From Leah's Diary...

20th October
Sometimes, it's not just about FALLING in love..sometimes, it's about climbing down the stairwell, slowly and steadily..It's a long and dark descent, and there might be places where you might trip, get exhausted, or maybe even decide to climb back up and move on with your life..But if you keep on going down, you'll eventually find the person of your dreams at the foot of the stairwell, waiting for you..Arthur, I want you to be there when I get down, with your usual faint smile on your long and gorgeous face..And as I climb down the last step, I want you to take my hand and give your regular little nod..I don't want you to sweep me off my feet and carry me to a fantasy land..I just want you to be there next to me, with me..And we'll walk..To where, I don't have the faintest idea..And well, it doesn't matter..As long as you are by my side, I'll go to every place you take me..Just you and me..Together..Forever.. =)

25th November
It's 1:30 AM now..I'm wide awake, thinking of you..There is no sound except the clattering noise of Buffy biting his cage bars..As I turn towards the bed, I notice the dim light flooding my room..I slowly lift up my head and peep out of the window to spot the source of the dim light - the Moon..Looking at the ball of gold, I smile..And then there's this wild thought which suddenly erupts in my mind and overshadows all other thoughts - even though we are so far apart, we are under the same starlit sky, with the same Moon watching over us.. <3

A Hint of Happiness, A Shade of Sorrow...

Leah sat on the bed with an unmistakable frown on her face which was the result of an argument she'd just had with her dad. She blankly traced her fingers over the design on the bed-sheet and was so lost in the abstract pattern that she didn't notice her mom entering the room.
Angela smiled when she looked at her sixteen-year-old daughter. She knew Leah had always been this way - she fought with her dad over stupid things, pulled a big frown and stormed away from her dad to find 'mental peace'. At the end of the story, she always landed up in her Dadda's arms, laughing over the argument they just had!
"You are a typical Dadda's girl, you know that?" Angela said. Leah looked up at her mom, let out a grumpy "Hey mom" and went back to tracing the pattern on the bed-sheet.
"Well, I've got some interesting news for you," Angela said, picking up scattered clothes from the bed to make some space for herself.
"Go on," Leah replied, without looking up.
"I finally got my transfer order, dear, and I'll be leaving after ten days."
Leah stopped her tracing job and absorbed the words her mom had thrown so casually at her. "transfer", "ten days" - the words whirled round and round in Leah's head and she found herself unable to comprehend the simple yet complicated meaning behind the words. Or maybe, just maybe, she understood every bit of what her mom had just said, yet failed to accept it.
Leah slowly looked up at her mom and noticed the smile on the angelic face. Angela had been promoted to a higher post and she had to fill in a vacancy at the company's branch located in a town 122 km away. Leah had always known how much her mom had wanted this to happen. In fact, she was pretty much happy herself. She knew her mom deserved it. Leah was prepared for this, or at least she thought she was. But now, she realized she simply wasn't being able to digest the fact that her mom would be leaving her after ten days. And then Leah was absolutely positive about one thing - if her mom noticed any hint of uncertainty in Leah's approval, she would drop the plan. THAT was the last thing Leah wanted at this moment.
"Should I go?" Angela asked in a low voice.
This was the moment Leah had dreaded all along. while all her insides urged her to scream "NO!!!" and cling to her mom, Leah mustered all her courage, looked her mom in the eyes and with a big ear-to-ear grin, said, "Obviously, mom!" As she watched her mom's face light up like a 20 W bulb, Leah knew she'd done it.
"Oh, baby..." her mom said as she leaned forward to kiss her forehead.
"Now don't get all cheesy, mom!" Leah joked, pulling her mom's cheeks.
"You should've been born as my mother, Li. It seems God accidentally switched our roles!" Angela said.
"You better make a  good cup of tea for Dadda, mom. He is in a terrible mood right now," Leah said and winked at her mom.
"All thanks to you, my child!" Angela exclaimed, and got up to leave the room.
Leah sighed, finally letting go off the fake grin she'd been carrying. She so wanted to hug her mom and cry her heart out, but she wouldn't do that. She wouldn't compel her mom to make another sacrifice for her, she wouldn't stop her mom from following her dream. Hadn't she always wanted her mom to escape the monotonous life she had been living all along? All of a sudden, Leah's mind was filled with the happy times she'd spent with her dear, dear mom. How she would share each and every little thing that happened at school or college with her mom; how she would hug her mom tight whenever she felt low; how she would make her mom smile whenever she was in a bad mood; how they would watch cartoon shows together, go for shopping together. She remembered the moments when her mom would randomly take her out for lunch just to cheer her up. She recalled the times when her mom would crack a very silly joke just to break the glass after they had an argument. She would miss the all-time entertainers - the funny fights between her mom and Dadda. She'd miss her mom. A lot.
There was a part of Leah, and she had no idea how predominant that part was, that wished something bad would turn up and her mom wouldn't have to go. "No, that won't happen. Ever." Leah thought. She had to be strong, it was high time her mom got the happiness she deserved. And out of all the people, Leah wouldn't be an obstacle this time. She knew her mom would just be physically away. Now feeling like a responsible daughter, Leah stood up to help her mom in the kitchen. It was then she noticed a photo-frame on her study table - it was a photo of hers with her mom and Dadda when she was just a year old. She slumped on the bed, and felt tears running down her cheeks...

Hey Lilikins, a Letter!

Dear Li-Li,
YOU FRIGGIN' BASTARD! GOD-DAMNED IDIOT! HORDE OF STUPIDITY! STUBBORN PIG!

Had I always been going on and on in FRENCH to throw away that rotten mango from your life that you failed to understand me? That shit of a person gave you such pain in these two years but you never even thought about kicking him out! Not that I never told you to give up on him! But you, you would never listen to me! Always going about with your I-know-what's-best-for-me attitude! I am literally going to murder you the next time we meet!

Do you have any idea what a big headache you've freed me from? :) :) :)

Didn't I tell you, Lilikins, how bad it felt to be a 'happily-ever-after' when your story lay burnt and jagged on the floor? I tried, so desperately, to do SOMETHING... But I failed. Miserably.

Thank God you had these guys, Lilikins. I'd have died under the load of guilt...! :) :)

Okay, I couldn't help you. But you're all right now. That's what matters. That's what I've wanted.

Now listen to me ('cause you haven't ever, in all these years) - now if I ever find you sulking about how rotten your mangoes were, you're gonna end up like Dumbledore, 'cause I'm gonna push you off the topmost floor of the highest building on Earth! Now we both are gonna enjoy together. Remember, you've got to set an example for HIM (my 'him', you know... :P). You've got to make him feel there's fun in life even after she's gone. She no longer matters, 'cause he knows people can love him more. Link your case to his, Leah. Don't let yourself down. Don't let a chance come when I begin to lecture you all that you lectured him.

