It's Raining, Man!

After months of scorching heat and sunny days, finally, some rain. I can hear it on my window pane; drip-drop it goes. It sounds lovely. But rain in Karachi? Oh boy! It starts with a drop then another drop this time a little bigger; then it starts drizzling (the real drizzling ...not just some tiny spheres of water). And then suddenly, the light goes out. In this way the City Of Light becomes the City of Darkness. But that’s not all, with time the rain becomes heavier. And suddenly all the water pours down like someone has held the sea upside down. This results in lots of complications. You see people scurrying around everywhere. And people get stuck, lucky ones in their houses and the unlucky ones in their cars (in the middle of the road).
Citizens of Karachi are unfortunately no heroes. Those who’re trapped can’t even help themselves let alone help others. And then there is ‘Keecher’ a.k.a Mud; a mixture of soil and water. Some people and children pretend that this huge mass of muddy water is actually a swimming pool and thus they swim (And get ill and catch colds). For rich people, rain is a fun thing. Eating pakoras, drinking tea while watching the rain fall down, enjoyable. But for poor people it’s horrendous. The wind and rain join forces and SLAM! The huts and roofs go down killing thousands of people.

But when the rain stops, we cry ‘it never rains in Karachi’ or ‘there should have been more, it was no fun’. Weird!
But guys, the rain while having its disadvantages got some advantages too. The government has to extend our vacations because of the bad condition of city and fear of getting caught in the rain, and also the weather turns pleasant making the citizens of Karachi happy and cheerful from the cranky and irritating servants of heat…! Magic!


P.S: My dad took his umbrella to work today. It’s large, black and really heavy. But unfortunately it didn’t rain and it was really sunny in the morning. Surprising as it was raining cats and dogs yesterday! But then again it’s Karachi. Poor dad! Lol ^_^

Emo; Pretend

A Letter in my Blue Diary

The other day I was getting rid of my old books and stuff when a blue diary caught my eye; it was full of doodles and cartoons. I turned the pages one by one, laughing at funny remarks and drawings made by my friends and me. On of the page I found a letter I’d written to myself. It was like this:

“18th September 2006
Monday
11:40 am
College, beneath the library window.

I don’t want to write!! I’m bored and have nothing else to do so I’m writing! But then again I don’t want to write…

Right now I’m at college, it’s our free period !! Sana (the future author) told me to write whatever I can think of. She says that when I’ll be a big girl, I’ll read this and will think of sweet memories. I wonder how big I’ll be when I’ll be a big girl because I’m pretty big now. I’m 15 (in case I forget) in 1st year pre-medical (I think it’s stupid to write these details)

It’s so hot today!! I’m so sweaty and tired and sleepy and etc. Today I drank the most unusual drink; Pepsi with mosquitoes!![Yuck!!!] Of course by mistake. I drank the half bottle then asked Sana if she’d like some. She said yes and gave me a cup; I poured it and saw MOSQUITOES floating in the drink!! I felt so sick…!!! Lol, poor me!

I’m dreading the next period, its zoology! Our teacher is sOooooOooO sarcastic and cruel and everything bad. But I might have fun while escaping. We often do that; bunk the class during the lecture through the back door. Thankfully, haven’t got caught yet..!

Sana is writing to her friend, Sarah, who lives in Scotland and… Hey! Sk’s here! Uh-uh she wants me to write her a letter!! Guess I’ll, bye!!!”

Then I’ve written this little note on 17th May 2007:
‘OHH! Sana was so right! This letter did bring bitter-sweet memories. It’s only seven months back but now it seems such a long time. Gotta run, exams starting from 25th may!!’

Well, two years ago, when I was only 15! It sure feels weird! Oh by the way I didn’t throw that blue diary. I’m keeping it! =)

Emo; sky is crying

Silent Times

We went to the library, hiding away from the teachers, and sat quietly between the book shelves under the cool breeze of the fan. We browsed through the books happily munching on our chips, not saying a word but occasionally smiling at each other to acknowledge the serenity of the situation. All was quite except the rustling of papers and churning of fan. We took out our cell phones and listened to our favorite songs and hummed quietly along. Those 30 minutes felt wonderful without any discussion of exams and notes, gossiping about other students and teachers or how scary and big the world is out there. There was no need to say anything. That moment was most wonderful and peaceful.

Why do we always feel that we always have to talk about something? Why do we always fill the gaps of silence with words? Sometimes there is no need to talk.

I love the moments when I’m having tea with my family, TV volume turned off, enjoying the company of each other without saying a word.

I love the moments when my friend and I sit beneath the cool shade of the tree happily sucking on our ice-lolly neither of us saying a word.

I love the moments when I wake up in the morning, for few minutes lying quietly on my bed listening to the world outside.

Just once, close your mouth, in the presence of other person and feel the beauty of silence. There’ll be no need of words.

