Next day I got up and I noticed that Stacy had not waken up yet .I  look out from the window and I see the beautiful sea along with a clear bright blue sky . In my whole life I have never  seen such a clear sky and here  even the air is so pure to breathe . It feels like we live in an alternate world with all sorts of environment pollution in my time. Now I am seriously jealous of the people born in 1995 and before .Because they could breathe in good quality environment .

But I guess I have got an opportunity to live in this beautiful era of 90s with less pollution , less technology but goodness of nature . So, I should cherish each and every moment before I go back to my time . I then go to the kitchen to have some water for myself . After drinking water I sat on the sofa and I saw Sam coming in the house with a football in his hand and his jersey is full of dirt . May be his jersey  got dirt while playing but Godly god he still looks good with ruffled hair , those grey eyes and a well toned body .Uff...get a grip Liz. Don't ogle him , don't you stare him like a creep, I mentally scolded myself .

Then the landline of the house rang, taking me out of my bubble of thoughts. Sam picked up the call . He said " Oh.....It's ok .thanks for the message , I will surely convey it to my sister ". After that the call ended . But Sam looked  at  me with his eyebrows knitted and I chill ran down my spine .

What he did next blew my mind .He took my hands in his hold and anger was evident in his eyes . I gulped hard seeing the angry Sam. I stammered "What is the matter Sam ?Why are you holding me like this ?". Sam didn't say anything .He just pinned me to the wall tightly . I was shell shocked to act or react further . Sam  brought his face close to mine   such that I could feel  his  minty breath on my face .

Well......Sam does not look like some creep but what  if he hurts me or do something wrong  to me .A   mere thought  of  this filled my eyes with tears . Then Sam shouted "Why  the heck you are here? Who are you and what the heck is your mission ?". I literally felt choked out of fear and I thought I got busted .

But then Stacy came out of her room and she saw Sam pinning me to the wall with his face just an inch apart from mine . I know what all thoughts might have crossed Stacy's mind seeing me and Sam in such awkward stance .So, obviously Stacy got angry and she yelled "What the hell is happening ? ".

Hearing Stacy's voice Sam moved away from me. I could see a blue bruise on my right wrist due to Sam's tight hold . Sam tried to speak  "Stacy.....well you are getting me all wrong . I was actually...." . But before Sam could complete his sentence ,Stacy gave a tight slap to Sam.

I  don't  know  why I felt hurt for Sam and I  spoke out abruptly " Hey! Stacy it is not his fault , he was actually teaching me a self defence technique". Sam looked at me with confusion in his eyes . Stacy looked at me as if  I spoke Greek because self defense might have sounded odd to her . I spoke " Actually I told Sam that on my way to your home some eve teasers troubled me. So, Sam was teaching me some self defence techniques so that in  future  I could fight with any eve teaser or goon on my own .

Hearing this Stacy's expressions changed from anger and disgust to proud and happiness . Stacy exclaimed "I am so sorry Sam , I slapped you and I am extremely sorry to  both of you  for not listening  to you guys. Pardon me for the  yelling early in the morning . "Sam looked straight into my eyes  and said" You should not believe what you see first because appearances are deceptive these days". I know Sam is indirectly referring me and seeing his hatred for me in his eyes made be shudder.

For the whole day I felt  guilty for whatever happened in the morning . Yes I am indeed the reason for creating misunderstanding between Stacy and Sam . These both gave a roof over my head but how selfish I am that Sam got a slapped  from his beloved sister and indirectly  I  am the  reason  for the slap. Due to guilt I could  not  eat anything properly for the whole  day . Now I am  definitely missing  my home, my bro willy and surprisingly now  I am  missing  my parents too .Today  I am truly feeling like an orphan with no one to look after me or shower affection on  me .

Stacy came to me and somehow she read my heart and said" I know you are missing your parents immensely . Look I cannot  make up for the loss of your parents by any  means  but still  I will always be there for you no matter what". I don't know  what took over me and I hugged her tightly while some  tears escaped from my eyes .