Now that my Lilikins has it all, I don't want her to look back AT ALL. Because what lies ahead is what matters. You know that, Li. So do I.

Rise and shine, Leah. Know what you have. Grab the moment and live. LIVE.

Don't you dare become me...!

Love,
Emma :)

All This While...

"He really told you that? Disgusting!" Natalie exclaimed as she looked at Leah with narrow eyes. Leah had been telling Hannah, Penny and Natalie about some of her terrible incidents with Mango-Jay which had contributed profoundly to the end of their oh-so-friendly 'friendship'. As Leah was done telling them about one particular incident when Mango-Jay had abused Leah just for fun and hadn't thought apologizing later would be important, she looked up at the trio. Each face bore an expression which was unmistakably punctuated with hatred and disgust.
"You know what? You are not going to talk to him. Ever," Hannah said, looking straight into Leah's eyes. Leah found it funny how Hannah's glasses seemed to magnify her tiny eyes. Well, it really wasn't the right time to observe magnified eyeballs, but Leah wanted to divert herself from the ongoing topic. She was so desperate to get rid of the nightmarish experiences with Jordan that magnified eyeballs seemed a much better option.
"Seriously, Leah, he ain't worth it! Not worth it at all!" said Penny, shrugging.
"Guys, I've had feelings for him since more than two years. I can't just flush him out of my life! He's more of a habit now - something I can't get rid of," Leah explained.
"Exactly! He's just a HABIT! You've just become USED to 'liking' him! You don't really 'love' him, Leah!" Penny exclaimed.
"And you know what? He's a bad habit. If you continue with bad habits, you simply ruin yourself!" said Hannah in a very matter-of-fact way.
Leah had heard all this before. It was history repeating itself. She was so used to hearing things about Jordan that now it hardly made difference. She loved him. That's it. The End.
"Forget him, Leah. You'll get a much better guy, trust me," Natalie said.
"Uh-oh! Not really 'The End'," Leah thought, rolling her eyes.
Mango-Jay had been the ultimate guy on Leah's mind. If it wasn't going to be him, it wouldn't be anybody else. If Leah's life was a movie, he was the lead actor. He wasn't on the screen all the time, but he is supposed to be there till the movie ends. And then it doesn't really matter on what note the movie ends!
"I don't have any other option, OK? I don't love him out of choice! I really can't help it! You guys have no idea how it feels like to love someone who has hurt you so much. I don't voluntarily 'think' about him before I go to bed and the moment I wake up - he simply crosses my mind! It's like I'm shut in a place with no food, water or air and the only way to survive is to eat a bad smelling rotten fruit! It's probably worse than a hundred hells put together!" Leah was shaking now. She knew she was about to cry. She tore off from the gaze of the three pairs of anxious eyes and looked down with an intention of hiding her tears. She slowly wiped her tears and looked up at her friends.
"I myself don't wanna be this way, but I'm trapped. And I guess there's no way out. Not any I can think of."
Hannah came closer, placed her tiny hand on Leah's shoulder and said, "There's nothing in this world that you cannot get. Each and everything is within your reach, you just have to stretch out your arms to get it. You'll get anything if you WANT to."
Leah knew these words. These were her words. The words she said whenever she was trying to comfort any of her friends. And now her words were giving her hope...
She looked at Hannah and smiled. Penny and Natalie also moved closer ad expressed their agreement.
"Now, girls, let's find a way to dispose the rotten mango from this idiot's life!" Natalie said in her usual sing-song voice and she gave a high-five each to Penny and Hannah.
And so the 'project' began.
Natalie suggested Leah should have an imaginary boyfriend. "It'll make you feel better, trust me. It's a sweet experience!" But Hannah though it was a bizarre idea so it was dropped out.
"Why don't you pick up a filmstar you are crazy about and develop a die-hard crush on him?" Penny suggested.
"That's insane! I mean, it would be so unrealistic. That wouldn't be enough to distract me," Leah said, now slowly getting involved. The fact that she was at least trying to overcome this Mango-Jay thing was a sign of hope for them.
"If you so want it to be 'real', then choose a person you know - someone you see or talk to everyday," Hannah.
"Oh come on! You know what a lot of guys I have as friends!" Leah replied sarcastically.
"What about Arthur? You are quite close to him, right?" Hannah asked.
"Arthur??? NOOOOOO!!!" Leah cried.
Arthur had always been a great friend but Leah had never thought of him in any other way.
"Why not? You two understand each other so well!" Penny exclaimed. Everybody except Leah saw this as a solution. For her, it was just another senseless idea by her senseless friends.
"Come on, Li! If you give it a thought, you'll see Arthur is much better than Mango-Jay. He's the sort of person who can never hurt anyone. And well, you know, he's also been through tough situations in life! But do you ever find him complaining? He's a happy-go-lucky down-to-earth person - exactly what you need!" Natalie said.
Till this moment, Leah could have sworn these girls were kidding. But at that precise moment, she actually 'thought' about Arthur for the first time ever. She recalled his smiling face, how he had supported her and trusted her. Although he talked less, Leah felt better whenever she shared anything with him. She knew she could be herself around him. He somehow made her feel special always and there was some sort of bond that connected them. Everyone around Leah talked about how boring Arthur was, but Leah could never bring herself to agree with that. She found him funny. Amusing. PERFECT.
Leah smiled. The girls had been looking at her all the while with deep curiosity and as they saw her lips curve, they literally jumped! All the way to the bus stand, they talked about Arthur and after so many days, Leah found herself blushing.
"Oh Li, you two are the perfect pair! I so envy you!" Natalie said in her awe-filled tone. Leah knew they were just trying to make her feel good and well, Leah was actually finding herself at the top of the world. She thanked the girls for making her realize how blind she'd been. All this while she had been craving for light when she had her own sun wrapped up in her bag. Yeah, it wasn't going to be really easy for her to dump away all the memories she had of Jordan, but she now had someone else. She finally had a better option, someone who could make her smile. And as she walked ahead, she recalled Tagore's words - "If you shed tears when you miss the sun, you also miss the stars..."

Places You Can Find Us!

Hey All!
Through this blog, we don't just want to convey our views to you. We'd love and appreciate your view-points! So, feel free to mail us at emmaleah.btw@gmail.com
or you can simply follow us on https://twitter.com/EmmaLeahBTW
we will soon be creating a facebook page too!
Cheers! 

I Do.... I Don't!

