Chapter 2

It had been a long and silent road-trip with occasional small talks about school, weather and Vanilla. As the large skyscrapers emerged, her stomach began to rumble. Stroking Vanilla's hair, she whispered, "It's going to be fine. Everything will be fine"

Assuring herself, she tried to push away the memories of her last week in this city. The week where it all happened. The mind remembers negative memories easily instead of positive, the fact that kept swirling her mind. Biting her lower lip, she glanced at her father. He had strong hands, which were sweaty gripping the steering. His hair were chocolaty brown as hers and his eyes were black with sadness. He had aged, she noticed. There were lines around his mouth and a few strands of grey hair. He had ditched his formal wear and was wearing blue colored flannel and regular jeans.

The car stopped on a lane that had similar looking houses. When she stepped out, memories rushed to her. The screams, the crying, the ambulance, she remembered everything. The house looked blurry with tears filling her eyes. She blinked them away and helped Vanilla out of the car. She quickly ran to get the luggage and helped her father.

"Nanda's" the house said. She was not part of this house anymore, she knew that. As she pulled her luggage to doorstep with Vanilla playing at the porch, her heart started racing. A woman of around forties stepped out of the house with a big smile. She had her long black hair tied in a bun. Her face showed no signs of age but her eyes looked puffy. She wore a loose black t-shirt with a pair of blue pants. She ran to her and hugged her tightly. She kissed Inaaya's cheeks. Inaaya could see tears in her eyes building up. She tried to smile, "Hello, mother"

Her mother flashed her smile before picking up Vanilla, "Finally back home"

They walked in. The house was the way she remembered. She used to see it in her nightmares. She commented, "It hasn't changed a bit"

Her mother confessed, "Yes, we didn't want the house you grew up in change when you come back"

She sighed, "I grew up in a different house"

There was a silence. Mr. Nanda suggested, "Why don't you get freshen up? You have big party tonight to attend"

She asked turning to him, "What party?"

"You came back home, so we thought we will throw a party" her mother said placing Vanilla on floor. Inaaya looked around and noticed that the house was decorated. The house was smaller than her grandparent's was. It had a big living room with wooden stairs for the rooms and a big kitchen beside the living room. The living room was painted with red and white theme. Family portraits hung on the wall. A small girl in all the photos had stopped ageing while others grew up. Her mother asked, "You remember your room? Or should I take you?"

She shrugged, "I don't remember"

Mrs. Nanda led her to upstairs to a room with navy blue door. When she entered the room, she found herself transported to her childhood. Vanilla followed her barking. She placed her luggage on bed and walked to the window. She saw the Chinaberry Tree with magenta colored flowers beautifying it, outside the window. The tree had remains of the broken tree house in between the branches. A pain stung inside her. Mrs. Nanda clasped her hands together saying, "I can't believe it you are finally home. I have missed you so much"

She was about her hug her when Inaaya said, "I am tired"

The smile faded away from her face. Nodding, her mother left the room. She turned around and saw Vanilla resting on the top of suitcase. Smiling, she said, "Vanilla, get down"

When she didn't listen, Inaaya picked her and placed her on bed. She sat next to her and took deep breath, "We can do this. We can make our family come back together"

She observed the room closely. It had lilac colored walls with a big mirror with a couch on the other side of the room. There was a balcony behind the glass doors and it had sweet smell in the room. This was not her room. Her room smells of old books, Vanilla and lilies. This was not her room, this was not her home she thought resting on the bed.

*****

"Vanilla, do not come out of the room. There can be bad people out there" Inaaya warned the dog pointing out of the room. Vanilla tilted her head trying to understand. She stood up when Inaaya moved towards door. She came back running, "No, no, no going out. Stay here"

Vanilla hung out her tongue. Inaaya sighed, "I can never make this dog listen to me"

Turning around, she looked at herself in mirror and shook her head. She can never be one of the girls that look beautiful in every dress. Her frizzy chocolate brown hair were tied in a ponytail. The Marvel comic shirt was tucked inside the red knee-length skirt. She had thick medium arched eyebrows with hazel eyes behind the round spectacles. Biting her lower lip, she judged her body for not looking like her grandmother. Grandmother was a beautiful woman who used to be a model in her youth. She had a fitness diet that she followed till date. Inaaya always wished to be like her grandmother who could still make heads turn whenever she entered the room.

