I am dedicating this chapter to a writer whose book 'Baking with the boys' is finger licking good xD

I cried myself to sleep last night after replaying the incident in an infinite loop.

People say that mothers are angels; gifts from gods but why was my mother like that? At times I felt that she wasn't even my mother. We shared no bond between each other. I had the feeling like she treated me as some kind of property that she had invested in only to maximize her wealth.

Sleep didn't consume me much because I heard sounds of people moaning below my room so I just woke up and sat on my bed looking out of the window staring at the orange purple sky. It was a beautiful sight, it was a brand new day and I was lost in the beauty of nature. At least mother-nature was a kind woman who tried to make me smile.

Cuckoos were singing and I closed my eyes dwelling in their melody. It was the most melodious tone I had ever heard. When I opened my eyes I saw tiny black quartz eyes looking right back at me.

I blinked twice but the creature didn't move away from my sight.

"Hey there little fella" I took out of my finger and the hamster wrapped its tiny paws around my pinky finger and tried to gnaw on it. I chuckled looking at the hamster's perplexed face and took my pinky finger out of its grasp.

"If you try to eat me then you will explode to death. Your little belly wouldn't even be able to handle a piece of me." I poked the hamsters belly and it puffed out its cheeks and I let out a hearty chuckle.

I played with the hamster the whole morning and I didn't notice how much time has passed by till my maid Sarah came into my room asking me if I wanted to eat anything.

"Nathalia, Master Kria informed me that you haven't eaten anything since morning so I was asked to feed you some nutrients." Sarah didn't even bother to knock the door like always but I was used to it. No one ever asked my permission for anything so what was I expecting.

"I don't wish to have any nutrients Sarah. Can you make me some French fries?" Sarah's eyes bulged out of her sockets because I had never told her that I don't want to consume the so called healthy nutrients my mother made me eat.

I was having a fiery battle within myself and today I felt like rebelling against my mother in so many ways. The last time I had fries must be two years ago when my best friend Tahilia had thrown her birthday party in McDonalds because she was not rich enough to give us a treat in some posh uptown restaurant.

My mother was reluctant to send me there but she had an image to maintain. If my mother didn't send me to the party on the grounds that I was not going to a posh party the people will talk about it and my mother never wanted the people to talk anything negative against her.

"Why do you want fries? You know you can't..."

"I can and I will. I earn more than my mother and I am actually indirectly your owner so listen to me or retreat and go back. The choice is yours." I cut Sarah of and she had a look of disbelief plastered on her face.

I felt tiny pair of teeth gnawing on my pinky finger and noticed the hamster giving me a doe look. "Bring me some peanuts while you are at it. You may go now"

I turned my attention back to the little bundle of joy before me.

My phone started vibrating and I picked it up when I noticed that it was Zara who was calling me.

"I have got your visa. Tell me when do you want to go? Have you made your decision yet?"

I closed my eyes and thought about the pros and cons of leaving everything behind and my best friend Tahilia's face popped into my train of thoughts. Guilt washed over me for not thinking about her.

"I will let you know soon. I have some task in had before I give you my final decision it that ok?" I asked her and I could imagine her shaking her head with a smile on her face.

"You know you can call me and talk to me at any point of time yea? I would always support your decisions."

I heard some rustling noise and I felt bad for making her do my work but I couldn't go out like that with my mother not knowing about my whereabouts so Zara agreed to help me out.

"I'm sorry but I have to go. Farah fell out of her wheel chair so and I think she broke her arms. Love you Nathalia, bye take care and let me know your decision soon ok?" Zara cut the call.

I looked up to nothing in particular and spoke out to fate.

"Fate! Can you hear me? Why do all the good people have to suffer so much? Why do people say that the heavens above test humans? You know it's because of your so called testing that the good people become bad people at some point in their life when they can't take it anymore. Why did you do things that make people angry? Farah is a really good woman who had taken Zara under her wings when she found her on the streets bruised and beaten up by a gang of people who raped Zara and what do you do? You make those bastards run over their car on Farah's legs because she took the matter over to the court. Those disgusting humans spent only 5 years in jail but what about Farah and Zara? Is that fucking justice? Stop playing around with the life of the good people. Nobody deserved to be sad in life. No one deserves bad things..."

I felt a tug on my palm and I smiled through my tears when I saw the little hamster rubbing its cheek on my palm.

"Are you trying to make me feel better hammy? Would you like to be my friend? I promise I will love you forever. I would never leave you and give you all my attention and call me selfish but I want you to be only with me and love me fully. I want some love is that too much to ask?"

