enough to watch the show without fast forwarding through all the barbaric beheading and ruthless killing. But the story's got me so hooked, I can't wait for season 5 now. Also, I'm searching for the books so I can get to know the story a little better. Once a bookaholic, always a bookaholic! (Also, Kit Harington is just amazing!)

4. The Big Bang theory.
This show has been my favourite for so long, I wonder how I'd take it when they decide to end the show. Nonetheless, it's one among those shows that you can watch over and over without a complaint. Though I did lose interest after the 5th season, the show never fails to amuse me.

5. How I Met Your Mother.
I know this show was tediously dragged and turned into an over-chewed chewing gum, but weirdly I never got bored of it. Barney was and still continues to be a favourite, despite all his womanising actions. Never was a Ted Mosby fan and the end wasn't expected at all.

6. Masterchef India.

Not really a fan of cooking but I watch this particular show, almost without fail, just to watch Vikas Khanna cook. Another major plus is his super cute accent!

7. Bigg Boss.
This show never fails to get me hooked to it. I follow it so religiously, it always turns out to be an addiction. After the show I'm always left waiting for the next season to begin. Crazy, much? You bet!
(Oh, btw, this time I'm all starry-eyed for Gautam Gulati. Nice choice, eh?)

8. Greek.
I accidentally happened to watch this show one day while flipping through channels and voila, I found another show to love. Not much of a great story, I agree, but I did have my share of fun watching it. I'd happily go back and watch it again.

9. Lizzie McGuire.
This was one show I was really addicted to in my early teens. I even had to watch the show again just to find out what was so interesting about it. Learnt that priorities change once you grow up!

10. Recess.
Another favourite from my pre-teen years, this animated show got me to respect friendship and also left me craving for that kind of bonding. Funny how I still remember all the characters and their quirks as if it were yesterday. (It's been close to 8 years and I haven't rewatched it. Cool? Totally!)

Also, Glee, Melissa and Joey, Switched at Birth, Modern Family, Pretty Little Liars, The Simpsons have all been favourites at a time.
There are many more shows I am/was addicted to. Some, I eventually lost interest in; some I still love; some I'd love to forget about so I can watch it all over again.
Maybe, I'm not just a bookaholic, I'm also a TV show freak.

And here's a list of books/series that would make great TV shows;
Harry Potter series.
Shiva trilogy.
The Hunger Games series.
Divergent series.
Princess Diaries series.
Shopaholic series, to name a few.

Her story.

"I lost my money, 'cause of you."
She flinched, as if someone had slapped her. A tide of emotions were rising within her, she just couldn't stand there. She had to move but she felt as if she had forgotten how to move. She stared at the land on which he stood a few minutes ago, and remembered how his face had grown grim the moment she had stopped him. He was angry, she had seen that. And she knew he had a right to be angry. He had walked in on her when she was being kissed by none other than his best friend. 
Sean.
She tried to remember what had happened a few minutes back. It seemed to her like a dream but she knew better. Why he had kissed her, she was still wondering. He had called out to her and asked her to wait near the parking lot of the college and she had done that. Her boyfriend's best buddy he was, after all. She thought he'd have a reason. And reason, he had, only she didn't know what. He had talked about random stuff and being him, it was normal. Only, she suddenly realised, he looked a little distracted. His eyes had been rummaging through the place all the time but she had neglected it then. It was when she heard a strange sound, like a twig snapping, that he seemed to become alert. All of a sudden, he had pulled her close and kissed her. It was when she finally was able to break off from his shackles that she realised what had been going on.
Right in front of them, with a face that looked half pained, half disgusted, stood her boyfriend.
"Tyson, listen, let me explain-" he was walking away quickly. 
She ran after him and stopped him by his hand. And he had slapped her. Hard.
But what really had hurt her were his words that followed.
"I didn't know you were such a two-timer. We had a bet, if you'd cheat on me or not. And I had said, with pride, that you would never do that to me." He looked at her with such hatred in his eyes. "I lost my money, 'cause of you."
He walked away. Never once did he turn back. And she stood there, repeating his words in her head.
"I lost my money, 'cause of you."

Lia.