Goodbye To The Weirdest Boy's Family

I opened my eyes slowly. The sun was shining brightly outside. I got up from my bed, walked towards the window. It was a beautiful world. I wanted to sing ‘The colors of the wind’. Birds were chirping. The cool breeze caressed my face. Flowers were blooming. Beautiful beautiful world. I sighed happily. I’d never felt so good before…. Then somebody yelled my name …I bent forward to look and then I was falling…..falling into the darkness….
‘AAAAHHHHHHHHH’ I screamed and instantly felt foolish as I realized I was only dreaming. God! This was the third time I’d this dream... Or should I say nightmare. I knew it’d to do with Coral and Camper. And after all today was ‘the’ day. I didn’t want to get up from my bed. I just wanted to sleep, sleep and sleep. Why did I say yes to Jane? I’d asked this question to myself and my friend, Sana, again and again. Because you were greedy, the same answer, always. I dragged myself from the bed. I brushed my teeth 4 times as it is my lucky number, washed my face 4 times, brushed my hair 4 times and then went for breakfast. No, I didn’t eat 4 times... I’m not that stupid!
‘Hiya’ I slumped wearily into the chair.
‘You look horrible’ Dad said. His face was hidden by a newspaper as usual.
‘Thanks a lot!’ I replied sarcastically. I sighed. Lately I’ve been sighing a lot.
‘Are you feeling alright?’ Mum and dad both asked worried.
‘No ...I’m sick. I don’t think I can baby-sit for Coral tonight’, I gave them my puppy-dog look.
‘Too bad, you’ve to’, Dad said cheerfully ‘It’s your job’ he emphasized the word ‘job’.
Mean. Mean mean mean! Couldn’t they see I was feeling horrible? Couldn’t they see I was being bullied by a child and two imaginary enemies? I sighed, again. I hadn’t heard the voices since last week but I was afraid if I’d go to Coral’s place I’ll hear them again. I munched on my apple, thinking of a way out. But there was none. Like Coral had said ‘when you’re in there’s no way out’ I thought darkly. How true.
*********
Jane had asked me to come at 7. It was six now. I can’t go alone, I told myself. There’ll be no Jane and not even Camper. Coral could do anything to me. I’ll be at her mercy. She’ll torture me with her Voldimod and maybe she’d kill me ….SHUT UP! I scolded myself. It’ll be ok, I consoled myself.
I decided to call Sana and ask to come with me. Coral won’t kill us the two of us.
I grabbed my cell phone and dialed her number. After few rings:
Sana: Hey…!
Me: Willyoucomewithmetonight?
Sana: What!?
Me: Will you come with me tonight?
Sana: To the Mall? Sure!
Me: Not the Mall!’ this was getting difficult ‘Remember Camper? The boy at Summer Fun Classes I told you about? I’ve to baby-sit his little sister so I was wondering if you’d come with me?’
Sana: Camper? You mean that cute boy you told me about? You are going to baby-sit his sister? Sure!!! I’ll come.
Oh man!!!
Me: not the cute one, Sana, the weird one.
Sana: oh that one…
Me: Oh please, do come with me!!
Sana: I don’t want to die…
Me: Please!!! ..I’ll give you anything you want.
Sana: really?
Me: Yes!!!
Sana: Umm …let me see …can I’ve that Zac Efron poster you bought on Thursday?
Me: No! Not that one! Beside you bought one yourself too.
Sana: Yeah, but yours is different and I think he’s looking way cuter in it.
Me: You can have my pink earrings. You were practically drooling on them when I showed you.
Sana: Now I think they’re a bit childish. Give me the poster only for two weeks; I want to show it off to my cousin. Ok?
Me: only for two weeks. And come over my place, now!
Sana: hey! You can’t boss me around.
Me: The poster! (In a sing song voice)
Sana: I’m coming ….we don’t wanna be late, do we?’
Me: Yes, we do not. Cya!
Sana: Bye!
Me & Sana: And thanks!
Me & Sana: Whatever!
Me & Sana: What are friends for!
Me & Sana: Yeah right! Bye!
I cancelled the call and went to my room to take off the poster of Zac. Oh Zac! I looked at his face for one last time ‘goodbye Zac’ I told his smiling face ‘see you after two weeks’. I took it off, careful not to tear the edges and rolled it. Sniffs.
Sana arrived checked the poster thoroughly, making sure it was the same one. Then we were off to Coral’s. In 15 minutes we were there, we threw our bicycles in the garden and rang the bell. I hope my bicycle would get stolen, I wished, so then I’d get a new one.
Jane opened and hugged me and looked inquiringly towards Sana and me.
‘This is Sana. My friend’ I introduced her to Jane ‘And Sana, this is Jane, Coral’s mother’
‘Nice to meet you’ they shook hands ‘I hope you don’t mind I came’
‘Oh of course not’, she smiled at her and then just to show that she meant it she hugged her too.
‘Hey what’s that?’ she pointed towards the poster Sana held in her hand
‘You brought my precious poster HERE!’ I whispered furiously
‘Oh, so that’s explained why I couldn’t ride the bicycle! How come you didn’t notice?’
I just didn’t.
‘Is this for Coral?’ Jane took it from Sana and started to unroll it.
‘Umm….’ I was speechless.
‘Oh it’s that boy on TV you girls always talk about. Coral loves him!’ she exclaimed happily ‘Coral just look what Sidrah and Sana have brought you!’ she said to Coral who was coming downstairs with a bear in her hand.
‘Who’s Sana?’ she asked rudely.
‘Sidrah’s friend’, Jane smiled ‘Look at this, it’s for you’ she handed her the poster.
Coral took a look at it and said thanks then put it on the sofa.
‘Ok I must run now’ Jane wore her jacket and took the umbrella (I don’t know why as it was a sunny day), ‘Goodbye! I’ll be back in 3 hours’ then she was gone. We were on our own. For a moment three of us stood there staring at the door. Then Sana broke the silence by sneezing loudly.
‘Oops sorry’, Sana laughed.
‘I’m going to my room. Don’t disturb me’, and to my dismay Coral took the poster and walked upstairs. ‘Thanks for the poster’
‘Hey Coral, listen, it’s a mistake.. I mean it’s not for you, really …your mum just thought we brought it for you ...’ I didn’t know what else to say. I crossed my fingers and prayed she’d give my poster back.
‘Is that so?’, Coral raised an eyebrow ‘well, you can have it back when you’re going but meanwhile I’m going to play with it’, she ran to her room and shut the door loudly.
‘She’s up to something’, I told Sana.
‘I don’ think so. She looks fine to me’
‘Then you’re mistaken because she’s not.’
For half an hour we watched a cartoon interestingly named “Foster’s home for imaginary friends’. It was good. I liked Blue. If I ever had an imaginary friend, which I’m sure I won’t, it’d be Blue. Cool, funky & blue.
‘I’m hungry’ I told Sana
‘You’re always hungry’ Sana said flatly.
‘No I’m not!’
‘Yes you’re’
‘Cut it out! I’m hungry...I want food!’ I went to the kitchen and grabbed three apples from the basket. Two for me and one for Sana.

