I Wish

Baba looked at me with golden eyes, I smiled back as Ma squeezed my hand. Her eyes were glistening with tears and for once they didn't bother me or make me fear. 

Molly was sitting at the corner unbothered and stuck out her tongue at me when I looked over, she always remained the same; unbothered by my success or failure because for her I always remained the same.

My friends were holding a surprise party for me, they thought I didn't know but I couldn't miss their constant excitement when around me. 

I decided to wear a beautiful dress, maybe red in color because I don't know why but I've been thinking and seeing red a lot these days. Maybe I'm just being paranoid. 

I opened my cupboard and saw the red dress with polka dots, the one I saw at that designer store and had wanted ever since. Maybe Ma got it for me. I also saw the black heels I tripped in and Baba refused to buy them for me. I looked around the room, everything was new, a gift, from my parents. 

I didn't use much make-up because there wasn't a mirror. Strange. I'll have to ask Molly what they did with the wall-length mirror. 

I heard noises downstairs. My friends are here to surprise me I thought. I went outside to greet darkness. They must be waiting for the cake. A cake to celebrate my success, my hard work, my excellent results. 

Why wasn't anyone coming out? I looked around for the switch and turned on the light, I saw the mirror, my favorite mirror. But who was the person looking back? Her face was smeared with blood and she was wearing a green hospital gown. 

I screamed. 

I saw Ma's worried and tear-streaked face above me, the doctors rushing in. I managed to glimpse at the police officer in Khaki waiting outside, waiting maybe to find out if it really was a murder or suicide. 

I wanted to reach out to Ma, to tell her I was sorry, not sorry for taking her daughter's life but sorry for her result.