"Natalie is a strong girl. Even though she's gone through a number of dramatic breakups, she still manages to be happy!" Hannah said, seeming quite amused.
"Yeah, right. We should actually learn this from her. I mean, if we ignore the fact that she's fallen for the craziest boys in existence, she's handled herself pretty well," Leah said, walking beside Hannah.
They were walking to the bus stop after a tiring day at classes.
"At least she doesn't go wailing about her break-ups, quite unlike our great Helen!" Hannah said, shrugging her shoulders.
Leah smiled and looked down at Hannah with eyes overflowing with approval.
"Anyways, Leah, you aren't less. Even you've been through tough situations. All you experiences with guys and then this stuff will Mango-Jay, you've kept your calm. You're an adorable example for a strong girl," Hannah said, now turning towards Leah.
"Hmm" was all Leah could force out of her mouth.
A few steps later, they reached the bus stop and soon enough, Hannah's bus arrived.
"Bye, Li!" Hannah said hastily as she dashed towards the bus.
As Leah watched the little figure forcing her legs clumsily up the steps of the bus, she smiled. "She's so cute!" Leah thought, her eyes following Hannah as she boarded the bus.
All the way back home, Leah thought about what Hannah had said. It was true that Leah kept telling herself that she was strong, but she herself doubted it sometimes. Yet, it was the best way to keep herself from breaking down in tough times. So, she never gave up on herself.
Exactly 5 hours later, Leah picked up her cell phone, humming to herself as usual. There were three texts - two were friendship day forwards and one was from Penny:
Hey I met Mango-J & Arthur 2day. It seems Mango-J & Daphne r quite gud frnds since dey r in d same class. I was thinkin abt u all the tym! 
Leah closed the text. Arthur Black was one of those extremely few guys whom Leah found trustworthy. Arthur was more of a naive person, too innocent to be bad. He was Jordan's good friend and they often met up. Even though Arthur supported Leah (he actually said Jordan was the one who was undeserving, not Leah) he kept good relations with Jordan. They were school friends, after all!
"It seems Mango-J & Daphne are quite good friends...." Leah repeated in her head. Why was she getting bothered by these stupid words? The words pricked Leah, over and over again in the same spot. It seemed as if they were trying to dig out long lost memories, memories which Leah had decided to bury deep down...
And then she started feeling anxious - something she felt when she had lost something very dear to her. Leah was very well aware of the fact that Daphne and Mango-Jay shared a brother-sister type of a relationship, "Just like me and Peter!" she reminded herself. Penny's words still clawed at her. But there wasn't any way she was going to have Jordan back, neither did she WANT him back!
Yet the question lingered - WHY?
Leah was standing on a predicament, where she kept swaying between two ironically different choices - Jordan is her life; Jordan is nothing.
While one part of her heart wanted him back so desperately, the other half hated him with the fire of thousand suns. Flooding her mind with memories and thoughts, Leah stood by the window and gazed at the dark sky. There was no moon that night.
"Isn't it funny how we're so far apart yet we are looking at the same moon?" Mango-Jay had once exclaimed over the phone in his usual awe-filled childish tone. Leah couldn't help smiling. It amazed her how Jordan could still make her smile, how he could still carry her away with his spellbinding charm. It amazed Leah when she realized that beneath the hatred she carried inside her, somewhere deep within lay a heart which still was in love with Jordan - truly, madly, deeply...

Dear Tom... :)

Li, you're gonna go lol when you read this, but do read it... :P

Tom, I want to meet you : so filmy-ish this may seem,
But whenever you cycle past in your best jersey, you should turn around and see my eyes gleam!

Everytime you think, I hope you think of me.
This was on a Taylor Swift song, but I hope you know what I mean.

I would like a Time-turner, or a wand or two, maybe.
because then I could summon anything i want to me.

and then i would like to apparate without passing any test.
and then turn around on my heel and reach the place thats best.

i wish this world were Neverland, and i'd never grow up.
and that time would never pass by, and bad things wouldn't show up.

i wish i were in narnia, with mighty magic around.
to see the most spectacular views and become spellbound.

all this sounds so childish, i know, and so out of my time.
and so pointless my wishes seem, so crazy sounds the rhyme.

but all this i'm hoping for, just because i want to
and oh-so-dearly do i want, i want to be with you.

if i had all that, i'd summon your photos to me
and scan them and put them in my phone, forever to be.

if i could apparate without splinching, i'd turn on my heel right now,
and appear by your side just then, making you say 'wow'.

and if this were neverland, i'd never have to leave.
i'd never lose sight of you, be contended by seeing your shirt's sleeve.

if this world were narnia, and that magic were real,
i bet you you wouldn't be bothered by your thoughts as lights hid behind their veil.

i've lost the track of poetry, and my phrases sound crazy.
but all i ever wish for is that the moments with you never go hazy.

the room's empty, there's no sound, except the fan's humming.
my world literally lights up whenever i see you coming.

i wish you were here now, tom, we'd study together.
and i'm sure i wouldn't let it stop me in any weather.

wind, or rain, or blazing sun, i'd come to you to study.
and help each other out when stuck, like best buddies.

and as time passes i would want that 'buddy' never to change,
but to add upon bit by bit, increase understanding range.

i want a time to come when i can come to you so freely.
and go on blabbering to you, i may sound so silly...!

                                                                             *******

there's raindrops on my window- pane, they trickle down like tears.
but i just hope it washes away your miseries and fears.
this time of the year, so surprisingly, puts her out of your mind.
and as far as i know Nature, i know she's very kind.

she works to keep the balance of life, all good and bad at par.
so that even if it's a moonless night you'll see a gleaming star.
i read this on a cover page, and it led me to thoughts so far :
"if you cry because the sun has gone, you won't even see the stars."

Allow little things to light you up, the way that they used to,
and i'm always there, you can tell me what to do.
That smile on your face, it's the most charming thing in the world.
it so lights up my life, like many banisters unfurled.

and yesterday, believe me, tom, you oh-so-made me fall,
with the tuft of your hair, your rosy lips, your perfection and all.
i don't know, but i've never seen someone as charming as that.
or was my heart making me see things, like hallucinations, drat!

oh, no, tommykins! it was surely you! you are so simply charming!
with your tuft, your lips, your smile, your eyes, and your love-- oh, it's so warming!
it was me, i'd been crazy enough to think that you don't love me
oh, haven't i been so crazy to think that you don't love me!!! :) :) :) <3 <3

Stepping In High Heels

"Mommmaaa!" little Leah called out in a voice filled with remarkable joy.

"What is it, Li?" Leah's mom, Angela, called back from the kitchen.

"Come out here, mom! I wanna show you what I'm wearing!"

"Oh, come on, Li! Come in here and show me whatever you are wearing!"

"Okay! If that's what you want!"

And so the little girl carefully got up from the chair. Slowly and steadily, she put one foot after the other and started walking. She was walking exceptionally slow for a seven year-old kid. But then, she wasn't just another seven year-old kid! She was Leah Kent - the little girl with big, bright eyes and thick , black, wavy hair that stood up on her head making it look like a mushroom.

Leah Kent was the little girl who could find weird ways to trouble her mom, and even weirder ways to make it up to her.

Leah Kent was the little girl who could rock a normal chair, fall off with a big thud, get back up, sit on the same chair and start rocking it again.

So if she was walking exceptionally slow for a seven year-old, you could definitely say she was up to something.