We ate our apples in silence watching ‘Fairly odd parents’.
‘I’m bored!’ Sana said when the cartoon ended.
‘So am I’, Coral was in her room. Camper and Jane out. It was a perfect chance!
‘Let’s play Spy’ Sana agreed. We love mysteries and love to solve them even when there is none. We went to Camper’s room first. The table he’d during meeting wasn’t there but there were colorful cushions in its place. There was a bed, a writing desk, a cupboard, a computer …hmm …I glanced at Sana. She was looking at the computer too. Great minds think alike.
‘Let’s check it out’, we both said. We switched it one and waited for the windows to load. The wallpaper was of some green ball like cartoon with orange nose and a bright smile on its face. We checked all the documents and found nothing interesting, just some Placebo & Nirvana music, few videos and millions of pictures. Of Camper, Coral, and Jane and of a man I didn’t recognize and said so.
“It must be their father’ Sana said to me. Then it occurred to me that I’ve never met Camper’s dad.
‘I’ve never met him’ I told her.
‘Maybe they’re divorced ...Jane and the man...I mean’ Sana suggested.
‘Yeah maybe’ we went through other folders and found some more pictures. This time of Bobble and Voldimod. They were given a special folder named ‘Imaginary Pals’. Bobble was the same orange-green thingy. And Voldimod was a handsome cartoon boy.
‘Coral have a crush on him’ I sniggered.
‘He’s cute’ Sana said
‘But he’s a cartoon!’
‘You told me once that you like Brock in Pokemon’ this shut me up and wiped my smile. We shut down his computer, disappointed. Then we went to Jane’s room. We looked at each other guiltily. Jane was such a nice person.
‘Jane’s nice. Let’s clean her room’ Sana nodded happily. We went in. It was a simple and tidy room consisting of some furniture. A bed, dressing table, a shelf, a writing desk and a closet.
‘Sooooo.. We can clean her closet’ I tried to open it .It was locked. I wanted to find something, a clue or anything unusual. I read the labels of books she kept in the shelf; Charles Dickens, Shakespeare, Jane Austen and many others whose names I can’t recall now. Actually I can’t remember the spellings. So, well, I was just standing there, frustrated that I couldn’t find anything when Sana called my name.
‘Yeah?’ this was sOooo boring that I almost missed Coral’s company.
‘Look at this’ she shoved some papers to me.
‘What are they?’ I asked
‘These are the letters’ her eyes were shining. I looked closely and became excited. They really were letters. Written By someone called James to Jane. There were total four letters, we read all of them ….there was one photograph too. Jane and James holding hands, smiling at each other. The same man I’d seen it on Camper’s PC.
The letters were funny. James had written to Jane that he was going away to a place called ‘Malta’ and is never coming back because Jane and his children are driving him crazy. He didn’t want to join the Imaginary Club and Jane was bizarre and now she’d made his children too. He told her that he loved her and Camper & Coral but he couldn’t live with them anymore as he hear voices in his head and he’s afraid he’d go mad. The second letter was short about how he loves living in Malta and he’s found a great job. He’d sent them ‘lots’ of money. Third letter was saying that James couldn’t come to visit them and he’s sorry. Again ‘lots’ of money. Fourth letter said that he missed Jane and his children. He’d also lost his hob. He hates Malta. He’s coming back. And he’s going to join Imaginary club. His imaginary friend ‘Monni Moose’ is going to live with them.
‘Good God! The whole family!’ James had finally gone mad. If I visit them regularly I’d go to mad too. I’m never coming here back again. No seriously, I’m not.
‘So when do you think he’s coming back?’ I asked Sana.
‘How would I know?’ she was right, how she could know.
‘The letter was written last week’ said Sana ‘So he must be here now’
‘Yeah. I don’t think Jane is at work, it’s late and it’s a weekend anyway’ I remarked.
‘She must have gone to meet James! How romantic’ Sana sighed. I couldn’t see what so romantic was. But she must have had her reasons. We were just sitting there on the bed going through the letters again and again when we heard a loud thud from above. ‘It’s Coral!’ I made a face. We went upstairs and knocked her door.
‘Coral, what are you doing?’ I demanded.
‘None of your business, silly girl’ she yelled.
‘Open the door, Coral’, I said, this time really gently.
‘Wait! Give me 5 minutes’ she said. Now I was sure something bad is gonna happen. We waited silently, and then suddenly the door stood open. Weird.
‘Come on in’, Coral whispered. We stepped inside carefully. I was suspicious; I mean Coral opened up the door! How come? She never listened to me. Her room was spooky, it was large and dark. I switched on the light. Everything was black. I mean black black. Walls were black, curtains were black, bed was black, cupboard, her toys, even the paper dustbin, were all black. Spooky! Only colorful thing was my precious poster. Oh dear! I don’t think Zac had a beard and a moustache. I wished I was only seeing things. Too bad I wasn’t. It was all real. I looked at Sana, she’d a same expression. Sad, lost and mad. I was thinking about strangling Coral when she said ‘You can have your Poster back, Sidrah. I’d so much fun playing with it. It’s the best toy I ever had’ she said with an angelic smile.
‘You …..’ what could I have said to an 8 year evil child? Thankfully the bell rang. Saved by the bell, I thought. It was Jane and Camper and a man.
‘Have you had fun?’ she kissed Coral and hugged Sana and me. The man said ‘ahem ahem’ we all looked at him.
‘Oh, this is James’, Jane told us, ‘Camper & Coral’s Dad’
‘Hello, nice to meet you’, Sana and I smiled feebly. He smiled back, running his hand through his red hair ‘I’m too, girls, I’m too. Jane has told me so much about you’
‘Has she?’ I tried my best to smile but I couldn’t, ‘Jane, we’ve to go now, it’s getting late’
‘Oh we can drop you, girls’ Jane offered. We shook our heads firmly. No way! I’m not gonna sit in their car.
‘Its ok, we’ve our bicycles’ Sana said.
‘You’ll ride on one bicycle?’ Camper asked puzzled.
‘No’ I said slowly ‘why?’
‘Because there is only 1 out there’ I went to the garden. Sana’s cycle was there, safe and sound. I couldn’t see mine anywhere. I winced. I wanted to cry, this was so unfair! The song popped in my head ‘careful what you wish for coz you just might get it’
‘Yes we’ll take turns. It’s a way we do it!’ I hoped they’d buy it. They did. Jane gave me my money and said ‘We are going to Malta on Wednesday, forever’ she looked sad for a moment then was back to her happy-go-lucky manner ‘we’ll miss you. I’m going to meet your Mum tomorrow. I’ll bring Camper and Coral’ she hugged us goodbye and then closed the door.
‘Lets walk’ Sana said ‘I’ll take my bike tomorrow, or it’d be better if it’d get stolen like yours’ she laughed.
‘It wasn’t James’ I said after a moment. Sana nodded. James on the picture was thin and quite handsome with dark brown hair but this man was totally different. He was fat and wide with red hair. Only feature that was same was the eyes; piercing blue.
‘He gained weight and dyed his hair, maybe’ Sana said ‘the truth we’ll never know’
‘Maybe’ I shrugged ‘but the in the letter James said that he hates Malta and why on earth they’re going back?’ this was all so confusing. We couldn’t even ask Jane by giving ourselves away. And it’d be embarrassing to tell we’ve been snooping in her room. We reached my home in half an hour. I said bye to Sana and went inside, lost in my thoughts. Next day Jane came to meet us with Camper and Coral. Jane went to the kitchen with Mum. I was left alone with Camper and Coral.
‘Where are your brothers?’ Camper asked.
‘In their room. You can go in’ I told him.
‘Ok’ now I was alone with Coral. We looked at each other, not blinking.
‘It’s not over, you know’ Coral said softly.
‘Huh?’
‘We’re going away but that doesn’t mean we’ll never meet again. Because we’ll’ she said firmly.
‘Oh, ok’ I wasn’t sure what to say ‘Why are you going to Malta? I thought your Dad doesn’t like it there’ I blurted it out.
‘So you were snooping, right?’ she smirked ‘I knew you’d. Dad’s has gotten his old job back and now that he’s money he loves Malta again’
‘But what about the pictures in Camper’s computer?’ I asked. Well, she knew I’d been snooping around, ‘Your father doesn’t look like the man in those pictures’ Coral sighed and said ‘Dad caught a disease from his imaginary pal, Monni Moose, called ‘changallot’. It’s not fatal but it’s ….well it changes you completely. You start to eat a lot and do funny things to your hair, wear weird clothes ….’ She went on and on about the symptoms of changallot. I wanted to laugh, but I didn’t. I just nodded along and ‘Hmm’, ‘Oh’, ‘that’s bad’, ‘that’s sad’ and sympathized with her. His father has just gained weight and had gotten fat and dyed his hair. Ha-ha!
Then they were going. Jane had tears in her eyes and she hugged us all fiercely. Camper shook our hands, smiling in sad way. Coral just stood looking unsure.
‘Coral dear, did you give Sidrah her present?’ presents wow!
‘Oh I forgot’ she ran to the lounge and came back with two posters and a book. She handed them to me. I unrolled the posters. They were of Zac Efron.
‘Thanks’ I ruffled her hair.
‘No problem, I’m sorry I ruined yours …well, the other one is for your friend, Sana’ she said sheepishly. She gave me the book ‘I know you don’t believe in imaginary people but do read it, it’s good’ the book was called ‘How to make Imaginary Friends’. I couldn’t help laughing. Coral looked offended. ‘Thanks again’ I winked ‘I’ll definitely read it’ Coral looked happy again. And then they were going. We walked them to their car; Coral hugged me before sitting. ‘I’ll miss you’ she looked like she was going cry. ‘I’ll miss you too’ I told her. Camper said ‘Thanks for the idea, Sidrah, it worked’ he smiled. I smiled back. ‘Here’s my email id’ he handed me a chit. Jane started the car and they were off. I stood there waving, knowing that they can’t see me, until the car became a tiny dot. I sighed and went inside, took the posters and the book and went to my room.
So right now, I’m writing this and chatting with Coral and Camper. No matter how much I’d hated them in the start but in a funny sort of way I’m gonna miss them.

