The Mismatched Half

The cafe that Anya frequented was unusually packed for the day. Perturbed by the unaccustomed view, she took a spot in the area outside the cafe which she usually avoided.She waited for her coffee as she looked at the busy road. A group of people were standing across the pedestrian crossing, waiting for the signal to turn green. She noticed a young boy tugging his mother's coat impatiently. It brought a smile to her face. This surprised her considering how her smile had become a sort of rarity.The sound of the ceramic cup placed on the wooden table shook her back to reality. She thanked the waiter and eagerly lifted the cup off the table and took a deep sniff. The aroma filled her nose with pleasure. Excitement crept through her body as she reached for the brink of the cup.“Hey.” She heard a voice.She looked up and she felt her heart slowly sink to the deepest part of her stomach. A feeling that came in so suddenly and a feeling that she hadn't felt in a long time. She gulped the c

March 2014, in a far away land." You're making breakfast?" Anya looked surprised." Well, it's your first day at work, so I thought I'll ease up the tension a bit." Viola smiled.Viola was Anya's best friend and room mate. Even though they knew each other only for three years, their bond was much more stronger.

"What are you thinking?" Anya snapped."I was thinking of making Ann one of the contenders for the post." Viola said slyly."That's a brilliant idea!" Jess applauded."Oh, I know where you're getting at, Vye." Emily jeered.

Anya gave Chloe an explanation that lasted about five minutes about Shalwar kameez and looked at her expectantly." Okay, I get all that but are you supposed to wear it only after a shower?" Chloe questioned intently. This reminded Anya of an old Indian saying, "It was like asking if Ram was Sita's uncle after listening to a whole night of Ramayana," because Ram was actually Sita's husband in the epic, Ramayana.

"What makes you think I'll come with you?" Anya asked sweetly. She knew there was an ulterior motive behind all the sweetness and she needed to be careful. She knew what 'having a coffee with someone' meant outside India and she was not ready for it, especially not with Ronan. She wondered why he was being so nice to her, probably because he felt bad for making her bleed. She had to be careful because Ronan was her boss." What makes you think I'll save you from another panic attack?" Ronan snorted. That's it dude, I'm going to punch you now.