Stolen! (EDITING)

The Dairy

The spiky, golden, uninvited sunrays itched me awake. It was not pleasant like every morning as I hadn't slept until four.

It was not justified to me as even though I had finally achieved what was worth my sleepless nights, I could not doze to my content. But it was not that bad as finally, reality seemed so much better than dreams.

After a good fifteen minutes of avoiding my efforts to get up I pushed myself out of the bed. I stepped out for breakfast and stuffed almost everything in the buffet.

As I passed a silent burp Neha came storming towards me, "they've messed it up. They misinformed us about the timings, you're up on the stage one hour prior to the original timings. I hope, I really really hope that you are ready Mira." She was deeply concerned about my answer so I had to lie. "Yes I am." I said.

"Good. Get into the car in the next fifteen minutes. Oh God I have to reschedule everything. Who is responsible for this....." Her voice faded as she walked away.

I was worried now. I did not have the speech ready.

On my way to the St.Louis theatre, I recalled and rehearsed everything that I could have from the previous evening's conference. I even made Neha to listen to entire nervous speech so that I could get a tiny last minute approval and also a little boost of confidence.

Surprisingly, the speech went pretty well, it really seemed as though my bad luck was on a vacation.

My saturation level was reached soon and I begged Neha to cancel the personal interaction with the journalists. My motive of writing was to reach as many people as possible, not to move around giving interviews every now and then. Luckily, Neha empathized with my situation and formally cancelled the meeting.

I had also avoided having lunch in the restaurant, I could no more bear unknown faces staring at me and witnessing every action of mine. So I had stayed back in my room.

My hungry stomach begged for non veg food. I bent down to third drawer next to my bed and pulled out a book which was supposed to be the menu card. Its thickness didn't approve it to be a menu card, also, it was a little torn from the corners.

I placed the book on my lap and turned it open to reveal the first page.
It was nothing like a menu card, instead it was a diary- A Personal Diary!

At an instant I closed the book! Personal diaries were not meant to be read. A person surrenders his or her feelings in it, reveals all the secrets in it and dumps all the memories on the pages in the form of words. It's not ethical to read anyone's diary even if we are very close to them, besides, the Diary I had discovered, belonged to a whole unknown stranger.

Thoughts were running in my mind, according to my teachings and learnings, I shouldn't have opened the Diary, but under my curiosity, I couldn't resist reading it. Midway I found a solution, none of the two proposed that I couldn't examine the diary.

Black leather covering, torn on ends, small patches of ink here and there, Alas! Two letters- 'M.V' on the right end of the backside of the Dairy. Probably the best place to write someone's identity!

All these signs proposed that this diary was written a very long time ago, mostly five to six years approximately. But the question was, why was the Diary lying in the place of my menu card? Did the owner leave it on purpose? But no one would have been so irresponsible to leave their personal diary behind. Or maybe it was meant for me to read, but why would that be?

I finally concluded that I wasn't supposed to be the one to read it, instead, like a responsible customer, I had to leave that dairy at the reception. I turned my attention attention to my hunger, but instead of my stomach I found my mind hungry for atleast some information about the diary.

~^~

Evening took over the city, I was wearing formals to impress my fans at Crossword that night.

"You look amazing Mira!" Neha said as soon as she entered my room.

"I hope so!" I tried to be a little modest.

She moved around my room, searching for something. Something dropped in my stomach, was she looking for her diary?

"What are you searching?" I asked.

"I think I just dropped..." She said and suddenly spotted something on my bed, Shit! Was that really her's? I asked myself. "See I got it" she exclaimed and held out a earring. "I knew I might have dropped it here." Neha said. I felt relived and I let out a sigh! Though I didn't have any particular reason for being relieved, I let the feeling of relief sink in me.

"Well, I came here to ask you to come down soon, we have to leave in a while." Neha added and left after I replied with an approving nod.

~^~
As I stepped towards the reception, with the Diary clutched in my hand, I kept thinking if I really wanted to give it up.

Before I could decide, I said "Excuse me" to the receptionist. She smiled at me and asked "How can I help you mam?"

I reluctantly said- "I found this..." I stopped mid-sentence, realising that I wasn't willing to give it up.

"Yes mam?" the receptionist stared at me.

"Um.. I found this lizard in my room, I hope I won't spot it again when I return!" I totally deviated the topic. I felt really smart for sometime!

"Oh! I am sorry for the inconvenience mam, I'll make sure you won't find the little reptile again," the receptionist said, but she gave me a look as if she knew I had faked the lizard episode, still I was contented with my answer. I pushed the Diary safely in my bag and left.

~^~

I reached Crossword! After receiving a warm welcome, I was royally entertained by the authorities. Readers of my book followed a proper line to reach me. I tried my best to satisfy every hope that my readers had from me.

In an hour or so, I was freed! Neha promised to the remaining readers that my signed copies would reach them. Both, me and them knew that she was going to break the promise. I felt really bad to see the remaining readers leave with a sad face! But then I had to grab enough sleep before my return trip to Mumbai, scheduled for the following morning!

Just when I was leaving the mall. A women wrapped in black burkha (A traditional dress which Muslim women wear, it hides their whole body except for letting the pair of eyes have their vision) approached me.

"Good Evening Mam! I am a great fan of yours!" she said.

I smiled as a reply.

"Mam! I was standing inside to get my copy signed by you but nevermind! All that I want to say is that, you should definately give a try at writing another heart touching novel!" she exclaimed.

That was the first time since my arrival in Delhi that someone advised me to write another book. Surprisingly, even I hadn't thought about writing another book.

"I'll eventually..... " I started, but she cut me off! "Sorry Mam! I can't talk to you much now, my family is unaware that I am here. But can I request you something?" She said in a hurry and her eyes begged for a quick reply.

"Yeah sure!" I said.

She forced a copy of my book in my hand and said "Mam, please send me this copy with your signature... " She started to move away, "my adress is on the last page! I'll be grateful if I recieve the book. And also, think about writing another book. I know its a lot to ask, but consider it as a plea from your biggest fan."

As she spoke the last words she was already stepping in the lift.

"Hey, but what's your name?" I said but that was definately unheard!

I started to flip the pages of the book she had just handed to me, in a hope that her name would be written with her address. But before I could reach the last page, Neha pulled me by my hand and dragged me with her.

"To whom were you talking? We were waiting for you!" She said.

"No one, just a stranger"

I don't know why I avoided using the words 'another fan' to describe the mysterious burkha girl. But then something about that girl was unusual. I could sense that she wanted something more than just my signature. I could feel it!