Emo; Hugs

Weirdest Boy's Chocolate Factory Plan

Isn’t it just too bad when your parents drag you everywhere? Mum knew that I don’t like Camper and Coral but still she forced me to come. She said I was being childish but then again she doesn’t know a thing about Camper’s weird ideas and Coral’s Voldimod. So there I was, on my way to Camper’s home. I wondered what it would be like ….it’d be dark, bleak and huge mansion where witches and vampires come out of their holes in night and haunt you …that’d be coral’s version or it could be a huge castle located on the top of the hill surrounded by trees and a lake. It’d be ruled by Bobble. Pixies and elves would be his servants, imps and brownies would be his guards…. Huh?! Pixies and elves and imps? No way! What’s happening to me?? Am I going mad? Have I become one of them?? No I haven’t! Then why on earth I’m thinking about elves and pixies! I felt sick.

Me (faintly): Mum, I’m going to be sick!
Mum (alert): Don’t be! I just bought these seat covers.
Me (shocked): MUM! I’m feeling SICK.
No reply.
Me (groaning): I wanna go home!!!
Mum (angry): Sidrah, stop being so childish. I know you’re just pretending to be sick so that you don’t have to go to Jane’s place.
Me (in pain): But Mum! I really am feeling sick!!!
Mum (cheerfully): Well, if you don’t want to go to Jane’s ….we can go shopping.
Me (surprised, relieved & happy): Yeah, that’d be just so cool! Can I buy that blue dress we saw in the mall last week? Please?’
Mum (skeptical): You’re feeling alright now?
Me (lamely): Yes …. No…well…I like shopping’
Mum (annoyed): And I’d like to have tea in Jane’s home. So now just sit quiet.
Oh shit!
God! Mum can be so tricky sometimes. My brothers snickered at me. Well, I’d get to see Camper’s home …I wondered what it’s like …hmm ….maybe it’s big and …STOP! No daydreaming or I’ll go insane and I don’t wanna go insane because I like to be sane and I don’t want to be one of them, insane people, I mean. Oh well!
Mum stopped the car in front of a small neat cottage with a thatched roof.
‘Well, here we’re kids!’ my mum said, cheerfully.
My brothers and I got out of the car and looked at each other.
‘I think Mum has got the wrong address’ my little brother whispered
‘Mum, I think this is not Camp…’ I stopped in the mid-sentence when I saw Coral peering from the window.
Mum rang the bell. Jane opened it instantly and hugged us all. Camper came wearing his goggles and he looked genuinely happy to see my brothers and...Well, snarled at me. Coral greeted us with a smile. Actually it looked like a smile, sort of. It was terrifying as she was glaring too.
Jane led us to the lounge and we sat down. It was like the déjà vu; everyone was talking except me. I looked around the house and surprisingly it looked ok. Just normal; no elves or pixies. It was kind of disappointing. I was expecting something different, not just this. Humph! And it was neat and clean too, no broken stuff or weird paintings hanging on the walls. Maybe they’re just pretending to be normal. Maybe the tea they’re going to give us is poisoned. Maybe they’d kill us or even worse eat us alive. Maybe they’d smuggle us into another dimension. Maybe they’re of one of those Christopher Pike’s evil characters. Maybe they’re all imaginary. Maybe I’m imagining everything. Or maybe ….. These terrible thoughts were floating in my head when Coral brought me back to earth.
‘Camper’s having a meeting in his office. He has invited you. Come with me. Hurry …you don’t wanna be late, believe me’ she was whispering. I shuddered. I’d goose bumps all over me. You see, I don’t want to tell you actually, but this Coral girl frightens me. This little 8 years old child frightens ME! And it is frightening to know that she frightens me. Can you believe to this? 17 years old girl afraid of an 8 years old girl, how weird is that!
Anyway I followed her to a small and dark room which I supposed was Camper’s ‘Office’. Or bedroom.
Camper and my brothers were already there, waiting for me.
‘You’re late’ Camper stared stonily at me.
‘No I’m not, Coral just told me about this …this...’ I didn’t want to say ‘meeting’, it sounds so professional and Camper is not! ‘This meeting’, I finished lamely.
‘Well, I guess we should start the meeting. Our dear friends, Bobble, Voldimod, X-boy and Jolly Jo have been waiting for almost an hour’, he banged the table loudly and looked at us. Smiling at my brothers and Coral and sneering at me. But did you notice there were two more imaginary friends, X-boy & Jolly Jo?? I bet they’re my brothers’ friends. I smiled knowingly at my brothers and they looked away, blushing. At least they’re embarrassed. I began to plan that how I’d blackmail them….threatening them that I’d tell their friends. It’ll be fun! Ha-ha *evil smiles*
‘Silly girl, we’re talking to you’, I jumped as I heard Camper’s voice.
‘Yeah?’ I asked annoyed that he interrupted my plans.
‘I said how much can you donate?’ he said, for the first time time, calmly. Well of course he wanted money, that’s why he was being polite.
‘Why? Why do you want money?’ I looked at him suspiciously. He can’t fool me!
The four of them looked at each other, knowing looks passing between them.
Coral: Scowling
Camper: Thoughtful
My brothers: guilty, nervous & excited.
Me: confused.
After an eternity or it seemed so they nodded at each other and looked solemnly at me.
‘You’re in but you must take an oath that whatever we do here you won’t breathe a word to an outsider’, I thought about telling his mum or mine when he said, ‘including our parents’. Maybe it’s a trap.
‘Wait. First tell what is it, what if I don’t like it?’ I asked
