Second Best Entries(Yes, it is a tie between two lovely writers)

sereserica and Roman021 it was difficult to decide out of you two, since one had humor and other had hearty emotion. So it ended in tie.

A MEMORABLE PICNIC (by sereneserica)

"Happy New year!" Deepa says excitedly over the phone to her best friend. And instantly distances the cell phone from her ear knowing what was coming next.

"Deepa! What the hell...have you taken mad pills or what?" Her friend says or rather yells from other side of the phone. Taking deep breath she continues "seriously girl you're calling me at 2am for wishing me Happy New Year that too on 30th December!"

"Well technically its 31st December now" Deepa says slowly.

Here her friend fumes hearing her words "really? Thank you so much for letting me know that. Now tell me the actual reason of your call or I'll seriously go there now and kill you girl."

"Okay okay calm down Payal it's just that I was thinking about something and couldn't sleep so..." her words were cut off by payal.

"Oh! And you thought lets disturb my sleep too." She says sarcastically.

"Arey...at least listen to me, then you can continue with your blabbering sweetie." she says with a baby voice trying to lighten up her mood.

In spite of her bad mood Payal smiles hearing Deepa's word she was such a baby at heart, no matter what she did Payal could never be angry at her. "Okay now tell what crazy thought entered your mind?"

"Not like that yaar let's do a video call with Arpita and I'll tell you both together." Deepa replies in a casual tone.

Payal's eyes grew wide "what are you saying? Video call with Arpita that too this time? at least let her sleep peacefully. Can't we talk about this tomorrow." she tried persuading her.

"You know I won't be able to sleep unless I discuss this with both of you. Moreover Arpita is a sweetheart she won't mind. Let's call her please please."

Payal sighs knowing she won't understand and inwardly saying sorry to Arpita she finally agrees muttering an okay.

Deepa beams and excitedly she calls her other best friend Arpita. At first Arpita too was surprised seeing her video call but as sweet she was didn't yelled at Deepa instead talked warmly.

"Okay as you know New Year is coming I was thinking why don't we go on a picnic? We will cook ourselves and have so much fun and memorable one!" Deepa says excitedly finally revealing about her thoughts.

"Picnic?" both repeats skeptically "that too all of a sudden. How we will be able to arrange everything?" says Payal.

"You both don't worry about that I have thought everything, we will discuss in morning okay." Deepa replies assuring.

Reluctanly both friends agree. Next day arrives soon and all three best friends were excited.

After taking permission from their parents and discussing everything, the college studying girls on New Year eve headed towards a beautiful picnic spot selected by Deepa. It was very beautiful place with greeneries.

They selected a place where they will set up their gas and everything. After few minutes another car reaches there, that was Payal's dad car which was loaded with important items which they will need.

All three girls dismounted everything and the car returns back. Their excitement could be felt in the environment too. They cleaned up the place a bit and spread two big mats.

All decided the menu and cut the vegetables. Though they weren't exactly happy seeing the irregular shapes of the vegetables and onions still they proceeded.

After finishing initial works they lighten the gas stove and now it was time for the most important task and that was cooking food.

"Okay Deepa so first item in our menu is lachedar paratha (one type of Indian bread) let's start by that only tell me the process." Arpita asks looking at the list of menu.

"Me? How can I say the process I don't know." Deepa replies shaking her head.

"What?" came Payal's voice "if you don't know why you added it in menu? Even I don't know how to make it." she says looking at Deepa.

"Umm...I added it because I like it so much and I thought you might know how to make It." she says sheepishly.

Arpita hit hers forehead with her palm hearing her words. "Now what yaar?"

There was a moment of silence which was broken by Payal "hey guys don't worry let's see it in internet." she says happily.

Both friends beam hearing her idea, they searched the net and found out a easy recipe. Well recipe seemed easy to them that time but when they began it became another story.

Arpita took heaps of Maida and told Deepa to add water and our Deepa added full glass of water in it. Arpita looks shockingly at her. "Why did you add so much water idiot?"

"You didn't say any measurements so looking at the heaped maida I added water accordingly." Was her innocent reply which makes Arpita groans.

"It was my mistake that I asked you to help me. You go and browse videos for other items and send Payal here." she says and Deepa readily agrees.

After that Payal and Arpita both try to knead the dough by adding more flour but it wasn't that easy as none of them knew the technique and, the last result was a hard mass of dough.

"Hey dears did you made paratha?" Deepa asks coming near them. They glare at her.

"What paratha? We are not even able to knead the dough." Payal says with irritation.

"It would have been far better if we would have bought food from home rather than trying to become Master Chief ourselves." Arpita says sarcastically.

Deepa keeps both of her hand on either's shoulder "don't be sad yaar. So what if we couldn't make paratha forget about it. Now at least we will make one curry. We won't give up, our picnic won't be a failure." she says with determination trying to cheer them up.