After two long minutes of 'steady' walking, Leah reached the kitchen. She carefully walked to the center of the kitchen, cleared her throat as if getting ready for an opera performance and squeaked, "Mom?"

"What is it?" Angela asked, now turning around.

She looked at her daughter's face and noticed the ear-to-ear grin spread across it. Then she moved her eyes to see what her daughter was wearing - it was the same polka-dotted tunic she had been wearing since the morning. It was when her eyes reached her daughter's feet that Angela's eyes widened in shock.

There stood her clumsy little daughter in front of her, wearing her mom's 4-inch heels in her tiny feet. Angela was very well aware of her daughter's accident-prone nature. She had witnessed times when her daughter would be standing right next to her and the next second she would simply hear a thud and find her little girl right down on the ground.

"Take them off! Right now!" Angela ordered, pointing at Leah's feet. She watched the grin fade from her daughter's face. "Baby, you have your exams in a week and you don't want to miss them because of a twisted ankle, do you?" Angela said, now kneeling down in front of her daughter so that she could look into her dark brown eyes.

"I'm a big girl now! I can wear heels! I will not fall off and twist my ankle!" saying this, Leah turned around and started walking towards the living room. Angela sighed, got up and went back to stirring the onions. In about a minute, she heard a loud crash and a scream. She rushed towards the living room and saw her little girl on the floor, rubbing her bare foot. The heels were placed neatly beside her. Angela smiled. Her daughter had to learn to be slow and steady.

************

It was going to be the biggest event in her life. She had worked night and day for this event. She had been criticized, rejected and thrown away. But then. she knew a stone had to be polished to turn it into a diamond. Yes, it was a painful process. But it was worth it. Leah Kent stood in the balcony of her elegant apartment, watching the sun set behind the high-rise buildings. This was going to be the best evening of her life. The breeze ruffled her hair and her face glowed. She closed her eyes and smiled as she tried to visualize it - the launch of her very first book. She slowly opened her eyes, still smiling broadly, as she gulped down the memories of the vision. She stepped inside her apartment and checked the clock - she had two hours to get ready. But before that, she reminded herself, she had to go and pick up Zinnia from school. Just then, the phone rang. It was Rebecca, Leah's best friend. 

"Hey! You all set for the launch? What are you going to wear?" Rebecca asked, all excited.

"Oh well, I was thinking of grabbing something from the mall. But I have to first go and pick up Zinnia from school." Leah informed her.

"Ah! Don't worry about that! I'll pick up Zee from school. You go and buy yourself something pretty. Leah, this is going to be THE event of your life. You have been waiting for his moment since ages. You'll have all eyes on yourself, get that? You just have to look your best, I'll take care of the rest. OMG! That rhymed!" Rebecca chuckled.

"Rebecca! You don't have to prove you are my best friend all the time." Leah said, now laughing at her bestie's oh-so-wonderful sense of humour. 

"Whatever! Now I have plenty of jobs to do! So, bye! See ya soon!" and Rebecca hung up.

She was always so jumpy when it was anything about Leah. Leah simply loved her. She had stood by her when the whole world had backed off. Even though she never said it, Leah could see in Rebecca's eyes how much she cared for her.

Leah quickly grabbed her keys, left her apartment and drove to the mall. She bought a pretty dress and then went to the shoe store. She tried on a lot of shoes but none seemed perfect for the event. Exhausted, Leah got up to leave the store when she saw it - standing out proudly from it's neighbours stood a pair of glamorous black classic sandals. Leah took them off the rack with a delighted expression but soon enough, her face fell. They had 4-inch high heels.

Since childhood, everyone in Leah's family had told her that she was too clumsy for high heels. Everyone told her she could never walk in high heels. And everyone told her she could never write a book and publish it. But she had done it. She had written a book and today she was going to launch it. She looked at the sandals she was holding and she knew what would be perfect for the event. She held them out to the salesgirl and said, "Pack them."

"Now, I request Leah Kent, the author of this book, to come over to the stage and speak a few words,"  the anchor's voice boomed from the speakers. Leah was in the backstage and she had her eyes closed. She had been praying all the while. She opened her eyes at the sound of her name and walked towards the stage, slowly and steadily. She walked exceptionally slow for a twenty-four year-old lady. But then, she wasn't just another twenty-four year-old lady! She was Leah Kent - a beautiful lady with large, twinkling eyes and thick, black, wavy hair that draped down her shoulders elegantly. Leah Kent was the beautiful lady who was the proud mother of a cute girl, responsible daughter of her amazing parents and a friend who was always there to lend a helping hand. Leah Kent was the beautiful lady who had done everything that the world told she couldn't.

After a minute of 'steady' walking, she reached the center of the stage. She looked down at the audience and saw Neil smiling and waving at her. Next to him sat Zinnia who was blowing kisses at her mom. Then there were her best friends, her family and her other colleagues who were either waving at her or giving her thumbs up. 

And then, Leah's eyes reached her father. Dressed in a dark gray Armani suit, her dad was seated solemnly in his chair, like a king on his throne. His eyes met his daughter's and he smiled, proudly. Seated next to him was the world's most gorgeous lady. Even in her late fifties, Angela Kent had the charm of a young lady. Her eyes were glittering which meant she was crying. But as she looked at her daughter, a broad ear-to-ear smile grin spread across her face. 

Leah Kent stood at the center of the stage, in her high heels, looking as graceful as she could while the audience applauded cheerfully. Today, the world, who had once rejected her, was putting it's hand together to praise her. Angela looked at Leah's feet and she knew at once - her daughter had learned to be slow and steady... 

THE group!

The Real "Friend"

