I bolted up in bed, one hand clutching my pendant, the other wrapped in my sheets. I tried to remember the bits and pieces of the dream I'd just been having. Something about a basement. A little girl. Me? I couldn't remember ever having a basement. A little girl in a basement..something scary. Weren't basements always scary? Dark. Damp. Empty. But this one hadn't been empty. There'd been.. what? A man behind a furnace?
''Pia!'' Panchi shrieked. ''Why hasn't your alarm gone off? I'm your aunt, not your nanny. If you get late again, I'm calling your dad.''
I sighed. Even if Panchi managed to get hold of my dad in London, he'd just pretend to listen, eyes on his Blackberry, attention flying away to something more important. He'd probably murmer a vague, ''Yes, I'll see to it when I get back'' and forget all about me when he hung up.
I pushed the covers down, turned the radio on, and crawled out of my bed.
**
A half hour later, I was in my bathroom, getting ready for college.
''Pia!'' Panchi knocked again.
''I'm on the toilet.'' I shouted back. ''Can I have some privacy maybe?''
I brushed my hair, leaving the waves falling down to my shoulder. I eyed the unopened hair colour type. Rhea swore purple highlights would be perfect on me. I couldn't help thinking I'd look like a freakshow. Still, it might help..
''I'm picking up the phone, Pia.'' Panchi yelled.
I grabbed the tube of dye, stuffed it in my bag and threw open the door.
**
I took the stairs, as always. The building might change but my routine never did. The day I'd started Kindergarten, my mom held my arm, my bag over her other arm as we'd stood at the top of the stairs.
''Get ready, Pia.'' She'd said. ''One, two,three-''
And we were off, racing down the stairs until we reached the bottom, laughing till we're out of breath, the floor swaying and moving around our unsteady feet, all the fears over my first day of school gone.
We'd run down the stairs together every morning all through kindergarten and half of first class and then..well, then there wasn't anyone to run down the stairs with anymore.
I paused at the bottom, touching the necklace under my T-shirt, shook off the memories, pulled my bag on, and walked down the staircase.
After my mom died, we'd move around India a lot. My dad flipped apartments like clothes. Since he was away on business most of the time, staying at one place wasn't important. For him, anyway.
This morning, the stairs hadn't been such a bright idea. My stomach was already shaking with nerves over my Spanish exam. I screwed up the last exam ' gone to a sleepover at Rhea's when I should have been studying, and I failed. If I didn't get a C, well, dad won't be too happy.
Siddharth was waiting for me in his car. He'd been living me with me for two years now, he and Panchi took care of me through the moves and shifts when dad wasn't there.
''I saw a movie last night.'' He said. ''One of the kind you like.''
''A thriller?'' I asked.
''No.'' He frowned. ''An action-adventure. You know, lots of guns, people dying. A real shoot-em-down movie.''
''You mean, a shoot-em-up movie.''
He raised an eyebrow. ''When you shoot a man, which way does he fall? Up?''
I laughed, and we talked about movies for a while. My favourite subject.
When Siddharth had to take a call, I looked out of the window. A long-haired boy shot out from behind the group of businessmen. He carried a lunch box with a superhero on it. I was too busy trying to figure out which superman it was, I didn't notice until he headed off into the road, standing between us and the next car.
''Siddharth!'' I screamed. ''Watch-''
I slammed against my shoulder belt. The driver behind us, and the one behind him, honked on their horns.
''What?'' Siddharth said. ''Pia? What's wrong?''
I looked over my shoulder and saw .. nothing. Just an empty lane in front and traffic rushing to our left.
''Th-th-th-'' I clenched my fists. ''I thought I saw someone jump in front of us.''
He drove the car forward. ''That happens to me sometimes, especially if I'm turning my head. I think I see someone, but there's no one there.''
I nodded, my stomach felt heavy again, and my insides felt like they're on fire.
--
i know this was short.. & it will take atleast 2 more updates before i can get abhay, misha, kabir, t & everyone else in the story. this should give you a clue about what pia is. 😊
like the first post in this thread to be added to the PM list.
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