Different But Still The Same

3: Kamalla: Haywire emotions

EDIT:  I changed this to chapter 3, reading this one before chapter 2 won't make a difference, but trust me, it really should be in order.

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"Oh, Kamalla, you poor thing!  My friend Meena sympathizes with me.

I nod my head, though I keep my hand in the same position: supporting my head.  I stare at my iced coffee, and say agitatedly, "Can't I get some service around here?!"  I just need a little bit of Truvia, but no, no one is going to come at my beck and call.   Though someone should, I'm a paying customer!

"Kamalla, I understand you're upset that... well, that he's... not in the best condition right now."  She words cautiously.

A tear sparks to my eyes.  "We can't do this, right here right now, Meena.  You know I'll start balling.  And it's not just that Farok is... not with me right now.  But it's also all the people at my dad's house right now.  This may make me sound like an old woman, but it's like there's some sort of loud teen party going on next door... without all the noise... I don't know."  I clench my fists together, putting all my tension into it.

"You're not an old woman, Kam, I mean, look at you!  I still wish you could've given me the money for the young now and forever surgery!"  She says louder than she should.  A few people nearby look from her to me with an astonished look on their faces.  But they soon turn away, probably not believing that I got the surgery.  Only the richest of the rich can afford it, so it's pretty rare.

"Meena, you need to hush.  Why do you always insist on talking loud and bringing attention to yourself?"  I whisper, exasperated.

"Yeah, I know.  I just can't help it..."  She gives me her deer eyes, saying 'I'm sorry Kamalla'.

"No need to give me the big eyes, Meena, stop it!"  I say louder than I should.

She continues staring at me, but stops when I crack a smile.

"There you go!  All better now."  She says light-heartedly.

"Yeah, you know it can't make me better this time.  My husband is in... trouble right now.  It all depends on my dad!"

"No it doesn't silly, it also depends on the other doctors and inventors."  She adds stupidly.

Finally, the waitress comes to our table.  "How are you two ladies doing?  Want another cup?"

"No thanks!  I just wanted a little bit of Truvia," I snap.

"Oh sure, right away ma'am."  There is some sugar and Sweet N' Low in a little bowl on the table, but no, no one thought that Truvia was good enough to put on the table too!

I roll my eyes as she leaves.  "Can you believe that?"

"Yes, I can believe that, what I can't believe is you!  You need to calm down."  She gives me another version of her deer eyes: her cat eyes; which means, she's disapointed in me.

In a few more moments, the waitress arrives with a handful of Truvia packets.  "I'm sorry for the wait, here is your sugar."  She sets the packets down in front of me and speed walks to another table.

Meena laughs.  "She thinks you need all that sugar for your little coffee!"

I glare back at her, trying to imitate her cat eyes, but fail.  "It's called Truvia.  And of course I'm not going to use all of it.  Ha, she must have gone to all sorts of trouble to get the Truvia, so decided to get a bunch of them, in case I wanted more.  That's so awesome."

I put a few of the packets in my coffee and stir it up.  I take a sip and grin.  Now, that's perfect.

"Now that my coffee's delicious, how about we go over to your house?"