It was like any other day. As usual, they got a break on the "regular" time (exactly 15 minutes later as compared to the scheduled time) and Leah came hopping out of the class with Hannah and Emma. She went to Amy and took her pouch from her.
"Don't worry, I took good care of your little piece of heart," Amy informed Leah as she watched her fondle her pouch.
"Oh, I missed you!" Leah said, looking at her pouch as if it was a cute little guinea pig. "Shit! The key-ring has broken!" she exclaimed and slumped down on a bench next to Emma who was having her breakfast.
"Let me try my hand at it," Emma said, taking the pouch from Leah's hand. She placed her lunch box on the bench and knelt down beside Leah, fumbling with the key-ring.
It's when she saw it.
Leah had been so busy with her oh-so-dear pouch that she didn't notice the drama Helen was creating. One of the infinitely many reasons why Leah hated Helen so much was her oh-I'm-crying-look-at-me dramas. "Like always!" Leah thought, looking at the red-faced Helen who was crying as if it was a funeral! "Disgusting! Is she ever going to change?" Leah thought, screwing up her expression. Amy and Hannah were also standing next to Helen, trying to quieten her up. It was pretty evident that they weren't doing this out of sheer concern, they just wanted to end the havoc. Tasha was standing in front of Helen, going on and on about the whole 'racket' (about which Leah was still completely and officially clueless). "God! She can be a good politician! Such a pest!" she thought, looking at the drama queen Tasha.
"What's the use of crying now, Helen? You can't do anything about it now, right? You should have been more careful." Amy said, trying her best to shut down the whole thing.
Boom!
Helen flung her arms around Amy and started crying. She had buried her head in Amy's chest and she was sobbing, shaking from head to toe. "Exactly the way she hugged me.....for the first time," and so Leah fixed her gaze on the tiny figure of Helen wrapped in Amy's arms. Leah suddenly felt her sight was becoming blurred, so she rubbed her eyes. They were wet. "S.H.I.T! I can't possible be...... I've got to get away from here. Now," Leah thought and she stood up with a start.
"See! I mended it!" Emma exclaimed, handing out the pouch to Leah with a wide grin.
"Wait, I'll be right back," Leah said, without looking at Emma, and shot off towards the washroom.
She shut the door and within a fraction of seconds, tears started trickling down her cheeks. She vigorously rubbed her eyes, trying to wipe away the nasty drops of saline water which didn't stop running down her big eyes. The tears seemed to be quite eager to escape, but Leah was a strong girl. She knew she was. She would never give in to stupid tears for stupid people. She calmed down, took two deep breaths, washed her face, wiped it on her scarf, put on a big smile and opened the door. She saw Helen still moaning helplessly and Amy and Hannah still carrying on with their futile attempts to put an end to the drama. She walked past them and saw Emma standing with Donna and Beth, laughing and chatting. The corridor was filled with happy people, laughing and talking. Leah knew somewhere that she didn't belong to this crowd and since nobody was noticing, she climbed down the stairs till she reached the entrance. She stood there watching the rain fall from the sky. The splashing of raindrops triggered the breaking of dam in her eyes. She felt the tears run down her face but she just stood there looking at the rain. All alone.
"Why the hell am I crying? That too for a bitch like her? She is hell not worth it!" said one part of Leah's heart. "However bad she has turned out to be, she was once my friend. And she trusted me. SHE CRIED ON MY SHOULDERS!" exclaimed the other part of her heart. It felt as if somebody had re winded the time in Leah's mind and played all the wonderful moments she had spent with Helen. But then, Leah reminded herself how strong she is. She knew how to hold back her tears. She was an expert at constructing dams to stop her eyes from flooding. She mustered strength and wiped her tears. Pulling herself away from the splashing rain, she climbed up the stairs.
"I belong to that happy crowd. Yes, I do," Leah told herself and forced herself up the stairs.
A part of her still wanted to run down the stairs and break the dam, but she kept climbing. She didn't want to break down. "Not because of a bitch," she thought.
For the second time, Leah curved her lips into a big smile and joined Amy, Hannah, Emma, Donna, Beth, Penny and Natalie. Things were smooth until-
"Hey! Your eyes are red!" Hannah exclaimed, pointing out to Leah.
"You were....crying?" Amy asked, now coming closer.
"Hell no! Why would I cry? D'uh!" Leah cried, while in her mind she was all "Oh no! Oh no!"
Emma came rushing.

"Leah, what's wrong?" she asked her shortly. Although Emma was evidently trying to hide it, Leah noticed her voice was trembling.
"Nothing," she hushed.
"That's not 'nothing', Leah. Tell me, what's going on?"
"Drop it, Emma... It's nothing--"
"You don't fool me with that!" Emma's voice was cold as ice.
"Leah, what's--"
"Just go away, will you? Leave me alone! I don't want a scene here, alright? Just leave!" Leah yelled.
Without another word, Emma backed off. She went and stood against a wall with her lunch box open in her hands but eyes fixed on Leah.
"You upset Emma because of Helen! What's wrong with you, Leah?!" Amy said with unmistakable disgust in her tone. She called out to Emma and went to talk to her.
Realization dawned on Leah and she slowly moved towards Emma. Amy quickly pulled her by Emma's side and said, "Come on, you ought to apologize for it!"
Emma was all "Oh, Amy, really now--"
Leah smiled as Emma looked at her.
"She doesn't need it. She's my bestie, I don't have to be formal with her! She can handle me at my worst, right Emma?" Leah said, looking back at Emma.
Emma smiled feebly and everything 'seemed' normal. As soon as Leah was ensured that nobody was looking at her, she caught hold of Emma's wrist and said, "Em, come with me. Please."
Emma didn't ask where or why, she just let Leah drag her wherever she was heading to. They started climbing down and they had just reached the first landing when Leah suddenly flung her arms around Emma's neck and the strong girl let the dam break.
"Why....why can't she forgive me?" she kept on saying between her muffled sobs.
Emma patted her and kept saying, "Shh... stop crying, Leah. She's not worth it."
Even her voice was breaking. Leah kept sobbing, lost in the embrace of her best friend.
Leah learned something that day. Sometimes, it's not easy to "give up" on someone just like that, how much ever they hurt you. You'll always shed a tear if you see them crying. But it's basically fundamentally completely entirely and officially up to you to decide who matters more - the one who makes you cry or the one who lends a shoulder.....

A Friend In Need

After ages, Emma had finally re-discovered that she too could be a good friend.

It all began in breaktime. At their classes. Corridors were filled with people; talking, laughing, chatting. And then there were some girl tantrums (which was, as Emma had observed, not a rare sight at all). Helen all over again. Emma could see her bloodshot eyes, tear-stained face. And she was ready sitting with her fingers in her ears-- that SURELY meant a tantrum. Helen was crying her eyes out on Amy's chest. And Hannah was consoling her.

Amy? Hannah? With HELEN?! Weird...

There were urgent phonecalls flying everywhere, frayed nerves and tense voices was all Emma could hear.

"Helen's lost her mobile phone," Hannah explained when Emma faced her with raised eyebrows. Emma sighed. She couldn't possibly do anything. And it wasn't like she WANTED to, anyway. Helen hadn't been much of a friend. Well, speaking of it, she was quite much of a bitch altogether.

Emma dropped onto the only bench in the corridor and stuffed her mouth with fried rice-- her breakfast for that day. Shortly after, Leah dropped down by her side. She had her pouch with her and Emma saw the keyring was broken. "Let me try my hand at it," she said, taking the pouch from Leah's hand. She placed her lunch box on the bench and knelt down beside Leah, trying to mend the keyring. Emma knew Leah loved her fried rice and she expected her to grab the lunch box immediately and start off. But unlike Emma's expectations, Leah did nothing. Emma glanced at her. Her eyes were fixed. Emma followed her gaze...