‘Sorry, we can’t. You take an oath you’re in and THEN we tell you about it. And if you don’t like it then there is nothing you can do. There’s no way out when you’re in’, Coral sounded so evil that I just nodded.
‘Okay, I’m in’, Sidrah! I scolded myself, why are you doing this? This is not some movie or a book, this is life! Real life!! Get it?
‘Good, give me Rs1000’, they all looked at me expectantly.
‘WHAT?’ I know they’re trying to trick me in to something. I just know!
‘You said you’re taking the oath so give us Rs1000’, Coral said quietly
‘But why should I? Giving money is not an oath!’ what are they talking about, they’re on to something, I was so sure of that.
Then Camper opened his mouth and explained it to me, ‘Listen silly girl. This is important. Really important; to me, to Coral, to your brothers and to our imaginary friends’, he stopped to catch his breathe. This imaginary friend thingy was getting too far. I mean it was okay at first when he just bragged about Bobble but then Coral came, then my brothers made some too and now this ‘meeting’ in his ‘office’. I mean come on! We’re talking about IMAGINARY friends! They’re imaginary! Then the great idea hit me…
‘You want money for imaginary friends?’ I asked.
‘Yes, we do! I know you don’t a thing about imaginary land and you also don’t care but let me tell you something about them’, I nodded.
‘Well Imaginary people only eat one thing ….and its chocolate’, he looked at me waiting for me to be surprised or whatever but what could I do? This was all such nonsense. All imaginary.
‘Well’, he paused. I noticed he was using the word ‘well’ again and again. Hmm ‘well, the thing is they’re short on chocolate. Money is tight these days and chocolate is expensive, so we have got to help them or they’ll die’, I fought an urge to laugh.
‘So you want me to contribute some money so that you can help them?’ I asked trying to look smart
‘Yes, we do! But we need it fast or they’ll die’, he said darkly.
‘But this is so easy! How come you didn’t think of it’ I put on my best ‘i-am-so-surprised-&-dissappointed-at-you’ face
‘Why? Why are you saying that?’ Coral asked startled, ‘Tell us what you know’
‘Sure, our friends are imaginary …so we just have to imagine money and then we imagine chocolates and then we give it to them, done ...easy!’ I smiled brightly at them. Coral looked doubtful but Camper was delighted! Ha! I fooled him!
‘That’s great! That’s so brilliantly great! Just great!!!’ Camper had a faraway look on his face, ‘Silly girl you do have some brains’, he was clearly pleased with me.
‘Well, people, start imagining and save our imaginary pals’, he said and got lost in the imaginary world. So did my brothers but Coral was gazing at me.
‘You’re not imagining?’ I asked innocently
‘You can’t fool me, silly girl’, Coral smirked ‘Camper’s a fool so are your brothers but not me’,
‘It is because you’re a girl’, I told her ‘You don’t believe in this silly stiff, right?’
‘I used to; But it all changed last year’, she smiled faintly
‘Why, what happened?’
‘I got lots of gift from Santa, or I thought so, I bragged a lot in front of my friends and my pure-evil babysitter. And they’d made fun of me, even my friends didn’t believe in Santa. So last year at Christmas, I hid behind the tree to met Santa and saw my own mum putting our gifts in the stockings. I was crushed! All the year being good so that Santa would come for nothing! It was my OWN MUM! I started crying loudly and she came running to me. When I asked her about Santa, she told me the worse news…..that Santa doesn’t really exist. That was the worst Christmas I ever had’
‘Ohh!’ that was all I could say and then ‘But what about Voldimod?’
‘Oh that was just me having fun’, she laughed ‘I loved it when you freaked out! You were afraid of me’
‘I was not!’ I said indignantly
‘You were too!’ she said. We glared at each other for a moment and then burst out laughing.
‘Hey! Coral is getting along with Sidrah’, Jane came inside with my Mum
“would you like to be Coral’s babysitter’, she asked me
I looked at mum, she just shrugged smiling. I looked at Coral; she was pleading me to say yes.
‘Ok, sure!’ Great! Now I could earn money! Yay!! And Coral is not mad!
And then it was time to go. And it was then it began again. I was going to the closet to get my jacket. As I was about to open the door I heard two voices, one was Coral’s and the other one I couldn’t identify. My heart was beating fast as I listened to their conversation:
‘So, she is your new babysitter now’ the voice said
‘Yeah, and she thinks I don’t believe in imaginary land’, I could hear them laughing.
‘Sidrah, we’re going!’ my mum called out. I was startled and I think Coral and the voice were too as they went dead quiet.
Coral came out and stared at me. I gave her the look. She sneered.
Camper waved at me and my brothers. Jane hugged us all and said to me:
‘Would you come next week to baby-sit Coral? Camper wouldn’t be home and I’ve to go to the work’ she sighed. I sighed and nodded. What could I have done? I was doomed. But it was not over yet.
As I was sitting in the car I heard two voices in my head
‘Do you believe in us now, silly girl?’ the voice was like that of cartoons
‘We love chocolate’, it was the same voice I heard before in the closet.
Bobble and Voldimod.
Right now, I’m at home …my brothers yelling around me…my mum watching TV …and I’m writing this and cursing my luck, cursing Coral, Camper, Vodimod, Bobble, Jane, Mr. Flight and Summer fun classes. I don’t want to baby-sit Coral! I would go crazy!!
Hey …what’s this? …oh no……..!
‘You’ll be ok! A soothing voce said.
‘No you won’t be’, the other one said. And it laughed its oh-so-evil laugh.
I wonder if I’m still sane.

