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.