The little hamster started kissing my palms and my heart swelled with joy. Such a little creature yet the emotion of love the master was displaying were strong. The hamster didn't even need a voice to tell me that it loves me. The action was more than enough.

The sound of someone clearing their throat made me look up from the master in my hand and I saw Sarah placing a small plate and a bowl of peanuts next to it. She eyes the creature in my hands with a bit of disgust and her thoughts about the creature were evident on her face. "Why is Nathalia holding some rat who is from Gods knows where? It could be infected and then all the people in the house will fall sick and die because of this mere rat."

"It's not a rat, this is a hamster" I spoke to Sarah and when she gave me a questioning look I pasted a smile and told her that she muttered her thoughts aloud. Sarah didn't spare me a second glance and ventured from the room.

"Let's eat something baby. Wait what's your gender? Are you a male or female? Or transsexual? I'm sorry but my I don't have much knowledge if creatures and animals could also be you know..." I spoke to the hamster and it looked at me as if I offended it.

I pulled the creature before my eyes and checked for its gender and upon noticing the urinal area I grinned at the hamster.

"So you are a boy. You are my boy from now ok? You will be mama's boy." I pecked the hamster and pushed the bowl of peanuts in his direction. He began stuffing his face with so many peanuts and I go scared thinking my baby will choke to death.

"Easy there boy. Don't go overboard. Mama just became a new momma and you don't want to rip away the title from her that soon now will you?" The said hamster ignored me and was gulping down his peanuts like no tomorrow.

My face twisted when I saw the dish Sarah made for me. My ears were hot and I knew it must be pink by now. I felt anger course through my veins and I took the dish in my hands and ran to the bottom of stairs.

I saw Sarah talking to one of the other maids and I tapped her shoulder to gain her attention. Sarah gave me a look of annoyance then she looked at the dish in my hands.

"What is it now?" she spoke like she got tired of me and my so called non-existent tantrums.

"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?" I screamed at her and she flickered her eyes back and forth between my face and the said dish in my hands.

"Its Le' French fries" she spoke to me like I was some kind of an idiot.

"There are just 8 pieces of fries stacked together with some fancy colored creamy substance at the side!" I retorted in anger.

"You know in high posh restaurants this would cost you more than a .."

"SHUT UP SARAH! WHICH IDIOT WILL GO TO SOME FANCY RESTAURANT TO EAT BLOODY 8 PIECES OF FRENCH FRIES? I FEEL HUMIIATED."

I was burning with rage and Sarah and the other maids shrinked back when they saw me screaming at her. I had never raised my voice in my entire life but it's like the water went out of the brim and there was no turning back for me now because I wished to no longer be quiet and let the people around me dominate me.

I am going out to get some fresh air and don't you dare send anyone after me to watch my whereabouts like a creep in the name of protecting me because I am capable of protecting my-self.

I was going to walk out of the house then I remembered about my baby who I left in my room and ran back upstairs and placed him inside my small hand bag and he popped his face outside the bags zipper.

I marched outside the house and no one dared question me. I didn't ever care if they would have ringed up my mother and told her that I walked out the house like some kind of a psychotic bitch out to hunt for some blood.

The only place I could think of right now was to go to Tahilia's place so I walked to her house which was downtown. My feet were aching and my toes went numb but I didn't stop.

I noticed a black Royal Enfield bike that was parked outside her house and I felt that I knew the person who owned the bike. I knocked at her door then remembered that Tahilia told me she never minded if I walk into her room because I was more like a sister to her than her friend so I proceeded to walk up to her room ready to rattle the door open but then I heard the sounds of laughter.

My feet were rooted on the spot and I didn't move even an inch. I knew that voice. What was Chase doing here I thought to myself. I knew I looked some a creep standing outside my best friend's room but my gut instinct was telling me to not open the door right now so I placed my ears on the door and tried to listen to their conversation.

"I wonder how you even stayed with Nathalia for so long. I mean she is a girl with just a pretty face but that's all that she is. A pretty face; nothing less nothing more."

My heart was beating loudly and I squeezed my eyes shit praying to fate to not toy with me. Chase was my boy friend of 3 years and I just hoped it was someone else who had the same voice like Chase and Tahilia, why would she even betray me like this? She was my friend since the day she helped me fight the bullies.

"Trust me when I tell you this but you know the only reason I am with her is for Status and money. 7 years back when she used to get bullied for being fat and ugly I saved her because I knew she was the daughter of the rich and Famous Kria and I knew that by befriending her I would be benefited in the long term and that's what happened. Nathalia let me in to her life and she never allowed me to spend even a cent. Whatever I needed Nathalia gave me all and with that came the status of being her best-friend."

