Riya lay down on her bed, fiddling with her phone, messaging on the group. Her nights were usually spent messaging there, the group that she had met on India-Forums.
"Riya, where are you? Her mother called, from outside the room. "Come out!
"Asche Ma, she called, putting her phone away and heading out. Tying her hair into a bun, she wondered for the millionth time why it was so hot, that too in the end of September! It was Durga Puja, and tomorrow was the ashtami, the most auspicious day of the Puja.
Her phone rang. It was Srutha.
"Hi Didu, said Srutha, excitedly.
"Hi baby bird, she said, a smile automatically forming on her face. "How are you?
She had, to all intents and purposes adopted half the people on her India-Forums group, and cared for them so deeply, as if they were her kids.
"Didu, Shre and Rammy and I want to chat with you, come fast! Acha, bye! Tha hung up.
I will be back soon, you three, my mother is calling me she quickly typed, and rushed down the stairs.
"Ri... her mother saw her and quickly stopped short seeing her at the foot of the stairs.
"Haan Ma, what happened? she said, sighing and rubbing her eyes tiredly.
"Look who is h.. Before the words left her mouth, Riya had swiveled around to look at her surroundings, having suddenly registered the fact that there were many people in the living room of her house. Her jaw dropped.
"Wh-h-wh-? she was, for the first time in her memory, speechless. Her phone rang again. She picked it up. It was Shivam this time.
"Hi Lankini, he said, laughing. An automatic glare formed on her face, though she knew he wasn't serious. "Happy birthday!
"Wha- It is 12? she said, glancing at the clock on the living room wall, and suddenly conscious again of the fact that there were people in her living room.
"Yes, obviously, he said. There was a long pause. Riya was still trying to recover from her shock, a seemingly impossible task. "Hello? Riya, you there?
"Y... Shivam, she said as her phone began beeping in the background. "I am getting another call, I will call you back hann? Thanks for calling.
She registered that the call was from Shre and Tha and Rammy. Thank God! She thought, anxiously tapping the answer button.
"Happy birthday TEDDY! they chorused, loudly, excitedly.
"Thank you, she said, still dazed.
"Di, are you okay? asked Rammy, sensing, like the other two, that something was amiss.
"I think so? said Riya, sighing. These three knew her very well. As did Sruthi and Swati and Sumi, and well.. She sighed. The entire group that she loved, all those kids. She wished, sometimes that they all lived close by so she could keep an eye on them. She knew how Sumi hated eating, how all those kids spent way too long studying. Sometimes, Anu, Charvi, Mili, Prakriti, they would all go off on long breaks from messaging, at days on end, no call, no text, nothing.
"Why think so? frowned Shre, puzzled.
"Cause I kind of have people standing in my living room?
"So? said Tha, a little confused.
"So, they are Klaroline, VicBourne, Hameron, Caskett, Sherlolly, Darcy-Elizabeth, and Thornton?
"You mean like JoMo, and so on and so forth? asked Shre, shocked.
"No, I mean like Klaroline, etc. said Riya, staring around.
"Pleasure to meet you, my lady, said Thornton, at last. She gasped. His voice was like Richard Armitage's, but he seemed to think he was Thornton. Or was that his acting.
"WHAT?
She winced and held the phone away as the three voices screeched into the handsets at their end.
"Yeah, numb. And also, I am getting repeated calls from Sumi, Mili and all, I will call you later. Bye, love you.
She hung up. She kept her eyes on her guests, and answered all the birthday calls she was getting.
"Hello, said Klaus, when she finally hung up. "I am Ni..
"Niklaus Mikaelson, yes, she said, staring around in bewilderment at them all.
"Yes, I am, he said, momentarily taken aback. "We all have heard a lot about the Puja here in Kolkata
"Would you please show us around? said Elizabeth, smiling her charming smile, linking her hands with Darcy.
"O-Of course, she said, still awestruck.
"Yes, you can do it tom...
"Tomorrow, because as a mother you want her to sleep, and medically, I think, as Doctor House would agree, she needs to sleep or el..
"Or else she can be exhausted tomorrow, and our plans will go kaput, concluded House, interrupting Sherlock's monologue with a roll of his eyes.
Riya half laughed but caught herself. She traipsed up to bed, and lay down, her phone long forgotten.
"RIYA! her mother's voice boomed, and she awoke with a start. "Don't you want to get ready, we have to go for the Puja!
She sighed. Of course it had been a dream. Rubbing her eyes, she wished that it could actually happen. Well, that is a whole new dream, she thought, heading to get ready.
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