Stacy  wiped my tears and said "I hate tears Pushpaa( A famous Hindi film dialogue )". A  smile  escaped from  my  lips hearing this dialogue and the cute acting antics of Stacy  .After cheering  me  up Stacy  then said"Now get up sweety and just get ready for the fun ,we are going to Taruni's house".

I said"Taruni's house?".Stacy replied"Yeah my best friend Taruni is getting married .Today it is her Sangeet ceremony (Family and friends gathering  to celebrate wedding  by pre wedding rituals of  Heena ,dance and  singing ). You  are  coming along with me  and I won't hear a 'no' from your side dear".I tried to say "But Stacy look I can't ....."Before I could complete my sentence and give a excuse for myself ,Stacy declared "If you don't want to come it's ok even I won't go there  without  you".

I  exclaimed "Hey don't cancel your plan because of me otherwise I will feel guilty".Stacy then said"Yeah... you should feel guilty because  I  did too many preps for today .I even called you to put heena on my hand so that I could get ready for this Sangeet. But I guess you are not interested in attending this fuction .Secondly , you want to waste your efforts of putting heena on my palm and my  patience for  letting  the  heena dry on my hand go in vain then it is perfectly ok you can stay at home with me ".

I felt extremely  guilt for spoiling Stacy's mood so I hugged Stacy and I said"I am coming along with you.Stacy hugged me back and said "I have kept everthing for you in the guest room .Go, get ready".

I  went  to the guest room which  is  next to Sam's room .Oddly this guest room is the store room of my house now . I gasp seeing the guest room  as  it is just as beautiful as other rooms of the house .

I see a beautiful mustard long lehenga(indian women traditional wear) styled dress kept on the bed along with matching sandals and other acessories . This dress remainded me  the dressing style of 90s  bollywood  divas.But I loved the dress because  it was of yester style but still it  looked  beautiful and elegant .

I wore the dress and matching earings and a finger ring  that Stacy had kept for me. The sandals were of golden colour with low heels . Then I  picked up the cosmetics which were kept on the bed . I combed my hair , but  then I missed my curler and straightener because in this era I might not find them here and if by luck I find them they won't be as good as mine.

I then applied a shade of Orange lipstick and I did smokey eye makeup.
I moved out of the guest room to go downstairs but then Sam came out of his room at that very instant and I colloided with him. As a result of collision I was about to fall backwards straight on my back but then Sam saved me from falling as he  held  me in place by clutching my waist in his two strong arms .

The moment he touched me a wave of electric sparks went throughout  my whole body .My eyes got locked with Sam's eyes and we  kept staring in each other's eyes . Then Stacy faked coughed to set us apart . Sam and I were left red faced . I quickly adjusted my dress and hair .

Stacy complimented me" Hey you look beautiful Liz. I guess that is why Sam lost his balance a few minutes ago . I blushed  like a tomato  while Sam rolled his eyes . Well  I  don't  understand Sam, first he looked happy with my arrival then suddenly he got angry with me and now  again he is behaving strangely . Uff....I can't understand Sam at all .

After a few minutes, Stacy and I zoomed off to Taruni's house . Well....Sam insisted us to let him  drop us to the venue as he stated" it is not safe for 2 girls to  go out alone at evening" . Stacy and I sat in the car then after a few minutes of silence Stacy made a  comeback with a clever comment " I guess Sam, you were the only  one who was teaching self defence skills to Liz this morning" . Sam seemed flustered hearing Stacy's words  while I  looked out of the window to avoid any further embarrassment .

After that the ride was silent only Sam glanced over me through the rear view mirror often which yet again was  strange for me because I don't know  what is running in his mind right now. I looked at  the road which I felt was  empty considering that  this is  a  weekend day in Goa then  how the heck the streets are so empty , I thought to myself . Then it dawned upon me that during 90s the population of the city might have been  very less in comparison to my time .

