Almost

Winter vacations should've been longer. I decided that the moment my sister pulled my blanket away for the third time.

"Rivyaa!" she groaned. "If you don't wake up in the next ten seconds, I'm leaving without you."

I pulled the blanket over my head.

"I'm serious."

"So am I," I mumbled from underneath. "Tell school I resigned."

A pillow landed on my face.

"You can't resign from Class Eight, idiot."

I heard her laugh before footsteps faded towards the door.

Silence.

Peace.

My blanket welcomed me back like I'd never left.

Then...

"RIVYAA!"

That wasn't my sister.

That was my mother.

I sat up so fast I almost fell off the bed.

"I'm awake!" I shouted.

"You've been awake for the last fifteen minutes!" Ma shouted back.

I rubbed my eyes and stared at the ceiling.

First day after winter vacation.

Already a disaster.

By the time I dragged myself out of bed, Tvisha had already finished getting ready.

She stood in front of the mirror tying her ponytail perfectly while I looked like someone who had survived a cyclone.

"You look homeless," she said after one glance.

"You say that every morning."

"Because every morning you prove me right."

I rolled my eyes.

"Very funny."

"I know."

That was Tvisha.My elder sister.

The most beautiful and confident person I had ever met. And thankfully she is my sister.

If talking was an Olympic sport, she'd have at least three gold medals by now.

People knew her everywhere.In school.Around town.At family functions.

She spoke whatever came to her mind, never cared who was standing in front of her, and somehow everyone still adored her.

I, on the other hand...

Well...

Let's just say if someone asked us whether we were really sisters, I'd understand why.

She was sunshine.

I was the shadow quietly following it.

"Hurry up," she said, pointing towards the bathroom. "I've already packed your school bag."

"You did?"

"And changed both our notebook covers yesterday."

"Oh."

"I also checked your timetable."

"Oh."

"And sharpened your pencils."

I blinked.

"Oh."

She folded her arms.

"You'd probably forget your own head if it wasn't attached."

"That's rude."

"That's accurate."

I wanted to argue.

Unfortunately...

She wasn't wrong.

Ma often laughed and said, "This girl is so innocent that people could sell her twice before she'd realise something was wrong."

Everyone laughed.Including me.

Our home was never quiet.

We lived in a joint family, so mornings always sounded the same. Koka ( grandfather) doing puja, Aita (Grandmother) calling someone into the kitchen, the smell of breakfast filling the house, and relatives walking in and out as if every room belonged to everyone.

I loved it.Some people liked silence.I liked home.

After rushing through my bath and somehow managing to wear my uniform without forgetting anything important, I walked into the dining room.

Ma was already waiting.

"Drink this first."

A glass of milk.

Of course.

She handed another glass to Tvisha.

Mine was plain.

Tvisha's had Bournvita.

I looked at hers.

Then at mine.

"Favouritism."

"You don't even like Bournvita," Tvisha said.

"That's not the point."

Ma laughed.

"The point is you'll be late if you keep talking."

Aita walked past us with a plate of hot parathas.

"Eat properly before school."

"I'll eat in the tiffin," I said.

"You'll forget."

"I won't."

"You forgot yesterday."

"That was before winter vacation."

"Which changes what?"

"...Nothing."

Everyone laughed.

Outside, a familiar horn echoed through the courtyard.

"The driver's here!" someone called.

I grabbed my school bag.

Or at least I tried to.

Tvisha had already picked it up.

"Come on," she said.

I smiled.

No matter how much she teased me, she'd always look after me before herself.

And I knew I'd do the same for her.

Till death do us part.

The cool Guwahati morning brushed against my face as we stepped outside. Winter hadn't completely left yet. The fields around our home shimmered under the soft sunlight, and for a moment, I wished the holidays had lasted just one more week.

The driver started the car, and as always, the radio came to life before we did

"Ratipuwa xui uthi jabore je hoi school lo loi..."

"Jontro."

A smile found its way to my face.

Only Zubeen Garg could make an ordinary school morning feel like a story waiting to happen. His songs had a strange way of fitting every emotion an Assamese heart could carry. As Jontro played softly through the speakers, I rested my head against the window, watching the world wake up.

Maybe that was what we all are in the end.Just jontros(machines)moving through life, carrying dreams no one else could hear.

The thought made me smile.

I was only thirteen.What did I know about life anyway?

The school gates finally came into view.

Kingsbridge School.

The holidays were over.New books.A new classroom.The same classmates.

I took a deep breath, adjusted the strap of my school bag, and stepped out of the car.Another school year was about to begin.But the moment the school gates appeared, my heartbeat changed ever so slightly.

The heart has a strange habit of looking for someone before it looks for itself!