Emo; Sniffs

I'm gonna miss my college!!

Today was my last day at college. Two years passed away so quickly, I can’t believe it. I remember my first day at college so well. I didn’t sleep all night and was super-nervous. I was worried that I’d make a fool of myself and everybody would just hate me and all that silly stuff. When it was morning, I was so sleepy that I thinking about not going to college. But I’d to go. And so I did. I didn’t like the teachers at first. They seemed so distant and uncaring. And then I got ragged and had to sing a song. My only friend at college, Sana, said to me it was like we were on a mission. And it really looked like that. We didn’t know the correct timetable and were sitting on the ground beneath the scorching heat of sun waiting for the class to begun. I hated college at that time. It seemed so unfriendly. And we were like so young just out of high school and those seniors student scaring us! And we had welcome party and my other friend, Saira, took admission. We had so much fun then. Maybe I didn’t like to wake up in the morning, waiting for the college-van, taking labs, when the eagle took way my pizza, when a bird crapped on our ice-creams and journals, crossing the huge ground again and again n all that. But I definitely loved bunking classes, listening songs with my friends at the stadium, being the black sheep of our class (and BEING in the class of fulltime NERDS), gossiping about other students and teachers, the time when Saira tried to teach me basketball (she failed miserably ^_^), taking round of canteen time and again and eating all the things (God! we ate SOOOO much, even the stuff we didn’t like), writing funny stuff on desks, eating chips in class, taking funny snaps of each other and other peoples behind their backs, exchanging CDs and books, sitting between the cupboards in library, making up stories about our teachers and well there are just too many good things which I’ll always remember and would miss doing them. I didn’t realize it before but I know now I love my college and I’m going to miss it! Sniffs!