"I love you. Always have, always will." Rhea managed to stutter finally.
It had been so long since she had spoken that her own voice seemed new to her.

It had been a long day, she was exhausted beyond limits. She had held her dog's head in her lap all through the morning. She'd keep her there even longer but some time in the afternoon, her family had decided to put the dog down.
'Who are you to decide her death?' she had screamed over and over again in her mind. Only if she could muster up the strength to speak out.

She knew that her dog was going through a lot of pain and would eventually be Death's guest. She didn't want her dog to die a painful death either and she realised that by putting her down, they had given her an easy, painless death. She was glad her dog wasn't in pain anymore. But what about her own pain? What about all those haunting memories she couldn't steer clear of? Would she ever be whole again, would she be able to talk about her dog without breaking down, she wondered.

"You need to let go of her. It's time." Rhea's mother had patted the dog one last time before they took the dog away. "We'll get you a new dog soon, dear," her mother had promised, as she held Rhea in her arms while she sobbed. 
'Easy for you to say' she had thought.

"Rhea, come on. Let's go home." Her brother's voice brought her back to reality.
She had been sitting for so long near the place where her dog had been buried, her legs had gone numb. She stood up and sighed.
"I'll miss you, Lia. I already do."

Once back in her room, Rhea took out her scrapbooks and sat on her bed. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she flipped through each photography of Lia's.

Lia
Her thoughts raced back to the time when she had found Lia. A puppy, about a couple of weeks old, wandering off on the streets all alone. On a school morning, just a few days after her tenth birthday, Rhea had urged her father to stop the car when she had seen something move near the dumpster.
She had returned to her father with a little white puppy in her hand. As much as the man wanted to deny taking the puppy home, he had to relent to his daughter's pleads. Rhea, who had always been a shy kid, never felt lonely after that day. She named her dog Lia and Lia was her world.
Their bond only grew stronger with the years, Rhea even denied the offers from prestigious colleges just so she could stay with Lia. But little had she known that on a fateful day Lia would be put down because of osteosarcoma.
They had taken away Lia's pain and inflicted Rhea with a new kind of pain, a pain without a remedy.

Nisha's Birthday!

"Nisha!" Seher shouted at the top of her voice from her room.
Her elder sister, Nisha, stormed into the room with an exhausted expression. "What?"
"How's the cake coming along, sissy?" Seher smirked.
Nisha sighed. "I'd bake the cake if you'd let me. Why did you shout like a dying man?"
"Hush, now. It's your birthday. Don't let little sister get on your nerves." She pouted.
That was all Nisha could take. She burst into laughter and hit Seher playfully.
"I still can't believe you are making me bake my own birthday cake. You're impossible!" She muttered as she turned to leave.
"Aw, Nish. I love you, too."
Just a few minutes later a buzzer went off and Seher jolted down the stairs and entered the kitchen, after making sure Nisha wasn't in there.
"Yay! Yummy cake, here I come." Seher reached for the cake.
"Not so soon, Seher. Wait for people to come. Remember, it's Nisha's birthday, not yours." Ronit gave a stern look.
"Ronit, the guy who hates his sister-in-law!" Seher muttered under her breath and walked away.
Ronit followed her into the living room and sat next to her on the sofa.
"Did you get her something?"
"Of course I did, Nisha's boyfriend. What did you get her?"
"Remember that trench coat she was looking at a few days ago? That is her gift."
"You mean, you hadn't bought her gift until just a couple of days ago? What kinda boyfriend are you?" Seher pulled a disgusted face.
"Yeah, stop acting all cute and tell me what you got her?"
"A small snowflake pendant, which by the way, she already knows of." She scratched the back of her neck
"You're a smarty!"
"So I'm told."

