o n e [ m e e t i n g h e r ]

"AHH,THE SMELL OF HOME," I murmured to myself as I walked through the familiar yet slightly different street.

Okay, the smell wasn't anything exotic or in the slightest, extraordinary but I feel like it's a custom that you should smell the air (though it may be polluted as heck) and utter a word or two about home and stuff. Adds to the whole 'back to hometown' image very well.

Yesterday, I came back to my hometown after getting the transfer certificate from my school which had housed me since I was six. Today was Saturday and I would be joining the renowned school of my town on monday.

Wanting to get on track as quickly as possible, I had left my home early in the morning so that I could walk through the residential area, taking a look at everything.

A smile spread across my face as the old park, which gave me my first friend, came into my vision.

I slowly walked towards it.

It wasn't really crowded since it was morning and most of the kids came during the evenings. It made me chuckle when I saw a boy and girl build a sandcastle in our sandbox. My hands automatically made its way to my pocket and I took out my wallet which had the polaroid's first ever photo.

Sitting on one of the empty swings, I looked at the photo. Kiranya's face still looked unrecognisable and I cursed my childish behaviour of carrying it around all the time. If I had, maybe, kept it in an album safely, the photo wouldn't be in such ruins.

The children's laughter pulled me back and I glanced up to see that they had finished with the sandcastle.

How long had I been staring at the photo?

God, I'm such a creep. To think that what I always do is stare at pictures . . . I'm starting to doubt my sanity too.

The children were still laughing proudly at their messy handiwork and my grin widened even more.

Smile.

Such a precious thing.

Instinctively my hands took the polaroid which had been with me for so many years and I took a snap of the children. The tiny sound made the kids turn to me and when I gestured to them to come near me, they came cautiously towards me.

The boy had a hand stretched sideways and the girl had her tiny hands clutched to that tightly.

I chuckled.

Cute.

"You've strange eyes," the kid said, glaring at me accusingly.

"Ah . . ." I dragged, "that's just new fashioned contacts. Do you know what contacts are?"

He nodded and pushed the girl a little more behind him and I tried to suppress a grin.

God, they're so cute.

"I assure you. I'm not a serial killer. I just took a picture of you both," I said loudly and extended the photo to them.

The picture was almost there yet when I asked the kids to shake the photo in the air, the astonishing look on their faces made me happy.

"Awesome, right?" I said, tilting my head and the cute kids nodded their heads vigorously.

"Do you want it?" I asked and it didn't escape my eyes how the girl's hands pressed the boy's arm.

"Looks like your friend here wants it," I said pointing the photo to the girl, "but I need a payment."

"What?" the boy asked, confused.

"If I give this to you, you'll have to give me something in return."

The boy looked at me cautiously then nodded.

I handed him the picture and extended both my hands outwards.

"Anna would love a warm hug from both of you."

The girl was the first to hug me and the boy followed her suit. After a combined bone crushing hug from two sets of puny hands, the kids were gone.

I know I'm strange. But I liked making people happy.

"I once knew someone who had a polaroid too," a voice whispered near me.

I whipped my head around to look at the owner and when I saw who it was, a startled shout was out of my mouth before I could control it.

Black hair.

Black eyes.

Thin lips.

How?

"You!" I yelped, getting up from my swing and the girl in the next swing looked back at me with totally lifeless eyes.

"You're . . . you're BookManiac12, right?"

Something snapped inside her eyes when the words exited my lips and at once BookManiac12 was at her feet.

Without a glance at me, she started walking away.

Oh my freaking god, it's her! The owner of the warm eyes and the cheeky smile- halt.

Where the hell did she disappear to? Just in that miniscule time I drifted, she was gone.

Gone.

Great.

I'll go face palm myself.

+++

Sighing again for the thousandth time, I dug my hands even deeper into my pockets as I walked towards my home.

Sweat trickled down my forehead and inside my body. I wiped my face yet again with the damp sweaty handkerchief.

Wow, Mr Sun is really merciless during afternoons.

I had BookManiac12 in my hand, well figuratively, but before I knew it, she was gone.

I felt like punching a tree.

I had planned so many things to do and ask when I met her and though I actually met her, I let her slip through my fingers without even knowing her freaking name.

I was such an idiot.

Sighing again, I decided to at least go and announce my return to my childhood playmate. It was fortunate that I remembered the house.

It still took my breath away when I looked at the charming huge house. It was smaller than my home yet it looked so cute.

I went to the gate, searching for the calling bell. And that's when I noticed the locked gates.

Locked?

I squirmed my eyes and looked at the door. It looked locked too and that made me heave another big sigh.

Today was totally unproductive and sucky. And all I wanted was to just drink our Cook's special chocolate milkshake and sulk.

+++

You should do it.

You shouldn't. It would seem totally indecent and nosy.

Pfft, who cares about nosy and indecent? We just want answers. So do it.

But we don't even know if it's her! BookManiac12 has a cheery aura. That girl in the park looked like she was a walking zombie.

Just changes in the aura. Not the face. They are the same person.

Don't listen to that guy.

Don't listen to that guy!

Technically speaking we both are the same guy.

I groaned, brushing off my inner turmoil.

Okay, I'm doing it!

Opening my inbox, I clicked on BookManiac12's conversation and started typing.

BookAddict11 : Hey BookManiac12,

So, um, I... I mean, we kinda met today, I guess. Remember? In the park? Ring a bell? No? No? Seriously, no? Okay…

Okay, the message even made me cringe but yeah, that's me.

And like I expected, there was no reply though she was actively commenting back to the comments on her book.

Meanie.

Guess I have to wait till I accidentally meet her next time. Because I sure as heck didn't want to be blocked by her.