Facing the World

Chapter 21

It had been a long day. It dragged for the first half but I still enjoyed it. Past mid day, i was left alone with nothing to do. 

'Where is this Sharon?', She was supposed to pick me up half an hour ago. I stood at the front gates of the collage, aimlessly counting the number of birds flocking with so much freedom. I decided standing here was a waste of time, I might as well go study in the library. As I headed back, a 'beep' sound from a car made me jump. I turned around and saw Rey sounding his car horn to get my attention.

"Oh! Hi Rey, You heading home?", I waved my hand at him and slowly walked towards his car.

"Yeh just finished with my classes, what are you doing here so late? Didn't your class finish an hour ago?"

I stood on the side of Rey's car, while scratching the back of my head, trying to make sentences out of my mouth that made sense. "Hmm, I was just waiting for Sharon. I think she's running late".

Rey then quickly got out his car. "Why don't you call and check where she is?". 

Dam It! I knew I shouldn't have been spending my entire free period watching youtube. Now my battery is dead.

"It's dead. I drained it of it's energy", I smiled back weakly.

"It's okie, I'll just call and check". He turned towards the back car seat and grabbed his phone from his bag.

"Hey! Sharon, where you at? Simiran is waiting for you here".

I looked at Rey whilst he talked on the phone, suddenly being embodied by his looks I forgot what they were saying.

"Simi! Simi!", What? their conversation is over so soon?

"Oh! Sorry I was just...". He cut me half way and spoke while smiling, "Sharon asked me to drop you at her place, she got held up at the interview thing and said it could take her hours to get back here. Also she was mad you weren't answering your phone".

I wasn't sure if I was supposed to be excited or worried. Excited, because Rey is taking me home or worried because Sharon was mad. I thought about taking the chance and go home in a car with a guy I barely knew. If this happened back home, I was sure to be dead.

 I'm going in a car back home alone with Rey. Yey! The thought gave me butterflies.

Rey opened the door for me and I quickly sat in his beautiful sporty car. This guy must be pretty rich or his family could be. Either way, his childhood must have been fabulous. I looked out the window as he drove fast, feeling the wind hit my face and blow my hair. I looked on the other side and saw Rey getting a glimpse of me, which now looked liked a mess. The wind just suddenly decides to stuff my hair up and make it go everywhere. The car suddenly came to a stop at the lights, giving me a quick chance to fix this dam hair.

"So Simi, you still haven't told me the story of how you got to Mumbai?"

"Oh I haven't, I got here by Train with Sharon, I think she hated the ride, But I loved it!". I knew he really wanted to know my evil plotting ideas. But he wasn't getting them this easy.

"Ha.Ha. You're so funny!" He looked over at me and smirked, "Come on seriously? I feel like I'm the only one that doesn't know your story".

"Seriously Rey, there is no story, I am just a plain simple girl from a small village who is here in Mumbai to study and make her dreams come true".

"Well then, what are your dreams?"

"Hmm, I'm not sure yet, they change, one day I'd crave to me a Bollywood star, the next I'd just pick to be a rich business woman. It all depends on how happy I go to bed".

"Simi, you are one confusing person you know?"

I couldn't help but laugh, seems like he does know me. I have always been the kind that couldn't decide what I really wanted. I always ended up making myself like and get adjusted to whatever I got.

"Well you just need to turn yourself around to get used to things, it's a better way then turning the whole world around you".

The long car ride due to the traffic, felt shorter. We weren't silent for a single bit. Our conversations about so many topics changed and he tried numerous times to get to my evil plots. Soon after waiting in the traffic, we got home. He stopped his car right in front of the house. I was scared that Aunty Roop  might think wrong and probably not like the idea of a guy dropping me home. As soon as I got out the car, Aunty Roop came rushing out the house and grabbed me. "Thank God! you're okay, Sharon called me and said she was running late". She calmly let go of me and looked over at Rey. "Thank you Rey for taking care of Simiran".

"It's Okay Aunty, I'm always here to help friends".

I looked over at him and he smiled. I waved my hand at him and he waved back and drove off.

An hour later Sharon returned back home looking exhausted,"Oh my poor child, how was it?", Aunty Roop came rushing as soon as she saw Sharon enter the house.

Aunty Roop was such a lovely mother. What happened to my mum? Not that she isn't nice but she always nags me on whatever I do. If I cleaned the house, then she'll complain that I couldn't cook. If I cooked, then she'll complain about my cleaning skills are so bad. How come Sharon never got any of this from Aunty Roop?

"It went well mum, I think I might just get the internship. They have added me to their short-list. But  they said I have to finish collage this year and start the job over the Christmas holidays".

Sharon's dad who was busy flipping through the news channel, joined the mini family discussion on Sharon's future. Sharon's career pathway seemed to be perfectly laid out like a floor plan. She loves fashion and that's what she is doing. Her parents have no objection and she gets to do whatever she wants. 

This idea of a perfect life Sharon was living couldn't make me sleep the whole night. I kept waking up every five minutes on the verge of making Sharon scream at me. She was trying to sleep as well but my turning and twisting in bed made it annoying for her. 

"Simi! What's wrong? I said sorry to you earlier for not picking you up."

"It's not that Sharon, I don't mind. Rey was there so it wasn't a problem".

"I see. That car ride with Rey must have been fun".

"It was actually really fun, sad it ended too soon".

Sharon suddenly got up, folded her legs and sat starring at me. "You have a crush on Rey don't you".

"What! No..pshht. A crush on Rey. No thank you!".

"Yes you do! I have seen how you look at him, Sammi also said that Rey couldn't stop talking about you over the phone once he dropped you off".

Rey was talking about me. 

"Seriously Sharon, there is nothing. I was just thinking about what I want to do in future. You have it all planned out. I still haven't found what I'm interested in. Back at home, Disha wants to be a chef, Jigar has his own store, you want to be a fashion designer, I don't know what I want to do?".

I waited for Sharon to respond but when I looked over at her, she was busy texting someone.

"Sharon, I'm trying to have a career consultation with you, are you even listening?".

"hmm, yes I am..and SEND!".

"What are you doing? Don't you have any advice for me? Miss perfect?".

"It's okay Simi, you can thank me later". Right after saying that she just quickly feel asleep.

Did she even listen to a single word I said? What was I going to thank her for? This girl drives me crazy!