Dinner With The Weirdest Boy's Family

I can’t believe it! I just can’t believe it!!! Last two weeks were bad enough but now this! Today, when I woke up, everything was so nice-nice. The day was sunny but not hot. I woke up with such a bright smile that could lighten the darkest corners of world. When I brushed my teeth I was my smiling. When I took a shower I was smiling. When I was brushing my hair I was smiling. I wore my favorite clothes, my old blue jeans and a purple top. I went downstairs and hugged my mum and dad (they were sooO surprised!), smiled at my brothers (they too were surprised) and ate breakfast, all the time smiling. It was like I was re-born. I was so happy and hopeful and was feeling so nice-nice. Well, of course, I was happy. Two weeks with Camper had made me hopeless. Now that they were over, I was glad. I am never taking Summer Fun Classes again. Never ever! Anyways, all day I was happy until the door-bell rang. I put on my best smile and opened the door. That was where my smile was replaced by a sick horrifying expression. Camper was standing on my door-step with a little girl and a woman.
‘Hello! You must be Sidrah! Camper told me so much about you Where is your Mum?’, the woman, already inside my home, looked for my mother. I was just too shocked to say anything.
‘Jane? Is that you?’ Mum suddenly appeared out of nowhere and greeted Jane like she was some long-lost friend. Mum hugged her and introduced her to me.
‘Sidrah, this is Jane, Camper’s Mother and this’ she smiled towards the girl, ‘is Camper’s little sister, Coral’, the girl looked at me with a bored expression on her face. I forced a smile at her, not the bright-nice smile but just a plain old smile. She looked away.
‘Hey there’, I said to Camper who was lost somewhere. Must be talking to his imaginary friend, Bobble, I thought.
‘Yeah?’ he snapped at me, angry that I interrupted his daydream. ‘I didn’t even want to come but Mama made me. She and your mother have become good-friends, I’m afraid’, he snarled. Oh, so that was the Jane my mum was talking about last week. That was bad, very bad.
Then I noticed something strange. Something wasn’t right. I scrutinized Camper’s face trying to find out what was different. His nose was the same, big and lumpy….his cheeks red and puffy, and his eyes….one blue and one ….umm... I think hazel…weird! And his hairs…huh! That was it! His eyes! He wasn’t wearing the goggles. It was the first time I’d seen his eyes. Wow!
‘What you staring at, silly girl?’ he asked menacingly.
‘Ah ...Umm… nothing! Nothing at all’ I laughed nervously.
‘My eyes, I know, silly girl. You were staring at my eyes’ he said ‘people always do. They say they’re weird’. Boy, YOU are weird! I thought. He looked so sad for a moment that I almost felt sorry for him, so I said ‘Umm… they’re kind of cool, you know’ I tried to put on my sunny smile. I failed.
‘Yeah, Bobble says so’, he grinned. Ugh! Bobble, his imaginary friend. When he’s going to grow up! He must be 16 or something. No wonder he has no friends!
‘I’m going out. Bobble’s gonna suffocate here’, he went out to the garden. I was glad to get rid of him. I looked for Coral and found her sitting alone in front of the TV. It was switched off. Still she was smiling; staring at it like something funny was on the TV. Unlike Camper, she was quite thin and short. Must be around 8, I thought. She could have looked pretty if it wasn’t for her black witchy dress. It was horrible.
I went to her. She was mumbling something, I couldn’t make out what.
‘Hey Carol’ I was confronted with such a glare that could have melt iron.
‘What do you want?’ she asked rudely. What a family! Such rudeness, I haven’t seen anywhere. Their mum looked alright to me but these two are …so...so …umm don’t know the right word…but it’s definitely cheesy and weird and rude!
‘Who are you talking to?’ I tried to look brave.
‘Voldemort’, she said, proudly. Yeah right, I rolled my eyes.
‘But he’s dead’, I stifled a giggle.
‘No, you silly girl, he’s not’, she looked angry …so angry that I was thinking about running away.
‘He is! Didn’t you read Harry Potter’s last part? Voldemort is dead. End of story!’ I smiled smugly.
‘Who’s talking about that evil Voldemort? I’m talking about my imaginary friend and his name is V-O-L-D-I-M-O-D not Voldemort! And my Vodimod is not evil or dead …he’s nice and caring and handsome’, she looked dreamy. Oh-oh, she’d a crush on her imaginary friend!
Time flies fast and the dinner came and I was still alive and sane, thankfully. At dinner I was sitting beside Coral. She was chattering to Vodimod continuously, which annoyed me because I was the only who had no one to talk to. Camper was talking to my brothers about chocolates factories or whatever. They three looked so excited that I was jealous for a moment. Only for a moment, for a teeny-weeny moment, ok? Mum talking to Jane about Summer Fun Classes, how good they were and all that boring stuff. Dad was at work. I tried to talk to Coral but she totally ignored me. So, at last I ate my dinner, with a sulky expression. I wished my mum had befriended that cute boy’s mum, whose name I don’t know and I’m sure he doesn’t know my name either AND I’m also sure he didn’t notice me at all at Summer fun classes. Humph.
When we were done eating I’d to wash some dishes, Coral, Camper and my brothers didn’t help me at all. They were there with me in the kitchen but they were messing around instead of cleaning! Ahhh!
And we had tea ….which was just like at dinner. Everybody ignored me.
And then they were going. Yay!!!! But no, what was that, Camper was saying something. I listened closely, he said that, ‘Next week you people are coming to MY house’ he sneered his oh-so-ugly sneer.
‘Are we really?’ I asked weakly. No way, we’re not! It was too much for me. Too much. Just too much! Sniffs! Oh, God why are you dong this to me?? WHY why why???
‘So I wanna tell you, silly girl, don’t make fun of Bobble or else I won’t include you on my chocolate factory project’, he glared at me and went away.
Huh? Chocolate factory PROJECT?
That’s it.
So right now, I’m sprawled on my bed writing this, cursing my luck, cursing the boy and all that. I’ve never gotten this unlucky before. I’m dreading next Saturday. What’ll happen to me? Would I still be sane? Or would I become one of them. Sigh. I can’t wait to find out. I’m sure you can’t either. Wish me luck!

Girls Rule*

Terrible two's, terrible teens,
I keep my shout shut,
oh, where is my thunder?
while you feel the breeze,
I only sneeze
a matter of gender? I guess!
telling you though now i won't rest,
till i fee my might,
get to stay out all night,
get to know who i'm, not to read about it,
get to make myself known,
not the quiet of my home,
girls we are, and east or west,
we're alright!
Terrible two's, terrible teens,
just my lonely voice
in the night,
in my too quite house.
This poem is from the book Pen Pals. It’s one of my favorite poems. It’s short, easy and inspiring.
All the girls out there, especially eastern girls, I just want to say if you’re girls it doesn’t mean you’ve to stay indoors and do all the chores. Yes, help your mum in cooking n stuff but there are other things too like having fun. In Pakistan and India, most of the families are sexist; they don’t let their daughters complete their studies or they don’t let their wives do the job. They say boys are better than girls but what’s the proof? I think girls are lot better, so what if they cry easily? At least they can show emotions. People say that girls are jealous and vain but what about the ego and pride in boys? Girls are more responsible and caring. Boys might get more freedom that’s why they got into bad company often but girls when confined into the four walls of their houses pick up lot of good traits from their parents. So, girls are in no way weaker than boys, infact they are way stronger and better! So girls just come out of your shells and show the world your face!