There was Helen, crying to Amy like she'd lost quite much more than a phone. Emma doubted if she's shed so many tears even if it were someone's funeral. And Emma looked back at Leah. Her face was stone-- quite expressionless, blank. Emma realized she had mended the keyring. "See! I mended it!" Emma exclaimed, holding out the pouch to Leah. "Wait, I'll be right back." Leah said and she walked away toward the washroom. Emma rolled her eyes, and looked at Donna and Beth. They had been doing the same, for sure. She got up and joined them. "What the hell is with her?" Emma exclaimed. "It's only a phone, for heaven's sake!" "She's got to be worried, you know," Donna said very matter-of -factly, and chuckled, "she's losing the numbers of all the studs she flirted with, and she's not gonna get those numbers back!" And they roared with laughter, pitying the poor studs who had no idea what Helen was like.

Nobody noticed a scarf-clad girl with a stone face leave the washroom, walk past, down the stairs, and come up again.

It was only when Emma heard Amy's and Hannah's hushed up voices near the washroom that she figured out something was fishy. She could hear them whisper frantically, now accompanied by Penny. What the hell was Leah up to?

One look at her face explained eveything.

Her face was flushed. One of her eyes was on the verge of reddening, and no one could have missed the moisture in her almond eyes, threatening to leak out any moment. Amy was trying to talk her out. So was Hannah. And Penny.

Emma dropped her lunchbox on the bench and hurried off to face Leah. "Leah, what's wrong?" she asked her shortly. She had to make her voice sound cold, to stop Leah from noticing the trembling in it.

"Nothing," she hushed.

"That's not 'nothing', Leah. Tell me, what's going on?"

"Drop it, Emma... It's nothing--"

"You don't fool me with that!"

Emma's voice was cold as ice. She was gulping down heavy bouts of air to stop herself from exploding. Something was troubling Leah, and she wasn't going to stay shut until she made it right.

"Leah, what's--"

"Just go away, will you? Leave me alone! I don't want a scene here, alright? Just leave!"

The ice in Emma melted to water instantly. No one even heard a tiny 'pop', when something bigger than an atom bomb had just exploded inside her. She staggered back and leaned against the wall. She felt anger, disappointment and shame rise along with the heat onto her face, melting her fake coldness and making it rush up to her eyes.

She gulped it all down. Quietly. Calmly.

She couldn't cry now. She couldn't make people look at her, and rush to console her instead. It was Leah who needed help then. It wasn't a big problem if Leah didn't trust her so much to tell her problems. But Emma needed the others to take care of her, at least. All Emma could do now was stare blankly in front, not at all aware of the noise. All she saw was Leah in the corridor ahead. She'd failed to come to use of a friend in need. That too, not any friend. It was LEAH.

It was too shameful for Emma to bear. She tore her gaze and stared at the lunchbox instead.

Hannah trotted up to her.

"'Ssup, Em! she greeted. "Oh, come on! What happened?"

"Ask HER that," Emma croaked, glancing pointedly at Leah.

"Oh, Em! Come on, you can't be so glum--"

"I'm fine, Hannah... Really... You should go sort her out, I'm telling you--"

"Hey, Em!" called Amy.

Emma registered a silent groan. She'd succeeded in doing exactly what she didn't want to.

"No, Amy--"

"Come off it, Em... The last thing I'd want to see in here is my Emmykins looking so downtrodden!"

"It's alright, Amy--"

"Look, I know you didn't like what Leah said. She shouldn't have said that-- hey, Leah!"

Amy pulled Leah by her side. "Come on, you ought to apologize for it," she told Leah.

"Oh, Amy, really now--"

Emma looked at Leah. She wasn't crying. Instead, she'd put on a bleak smile (Emma could bet anything-- it was fake).

"She doesn't need it. She's my bestie, I don't have to be formal with her. She can handle me at my worst, right Emma?" Leah said, looking back at Emma.

She hardly registered Leah's cheery apology, to which Emma accompanied laughter involuntarily. She continued looking at Leah, and now hated the fact that she could act so well in front of people.

"It really doesn't matter, Leah," Emma sighed at last, still looking at Leah. The trouble was little less than gone, but she managed to put on a similar watery smile.

Everyone looked satisfied. The crowd began to scatter-- the professor was about to come.

"Em, come with me. Please," Leah said abruptly. She grabbed Emma by the hand and led her towards the stairs. Emma had no idea why, but she allowed herself to be steered away. Hannah, Beth and Donna were a few steps behind.

This must be important, Emma thought. Leah usually didn't lead her away like so.

They climbed down a flight of stairs, and had barely crossed the landing when Leah flung her arms around Emma's neck. Her head dropped. She was shaking badly.

Leah Kent. Crying on Emma Jackson's shoulder.

Emma didn't know what to feel.

She was over whelmed-- first, there was a whoop of delight at the fact that Leah could count on her so much as to rest her head on her shoulder and cry her problems out. And then, there was the fact that Leah was crying. She was crying so hard and so real that even Emma couldn't hold hers off for long.

"What wrong did I do, Em?" Leah sobbed. "What was so wrong that she can forgive Amy and Hannah but hasn't yet forgiven me?!"

Emma knew she was talking about Helen. She didn't know what to say. All she could do was "shhhh..." her up and pat her head.

"It's-- it's-- so hard! To see her crying like that! She means-- so much-- she doesn't know--"

Even with her eyes wide open, her jaw quite steady, Emma felt a drop of tear trickle down from her eyes. She sniffed it back, and held on to Leah. She couldn't cry when she had Leah's tears to wipe.

Seeing Leah cry like that-- hearing her every sob and sharp breath on her shoulder, feeling her trembling body-- was altogether a new and unnamed experience for Emma. Like her very breath had stuck in her throat : she couldn't gulp it down, nor would it come out. A familiar clawing was begining to show up again, except that this time its claws were jagged and crooked.

"Know what... She-- some people-- they just can't-- it's hard to realise-- don't know what they-- they're missing--"

Emma found herself repeating all that Leah had once told her. But all she could do is stutter; she was too baffled to speak.

"Shh...! Leah, don't cry..." was all she managed to choke out, after hastily stiffling back a sob herself.

A Little Bit Stronger... (Part-2)

