The alarm clock was ringing furiously Vijay was too tired to even move. "Wake up you lazy creature." his younger sister pushed him hard but there was nothing that could stop him from sleeping. Juhi took out a cold bottle of water from the fridge and poured it on her brother's face. Yes this was more than enough. Vijay SPRANG up from his bed. "Have you gone nuts? Can't you see I am tired? I will kill you today." he said furiously and started chasing Juhi all around the house.
Vijay along with his family had shifted to their new house just only a day before. His parents had left out to the market to get some essentials leaving Juhi and Vijay at home. And the house was now turning upside down.
Juhi ran out to the garden, just when her mother caught her. "Whats the matter? Why are you running?" Panting Juhi said "Bhaiya, he...he is COMING! no run!" She started to run again as she saw Vijay coming near. This time Mrs.Sinha got hold of Vijay. "We had been out just for an hour and you both started your Tom and Jerry tales.I am fed up with you two, Vijay at least you are elder, can't you keep calm?" "But mom she poured ice cold water on me while I was sleep.." Mrs.Sinha interrupted "No more mischiefs today, get inside now." "But mom.." Vijay tried to keep his point. "No buts" Said Mrs. Sinha and rushed inside. Poor Vijay, no one was there to listen to his agony, alas he went inside.
Vijay had very less friends, his only friends were his family members. He might fight with his sister all day long but at the end of the day they were best friends. Vijay had been staying in many different places form his childhood, he never got time to make good friends. His parents would always say, "No one is a friend in this
life, when time comes no one will care to help you. Finding a true friend is like finding God himself."
This time vijay wanted to know the truth himself. Time passed by as the Sinha family got set on the beautiful hill station of Gangtok. Vijay and Juhi went to their new school, Mr.Sinha to his new office cabin and Mrs. Sinha would stay back at the new house to cope up with the days work.
Vijay liked this little hill station and this time he set out in search of new friends, real friends.
First day at school Vijay was sitting quietly at the last bench, when a boy with small eyes put his hand forward, "I am Tenzing" he said, "I am Vijay" Vijay introduced himself hand shook hands with him. Tenzing took Vijay to his group. And introduced him with everyone. Slowly as time passed Vjay had made many friends, Tenzing, Nezi, Rahul, Tina, Suzane were his best ones. He enjoyed their company. It seemed all the fun was when he was with them. Time was going good, and he thought that these friends would make up his world. Whenever he remembered what his parents said he would think to himself "Maybe I have really found friends at last."
***********
The clock just hit 12 Vijay was still awake with his cellphone in his hand sitting near the fireplace. It was 15th of December his birthday. Just within minutes messages started floating in, "Happy Birthday." "May you live long." " may you have all the happiness in life." Vijay just kept reading them they were all his friends.
It was a bitterly cold winter night and there was pin drop silence in the house. "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" someone at the top of the voice shouted in his ear all of a sudden, Vijay fell from his chair horrified. It was Juhi laughing. Only after Vijay was able to relax a bit, he hugged Juhi. "Bhaiya wont' you chase me now. "No silly its already 12 and I am getting old." Vijay said trying to be funny. He turned behind and saw his parents standing, they both wished him Happy Birthday and kissed his head.
It was now 3'o' clock and Vijay was still awake and today was the day he had been waiting for. He loved his family a lot, Now he wanted to know that if his friends too deserved a part of that love.
He called Tenzing first, the phone kept ringing but no one answered at the second attempt Tenxing picked up. "HeelllO" He said yawning. "Why are you disturbing me at this hour?" Tenzing said. "UH, my parents are out of town and suddenly my sister has fallen ill, please will you come over to my place now?" Vijay faked a story but he had a reason behind it. "Uh-umm like now? I ,..You know it's cold and How will I get a vehicle...?" Tenzing disconnected the line. Vijay tried again but all in vain. He tried to call his other friends someone didn't bother to pick up, someone hesitated and some said "I wil try" No one turned up.
Vijay waited waited and kept waiting but no one was to be seen. Vijay sat in the balcony with tears in his eyes glittering with sunlight. He watched the sun rise through the peaks of Kangchenjunga.
His mother opened the door from behind, "Vijay, what are you doing here? Didn't you sleep all night? come get up and tell us what gift you want." Vijay turned back and looked at his mother, wiping off his tears he said "I have already got the best gift of my life, my family..."