By now my tear ducts had broke open but I still didn't open the door because I knew there was more to the story and I wanted to hear it all before jumping into any conclusions. After all every relationship is based on trust and if my trust was broken now then I would become a lifeless corpse.

"Then I came along right baby?"

The guy spoke and I knew that it was definitely Chase. He used to speak to me like that whenever he made love to me. His voice was always deep and ragged and I could identify his voice even among a billion other voices.

"Yes Chase then you came along. I knew your eyes were set on me the moment you saw me with Nathalia. I could see your intentions crystal clear and didn't tell Nathalia that you didn't like her but me and you were with her just to be close to me plus you also liked it when she pampered you and showered you with her rich gifts."

By now I couldn't take it anymore so I barged the door open with my foot. My nostrils were fuming and I looked at the two people whom I had bestowed my trust and love upon; tangled in each other's bodies in all their naked glory.

"Nathalia.. wha.. what are you doing here? I can explain!"

Chase rasped out and hurried to cover his manhood but I looked at Tahilia who just looked at me with no remorse in her face.

"How could you? After all I gave you this is what you both did to me? AFTER ALL THIS TIME I WAS NOHTING BUT YOUR PLAY TOY?! I TRUSTED YOU! I GAVE YOU ALL EVERYTHING YOU WANTED, YOU NEEDED. I LOVED YOU BOTH FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART. How could you both?"

A strand tear threatened to break out from my eyes but I violently rubbed my eyes.

"Oh my, dear! What is happening here?" Tahilia's mother entered the room and had a look of confusion on her face.

"Ask your daughter" I vaguely replied then her mother noticed my puffy eyes then Chase and Tahilia's half naked bodies and everything clicked and her eyes widened in disbelief.

"I regret nothing. You needed a friend and I wanted things that I couldn't buy and being with you gave me all those materialistic things and I gave you my friendship in return so what? I didn't do anything wrong as for Chase he does love you and me both. We can share him if you want and we can.."

Tahilia didn't get to finish her speech when her mother slapped her right across the face.

"I could never believe that my daughter out of all the people I know could stoop so low. Nathalia has been your friend for 7 years and yet you didn't feel even a bit of guilt for betraying her like this? Have you no shame or emotions?"

Tahilia's mother was fuming and I placed my hand on her shoulder. She looked at me and folded my palms in her and bowed her head down asking for forgiveness.

"You don't have to be sorry for something you didn't do. Please don't." I rasped out

Chase tried to come near me but Tahilia's mother pulled him back and I looked at Tahilia to see any sign of emotion but her eyes were blank. There was no confrontation and I made my decision at that point.

I didn't have any reason to stay in New York any more. There was nothing left here that would tie down to this city. I was going to leave. I was going to run away not because I am a coward but because I know I am going to run away into something better.

I looked at her one last time and I left.

"NATHALIA PLEASE WAIT" I could hear chase calling me but I didn't turn around. He could go to hell now for all I cared.

"You are the biggest rascal ever fate. I hate you so much. You have given me nothing but pain." I kicked the pebble on the sidewalk and I felt someone staring at me.

I didn't dare to turn back and upon noticing a book store at the corner of the road I made a dash and ventured inside.

I was not a book lover but for the first time I felt a sense of comfort wash over me when I entered the store. I have only read a few books because of the English project I had during my school days which required me to read some books. I noticed a new stack of books and I was pulled towards the direction of the stack.

Upon looking up close I noticed that the stack was filled with books called Stories of humans of New York. I felt an emotion run through me when I touched the book and I took a book and paid for it at the cash counter.

I was there on social networking sites and I had heard a lot about the page called Humans of New York but I never had the time to look at the page.

I found an empty spot next to the fountain and I sat there and began reading the book. Strong emotions coursed through my veins when I read stories of random people. My heart tore out into tiny pieces when I read a few stories and then I felt that weird sense of someone watching me so I looked up and saw a guy looking up at me with a camera in his hands.

I looked at him for a few more minutes and I squinted my eyes at his smiling face then everything clicked. The book in my hands, the guy holding the camera everything clicked in one piece when I remembered who he was.

"YOU ARE BRANDON STANTON!" I screamed and he chuckled at me then took out his camera.

"Whoa, whoa. Wait! I look like a raccoon. Umm why are you here? Wait did that sounded rude? Shit I'm getting cold feet like I'm in some kind of an interview. DON'T TELL ME YOU ARE RECORDING WHATEVER I'M TELLING AND WILL POST THAT O FACEBOOK!"

Brandon looked at me then my bag then I remembered about my baby boy inside and took him out.

