Highest Ranking #1 in Ethnicity
Veena Parthasarathy, an 18-year-old American girl, has her whole world turned upside down after the sudden demise of her mother. Veena's dreams of starting university are deferred, and she's left with a lingering guil...
Varun and I hopped onto his dad's old but well-maintained Pulsar. It roared to life as Varun kick-started it off, and we sped away towards Riyaz's shop. The wind in my hair, the vibrant colors of the village, and the excitement of being in India all combined to create an exhilarating feeling.
As we reached the small shop, filled with a dazzling array of bangles, I realized that I didn't know what colors would match the half-saree I was getting stitched. Varun looked at me with a curious smile.
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"So, Veena, what colors are we looking for?" he asked.
"Hmm," I pondered, "I guess teal and silver."
"Teal and silver it is, then!" he grinned, and we began picking out matching bangles. While I was admiring some silver finger rings, Varun noticed and asked, "You like these?"
I nodded, and before I knew it, he was buying one for me. It was such a sweet gesture. Wanting to make the moment unforgettable, I insisted, "You should get one too, Varun, so we can have matching rings as a symbol of our friendship."
Varun chuckled and agreed, picking out a similar ring. We slipped them onto our fingers, and in that simple exchange, it felt like we had sealed our bond as best friends. We spoke about our favorite colors, foods, holidays, and even more, as if we were running out of time.
With our bangles and matching rings in a small bag, we headed back on the bike. As we approached my grandma's house, Varun slowed down, and I knew our time together was coming to an end. We stopped in front of the house, and I hesitated to get off.
"Thank you, Varun," I said sincerely, feeling the warmth of our newfound friendship.
He smiled and replied, "No problem, Veena. It was fun. I'll see you tomorrow?"
I nodded, feeling a sense of belonging and happiness that I hadn't expected to find so quickly in this foreign land. Just as I was about to say goodbye, Grandpa called out from the side, "Veena, are you back? I need to ask you something."
"Yes, thatha", I answered hurriedly, saying goodbye to Varun. As Varun drove away, I watched him disappear down the dusty village road with a smile on my face. I knew that this was the beginning of something beautiful.
When I went to my Grandpa and asked what he wanted, he said, "Can you call Meera? We'd love to see her."
I agreed and promised to call Meera later in the evening.
After returning to my room, I settled in for a while. A few minutes later, a family from a nearby town arrived in our village, guests for the upcoming thiruvizha festival. They were distant relatives, and as I laid eyes on them, their faces seemed unfamiliar. Grandma introduced them as kin, the brother's son and his family. Among them was a girl, Nandhini, who appeared to be of a similar age as me, and her younger brother, Akhilan.
Due to the limited space in our house, Grandma suggested that Nandhini and I share a room. We all gathered for a special dinner, lovingly prepared by Grandma with the assistance of our housemaid. After the hearty meal, we gathered outside the house to relish the cool evening breeze. Grandpa reminded me about his desire to speak with my sister, Meera. I set up my laptop in the living room so everyone could join the call, and I rang Meera.
