The red toy car

"Hello. Yes it's me Sharmila. Send Arnav over will you? Manisha is bored."
Sharmila turned to little Manisha on the floor, playing with her Lego blocks and smiled. Manisha was her whole world. Her toothless smile was enough for Sharmila to forget a whole days stress. She watched as her baby crawled all her way to the toy box and grabbed a red car.
"Broommmm" she said and shot the car with all her strength to Sharmilas feet.
Manisha was ready with Arnavs favourite toy. She always knew he'd be here any second after her amma made 'the phone call.' The doorbell rang and a tired and sweaty Priya stood at the door with baby Arnav in her hands. Arnav squiggled and wiggled his way down to her waist and lept on the floor. He was a year and a half elder to Manisha.
Both the mothers sat at a corner, looking on with eyes full of affection at the two toddlers fiddling and tugging happily at the red car.

15 years later.

"Shut up, Mani! You don't know anything about boys,do you?" Asked an angry Arnav on their way back from school . His mother had given them money to take a rickshaw or board a bus but he preferred walking home with her. Manisha was his junior in school but they were pretty popular as bestfriends. They went to the cafeteria and walked home together. Snack breaks meant they would chat and tease each other around the whole school, gossiping a bit about teachers and about kids who mistook their friendship for a love story.
Arnav had a huge clan of girls drooling after him while Manisha was a rather normal kid. She couldn't stand make up and preferred sneakers over high heels. The only trust worthy friend she had was Arnav and could never understand all the attention Arnav was getting. To her, Arnav was the old plump toddler whom his mother would drop at her house.

"What do you mean, Arnav? You think you have so much experience with girls , you're pretending to be a love guru now?" She said and ruffled his messy hair.
He fake punched her in her belly. "No man! It doesn't work that way! Rahul is just pretending to be interested in you. I know. I have a lot of contacts." He said now, and his eyes said he was serious.
Manisha looked down and kicked a stone.
"I think he's a nice guy. And who knows, maybe he really DOES love me." She knew she didn't sound convincing and she didn't want to look at arnavs face. Of course he'd find out. She was thankful they were home. They had already passed arnavs house but he always dropped her at home first anyway. "Bye. See you tomorrow" she said and went inside without a second look.
On his way back Arnav felt as guilty as ever. Of course rahul loved her. He had been waiting to be with her for ages. But he just couldn't afford to lose Mani. Not after all these days, not now. They needed a couple more years of themselves before getting committed . He thought what Mani really meant to him. He had felt ever so guilty the last day, thinking about her as his girlfriend. It just wasnt right. What if Mani didn't feel the same way? What if it would gross her out of this wonderful bond they've shared for 16 years now? He felt sick. He had to get his head straight. He decided to talk to Mani about this anyway.
"What do you fucking MEAN Arnav? " Said Mani over the phone.
"Ofcourse I don't think that way"
"Mani listen, I just wanted you to.."
"Shut up"
*click*
*Phone rings again*
"What do you want? Why would you do this to me Arnav? I was your best friend,no? Why this, all of a sudden?"
"Mani, listen to me. I want to see you in person. Don't fight . Bas. I just want to see you. Give me a chance."
"We'll see at the bus stop tomorrow anyway. That's enough. Go do something useful now"
*Click*

Arnav woke up with the worst feeling ever. He could just as well picture Mani , red and angry, about to burst any minute. He pictured her not talking to him at school and not walking with her from school and not making fun of her and his heart sank.
At the bus stop , Mani was already waiting and looked away as he approached. She waited for him to say something.
Arnav could sense the awkwardness between them .
"Sorry "
"What for?"
"For yesterday. I won't say I didn't mean it. But sorry. I'll try to think otherwise."
"You mess everything up and say sorry. I'll see you later in school. Rahul told he'll meet me here."
Arnav watched Mani as she walked away in her sneakers, hair in a messy ponytail and crumpled uniform. Her messiness made him smile. He watched as she met Rahul on the opposite side of the road and walked away with him. Maybe she wasn't that angry after all... Nothing an afternoon dose of chitchat can't fix. He thought and gave a sigh. He felt a pang of hurt knowing Mani would never feel the same way as him. Why did he love her, for God's sake?

"So?"
"So what ? I told you this will work out right? " Chirped Mani as she literally hopped to school with rahul.
"Thank-you for helping me out, man. I could never thank you enough" she said and ran to her locker.
From that locker, she took a tiny diary she had been keeping for ages now.
"  August 23rd.
And after all these years of waiting and waiting.... This is it!! Arnav loves me. He realized it. "
She scribbled as quick as possible and squickly hid the diary in a corner and closed the locker door.
And inside the locker, in the sheer darkness, her diary slept between a thousand smiling photographs of Arnav... And a red toy car.