Deepa was their childish sweetest friend so they couldn't deny her and with new determination they started thinking about one simple Panner and pea curry keeping the dough aside.

They keenly watched the video and started cooking. They added oil in to the wok and did added cumin seeds, onion and all. Any how they were progressing when Payal speaks up "Arpita give me salt please."

"Yes sure." with that Arpita gives her a packet which consists of fine white powdery substance. Payal adds it as per instruction. And finally after whole one hour there Panner curry was ready.

"But it doesn't look like the one in video. That one was looking so appetizing and this..." Deepa stops her blabbering looking at the angry glares of her friends. She clears her throat "so what, it doesn't matter how it looks.

We had made it with so much effort and I know it must be so good moreover..." Once again her blabbering was cut off but this time by her friend's giggles who were amused by her antics.

"No need of such buttery talks." Arpita says making Deepa pout cutely.

"Come on girls let's eat our panner curry!" Payal says and they excitedly serve it in bowls.

They excitedly put spoon full of curry in their mouth only to spat it out immediately.

Their happy expression was replaced by weird look given by a constipated person. They drank water and rinsed their mouth.

"What was that?" Payal says wiping her mouth and looking at other friends.

"I never tasted such food in my entire life." Arpita says with a scary expression.

"I was so bitter, under cooked, oily and yes it tasted awful." Deepa says with a shudder.

"No need to point out flaws madam, we all know it. But how did it turned out like this especially bitter, did we miss anything." Payal says with a thinking look.

Together they once again watched the video and started coming spices too. When it came to salt Payal checks the packet thoroughly "this is not salt! Its cooking soda" she exclaims suddenly making others startled a bit.

"What are you saying Payal?" says Arpita with a surprised voice taking the packet from her hands and reading the label. "How can I be so stupid? I gave you the packet without reading the label."

"Its okay yaar even I didn't check." Payal sighs.

"Our picnic became a disaster." Deepa says and slumps her shoulder with a sad look. Their mood became dull.

"I'm feeling so hungry" Payal says looking at both of them. They too nodded their head.

It was close to evening and all were damn hungry. At that moment Payal rummages through her bag and brings out biscuits packets. "Did you really think I will come without any preparation?" she says with a chuckle looking at her friend's incredulous expression. "Come on sweethearts let's eat" she beckons.

And with that they happily munched on the biscuits and while returning they had pizza on the way. Surely it was a memorable new year for them.

Go Guys give her follow and read her Lovely story that is HER ONE AND ONLY WISH.

It is about a lovely girl who is all on her and missing her parents. Her only wish is to have people around her who can shower with their love rather than any luxury. She is craving for love. It is heart touching story that will make you feel things and relate with that cute little girl.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And second one by Roman021

Yellow Lunch box

A child's bond with his mother is very special. She is your saviour from your dad's wrath,your confidante, your comforting teddy at night ,your whole world. But for me, that beautiful illusion of my world, shattered in the fall. Just before I started college. With a heavy heart I walked towards our college mess. The same old stinking place,serving food which not even FDA will approve for animals. Okay I exaggerated but you get the picture. The food is just unpalatable. Nothing seems appetising to my eyes. Maggie and a cup of coffee were the only eatables who helped my rumbling stomach in this cold. God bless Nestle! As i sit on the bench, my mind having a mind of its own wanders away to my last holidays with my mother. Back in the days my mother used to make a lot of delicacies for me. I was a food lover n she took advantage of that. She experimented almost everyday and I volunteered to taste her crazy recipes. She was an expert. Her recipes were to die for. We were a great team. I have a very distinct childhood memory of a yellow lunch box. My mother used to pack my lunch into it. My books changed, classes changed but that yellow box stuck with me through my education. My favourite time was the lunch break. Because everyday I was eager to see a new experiment in my lunch box by mama bear. My mother treated culinary as an art. So she used my lunch box as her canvas and decorated my lunch box. She used to make a whole lot of faces n cartoons n what not with veggies n fruits just so I eat it all. But then I grew up and started hating my yellow lunch box. Because it became a way for my friends to tease me. My mother packed lunch for me but I didn't eat. But she didn't back down. Everyday she packed the lunch the same way she did all these years. And as a stubborn kid,everyday I just bought it back as it is,unopened. I stopped eating homemade food n started wasting money in the canteen. My mother knew that, of course she knew,the unopened box was a dead give away. But she didn't back down nor did I. One day I fought about this with my mum and the packing stop. The yellow lunch box found its way into the cabinet of the kitchen never to be used again. But today,sitting on this bench of my college mess, I realised that it was not just a lunch box. But a part of my mother's love n warmth which I rejected. I regret fighting with my mom about it. How I miss her and her food. I miss her with every breath I take. But what I miss the most is her food. The magic of my mother's hand. The homemade food which I will never get to taste again. I miss my yellow lunch box.

Go give her follow and lots of love.

Read, vote comment, follow winners and @crazykajal *winks*

2nd runner up is coming in next chapter.