Shishukunj

What Would I Not Do To Be With Her

A story from Nitya Vyas, Class IX B

Michelle was my best friend since the age of five. I shared everything with her. Now, I’m fourteen and I live in a little town, Nantucket. And she lives in a beautiful city….one of the most popular cities in the USA – New York!

Till the time we were ten, she lived with me, just next to my house. Then she had to shift. Her father’s business demanded that. But, undeterred by the distance, we would never forget to call each other.

I learnt to fly a kite with her, for the first time, at a kite festival in Goa, India. That was our first foreign trip together. We were both seven.

Before that, our fun was confined to the backyard of our houses, where usually, a pretence wedding of the Barbies would happen or a tea party with all sorts of stuffed animals would take place. Soon, we started enjoying other things, like pillow fights, which seemed more a tomboyish affair for us girls.

At the age of eight our attention was caught by ballet. Our moms had taken us to watch Swan Lake, where we were mesmerised by the grace and poise of the dancers. Shortly afterwards we joined ballet classes, we were keen learners and were soon teaching the new entrants to the class.

But when we were nine, we left the ballet class, after having learnt only the basics!

At the age of ten, our attention was diverted to designer clothes, nail paint, footwear, accessories and hairstyles. We even learned to play the piano together.

Then came the horrible news; Michelle had to shift, to a faraway city. We promised to keep in touch and never lose track of each other. Every vacation, either she would visit me, or I would visit her. We camped together, shared each and every secret, laughed at every joke.

At twelve, we wrecked her brother’s bike. And at thirteen, my dad’s car! I learnt to drive with her, and though we got caught, it was fun because she was with me. The happy and fun time however, was over. When we parted, I kissed her cheek and she kissed mine. We said goodbye and the tears followed like always. We promised to write to each other regularly.

It was 6 March, 2014. I received a call from a New York City city hospital. Michelle along with her family members had met with a car accident. None survived. I alone knew what it was….. it was such a tragic end to the happy times…..

What would I not do to be with her once again.

When my friends remarked how sad it was and how much it must be hurting, I had trouble hiding my smile….after all, Michelle was such a beautiful fragment of my imagination!