*20 Jan, 2015. 6 P.M*
"Put on the lights, will you, Ronit?" Nisha called out from her room.
On getting no response, she decided to put on the lights herself.
Before leaving, she checked her reflection one last time, made sure she looked good and walked out of her room. The moment she stepped into the living room, lights came on and everyone shouted 'Happy birthday,' in unison. Nisha was in a trance. It took her a moment to register her surroundings. Blue coloured balloons were everywhere, floating in the air, on the ground, on the recliners.
Must be Seher's choice, she thought, who else would decorate the room all in blue. Laughing at her sister's love for the colour, she stepped inside the room with a huge smile on her face.
All her colleagues, cousins and friends were present. But her eyes were transfixed on two people in the room, her guy and her sister.
She walked towards Ronit and gave him a hug.
"Happy birthday, again, Nishu!" Ronit whispered in her ears.
"Thank you, Ronit, for all this. It means a lot to me."
She turned and smiled at her sister, who was looking pretty in her red gown.
"Seher, thank you. Especially for the blue balloons, you remembered that I love blue!" She winked.
"This is all I wanted to hear, mission accomplished." Seher stuck her tongue out at Ronit. "Happy birthday, darling. I love you!" She said, facing Nisha again.
"I love you, too. Both of you. Thank you for everything!" She hugged them both in a tight hug. As a tiny drop of tear surfaced on her cheek, she wiped it and wished again that her father would've been there too.

The Pawed Angels!

I recently came across this saying, "Dogs are angels with fur instead of wings."
As beautiful as it can get, isn't it? It's obvious that I love dogs, even to strangers apparently. I'm often found stating dogs are better than humans and I still root for it. And here are a few reasons listed.
A dog can be loyal, loving, compassionate and a companion, all at once, throughout his life. Humans? Not so much.
The never ending energy, the love for a simple ball game, the crazy lopsided grin. Unmatchable!
And don't even get me started on their unwavering faith in their humans. As if a dog's motto for life is to show us, humans, how to love unconditionally.

When I say this I might be talking for a lot of people, life changes dramatically once you own a dog. Our schedules change, our perspectives change. It's almost like having new kids. Only dogs never grow up. Their abundant energy might wear off over the years, but their craziness stays as long as they do.
My mother gets hysterical when I go about feeding/petting stray dogs around my place. She often wonders why I go play with them when I have my own dog? It's pretty simple really, I can never get enough of them. More the puppies, merrier it gets for me.
But frankly, there's nothing in this world that can match my love for my dog. I might've named him Lucky, but it's me who got lucky. I wouldn't lie and say he's the best dog, in fact he misbehaves more often than a notorious child would. It's hard to contain his energy, harder still to keep things away from him because he's too smart for his own good. But no matter how determined you are to give him an earful, he always gets away with a wag of his tail.
It always breaks my heart when I have to leave him back on my way to hostel. And it makes my week worth when I return home for the weekend and see that crazy look on his face. That 'I'll-forgive-you-for-leaving-me-if-you-promise-to-play' look makes me feel more loved than anything else could. It's funny how I miss his incessant barking or the 'doggy' smell or his tail slaps the moment I'm away from home.
 I wonder if it's okay to say he's equal to all of my close friends put together?

Well, my only complaint is about their short lives. I mean, if they can change a person's life and make him so much better, what all could have been accomplished if they lived a little longer. The world would totally be a better place to live in. Or maybe we wouldn't love them as much if they lived longer. I can't say.
But indeed, they were created to make our lives better. Their mere existence fills our lives with so much happiness. If only they could live longer, if only.

When asked what was the most important thing to me in life, I took time to think it over. If posed a couple of years ago, I would have answered 'Love' or 'Happiness'. That was what the teenager who had barely had any worldly experience would have believed in. But now, after meeting different kinds of people, after coming across different mindsets, I probably can conclude that you are the most important thing in your life. There is no one who will love you for what you are. No one will put your happiness before their needs. Nobody is born for you, except yourself. Whatever love you seek from the world, seek within yourself. What happiness you expect others to give, find it for yourself. There's nothing wrong in being self-centered. If thinking for yourself is called selfish, then please be selfish. If there's anyone worth fighting for, living for; it's you! Because everybody else is busy dealing with their own hassles.

Stop living for others, live for yourself. Love because life is a beautiful gift. When life shoves you into a difficult situation, face it and get yourself out of it. Everyone faces loss, heartbreak and sorrow, learn to talk as less about them as possible.
The world isn't there to help you up every time you fall, learn to stand up on your own. It is, after all, your life; live it the best you can.