Realizations

Tick Tock, Tick Tock… The round pendulum oscillated continuously. A slender female figure could be seen standing outside an open window. A soft breeze ran past her long, silky hair. She stood still, enjoying the rhythmic songs of the sparrows and the soft spring breeze.

“Nupur, it’s time to study.” Rabeya Hassan called as softly as she could. Nupur used to loathe her books. She would prefer chatting with her friends over the phone for ages instead of studying.

“Oh no! Not again mom, I don’t have any exams tomorrow.” Nupur replied unwillingly, toying with a strand of her hair.

Rabeya tried her level best to bring her teenage daughter back to the study table. Persuasion did not work. Irritated, Nupur threw herself on the bed, with a glare at her mother.

Tring… the shrieking ring tone bounced in Rabeya’s ears. “I’ve got to tell her father to restrict Nupur’s cell usage.” Rabeya said to herself.

Despite her upcoming O level exams, Nupur not only talked over the phone constantly, but she began bunking classes as well. Mr. Rajib Hassan, Nupur’s father, was worried to death about his daughter. O’ level was neither cheap nor easy. Both Rajib and Rabeya wanted a fruitful result from their only daughter, but her arrogance got on their nerves at times.

“Nupur dear, why do you think your straight A’s got down to C’s and D’s?” Rajib asked his daughter at breakfast table one day.

“What do you do in your room behind that locked door?” Rabeya added.

“Um… nothing really.” Nupur stammered, biting into her favorite salted cookie.

Over the next few days, Nupur’s demands increased drastically. She started complaining about the simplest issues.

“Mom, my friend’s dad got a new Premio car, when do I get one?” She asked one day.

“Why? What’s wrong with our Toyota?” Rabeya asked, exasperated by all of the sudden demands.

Besides being childish, Nupur also got depressed at times, for no reason. She began staying out after school. Friends seemed more important to her than family. Her younger brothers missed her affection, her parents spent tense hours waiting for her to return home from school.

Ding Dong! The doorbell sounded weird. It seemed as if a drug addict was at the door, not a normal human being.

CRASH! Nupur slipped down the stairs on her way to the door. Soon, her painful cries filled the atmosphere. She was rushed to the hospital without much delay. According to the doctor’s strict instructions, she had to spend at least three months in bed with a broken heel cord.

Now, none of her friends visited her, the long waited phone calls were missing. After all, who wants to be with a sick person except for real friends? Real friends are definitely hard to be found.

By this time, Nupur slowly began realizing her mistakes. She had run after glass pieces instead of looking for diamonds. She kept comparing herself with her ultra rich friends, instead of counting her own blessings. Now, when she really wished for a real friend, she had none by her side.

Nupur could not do anything in bed except studying. Of course, she gradually pulled up her grades bit by bit. After all, a good degree can never be snatched away, and if friends are needed, books and pens can be one’s lifelong friends.