CHAPTER 2

"Freddy! Good Morning!" Veena greeted her imaginary friend. Freddy turned to his normal form. She was tired as she couldn't sleep the previous night. She was rolling over her bed all night but didn't sleep. She was in no mood to get ready for school. She was embarrassed after realising what thought she had last night. She thought that she was in love with Hriday. "He is the only guy with whom I speak that's why I am having such weird thoughts!" Veena told herself.

"I should act normally in front of Hriday today..." she said to Freddy.

"With whom are you talking with?" her mom barged into her room and she didn't know that Veena had an imaginary friend. When Veena was a child, she told her parents about Freddy but her mother told her, "Don't be silly. There is no such person. And if say other people about your imaginary friend, they will mock you and laugh." So she never brought about Freddy in front of her parents thereafter.

But when she was in the first grade, she told her friend about Freddy. Her friend told her, "Wow! So you have such a good friend Veena!" and she was so happy to know that her friend didn't mock her and laugh. But when they got into a fight, her friend told the rest of her classmates, "Do you know, Veena is insane. She always talks alone and smiles alone."

From that day onwards, no one from her class talked to Veena. And some would laugh at her. At last, her mother's words became true. But she was thankful. Even when human beings had betrayed, Freddy was always there. So she decided," I will be friends with someone who supports me all time and won't betray Me." but she had not met such a person

"Get ready soon. "She again noticed small pieces of paper near her study table. "You won't stop doing this, right? What happened now?" Veena had a habit of tearing the paper into small pieces whenever she had something in her mind and when she could not solve some problems.

"Nothing. I couldn't sleep last night and ended up doing It." she was still combing her hair.

"Then, stop staring at that laptop all day."

"Yeah mom!" she took her bag and rushed to the kitchen. Her mom had cooked idly. Veena shoved two idlys into her mouth and had some water.

"Bye Mom!" it was already late. It was no problem until a week back but now, she had to make Hriday stand on the road if she got late. So she made sure that he didn't wait for her. Instead, she would rush out earlier.

They would meet at the next street. She walked alone on Next Street.

"There she is!" Akira exclaimed. Veena was surprised to see all the five there. She was thinking, "What's wrong?"

"She must be shocked to see all of us..." Vinod said the fact.

"Don't worry we're not here to bully you." Maya put her hand around Veena's shoulder. "We wanna apologise clearly. We're not planning to extend the act of bad guys."

"But it was fun to tease you. I'll miss teasing you." Nitin smirked.

Veena was standing there without wasting her energy by talking but thinking. She was still perplexed. Hriday was standing there just like Veena. He didn't talk but kept observing. "We would like to be friends with you, would you become our friend?" Akira held Veena's hands and made a puppy face. Veena said, "I don't know you people."

"You can know us only if you talk to us..." Maya said.

"You need not become our friend suddenly. Just spend time with us and then decide if you wanna be friends with us."

She thought about it for a minute and said, "Okay, fine." Veena felt like an important person for the first time. She was given a chance to decide. Usually, she never had a choice to choose. Everything was chosen by her parents and she had to accept it no matter what she wanted.

"By the way, you need not pretend to be Hriday's girlfriend anymore." Akira smiled. Veena looked at Hriday, he didn't react but he noticed Veena looking at him.

"From today onwards, let us walk school and home together, all of us together." Nitin waved his hand towards the direction of the school and home.

Veena nodded and walked with her friends for the first time in her life. Veena observed everyone for the first time. Akira and Nitin were total chatterboxes, they never stop talking. Akira was average in height, she was wheatish and had curly hair. Nitin was fair, lean and he always wore glasses. Vinod was like every next door guy. He was cool though. He had his own way of showing attitude. Maya was elegant, Veena thought. Maya was popular among both guys and girls. But she always gave a 'don't talk to me' aura. Only when Veena talked to Maya, she got to see the sweet face of Maya.

And Hriday, she got no idea about him. "Well, he spoke for me and walked me home and school for a week. I have also told him about Freddy but he didn't mock me. Still, he called me stupid." Veena thought.

"He told us about your friend Freddy. I wish I had a super imaginative friend to accompany me all the time. So sweet!" Akira seemed happy.

"Did Hriday say that?"

"Yes." Maya added, "It's because of him, we know about you and that's why we think we all wanna be friends with you."

"Don't you think I'm insane for having an imaginative friend?" Veena asked.

"Not at all." Akira proceeded "It is good that you are creative. You're not normal but you are awesome."

"Thank you!" Veena's eyes were filled with tears as she thanked her. She was never appreciated for her works but she always waited for someone to appreciate her. Her wish was fulfilled.

"If you ever wanna thank someone, thank that guy." Maya pointed out Hriday.

"Hriday! Veena wants to say something." Akira called out before Veena said anything. Everyone turned towards Veena. She felt nervous. She never spoke in front of many people. Last time when she was pursued by her English teacher to make a group of four and prepare a skit she couldn't bring herself to speak out. She had many things to say but her voice won't raise. At last, the group work was done all alone by herself.

Here, they were five. "What?" Hriday questioned.

"C'mon Veena!" Maya said.

"Th…Thank…you..!" she said and paused. "IheardeverythingfromAkiraandMaya.Today,becauseofyouIhavegotnewfriends.SoThanks!" she didn't give a pause at last.

Everyone started laughing. Hriday smiled at Veena and said, "Hmm."

"So, you already accepted to become our friend!" Nitin said. Veena nodded and said, "I don't wanna be left alone."

"You will not be alone. We will keep on nagging you. Don't worry." Akira gave a warm smile.

"That is good. We can ask you to teach us anytime, right?" asked Vinod.

"Sure."

"Okay. Let us go to school now." Maya checked the time, they had only five minutes more. So they walked fast to reach the school without further conversations.

"So people are different from what they look like. You never know something without giving it a try. Why haven't I tried looking deeper? Life always has its own way to teach everyone. After all, people are not the same. I have got a bunch of new friends today, Freddy. Thanks to that person." suddenly Freddy appeared and gave that smile that Hriday gave moments ago.

Veena blushed and walked towards the school. Then she noticed Hriday walking beside her. He said, "Don't keep burdening Freddy. We're here too."

"Actually, I have something to say."

Hriday frowned.

"Next time talk to me. Don't send them to talk. Bye." said Veena and went to her class.

"Why does she use that tone when it comes to me?" he wondered.

"Because you make me confused." Veena thought.