"Maa I'm leaving," Ankita shouted.
Clang
She closed the gate and ran off.
"Anu don't run." Mrs Dey shouted but her words fell on deaf ears as her beloved daughter ran even faster.
"Sigh. This girl..."
Rai lived a few blocks away from Ankita's place, it was a fifteen-minute walk. On her way, she met Rishav.
"Oye. Practising for the marathon are we?" He raised an eyebrow and walked up to her.
Ankita halted and rolled her eyes saying "Weren't we supposed to meet at the intersection? What are you doing here?"
"Oh, I was taking a nap after lunch and then I realised I was late and... yeah, here I am." He said with a serious expression.
Ankita: "..."
When they reached Rai's house her mother was sitting on the sofa, watching TV.
Mrs Sarkar turned towards them and said smiling "Hello Ankita and Rishav. How are you? Your friend is waiting upstairs for you. She told me about your arrival."
"Hi Sumitra aunty," they said in unison.
"We're good. You?" Ankita said.
"Aah just as always." Mrs Sumitra Sarkar waved her hand.
"There she is. Rai, come and get your friends." She turned her head towards her daughter standing on the staircase.
"Maa, I'll take care of them. No worries." Rai jumped down the last three stairs and ran up to her for a hug.
"Woah! You've got your collection alright." Rishav exclaimed, looking around the room where Rai kept all her musical instruments.
What was not there! From reed to percussion to string instruments. Bina, Flutes, Tabla, Violin, Guitar and Piano decorated the room.
"Do you know how to play each of these?" Ankita said in awe.
"Duh. But not on equal expertise though. The ones I like the most, I play the best. Other ones, I'm still learning." Rai said blushing.
"Which one do you play the best?" Rishav asked sitting on the mattress.
"Mmm, in my opinion, the flute but many said the violin and Tabla. So I don't know." Rai replied sitting beside him.
Ankita sat in front forming a triangle.
They were chatting about the competitions Rai participated in when Ankita said excitedly "Rai, play some for us. I can't wait to hear you with one of these."
"What do you want me to use?" Rai asked.
"....Whatever you feel like?" Ankita said shrugging.
Rai went silent for a moment.
"Uh, okay. Let's do this. I already have a few original compositions. Choose one from the index. Just choose the name of names you like the most." Rai handed Ankita and Rishav a tablet.
Both of them immediately pointed at a name.
"That's fifteen minutes long!" Rai said with wide eyes.
"So what? You won't be playing?" Ankita said pouting.
"Haha. No no no. It's not that. I meant to say that if you're not someone who enjoys orchestra then listening to such a long piece of music might become boring. Let's start with a short fusion, okay? That way I can use several instruments together." Rai said clapping.
Her eyes shone with excitement.
Ankita and Rishav looked at each other with equal excitement on their faces. They were also looking forward to it.
"Alright. That's it then. Now tell us what instruments will you be using?" Rishav asked curiously.
Ankita nodded expressing her eagerness to know too.
"For the first one, I'll be using the flute, for the second one I'll use tabla and violin for the last one," Rai got up and brought the three instruments.
After everything was arranged she started playing. The first piece lasted for two minutes and fifty seconds. The second one was about five minutes long and the third one was three minutes long.
As Rai ended the last piece, a brief moment silent smile exchanged between each of them.
"Brilliant!" Rishav said applauding.
"You're amazing Rai!" Ankita gave her a tight hug.
"Okay let's play a game!" Ankita announced munching on some chips.
Rai and Rishav looked at her with questioning looks.
"It's like this, Rishav and I will write the names of twenty songs and each of us will pair up with Rai for three rounds. In each round, the unpaired one will choose two songs for Rai to play and her partner has to guess it within three tries. Five points will be awarded for guessing both correctly, two and a half points for guessing one correctly and no points for failing either."
"Okay." Rai and Rishav agreed.
"I'll write the scores," Ankita said.
"I'll bring a pen and a phone," Rai suggested raising her hand.
"Don't we already have your tablet at hand?" Rishav asked pointing towards the tab lying beside him.
"Uh, actually I only use it for storing my musical score and everything related," Rai answered awkwardly.
"Oh sorry sorry. I didn't know. Anyway I was just suggesting don't mind, please. But I admire your dedication to music." Rishav smiled at Rai.
Rai nodded gratefully when Rishav understood her point. After a while, she came back with a smart pen and a phone.
"Here it is." she gave the things to Ankita and sat down.
Rishav and Ankita started making the list.
"Hmm... I still need to think of three more songs. What else is there..." Ankita mumbled.
While she was immersed in thoughts her fingers began spinning the pen.
"Tsk. my mind! If it was some other time I would be humming hundreds of songs already but where is that talent when I need it!? I can't even remember a single one right now!!" She pulled her hair in frustration.
Rishav and Rai exchanged a fleeting glance and laughed seeing her struggle.
"GOT IT!" Ankita suddenly jumped up with a scream and began scribbling
Rishav and Rai held their chest with their hands and looked at Ankita with wide eyes.
"What happened to you two? Are you having a heart attack?" Ankita said with an innocent face.
She even looked a little worried. Rishav wanted to start a fight but Rai held him back
Rai cleared her throat and said "You almost gave us one with your screaming."
Ankita smiled guiltily.
"Anyways let's start," Rishav clapped.
"I and Rai will pair up first. Anu, say the names to Rai," he hooked his arm around Rai's.
The game began. Initially, it went as it was supposed to but later on it somehow went on to how Ankita found a new song, how Rishav had heard the tune of the song but forgot the lyrics and how Rai broke her first flute on her first day at her music lesson and so on.
It was about six thirty when Mrs Sarkar came into the room and said, "Kids, here's some Jilipi that your uncle brought. Eat it while it's still hot."
"Thank you Sumitra Aunty." Ankita and Rishav grinned.