One day I had gone to my building’s play area to meet my friends where we played seesaw and catch. There I saw a little girl in the corner merely 3 years old sitting with a scared look. I went by and offered to play with her but she did not want to do anything. Later that evening I dropped her at her house and went back. I also got to know we stayed on the same floor a few flats away. We did not talk much because she was shy and scared, I would steal her toys away. Sadly a year later she shifted and we lost touch for almost 5 years. It was Navratri and I was asked to team up with an 8-year-old to play Dandiya. Slowly I remembered that she was the same girl who used to stay in my building. Over dinner, after Dandiya I started talking to her about the most random things and that’s how it began. This continued for many years and I never knew the shy girl would turn into my best friend and become an integral part of my life.
On her birthday last year, she had offered to meet at a place nearby. I told her I couldn’t make it due to some other commitments but at the last minute I decided to surprise her with a gift and her favorite movie and the reaction was, as usual, she was shocked when she saw me standing there. We spent the whole day together and ended with a cute sleepover. She was really happy and from that day she called me her elder sister. Ever since I always have treated everything of hers like my own.
On June 8th, my 20th birthday, she had planned a surprise video call where she baked a cake and cut it. She made sure she was awake till 12 AM to be the first ones to wish me even before my parents. We do not hide anything from each other. She is my best critic, a partner in crime, a personal photographer making sure she is there too, a shoulder to cry on,, and my biggest motivator during my tough times. She would even make sure that even if my day ends on a bad note which would help me vent my way through.
She is the sweetest person I have ever come across in my life and could not get any better. Even her mom counts on me to give her the best ways to do anything because even aunty knows now, we are inseparable and the best part is we share the same surname so people ask us are we sisters so we just smile and agree. I know even though she does not express her feelings much her actions make up for it by conveying the gesture. I am happy to share my magic with a person like her who always manages to bring out the best in me.