The cars on the road felt odd to me as I  looked  at the long bonnets , square gates, small tyres , small headlights and square wind screen of the  cars which  again  made me realise  that  I am in a whole new  world and time  where cars like Maruti 800, Ambassador , Fiat were at their peak public usage . The car in which I am sitting is a black Fiat which belongs to Sam's dad . The car is good for 90s generation  but  I somehow feel odd looking at it's features. I mean the there is song tape fitted in the car but for me it is too old and outdated  because in our time  we have the  best sound systems with speakers in cars , facility of pen drive and ox wire connectivity  is also present in the cars of my time . This car has AC but it's cooling power is nothing in front of  ACs of the present time cars .

Well....it is unfair to compare things of 1995 and 2020 but still as I am a time traveller  So,  any difference in commodities  in  my time and in 90s  automatically  comes to my mind  . The car halted , we reached Taruni's house . After dropping us Sam left the place . I could see the house is built beautifully near the sea in the remote land of Goa but amazingly  this landmark  now has hundreds of residents and buildings in my time . The whole house was decorated with marigold flowers. Soon Stacy introduced me with all of her friends and then the fun began .The little girls and teen girls started dancing on the beats of dholak( musical instrument ). This is my  first  ever Sangeet that I am attending and I am quite excited with all the  things happening around .

I  got  to  know  that only ladies attend this Sangeet ceremony as men are not allowed to attend this ceremony . I saw different sweets and delicacies . The aroma of Heena mixed with the  air and  made everything magical . Even the Bride looked so gorgeous with the glow on her face, I then  saw the Heena artist writing the name of the groom to be on the palm of the bride .

While I was enjoying the ceremony with Stacy  , a girl of my age came to me and she mocked me "Hey what kind of makeup  you are wearing? . I mean with such ugly  black eyeshadow you look like a witch and who wears such a  light colour lipcolour with Mustard colour dress! . You don't know how to do proper make up". Then even some other girls laughed at me . I felt annoyed and I wanted to shout back  that" You all are idiots , you don't know the trend of Smokey eyes and the concept of light shade lipsticks of future and in my eyes you all are looking like clowns  with bright makeups". But  I kept quiet because  if  I spoke it out  then these people will consider me  as  insane  ".

Tears started  brimming in my eyes . Stacy was now busy  talking to other group of her friends so, I could not  go to Stacy for help and I don't want to spoil Stacy's good time with her friends .So, I stood still in the corner while I could hear these girls laughing at me and calling me names . But then a girl in her late twenties intervened and she scolded those bullies "Listen  girls don't you  trouble her, mind your own business and you all better get some manners to treat others and  now just leave her alone or else I will complain to your respective mothers".

The bully girls slowly went to other sections of the house . I thanked this kind  girl who helped me. She had  an angelic smile and a  beautiful face .Wait.... I have seen this face somewhere but where? As I was lost in my own  thinking Stacy came from behind and she addressed this girl who helped me" Hello Jane how are you? I have seen you after a long time and how is your brother Andy ? This  kind  girl  replied " I am fine Stacy  and even Andy is doing  fine  now  but he is just upset after Mom and Dad left us for heaven".

Hearing it a chill ran down my spine . Even my paternal grandparents died in late 1994 when my dad was only 25 years old  . Now  my  heart beats  turned into  drum beats as mind was in over drive trying to join the knots of whatever I heard . Then Stacy introduced me with this  kind  girl officially" Liz meet my best friend Jane ". I smiled as a sign of  courtesy . This  girl too smiled in return and  she  said " Hello Nice to meet you , I am Jane....Jane Rose ". My heart came in my mouth as this girl is none other than my own aunt , my aunt Jane Rose who died in an accident  before  I  was  born .

My  eyes  brimmed with tears and I said with my voice trembling "Can I hug you  please?". The hug was magical as I was hugging my aunt whom I never met due to her tragic death. I feel blessed to meet my only aunt by coming back in time. The rest of the evening  I  kept stealing  glances  at my aunt so, that I  could   capture her face, voice and smile  in  my own  memory forever .

We returned home. I slept wearing night wear of Stacy,  who literally  gives me everything without asking me  the reason of why I am not bringing my own clothes. Well....the whole  night the image of aunt Jane kept playing in my mind while I slept with a smile on my face . I guess God  has sent me here for a reason.

*********CHAPTER  ENDS**********