Suddenly, her mother entered the room. She rejoiced, "Oh, sweetie, you look so beautiful"

She shrugged. Mrs. Nanda went on to pat Vanilla and said, "Come on, everyone is waiting for you downstairs"

"But I don't even know them" she stammered. Her mother hugged her from side, "It is going to be okay. Trust me"

She stared at her mother. Mrs. Nanda knew she said the wrong words. Two words, which were the last words she said to her before sending her away. She knew Inaaya had remembered the moment when she saw sadness in her eyes. She took her daughter's hand saying, "You are going to have fun."

When Inaaya walked downstairs, she could see all the unfamiliar faces smiling at her. Every one of them claimed to have known her when she was a kid but she didn't remember anyone. After the interactions, she took her mother in the corner asking, "Where is she? I have not seen her since I got here"

Her smile faded away. She replied, "She had gone out. I think she'll be back any minute"

Saying this Mrs. Nanda went on to meet her friends. A pain shoot up in Inaaya's heart. Grandfather told her to make these people her family again but her heart refused upon the idea of meeting 'HER'.

Something caught her eye. A small white tail was wagging behind the couch. She rolled her eyes and found Vanilla eating cookies. Picking her up, she grabbed some more cookies and stepped out in the backyard. Sitting on the wooden chair, she tossed one to Vanilla while eating the other. Placing the cookie in her lap, she tied her hair in a bun. Being inside the house had her grasping air. Tears welled up in eyes. She observed Vanilla chewing her cookie with a smile.

Suddenly, someone came and sat next to her. She turned to other side to wipe off her tears. Facing back, she noticed a boy sitting relaxed on the wooden chair. He had long hazel brown hair with curls at the back of his neck. His face was half illuminated with the light coming from the house. He wore a navy blue printed t-shirt with a pair of cargo jeans and red-black shoes. He ran his fingers through his hair saying, "Hey"

She sniffed, "Hey"

He asked, "Are you okay? You ran outside"

She smiled, "I didn't run. I just needed some air"

Vanilla came to him, sniffing his shoes. He rubbed her head before picking her up asking, "What is your name?"

Inaaya replied, "Vanilla"

He raised his eyebrows. In the little light, his perfect face was still charming. He asked, "Is it because she is white? Because that would be racist"

She laughed, "No, actually when she came to our house, she was very fond of Vanilla cream. She would lick frosting of Grandma's cupcakes. So, we named her Vanilla"

He gave a laugh. Her heart started beating faster. Stroking Vanilla's hair, he told her, "I am Ayaan Kapoor. I live in the house next to you"

He pointed to the window which was directly in front of her room's window. He continued, "That is my room"

She tossed Vanilla another cookie which she grabbed with her paws. He gave a laugh, "Good job, Vanilla. You are going to be excellent while playing Frisbee"

Inaaya smirked, turning her gaze back to tree. He nudged her, "Are you okay? Isn't this party for you?"

She shook her head, "It is just a party which Nanda's love to throw, whatever maybe the reason. Also, no one will notice if I don't go back"

"I noticed" he said rubbing Vanilla's ears. She smiled at him, "You noticed because I ran outside with cookies"

"But you said you didn't run" he joked. She laughed, "Okay, I think you should give me back my dog"

Inaaya tried to take Vanilla who had fallen asleep in his lap. He shook his head hugging Vanilla, "No, she likes me"

She smiled as Vanilla jumped in her arms, "I beg to differ"

Ayaan pouted, "You broke my heart V"

Getting up, Inaaya said goodbye before entering the house again.