Chapter 56

2021.05.12

I was wondering why I have not heard anything from Lily. And I heard from her. It was from one of my mother's friend. She is a seamstresses. It was that Lily was getting married to a guy from another district and she wanted some dresses stitched up for the wedding. This seamstress, my mother's friend was in the School Development Society like the school captain's father. After they had given the dresses for stitching they started talking about the school and eventually they started talking about me. Now mate, it has been almost four years that I had met her and she is still keep mentioning up like a wind up parrot. They told that there was a girl in Lily's class who was a very rude and had no manners at all (Look who is talking!). And I had failed all my Ordinary Level and Advanced Level and also in the second try. And I have been fooling everyone that I had passed the test. They also added that I had no brains and am a very bad girl. It was funny that they did not mention about me being a bully. Then my mother's friend asked, "Is it Anna Minier?" They nodded and asked her if she knew me. She nodded and said that I had not failed any final exams and I have passed my second try very well and I had applied to the university. They argued that it was not true and then the friend continued saying that she was in the School Development Society and I cannot lie about the results, as she can see them from the school. They quickly started saying about my character and still denied that I was a clever student in the class. Later the aunt (Mother's friend) said that she knows me very well and even had talked to me couple of times and I had no rotten character. My mother did not tell me anymore further. I could tell that she was hiding some stuff and well she would because she is my mother. My mother's friend also said that they are not in good terms. It was as if, if they saw me and my mother in the street they would launch at us slash our guts open. And she also added that Lily was not recognizable. No one would even say that she was a twenty one year old girl, she is as if she is in her thirties. I am now afraid that I will be the reason for her appearance too. I did not feel panicked nor did I feel bitter after I heard all of these things. But a gush of happiness flooded me. As if I had achieved something. I did not feel any more angry, heart broken or small. Only I could do was laugh and feel my energy increasing within me.

Sally's birthday is in month of July. I was planning to get something for her. I am brainstorming and hope that I do not forget it. I listed some of the things that I wished to get her in my notebook and set an alarm on my tab to remind myself.

2021.08.03

Holy Lords I forgot Sally birthday and it ended six days ago. I told my mother and insisted on sending her something. I planned to bake a cake on my own. I made a card with pictures of us and with a bunch of sayings and stickers. The cover was dope with 3D balloons but within it looked childish and moreover it felt warm. My mother said that she will be going to the school Boards' meeting so on the way she will drop the cake and the gift. I was in haste so I packed a flower décor that I was selling in my no-sale shop.

2021.08.06

It turned out that Sally's house was under construction so she had shifted places. And it was not on the way to the school. So I planned to send the cake tomorrow in delivery.

I baked the cake and broke the hand mixer because I put all the ingredients at once. May be the cocoa powder flew in to the hand mixer and jammed within. But anyhow the cake mixture was ready. I made a semi-mini cake. And also a cake for us because my father loves the cakes I make and he wants something to eat with his hot milk tea every evening. I baked the cake and kept it to cool down. I asked my mother to help me out with covering the cake and giving a border for it with apple green color. My mother is a baker herself and she makes engagement cakes for order.

I came upstairs and packed my gift and found a box to put the cake inside. I printed out 'Happy Birthday' in pink. I kept on the table after cutting it. I went to the washroom. My father from outside turned off the light. "DAD! ON the light!" "Then come out quickly. I want to go to the washroom. I am in a serious situation." My father was acting like a five year old kid right now. "Fine on the light now!" He switched on the light and I came as fast as possible. "Okay, the washroom is all yours." I waited at the front of the door to turn off the light. "I will beat you if you turn off." My father threatened me. "Okay, okay I will not." Once he went I turned off and then switched on. After two minutes I turned off and on again. And quickly went back to my room and locked the door within.

I pasted the print out on the cardboard. And duct taped it with a clear duct tape giving it a laminated look and attached it to a stick.

2021.08.07

I pushed in the stick that had 'Happy Birthday' and packed it up in the box. I called a three-wheeler to pick it up and deliver it to Sally. Sally received the cake and called me and thanked for it. I even said sorry for the late reply and the gift. "Why did you not even tell me that it was your birthday and fight that I did not wish you and all?" I asked her in the call. She said, "I wanted to see if you remember my birthday." "I am so sorry. I actually kept an alarm and it did not go off. After that I remembered last week and my mother said that she will drop on the way but you were in a different place so that is why it took twelve days to celebrate your birthday. I am very sorry. I am a bad friend!" "No you are not! I will send you a screenshot see that. And I am really happy with the gift, card and the cake. The cake was absolute chocolate. I loved it. And I am being serious!" "It is nice to hear that you are convinced." We talked for a while before hanging up.

We posted on our social media accounts. And many people saw it. I later saw the screenshot Sally sent me. It read, 'You are lucky to have a friend like Anna. None of them deserved her.' It was sent by one of the native language Art class girl. She was in the band also with me. I quite knew her and even hung out with her sometimes. Sally was close to her than me of course. After seeing the screenshot I felt assured that I was treating my friends really good and I did a lot for them. All these days I thought that there was something wrong with me. So much fault that they ghosted me. It was haunting.

2021.09.12

Another person from my class was getting married and we only knew by one of ex-team friend posted a story in her stargram account. She had sent out a 'Bride to be' cake. I was quite shocked that she was spending on her. And later that day some of my classmates had also celebrated their birthday by sending cakes to each other. I knew they were doing this after I sent Sally a cake on her birthday. It was like they were trying so hard to prove that they are better than me. But I did not know who they were trying to please. It was as if they were trying to assure themselves that they are doing good and doing better than me.