“I am really excited for the New Year Eve’s party at Sana’s place! What are you going to wear at the party?” Zubia asked Ushna excitedly.

Tears filled Ushna’s eyes, she didn’t reply and remained silent. Zubia realised her mistake of asking an abrupt question. Just then, the ringing of the bell announced the culmination of recess and both the girls headed towards the class silently.

Sana, Zubia and Ushna studied in the same class and were good friends. But recently Sana’s behaviour had drastically changed with Ushna. She had turned very rude and disrespectful towards Ushna. Sana belonged to a rich family and was really proud of her wealth. Ushna and Zubia were also living a comfortable life but Ushna’s world had turned upside down recently.

On his was home from his office, Ushna’s father had been hit by a truck and he died on the spot. Her father’s departure had devastated Ushna’s family and also left them in serious economic crisis. To make ends meet, her mother had started giving tuitions. Despite knowing Ushna’s troubled conditions, Sana never showed much compassion or consoled her but instead found ways to tease her.

Zubia was, however, very different, she was concerned and felt Ushna’s pain and would help her as well. She had also tried to stop Sana from making fun of Ushna, but had not succeeded completely.

New Year’s Eve was fast approaching and the whole class was excited about the grand party being held at Sana’s house. Girls were discussing about their clothes and the gifts that they would take along. Meanwhile, Ushna sat at a corner and stared blindly out of the window when Sana went to her and asked about the dress she was going to wear. Ushna knew that her mother could not afford a new dress for her nor buy her any gift to take, so Ushna had cancelled her plan for going to the party this year. She told everything to Sana with a heavy heart.

Instead of showing some empathy, Sana smirked at Ushna and with a derisive expression went back to other girls. Zubia was hurt to see this and she couldn’t believe that any human being could be so heartless to another person! She started thinking for Ushna, and suddenly an idea flashed in her mind.

On New Year’s Eve, the clock struck seven and party was due after an hour at Sana’s place. Just then the door bell rang and Sana rushed to open the door, thinking it would be one of her friends. Instead, there stood a man from the courier service who handed her an envelope. Sana opened it, it read,

“Dear Sana, New Year’s Eve marks an end not only to the previous year but also to the negativity that inhabits in our souls. If the departing year does not take our negativity and whatever bad is within us along with it, then it means we have stayed behind time and actually never get to begin a New Year. So we have decided to celebrate this year’s end at Ushna’s place with all of us taking a dish to cheer Ushna up and yes, we will surely miss you in our new year.

Regards, your classmates.”

Sana was dumbstruck. She had never realised that before. Guilt started building up inside her as she remembered her behaviour with Ushna during her saddest days. Sana realised her mistakes and decided to start the New Year with new feelings. She stood up and headed to Ushna’s house.

As the clock struck 12, everyone cheered and Sana apologised to Ushna and thanked all the girls, especially Zubia, for showing her the right path. Happily, all of them started the New Year together.

Published in Dawn, Young World, December 31st, 2016