Terrible two’s, terrible teens,
When will they be over
I’ll take my place,
on life’s grand stage
Then they’ll see, and then they’ll know
the face, the voice of my soul,
I’m waiting, waiting for that moment
for my moment.

Me And The Weirdest Boy Ever

Ok, this is not so good. Not good at all. Why me? Why am I paired with this weirdo who loves to play with match-sticks? It sure is creepy. Right now, I’m sitting in a HUGE lab with a boy. Not just an ordinary boy but with a future-most wanted-criminal boy. We’re not alone, of course, there are many more. 100 or maybe 1000, it’s too hot to count. I am dressed in my new clothes, which no longer looks new; because now they’re stinky and have oily colorful spots on them. I’m doing a chemistry practical. Actually the boy is doing it; I’m just standing here... telling him what to add and what to not. Not that he listens to me.

‘Yo silly girl! HCL concentrated or dilute or what?’ he yelled so loudly that people from the last corner of the lab looked at us, annoyed.
‘Um, let me check’, I put my diary in my bag, hiding it well from his view. Pulled out my chemistry manual and looked for the page. After 5 minutes or so, I found it.
‘Dilute, and its sulphuric acid not hydr…’ Too late! He’s already done something. Colorful gases were coming out from the test tube. I jumped back and landed on someone’s foot.
‘Hey!’ the girl shrieks.
‘Sorry!!’ I apologize.
I look at the boy and I find it hard to believe. He is laughing! He’s a maniac, I knew it!
He looks like some crazy scientist who has just invented a monster who can destroy the whole world. Hmm. An old man wearing white (which looks yellow) lab coat comes in and snatches the test tube away from the boy.
‘Hey! It is mine!’ the boy shouted, almost like a child whose candy has been snatched by some bully. But I’m not sympathizing with this boy. He’s an evil maniac, trying to invent a thing to destroy the world.


When I first met him, early today, I thought it was going to be fine. I thought he was just pulling my leg. I thought he was just afraid of me. I thought he was just trying to look cool. What else did I not thought! Practically everything. Including that he might have a crush on me. Ok, that’s embarrassing. Anyways, our first conservation went on like this:

‘Hey, I’m Sidrah’ I said, cheerfully, sitting beside him. He was ENORMOUS, he was tall and wide but not frightening, you know, he’s a face like a baby. He was dressed in a blue superman T-shirt, dark green trousers and a bright orange bandana on his red hair. And yes, he was also wearing goggles. So you see, he didn’t look normal teenager at all.
‘You’ve sat on Bobble’ he glared at me.
I jumped from my seat, not knowing what the hell Bobble was.
‘I’m sorry’, I looked at the seat and I found nothing. Not even an ant!
‘Um, so, where’s Bobble’, I asked, meekly.
‘He’s gone.’ he shrugged ‘You can sit down now’. I sat down, madly annoyed at him but didn’t show it. No, I wasn’t afraid of him, if that’s what you’re thinking. Okay, maybe a little bit.
‘Who’s Bobble?’ I asked.
‘My imaginary friend’ he made it sound like it was normal.
‘Your what!?’ I laughed. He gave me a dirty look .And then he gave me this little interesting lecture to open my mind.
‘It’s no laughing matter, you silly girl! Imaginary friends are far more interesting and loyal than human. And you need imagination to have an imaginary friend. Which I’m sure you don’t have’, he sneered at me and then continued ‘If you knew Bobble that you wouldn’t have dare to laugh. He’s the king, you silly girl, the KING!’, he breathed fiercely. His face had become reddish purple.
‘I’m sure Bobb…’ but he didn’t let me complete.
“Shut up, you silly girl! You’ve insulted Bobble by sitting on him. You should say sorry to him’, he said, folding his arms on his chest, ‘Or else….’
I was stunned. He was cracked. Then he did the most alarming thing; he lighted the match-stick and threw it at me. I yelped and ran away from him. But I’d to come back; I’d to attend the lab. And so, here I’m…
‘What have you added?’
‘I dunno, just stuff, you know…colorful stuff’, he says, defensively.
‘COLORFUL Stuff? Colorful STUFF? ….You fool, you’re not supposed to add everything. These are chemicals…they can be dangerous!’ I never said this. I want to but I’m afraid. You know, I’m not really good at fighting. So I’m just sitting here writing this thing, cursing my luck, cursing the boy. Did u notice I don’t even his name! I’m sure it’d be something weird like Barney.
The old man, Mr. Flight, has taken the boy away. They’re throwing him out, I smile triumphally. The other students have lost interest and are busy doing their practical. I don’t know what I should do. Should I sit here and wait for Mr. Flight? Or should I start my practical? I choose the first option.
I wished I hadn’t joined Fun Summer Classes. They’re not fun at all. It’s more like school. Oh my! What am I doing here? The reality has just hit me. My friends are at The Mall or somewhere equally cool. Now to think about it, I don’t want to be here. I want to have some real fun. I want to quit. But no way! My Mum would never let me. It’s only one week. One week of pure agony!
Huh? What’s this? The boy and Mr. Flight …laughing and smiling? And they still have the test tube.
‘Camper you’re genius!’ Mr. Flight is patting him on his back. Genius? Camper? He could have destroyed the world!
‘Young lady’, Mr. Flight approaches me, ‘Your partner, Bobble, has just invented the most beautiful fragrance!’
Oh, so that boy has gotten lucky!
‘We’re giving him AND you one free week at Summer Fun Classes!’, he says like it’s the most wonderful thing in the world, maybe for him but not for me. I wish I’d taken swimming classes.
When he left, Camper smiled smugly at me. And then he waved his fist at me and shouted something about imaginary friends making a person lucky. I yelped. I’ve to run away, so I’m running away. But I’ve to come back; I’ve to attend the Summer Fun Free Classes. Two weeks of pure agony…just two week! Well, I was right about his name. Camper!? I mean, CAMPER! Such a weird name!