Salman's POV

The first week of April flew and I did nothing. I was bored to the core. Once in a while I have a group chat with my friends and seemed like they too were the same as myself, but I couldn't meet any of them and I don't think they too met each other. I miss them all but kept myself reminded that this is a short separation and the holidays will end very soon.

I looked forward for the family trip what my dad was planning with two of his sister's families which is going to be fun. During the April season the climate is very warm in most of the places in Sri Lanka except for the upcountry region, so people visit there and spend a few days because the 13th and the 14th of this month is a public holiday since it's the Tamil and Buddhist festival. Its a season for tripping especially at Nuwara Eliya which is located in the Central Province of Sri Lanka. It's like an annual custom. No matter how many times we've been there, it's a must for most of us to go there during this season. The crowd at this season is massive because people from all over Sri Lanka come there.

The people at Nuwara Eliya too had organized special carnivals and many other events during this month welcoming the visitors from other cities and towns. The climate there is too cool and since we aren't used to it we have to hide ourselves in sweaters, gloves, mufflers, socks and boots to feel the warmth inside. Its colder at night which make us cuddle up in thick blankets.

So we started our journey on the 12th evening and reached there by night. My family in my dad's car and both my aunties in their own vehicles with their families. We had pre-booked three hotel rooms for the three families in the same building. The staffs at the hotel helped us take the luggage to our rooms. By the time we reached our destination we were too tired and It was late at night which made us sleep immediately.

The next morning we went around the town after having breakfast at the hotel. Varieties of stalls were put up where people bargain. We too roamed in the crowd buying a few wares. Later we had lunch in a restaurant and went back to our hotel to relax.

It's a huge hotel which consists of three huge buildings and each building has five floors along with a parking lot in the basement. We had our room in the middle building on the second floor along with nineteen more rooms. The room next to ours was my elder aunt's and the room next to theirs was the other aunt's. Every room was like a mini house with a master bedroom along with an attached washroom, baby room with an attached washroom as well, a hall with couches and a television, air conditioned and free Wi-Fi. There is a garden by the hotel too.

Wherever we go, we go together with the other two families. This evening we planned to go on a pony ride, so we headed to a park which is beside a lake with green grass and wooden benches with wooden tables on one side. There are a few games in one corner of the park and a few ponies with their grooms. They take us on a pony ride along the pathway in a side of the park by the green lake on condition that we pay some amount. I was the third on the queue for the ride when I saw Omar on the queue parallel to mine which surprised me. I called out to him

"Omar!"

"Hey Salman!" he moved few steps towards me and we were few inches away from each other.

"Nice to meet you again after a week or two"

"Same here... Its like ages"

We had a quick chat, mostly about our trip and the plans for the next few days and so, till it was my turn for the ride. I was glad that I met Omar. I knew my friends would come to Nuwara Eliya because they said that they usually go there in April. But I expected to see Juliet. I didn't see her for more than a week or two nor did I hear her. I wish she's here with me. I feel lonely without her. I miss her the most, even though she doesn't talk to me, her presence means a lot to me, just looking at her pretty face is enough to make my day. I wish I tripped with her. Especially when the days are cold and when I feel like snuggling, I remember her and want her to be with me.

I mounted the pony and rode it guided by the groom. He walked beside the pony holding its reins. I enjoyed the cool breeze as I rode and imagined Juliet sitting in front of me on the pony so that I can nuzzle her. I checked on every other pony if it was Juliet who was riding it. Every young girl on the road who looked the size of Juliet drew my attention which made me think that it was her. Wherever I went my eyes searched for her but she was nowhere to be seen. Whenever I see a couple enjoy themselves together I wished Juliet was with me so that I can romance with her.

It was getting darker by the time all my cousins finished riding the pony. We went to a masjid there and prayed Maghrib and Isha (Two prayers which Muslims pray). We returned to the hotel after having dinner on our way in a restaurant.

.........

The next morning we visited the strawberry farm and had some delicious strawberry shake at the cafe there.

After lunch we visited a children's park wherein my younger siblings and cousins played. It was not much interesting because it was all kid's games and I had nothing to do except for roaming and chatting with cousins of my age and elder. There was only one game in which elders could take part and that was a train which went around the park and it went through a long dark tunnel too which made the kids scream in fear. I and my cousins too screamed just to make it sound interesting. It was quite fun though for someone who loves to travel, like me.

In the train we had to sit in couples and I had no one to sit with because all my cousins who are my same age were girls and they paired up with each other while I was left with the kids and the eldest of them was my brother Zaid, so I had to sit with him. If Juliet was here I wouldn't have been alone, I would always have her as a partner for everything I do, I believe, she wouldn't make me feel lonely. I remembered her more in the dark tunnel and imagined her arms around my waist and her head lying on my chest and my arms securing her. I miss her a lot.

When night approached we went to the carnival. Here they had more games for elders like 'giant wheel', 'car ride' and so on. Most of it was to play in couples and I ended up with Zaid. The games which required four people, two of my cousin sisters joined with me and my brother. Carnival too had a massive crowd and we had to stay in long queues for a game and here also I expected to see Juliet. 

We had noodles at a stall there. It was yummy because it was hot and spicy. The hot noodles needs less than five minutes to cool down because of the temperature, so we gulped down quickly and continued to play the rest of the games. I was done playing as I waited for the rest to come. They had gone for a game which I wasn't interested. Since there was no place to sit myself and few of my cousin sisters were standing by a pillar near the exit having a random chat. My back was leaning on the pillar while I crossed my arms across my chest, my cousins were in front of me and we were standing in a circle. 

Many people walked by here and there and few were in groups like us maybe waiting for their families to come, when I saw a girl walking towards the exit talking with few other girls. She looked familiar but I ignored because I've seen enough of familiar faces throughout the trip but none were my friends or anyone whom I knew. When she drew closer I recognized it was Aliza and realized that she too was able to recognize me instantly. She smiled widely at me as I walked towards her smiling.

"Hey Salman"

"Hi Alliii.. I never expected to see you here"

"Why not? I come here every year" she winked and said "But yeah, I never expected that I'd meet you"

"LOL yep, that's what I meant"

Both of us broke into a laugh and had a quick chat. She seemed to be happy that she met me and I was glad too. Her family's waiting for her and she was hurrying to go, so I let her go and joined my cousins back.

Unexpectedly my cousin sisters glared at me weirdly which confused me.

"Awh.. Somebody's happy that he met his girlfriend"

"And the way he smiled. Like as if though he forgot that he was on earth"

I was shocked because I never thought of Aliza being my girlfriend. She's just a friend of mine and who is more like a sister to me.

"No way! She's my friend" I replied

"We believe" one of them said rolling their eyes.

"God! You girls are crazy! There's nothing more than friendship between the both of us".

They continued bugging me until the rest of our family came.

Hello. That's all for today. How are you guys doing? How are your family members? Countries? Studies?

How's the chap? How's Salman's trip? How's his feelings for Juliet? Does Juliet feel the same towards him? Will he propose her? Will they be together?

How was Salman's reaction when he met Aliza? As Salman's cousins bugged him with Aliza, will they be together? Will they like each other?

Guess! Guess! Guess! ;)

With Love, 

Blessed Muslimah