A thing that one would find rather hard to believe is that I used to adore art. I loved displaying the mesmerizing hues of my imagination on to a thin sheet of reality. Just like the rest of my dreams, this seemed to be the one I had to forget. That day when I returned to my room, I drew every possible variation of a daisy that my imagination birthed. Suddenly, my room was filled with different forms of artistic approaches that created a garden filled with the most beautiful blossom to ever exist in mankind- a daisy. The pearly white petals and the sunlight yellow in the center depicted me and my Daisy, perfectly close and a flawless combination nonetheless.
My mind wasn't prepared for the fact that we were finally introduced to each other. My imagination couldn't let go off the fostering look in her eyes and the nurturing attitude she held before me. I knew I had frozen in the moment but everything seemed perfectly vivid now. She belonged with me and I belonged with her.
I owed a forever of my gratitude to my best friend Sammy. She had done the one thing I was unable to do for the past month and a half. I owed her this happiness and I couldn't wait for her to find out. The next morning was a jolly one. I woke up with the brightest smile I had had in the longest time. As I walked into class, I saw Sammy eagerly waiting for me. "Before you say anything, I am truly sorry for abandoning you in class yesterday. You finally introduced me to Daisy. Did you know that we had a whole conversation yesterday? Well, it was mostly her speaking and me staring but … IT WAS HER SPEAKING! Here is a gift for my best friend, I hope you will forgive me", said I with a sneaky smile on my face. "Of course, you drew me a Daisy. what a thoughtful gift buddy", she replied sarcastically, mouthing the word 'yay' with disappointment. I knew I was sounding like Romeo from Shakespeare, but I had no one else to share it with other than Sammy. She gave me a hug and welcomed me back to the seat next to her which she always saved for me.
My eyes were wandering in search of Daisy but it was as if she were a lost dream. The professor had already started teaching us about the nervous system, and my neurons were agitating me to get up and find my love. That day, Daisy did not show up to class. Where could she have been? Maybe, she wasn't feeling well, or maybe she had some sort of emergency. Maybe, she had a hard time sleeping yesterday because of me or maybe she had some other man she belonged to. The negativity in my overthinking overpowered the positivity. I knew in my heart now that Daisy was never going to be mine. Sammy nudged me to pay attention but I was too distracted by the matters of my life. As soon as class ended, I grabbed hold of Sammy's arm and rushed out of the classroom. "What are you up to now Neil? We have a class in 10 minutes and we can't be late." Sammy was right, but I was not prepared for missing Daisy for another long hour. I begged Sammy to search the girls' hostel and after a million persuasive promises, she agreed.
The sun hit the drop of sweat dripping against the sides of my face at perfect perpendiculars. Drenched in distress, I stood before the girls' hostel, waiting for Sammy to bring down my good luck charm. The sun slowly watched a few seconds turn to minutes as I tapped away my anxiety during the delay. Soon, I saw Sammy running towards me. She had a raspy breath and worrisome look on her face. "What's wrong? Is she sick? Should I run to the store and get her something to eat?" I begged Sammy to answer quickly while she tried to catch a hold of her breath. "I'm sorry Neil. She left. The warden says she is never coming back. I can't imagine what you must be- ", before she could finish, I was on the floor, partly due to a heat stroke and mostly due to a broken heart.
When I came to, five of my professors, both the hostel wardens and an emotional Sammy were standing on the top of my head, protecting me from the sun and asking me about my well-being. What was I supposed to tell them? I was lost. I had lost purpose in life all over again. The garden of my imagination was like a setting for Halloween. The warmth and brightness of the daisies was far gone.
Sammy grabbed my hand and took me to the cafeteria. She took a deep breath as if she were starting a monologue. "Are you insane? Why would you give me such a fright? I panicked and screamed, which is probably why two of your most hated teachers were standing over your head, hoping you were gone for good. Look, we don't know the situation and we shouldn't be quick to judge. Maybe the warden had it wrong. Maybe Daisy just needed a break or something. Let's not jump to conclusions that make us quite literally faint. I am your friend and it is my sole duty to protect you, be it harm of whatever form. Even if Daisy is gone, and I am not saying she is, but is it that big of a deal? You spend most of your day with me anyway. Your obsession with that girl had been getting out of hand since too long and now it has officially crossed its boundaries. I had no plan on lecturing you today but I guess this monologue is necessary because let me tell you Mr. Neil, you have completely lost your mind. You have fallen head over heels for a girl you know nothing about. What if she isn't the one? What would you do then, faint every day? I know she said hello and I was happy to introduce you to her but this has gone too far. Am I not a good enough company?" Sammy was wiping off her tears as she tried to put some sense into me. She was more than enough and I truly enjoyed her company while enduring her sarcasm, but she was not Daisy. She could never have the power to make this netherworld a happy place.
I comforted my friend while completely ignoring the logic she was trying to force into me. Sammy was a great friend and someday she would be someone else's Daisy, but for now, she had to help me find mine. Tomorrow was about to be a tough mission.