A Few Hundred Poppies

things are as awkward as you make them to be, reallyEdelweiss, EnglandOn the 30th of December that year, I suddenly realised that I couldn't read anything when the letters were brought closer than a foot to my eyes. Dr. Amiruddin announced me blind by +1.75 the next day, and therefore I dramatically slipped a pair of silver-framed reading glasses atop my nose at the ball drop. Ironically, it was also the year I saw more of reality than I had all my life.And that reality has a very mean sense of humour - having spent sixteen years in a town full of generic white boys, I could be found perpetually bored and prone to rejecting the few who asked me out, and when I'd said that I would like it if a transoceanic guy or two joined this school, I meant a Mexican ex-villain's only heir or something, so that I could fall in love, get ignored, get my heart broken and end up writing a good book.Instead, life handed me an arrogant, outrageously handsome Pak-Korean asshole with an acquired taste

it's a bad week to be aliveThe brass nameplate beside the iron-wrought gate had lost its lustre and was scratched in several places, the words 'Professors Afsar & Saroor Rashid, 15 Taylor Avenue, Edelweiss' embossed in Times New Roman on its surface. Taylor Avenue wasn't really an avenue because there weren't any trees lining it, but nobody seemed to care. The pebble muttered a tiny curse as I kicked it away from the sidewalk, swinging the chest-high iron gate open. As I crossed the small but well-kept lawn with heavy steps, the savoury scent of cooking beef made a roar stir up in my stomach.Maybe I'd earned Allah's pity. It was pretty rare for Ma and Bapi to arrive home before me on weekdays, and I could definitely use not having to stick rice from the fridge in the microwave for lunch. Finding the front door open, I trudged across the foyer and gingerly peered into the kitchen, mentally groaning when I realised who it was.It took Poppy Khan exactly 3.78 seconds to notice me, and

should've learnt fucking karateThe biggest moral dilemma that I would face if Aladdin's genie decided to show up in my life would be fighting the urge to permanently erase calculus from the face of the Earth instead of pollution. Glancing at the clock, I impatiently clicked my tongue and scratched off the equation I had just written on the worksheet. I was supposed to meet West at the curb ten minutes ago, but this calculus shit was impossibly lengthy. He's waiting...But so what? He's a jerk.With my back to the door, I was busy exerting an immense concentration on exerting concentration on solving the math. Therefore, I noticed neither the creak of the iron gate opening nor that of the front door, and the mischievous footsteps to my door went unheard. Suddenly, a firm hand landed with a thump on my shoulder."Boo!" A familiar voice yelled, making me jump up from my chair with a terrified squeal."AAH THe FuCK?!" I stumbled and not-so-gracefully landed on the floor — with a foot s

you're the Neville_The remnants of summer in Edelweiss were nearly gone now, but some traces still lingered. As I sat cross-legged by myself on the slope leading from the road to the gorgeous poppy fields in full bloom, warm rays from the setting sun cast a mysterious honey glow on the flowers, as if they were sharing an elaborate secret. I smiled.I eyed the pair of birds swooping around playfully in the sky with acute jealousy. Not trapped at all by their own emotions. So free.Hearing rhythmic footsteps approaching, I glanced to the road. Spotting a young man sporting a black tee and black shorts was jogging on with earphones in, I looked back to the fields.When the footsteps stopped right beside me, I cautiously looked up. "Okay, why are you spying on me, West?" I raised my brows and dramatically pursed my lips, making him roll his eyes. He climbed down to sit on the grass beside me."I'm not spying on you. I live here," he breathed, still a smidgen out of breath. A bead of swe

I eyed the yellow sticky note lying on the floor of my locker with interest. Glancing down the hall in both directions, I found nobody suspicious amid the green-and-white clad students and thus picked up the paper in my palm to get a better look.With immaculate timing, Ever decided to show up and snatch the paper from my grasp, making me yelp in surprise. He used his height to keep the paper out of my reach, and read it aloud. "Jo ek lad kee ko deikha toh ayza lega? What is this?" His scrunched up brows relaxed when he looked over my head and waved to somebody. As I turned to see who it was, my stomach did a somersault.West's hair was visibly damp as he ran his hands through it, his features fresher than ever. When he'd strolled over to us, Ever eyed him mischievously and made to hand him the paper. "Ever Richards, don't you fucking dare," I tried to catch hold of it, but West managed to snatch it from Ever's grasp as I was inches from it. I facepalmed."Jo ek ladki ko dekha toh aysa