"Sorry baby! Mama forgot about you for a few moments." Hammy looked at me then at Brandon and then he gave out a mega watt smile.

CLICK

I looked at Brandon with disbelief then peered at the camera to see that my face was covered by my hair because of the wind but my hammy on the other hand looked like superman standing on my palm and displayed his teeth to the camera with his tiny paws stretched out as if calling the world out to come to him and love him.

"So what's your story?" Brandon asked me and I started sweating like a pig.

"I want to talk so much but I don't what to talk. What if I end up telling something that would make me look like an idiot?"

I was hyperventilating while my hammy on the other hand tried to grab Brandon's attention by giving him poses while he was still settled in between my palms.

Brandon gave me a concerned look then smiled at me. That smile comforted me. The smile was genuine and I knew it and it calmed my racing heart down.

"We all have a story to tell or maybe stories but just be yourself and tell something that you want the people not just of New York but the whole world to know."

I took deep breaths then I poured out my real feelings out and even my hammy settled nestled in my arms like he could understand that I was being serious now and he gave me an encouraging smile.

"I... I have so many things to tell but I am going to settle with telling something that keeps haunting me day and night and that's I feel bad for all the little kids out there who consider me as their idol or look up to me. A few months ago a little girl came up to me and told me that she loves me and that I was the most beautiful person she has ever seen and my heart broke when the girl told me that she wants to be just like me when she grows up. I felt really bad because these small girls they look up at their idols and consider them perfect."

I took a deep breath and my mouth went dry and Brandon gave me some water and I gulped the whole thing down in one go.

"I am anything but perfect. I used to be curvy and when I lost my weight, I developed fat lines. There are ugly lines on so many parts of my bodies but obviously all those areas are photo shopped and I feel that I am deceiving people when they think that my skin is flawless and I have a beautiful skin. My hair grows like forest on my arms and legs and my underarms, they are so dark and black and it stinks. I... I hate it when I have to show people someone that I am not but I have no say in that. I don't want people to look at their bodies and be like "Why can't I be perfect like her?"

By now a lot of people had gathered near the fountain so I wrapped my scarf around my face to hide myself from the prying eyes. I just felt like I should cover up.

"I just want to tell everyone who is reading this post that we are all imperfectly perfect. We should never let anything let us down. We should maintain a barricade from letting someone or something from hurting us. The higher we achieve, that many more people around you will start feeling jealous and not happy for your achievements. People come and go but the ones who are meant to stay; they needn't even be near you to prove you that they would be there for you because you will know that they will there for you. I am waiting for that one person who would be me with me even without being with me.

I smiled at Brandon and retreated from the fountain when tears threatened to pour from my face.

While aimlessly walking I called up Zara and she picked up her phone after 8rings just when I thought of cutting the call.

"I have made my decision Zara. I am going to India, which is half part of my heritage. I don't think that there is anything left in this city that is worth staying back for me. I have cut off all my ties from here. I am going to run away from everything."

I cried out and Zara asked me about my whereabouts so that she could pick me up and I told her not to worry about me because I was walking near her residential area.

By tomorrow I would move away from this country; I would go to India and unite with my daddy.

I took out my phone and typed a message to Ankit asking him if he was free and skyped with him for a while but I didn't tell him that I was planning to come there soon. I just indirectly asked him questions to know where he stays and recorded that in my phone.

Somewhere at the back of my mind, my brain was telling me that I was not going to run away from this city once. Something was telling me that I was going to have a roller coaster time of my life.

"What have you planned for me fate?" I looked up at the sky and I was met with angry grey clouds so I picked up my pace and reached Zara's house to plan about my new venture.

A/N

Did you like the chapter? Are you liking this story so far?

Please do share this story with your friend's! I am planning to pitch this book for publishing after it gets over that's why it's my dream project and I am going to put my heart and soul into writing this book.

I have a plan of gathering all the Indian writers from wattpad where we can brainstorm ideas and co-write a book of short stories and get it published.

There are not so many opportunities for Indian writers and I always hope that someday I can find many people like me who want to get published by co-writing stories. I love co-writing!

This book will only be 12-14 chapters and I am submitting it to YourStoryIndia with no hopes of winning it xD but I plan to finish this book as fast as I can but without tampering the baby ideas that made me write the book.

So please do share this book as much as you can<3 comment your opinion and be subtle about it.

Share it with that crazy cat lady in your apartment, share it with the mosquito that sucks your blood every night, share it with the lizard who ate your favorite butterfly, share it with that cockroach in your store room, share it with the plain walls you look up to during your exams instead of studying! SHARE THIS BOOK YOU PEOPLE! vote and comment if you liked it <3

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