New Country, Same Best Friend
584 Words
One Month Later
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Exactly one month had passed since Hania left Mussoorie.
The first few weeks had been overwhelming.
A new country.
A new university.
A different culture.
Different food.
Different weather.
But slowly...
Malaysia was beginning to feel like a second home.
It was lunchtime.
Students filled the university garden, chatting, laughing and enjoying the pleasant afternoon.
Hania sat beneath a large rain tree with a cup of iced coffee beside her and her laptop resting on the bench.
As soon as her lecture break started...
She opened her phone.
📹 Video Calling...
Shanu ❤️
Within seconds...
The familiar face appeared.
"HANIIII!"
"SHANUUUU!"
Both girls laughed at the same time.
"Haye Allah!" Shanya grinned. "Tu bilkul nahi badli."
(Oh God! You haven't changed at all.)
"Tum bhi nahi."
(Neither have you.)
Shanya adjusted her phone.
"So..."
"Roommate kaisi hai?"
(How's your roommate?)
"And friends bani?"
(Did you make friends?)
Hania smiled.
"Haan."
(Yes.)
"Meri roommate bahut achhi hai."
(My roommate is very nice.)
"Woh Uzbekistan ki hai."
(She's from Uzbekistan.)
"Graphics Design padh rahi hai."
(She's studying Graphic Design.)
"Uska naam Amina hai."
(Her name is Amina.)
"She's calm, organized and keeps reminding me not to skip breakfast."
Shanya laughed.
"Koi toh mila jo tujhe sambhale."
(Finally someone is there to take care of you.)
Hania nodded happily.
"Aur haan..."
(And yes...)
"Friends bhi ban gaye."
(I've made friends too.)
"Ek Indian bhi hai."
(There's an Indian girl too.)
"Uska naam Zara hai."
(Her name is Zara.)
"Hyderabad se hai."
(She's from Hyderabad.)
"Meri research partner hai."
(She's my research partner.)
"Aur ab meri best friend bhi ban gayi hai."
(And now she's become my best friend too.)
Shanya raised one eyebrow dramatically.
"Ohhhh..."
"So now you've replaced me?"
Hania immediately shook her head.
"Kabhi nahi."
(Never.)
She pointed toward the phone.
"Sweetie..."
"Tu meri behen hai."
(You're my sister.)
"Aur soulmate."
(And my soulmate.)
"Main duniya ke kisi bhi kone mein rahun..."
(No matter where I am in the world...)
"...hum dono waise hi rahenge."
(...the two of us will always remain the same.)
"Best friends forever."
Shanya's eyes softened.
"I know."
"Waise..."
(By the way...)
Shanya smirked.
"Malaysia ke handsome boys ka kya haal hai?"
(So, how are the handsome boys in Malaysia?)
Hania rolled her eyes dramatically.
"Mujhe microscope zyada pasand hai."
(I like microscopes more.)
"Boys ko tum hi handle karo."
(You handle the boys.)
Shanya burst into laughter.
"Tera kuch nahi ho sakta."
(You're impossible.)
Just then...
A cheerful voice called from behind.
"Hania!"
She turned around.
A girl wearing a university hoodie waved enthusiastically.
"Hurry! The professor is already in the lab."
Hania smiled.
"Coming!"
She looked back at the phone.
"Shanu, that's Zara."
Shanya waved through the screen.
"Hi!"
Zara smiled warmly.
"So you're the famous Shanya?"
Shanya blinked.
"Famous?"
Zara laughed.
"Hania talks about you almost every day."
Hania groaned.
"Zara!"
"What? It's true."
Shanya smiled from the other side of the screen.
For the first time since Hania had left India...
she felt relieved.
Her best friend was happy.
She had found good people.
But one thing hadn't changed.
No matter how many new friends Hania made...
Shanya would always remain her first call, her biggest supporter, and the sister she had chosen with her heart.
Far away in Mussoorie...
another person unknowingly wondered how the loud, fearless girl was doing.
Captain Eshaan Singh had no idea...
that destiny was already counting down the years until their paths crossed again.
- Writer
