Ashi(P.O.V.)
It was a winter morning.
I yawned with the first ray of sun peering into my room through the crevices of windows. Wrapping in my white comfy attire felt like I was floating on clouds.
"Rise and shine my Ashi " a sweet voice whispered in my ear. I was daydreaming and I realised it at the same moment when I fell off my bed.
"ouch!" I almost let out a scream while rubbing my back. I got up, rubbed my bleary eyes and again went straight to bed. I hugged my pillow tightly and murmured "oh my Edward " (Edward was my favourite character from the novel 'The twilight saga' by Stephanie Meyer and yes, I had a crush on him )
"oh ! fantasy queen, come out of your dreams " I didn't follow when Sidhi came in.
"It's already 7:15 am and I guess you are supposed to be ready by 7:30 am. Do I need to give you special treatment or you are smart enough to get up by yourself ?" she warned me stepping in the room.
I almost leapt down the bed to hear her words"special treatment". I remembered when last time I had gotten that treatment, I had fallen sick for four days because she had poured a bucket full of water on me while I was sleeping on a winter morning. Though she, too, was chided by mom and it gave me a little relief as compensation.
"hehe! It's nothing, sidhi . you know I was reading a novel last night so it's all up in my head. Nothing like fantasy". I tried to cover it up sheepishly while grabbing my jogging suit. Before she could scold me furthermore, I shut the door closed on her.
Sidhi was my elder sister pursuing a Bachelor of Physiotherapy (B.P.T) but because of her winter vacations, she was with us at that time. I had to share the room with her again which was certainly not a piece of cake. She was the Hitler of our family.
I came out all freshened up wearing my grey jogging suit with black sports shoes on and a high bun of my brownish hair was tied up on my head.
"let's go" I encouraged moving towards Sidhi. She was wearing her casual white T-shirt with a long black trouser that she had to turn up a fold at the bottom of its legs and a loose ponytail that almost touched her waist.
"Hurry up" she commanded glaring in my direction " I am already late by fifteen minutes just because of you". I smiled shamelessly at her scolding.
"Ahh!! grow up, Ashi. when will you change? why to act like a jerk ?" she snapped at me heading towards the main gate.
"wait! what's wrong with her? can't she gulp anything I do or say? I mean ..is it necessary to always fuss about my behaviour? why can't she leave me alone " I cursed her in my thoughts because I couldn't dare to give sound to what I think of her? After all, she was my elder. With a deep breath, I set out for jogging after her.
I was almost running now. I turned my head in the right direction just to wonder at the beauty around me. The pace of my feet went slower than before. Indeed! that couldn't be a normal day I spent. It felt like heaven in front of my eyes.
A slight breeze rustled the leaves making them fall to the solid ground one by one. The sun began to rise, waking the tired sleepers. Flowers blossomed and vast concealing the freshly cut green grass. The pathway was nothing more than dirt littered with random rocks. The ground was quite moist.
That mesmerizing beauty was dazzling my eyes which made my jog more worthwhile. My mind was refreshed and my body was energized for the day. Unforeseen thoughts started popping into my head just as new answers for old problems.
The street was barren except sidhi, me and an elderly man who just took his turn in opposite direction. He was dressed in his black silk slacks and creme coloured sweater. At the corner of the street, he stopped and threw some pieces of bread to the monkeys sitting by the side of the road.
As soon as he was done, he returned towards the same way he had come from. It seemed like his only aim to come that way was to feed the monkeys who were then champing the bread they got and others who didn't get, were fighting for it.
I didn't notice when Sidhi had already reached the end of the lane and about to turn in right.
"hey! wait for me" I yelled at her for not caring about me.
"oh! you wanna join? I thought you were enjoying your whereabouts." she raised her voice turning in my direction to face me.
oh! I was done, I couldn't entertain her attitude anymore.
"it's ok so you can go. God has blessed me with the same feet you are given. you go ahead. I will come by myself All ALONE" I emphasized the word "alone" just to assure her that I didn't need anybody which, from my point of view, was not wrong till I again had a glimpse of monkeys.
"ahh!! Nothing could be better. Thanks for leaving me alone. See you at home" she nodded with a hint of sarcasm as she knew about my phobia of animals especially MONKEY.
It was late. she had already gone before I could stop her to ask a hand for help. I was left alone on a barren street with monkeys and the fear inside of me.
I was cursing myself for spelling out the words I just uttered without giving a single thought to the scenario.
"Indeed, it's an abnormal day" I sighed encouraging myself to step forward. "ohh! what's to be afraid of? They are just monkeys who are eating their food silently." I tried to laugh and be careless. "But who I m fooling? my heart which is already thumbing now or my mind which is already terrified of them." I admitted walking step by step.
I closed my eyes, put my hands on my chest, took a deep breath and started walking slowly but confidently to where I got to reach.