"seriously? I mean, is he basically, fundamentally, entirely, completely and officially jobless?" Leah thought, feeling ridiculous and amazed at the same time. Anyways, Leah composed herself and quite reluctantly typed a "hey!" and sent it. Then the conversation was quite formal until Adam pushed the red button.
Adam: How's Tasha?
Leah: I dunno.
Adam: I thought you were friends!
Leah: Yeah, that's right. We WERE friends. Now it seems she thinks I don't deserve her friendship, if you know what I mean...
Tasha was Adam's ex, a complicated one though. They broke up and patched up almost every hour and their 'wonderful' relationship made Leah feel she was living an ultra dramatic TV show.
Adam: You finally realized what she is, didn't you?
Leah: Yeah, I did. Quite a few months back.
Adam: I'm glad you've got your senses back. Now I can my Twinkle back! :)
Twinkle. That's what Adam used to call her when they were best friends. There were basically two reasons why their friendship broke - Tasha & Gabrielle. Tasha was Adam's ex and Gabrielle his present. Gabrielle and Leah had gone to High School together and Leah wondered why Gabrielle hated her so much. She never dropped a chance to insult her. But if there was anything Leah was proud of, it was her sense of humour. She always managed to squeeze through Gabrielle's attempts to make a fool out of her. That was also maybe one of the reasons Gabrielle hated her even more. Leah didn't like her either and she had told Adam all about Gabrielle when he had revealed that he had a crush on her. "She's not worth it, Adam. She's just a big loser with a pretty face! Trust me, you deserve much better than that!" Leah had told him.
Leah: Adam, you really think you can get your Twinkle back? You think things can be as they were?
Adam: I believe that. And don't consider the LIE in between. ;)
Now Leah knew exactly where this was heading, and she knew exactly what to do and when to do it.
Leah: So how's everything in your life going on?
Adam: You got to know about Gabrielle and me, right?
Leah: Yeah, and I'm really glad you got her. You truly 'deserve' her.
Adam: Yeah, I guess I do! :)
Leah: You know Gabrielle hates me, yet you want me as your best friend again? That's ironical!
Adam: I didn't say I want you as my best friend again. I want you back as just a friend.
"Oh! I guess somebody just wanted things the way they used to be! I never knew I was 'just a friend' back then!" Leah thought, "now is the time to act, baby!" She was smiling.
Leah: That's not possible.
Adam: What? Why?
"Strike NOW," Leah muttered to herself.
Leah: After you and Jordan walked out of my lives, I vowed to myself that I won't let a guy come so close to my heart that he starts playing with it, especially the guy who was once the reason for my tears.
Adam: Oh come on! You're still out of your senses! You don't seem like my Twinkle!
Leah: That's because I'm NOT! Look, Gabrielle holds absolutely zero position in my life. I really don't care what she thinks or does. It's exactly the same with you, too! This is basically the reason I told you 'deserve' her. Secondly, I realized the 'great truth' about Tasha long back. If I really wanted you back, don't you think I'd have come to you at that time? But I didn't! I guess that explains everything. And as far as Twinkle is concerned, you may well regard her as dead. She will never come back, Adam. Never. Bye.
And without waiting for a reply, Leah signed out.
"Leah! Baby, can you please help me with these bottles?" Leah heard her mom calling out from the kitchen.
"Coming, mom!" she called back.
"Come fast, honey! I have discovered quite a lot of 'sweet and saintly' ways ready to be tried!" Even though she couldn't see her, Leah swore her mom was grinning in her smirky way. Leah smiled and got up, and somewhere she felt light, as if a heavy weight had been lifted off her. She knew she had finally shrugged off the weight of a 'friendship' which was probably never meant to be. Now, as she got up, she knew she had become a little bit stronger...

A Little Bit Stronger... (Part-1)

"Thank you, sweetie, " Leah's mom, Angela Kent, said as she leaned a bit to kiss Leah's forehead. Although Leah looked as tall as her mom, she actually wasn't.
"Mom, you don't have to do that! I know I should help you more with household chores but you just can't resort to sweet and saintly measures to make me feel guilty!" Leah exclaimed. Her mom winked at her daughter and turned away to continue with her work.
Angela Kent, a graceful woman in her late forties, was a lady of wit and humour. Despite the generation gap between her and her daughters, she managed to maintain a peppy relationship with them.
Leah moved towards her computer, flexing her fingers. "I should check my mails for the next week's timetable," she thought. She switched on her PC and checked her mails. "Woah! Another week with a holiday? So we are finally being considered as humans!" She closed the browser window and was about to shut down when she noticed the little icon on the desktop - a little human-like figure with a speech bubble next to it's tiny head. MESSENGER. Leah sighed. She wasn't really fond of chatting, not after she had stopped talking to Jordan. They were supposed to be "best friends forever", but Leah soon realized that 'forever' has an end too. She'd fallen for Jordan the day her eyes had fallen on him - mischievous eyes, evil smile yet an innocent face. She had tried killing her feelings for him and failed each time. Miserably.
"Maybe he's online," she thought, pointing the cursor towards the icon. Leah knew it wouldn't make much of a difference if he was. She wouldn't, in her right minds, start off a conversation and she knew he had too big an ego to do the same. "Forget it Leah, it's worthless," she told herself. Less than thirty seconds later, she found herself typing her password in the messenger window...

She scrolled down to 'J' and found the name 'Jordan Alphonso Beckett'. "Offline," she muttered to herself. She was just about to log out when a message popped up in the window - Adam Thomas is online. "So? As if I'm going to chat with HIM, out of all the people! I'd rather chat with a boa constrictor than chat with HIM!" Leah thought. Had she said that aloud, she would have said it with a voice filled with remarkable hatred and disgust. "OK, I'm being hyper. Boa constrictors can't chat," she thought, taking two deep breaths. Adam was also once upon a time Leah's best friend. But he too, like almost all guys in Leah's life, turned out to be a complete jerk. Just then a chat window popped up with a "Hi!!!" and a grinning smiley. It was Adam. Leah's eyebrows shot up, as she stared at the screen, mouth wide open.

A Fistful Of Magic

"There you go....! They started it all over again!" Drew groaned, "Why me?!"
Emma smiled. She knew he hated that nonsense. "You act as if the sky was falling on your head!" she told him.
"You don't get it, Emma," he said, as he shot her a glance. "You don't know but it feels bad..."

Emma raised her brows. "Don't tell me that, Drew. I deal with it all the time."
"No, you don't."
"Yes, i do." This was a statement. He didn't know half the things going on inside Emma then. "And you can deal with it, if you like."
"Like?" he retorted. "LIKE?! Emma, this is not my choice!"
"It is, Drew. Let me show you how I handle it..."

She gazed around in the air. Drew followed her gaze. She made a sudden movement, like grasping something invisible in air. She presented her closed fist before Drew.
"What do you think is in it?" she asked him. She knew what he'd answer-- science people were easy to predict.
"Air," he answered. Emma smiled.
"And what's in the air?" she went on.
"Atoms," he answered, "and molecules." Emma smiled again. He was making it simpler. Now was her time to strike.

"Each particle moves, right?" she asked him. He nodded.
"So each particle has some energy. And a tremendous amount of it, if you consider their size."
Drew creased his brows. He wasn't able to figure out where this was going. Emma grinned, and waved her fist in air. "Now watch this," she said.

She blew into her closed fist through one end. Then, slowly and gracefully, like handling some spell, she released the contents of her closed fist over his heart.
"There!" she exclaimed. "I just transferred their energy to your heart. Can you feel it throbbing?!"
And Drew rolled his eyes disbelievingly at Emma.
                                                             -----*----*-----*-----

"MAMMA!" she cried. "LOOK AT THIS!"

Little Dorothy was limping up the steps leading from the ground to the stands, her knee bleeding. It was their Annual Sports Meet.

