FIRST IMPRESSIONS

 BI - PART TWO

Before Stacie could gather enough courage to say something, the bus suddenly lurched forward, and Auria fell on the seat, her face only two inches away from Stacie. She looked embarrassed, and Stacie realised, with annoyance, that her face was turning red for a third time in two days. Trying to diffuse the situation, she said, “Well, it would be rude to say no, now.” Auria let out a laugh, and something about it made Stacie smile.

Auria held the seat as she settled herself down. “Thank you. I hope I didn’t hurt you.”

Without looking at her, Stacie replied, “Oh, no. Not me, but the upholstery is not very happy with you. You may have woken it up from its nap.” “I am so sorry. Can I sing you a lullaby?” Stacie gave her a thumbs-up, a little scared about what she may say if she replied with words.

She was about to take out her book, as she always did, when Auria asked her, “Since when have you been going to the Day-Care?” She remembers me? We hardly saw each other yesterday, Stacie thought. Why did she feel lowkey pleased? Keeping her emotions out of her voice, she said, “Six years. I’ve been going there since I was in Kindergarten.”

“Oh. It must feel like home to you.” Stacie wondered if she should refute her, if she should tell her that she never really liked the place, except for the fact that it gave her time to do what she liked. Not that she was the kind of person who craved friendship, but there had been instances, a few, over the years, when she had hoped she would meet just one person like her. She decided to keep this aspect of her experience to herself. This was a stranger, after all. “Yes. It does. Did you move to the city recently, or have you always lived here?”

“We moved here a week back, and I am already wondering if I’d ever get used to living in a city. I’ve always lived in small towns, in suburbs. Here, there are too many people, too much noise. Things, people are moving too fast.” Having never seen anything else, Stacie knew it would feel wrong to her too, to live in a place that was small, where everyone knew everyone, and stores closed at 8.

“Give it some time. It grows on you, eventually.” Auria nodded, but she did not look convinced. The second zip of her bag was slightly open, and Stacie could see Jane Eyre through it.

“Did you start reading it yet?” For a moment, Auria looked confused. Then her face lit up, and she said, “Yes. I have. Have you read it?” Stacie nodded, feeling proud of herself. “She has such a wretched aunt.” “Ah, yes. I will not give you any spoilers, but I will say that you will love the book. It has a charm to it, that very few books do.”

Auria grinned. “Are there any good bookstores around here? There are a few reads lined up on my Book List, and I need to buy them.”

“Any? You are in for a ride. Just in this part of the city. here are two massive stores. They have sofas, a café, maybe more than one, ladders to climb on to grab the books. One has bunk beds, where you can lie down and read.”

“Chincha? I mean, really? Wow, I think I just drooled over a bookstore. Ah, I wish I could go right away.” We can jump out the window, Stacie thought to herself, then scolded herself for having such an absurd thought.

Since the Day-Care was the last stop on the route, Stacie spent the next forty-five minutes talking to Auria. She found out that she was from Heria, a town two hundred miles from the city. She was an only child, and had always felt lonely, having no one to talk to, at home. Her English Teacher had introduced her to reading, and saying goodbye to her had been the hardest thing she had ever done. Stacie noticed that Auria moved her hands constantly, fiddling with the seat handle, the buttons on her shirt, the straps of her bag. She had a small mole on her nose, and every time she scrunched her nose, it shifted. Stacie did not laugh easily, but Auria made her burst out laughing more than once, when she talked about how Math hated her and made numbers attack her in her sleep. She wanted to ask Auria what she had meant by chincha, but hadn’t found an opportunity. I’ll ask her later, she decided.

When the bus stopped at the Day-Care, the Conductor had to tell them to get out, because they hadn’t realised they had reached. Auria got down first, and as Stacie was stepping down from the last step, she stumbled. Auria grabbed her hand, to steady her.

“Are you alright?” Stacie looked at her, and was surprised by how concerned she looked. She nodded, and Auria let go off her. Stacie looked at her hand, and realised her entire arm was tingling, and her throat felt tight. It must have been the near-fall, she concluded.

***

When they entered the Day-Care, Auria was greeted by all the children, and they surrounded her excitedly. Stacie was used to being ignored, so she slid past the crowd, an unexplainable uneasy feeling in her chest. She changed out of her uniform into a comfortable pair of PJs and a t-shirt. She came back to the Living Room, and couldn’t see her. She felt disappointed, because she thought the conversation on the bus indicated the start of a friendship. She sat down at her usual spot and started reading, trying to get Auria out of her mind. She became so engrossed in the Quidditch Match between Gryffindor and Slytherin, she didn’t notice Auria sit next to her, until she said, “Do you want to play?”

Stacie jumped up and it made Auria laugh. Why was her laughter so delicate, as though she was singing?

“I am sorry, I don’t really play,” she said, and for the first time in her life, wished she was active like other children.

Auria bit her lip and slid something from behind her to the front. “Not even Scrabble?”

“Oh. Oh! I love Scrabble. Yes. I want to play.” Stacie clapped her hands like a happy child, as Auria opened the box. “How about we kick-it-up a notch? Scrabble: Fictional Characters Edition.”

Stacie cracked what she called her “Draco Smile” and said, “Well, get ready to lose, then.”

Auria mocked seriousness, “I never lose.”

***

They spent the rest of the afternoon playing multiple games of Scrabble, and Stacie was amazed at how good Auria was. By the time they stopped playing, because her mother had come to pick her up, they were tied, 2:2. Auria collected her things and as she stood at the door, she looked back and said, “Library, tomorrow? You told me half the consignment still needs labelling and shelfing. You could use some help.”

Reader, Stacie said yes.