"Mamma!" she shouted, and ran into Emma's waiting arms. Emma hugged her lovingly. "You were great in the jump, Doe!" she exclaimed. "Yeah, but look at this, Mamma!" Doe said, pointing at her knee. "How will I participate in the next race?!" "Come," Emma said, picking her up, "We'll clean it up. It'll be fine."
"Mamma," Dorothy began again, as Emma cleaned he wound with antiseptic. Emma nodded. "I have't yet won a prize."
Emma looked up at her. "So what?!" she asked, and smiled.
"And I won't, either."
Emma creased her brows. "Why?" she asked, "Of course you will!"
"With a broken leg?" Dorothy retorted, "It hurts, Mamma! How can I run when my leg pains so much??"

The question seemed to bore through Emma. Memories hit her hard like hailstones. She smiled.

"Come here, Doe," she said, pulling Dorothy by the hand. "I'll show you some magic."

She led Dorothy away from the crowd, into a corner of the stands. There she knelt in front of her. Even now, she towered a bit over the little four-year old.

"Watch this," Emma told her.

She eyed the air, as if looking for something. She felt Dorothy follow her gaze. She made a swipe in the air, like she'd caught something wonderful in her hand.
She held her closed fist right under Dorothy's nose. "What do you think is in it?" she asked her.
"It seems empty," said Dorothy.
"Are you sure??" Emma pressed on.
Dorothy turned her face thoughtful, the one she made while solving a relatively difficult homework problem.
"You said air enters everywhere," Dorothy said at last. Emma smiled encouragingly, and nodded. "There's gaps in your fist," said Dorothy, pointing out, "Here-- and here-- and here."
Emma nodded again.
"So there's air in your fist?" Dorothy asked.

Emma grinned. "Yes," she said. "And it's made up of thousands of particles. So small you can't see them."
"Really??" Dorothy said, her eyes widening.
"Yes!" Emma answered, "And each moves at a tremendous speed! Which means--"
"They've got lots of energy!" Dorothy interjected. Emma nodded again.

"Watch this, now."


She blew into her closed fist through one end. Then, slowly and gracefully, like handling some spell, she released the contents of her closed fist over her heart.
"There!" she exclaimed. "I just transferred their energy to your heart. Can you feel it throbbing?!"
"Yeah!" Dorothy answered. "Wow!"

"Now try jumping up and down," Emma said, "Remember, you have the air's energy with you!"

And Emma watched her lovingly as she jumped, delighted. She watched her run the race, and even get the second place. As Emma stood up to applaud Dorothy, she noticed that her father was missing all this.
He came at last, as Dorothy waved her trophy to the crowd.

"How come Doe has her knee bruised?!" Drew asked.
"She fell," Emma answered, as she moved her gaze from her daughter to her husband.
"And she ran with that?!" he exclaimed, "HOW!!??"

Emma smiled at him. "Just a fistful of magic...!" she told him.

About Emma...

A Few words about Emma (by Leah):
Emma? Emma who? Emma girl! (I'm a girl!) =P Ok I know that was bizarre but seriously describing PEOPLE isn't really my thing. Like Emma says, "You are best at describing events, Leah." Emma always has something to say. She's the type of girl who'll go on and on about something and all you'll want to do is fix your gaze on her with a big smile on your face. She has a very different charm, something that binds you to her, something that won't allow you to leave her how much ever you try. She never fails to cheer me up with her "fistfuls of magic" but I fail to understand why she won't use it on herself. She's one of those very few people who have really touched my heart. She sometimes (actually, almost ALL the time) has wrong judgments about people and eventually she lands up in a mess and the next thing she does - looks at me with flooded eyes and as soon as I hug her, my shoulders get a little salt water bath. But sometimes she does choose amazing people as her friends (for example ME!) ;) She's crazy about books and she's all gaga about J.K.Rowling. I know this is getting really monotonous but I can't really help it. And... yeah! She's very creative. Always coming up with the coolest ideas. ^yawn^ She has a very different perspective of things. And a superb ATL (Attitude Towards Life, as she calls it!) Her looks? Well, I can't describe that either. All I know is that she's very very beautiful. Inside and Out! =) She's always filled with positive energy (that's when she's not crying, obviously!) and people love to have her around. She stands out from the crowd even without meaning to. She's just.....different! and special! and amazing! and superb! Woah, I ran out of adjectives. And one thing I'm quite sure about is, when she'll read this, she's going to look at me with her eyebrows raised and a what-do-you-think-you-were-typing expression. Ah! I'm used to it. No worries. Don't ever judge her by her name. She has a small name but her personality is as complex as it can be. Ok now I'm seriously drained and I'm gonna end it abruptly (sorry Emma!). I just know I love her for what she is and I'll always love her, till my last breath and even after that... <3

About Leah...

Hey all! Here is a brief introduction to one of the writers of this blog, Leah Kent. Initially, it was decided that Leah and Emma would write stuff about themselves on their own but then, it really gets boring. Nobody likes to read what one writes about oneself. So, in order to make it a bit (a "bit", really!) interesting, Emma blabbered about Leah while Leah yawned, stretched a bit and managed to throw out a few words about Emma (in the next blog). Readers are advised to prepare themselves for excessive usage of hyperbole. Cheers! :D

Stuff that Emma's got to say about Leah: 
Leah... Leah... Leah - she ought to be renamed "Miracle".... :)
Leah Kent - THE studious, THE believing, THE charming, THE writer, And THE source of all courage and patience for half her knowns - is a tall, slender girl with bushy jet black curls and eyes as deep and wide and beautiful like a silent lake on some hill side (it is this that I appreciate the most, you see. Always fall FOR and INTO those eyes...)
The Leah I know is the heart and soul of life around her. She knows how to MAKE people believe in themselves. MAKE people know they're not less. MAKE people love and live their dreams. "Don't let anything weigh you down. Live life like YOU SHOULD", she tells me. (Actually I tend to be the one to hear that maximum number of times! :P)
A strong mind that she is, capable of handling every situation, she can steer you through every tight spot. And once you confide in her (she makes it easier herself) it's hard to STOP yourself from telling her. Consulting her. She eventually becomes the ULTIMATE vent. She can lend you help, hand or shoulder - whatever you need when you're so full of emotion it tends to flood out. She's THE dam you can have. Your reservoir.
But then, the truth prevails - the girl who has always been there for others needs someone to be there for her. She's a normal (well, not quite) 16-year old after all. She has her needs, her dreams, her LIKES (like MANGOES, for instance :P)! Beneath that highly cemented strong dam there is a soft, delicate heart, and the dam was - you could say - built for that very reason: protecting it. It's fortified. It's shocked. Scared, yet loving. Hurt, yet passionate. A complex put-together.
But then, Leah knows her strengths. She knows what all she can do, and what she's not supposed to. She can fall, pull herself up, brush off the dust and walk on like nothing ever happened. Her face won't show...
.... But her heart will...! :) <3