"What is the most important thing in life? We all wonder multiple times in our short lifespan. But no one has ever found one single concrete answer to this question. It's because it's an open-ended question. The answer really depends on whom you are asking, the age, gender and social conditioning of that person. And above all, their current mental state. So don't be too judgy, listeners if your goals don't match up with the goals of the people around you! And till the time my little advice sinks into your head, let's listen to our last song for the night- 'Faded' by Alan walker."

You were the Shadow to my light

Did you feel us

Another star

You fade away...

Afraid our aim is out of sight

Wanna see us

Alive

Where are you now

Was it all in my fantasy

Where are you now

Were you only imaginary

Where are you now...

As the radio filled the room with the soothing voice of Iselin Solheim, the building manager of Cartier High Apartment tried to sink the advice of RJ Silene in his head. He thought about what was the most important thing in his life? Well, it was most definitely his family of three, his wife, son, and himself- he thought fondly, while taking out their photo from his wallet.

Just then the girl with the cat from A303 walked inside the building. He looked at his watch- 11.45pm. And she didn't look like she was back from a date or an outing. No, from the Pokémon t-shirt that was peeking from under her jacket and faded blue jeans, he surmised that she was back home from work. It was such a common occurrence that he didn't think much of it. She lived alone, had no visitors, didn't go out much on weekends and worked late in the office. That last part he had gathered by the timings of her entry and exits. Such a plain life! He thought pitifully.

"Good night miss-" he tried, but she was already in the elevator.

What would be the most important thing for her, he asked himself.

Huh… solitude maybe. As she projected herself to be such a recluse. She had no one except the Persian cat. But she paid her rent in time and never had any complaints against her. That he could live with. Some of the tenants were absolute nightmares. Compared to them, the cat lady was better, even if she showed antisocial traits. But anyway, who was he to judge her, as RJ silene said, her life was different from his, and maybe she had some mental health issues?

While the building manager was spot on about some things regarding the cat lady, what he didn't know was she wasn't always a recluse, nor was she antisocial. She was just tired of being with people. She had once trusted other people. She had fallen in love. She once had a friend. But none of that was permanent, as people tend to leave her alone in the end. And that hurt like bitch.

So, she had decided that staying alone on her own accord was much better than the loneliness caused by people leaving you behind. And solitude suited her very well; or at least she thought so. No one to interrupt your thoughts. No one to ask you where you're going. You come home from work, open the fridge, and ta-da, an apple smothered with peanut butter becomes your dinner. You can stay up late into the night, listening to YOUR favourite music, and you won't even know when sleep will claim you. The life of a recluse really suited her, and she absolutely didn't need anyone in her life, except, her Persian cat she had named 'Lisbon'.

Still there were days when she couldn't help but think about her friend, the only friend that mattered to her during her teens. The friend that hadn't cared enough for her and left her on her own. The friend that broke her heart.


"Good morning, Class! Today we have a new student among us. Her name is Alicia." Announced the class teacher, "Alicia dear, why don't you introduce yourself to the class?"

Alicia, a 11-year-old girl, with big blue eyes and two little pigtails of red hair, was sitting in the one corner of the class. She slowly got up from her seat, and looked around in trepidation. Each one of the students in class started staring at her. With all those stares, new faces, new city, new school, she was scared to death. She moved slowly to where her teacher was standing and faced the class with lowered head as if it were a punishment.

"Alicia, introduce yourself to class. Why are you lowering your head? Stand straight up. Do not waste the time of my class." said the teacher somewhat sternly.

"My name is Alicia… I… I'll know no English much...I…I…" said Alicia with a very feeble voice and the whole class snickered. She gulped nervously and tried again, "I shift to the UK from Spain next week…"

The whole class started giggling and started hush-hushing comments on her and then she realised what a blunder she did. "Last week. I shifted last week."

The teacher sighed and yelled "Silence!", before asking Alicia to go back to her seat. Alicia almost had tears in her eyes. She was lost in her own world for the rest of the class.

All the kids were still throwing glances at her and snickered at her throughout the class- all, except one brown eyed girl.

During Interval Alicia sat alone at her desk, looking at her book but not looking at the words, thinking about the world she left back in her small school in Seville. Life in this posh English school in Manchester was going to be hell, she thought dejectedly.

"Hi" said a voice. Alicia looked up to see a girl standing there. She was fair, with a smiling face and a sparkle in her eyes, and had hair that was lighter than brown but darker than the colour of the beach. She seemed nicer than the other kids.

"I am Raquel, your classmate. Why are you not having lunch?" said the nice girl.

"a…umm…I not feeling hungry much." replied Alicia apprehensively.

"If you don't eat, you will be dizzy," said Raquel.

Alicia just stared at her, why was this girl - Raquel -being nice to her? Wasn't she worried that if she was seen with Alicia, she would face the scorn of other kids too!

"Why you eat lunch with me?" Alicia said, glancing at the other occupants of the class. They all looked a bit disapprovingly at Raquel.

"Why not? Come on, I know you felt bad when the class laughed at you. Even I felt bad about it. But I don't care about them."

Alicia felt a sense of relief after hearing what Raquel said and gave her a bright smile.

"Did you bring your lunch box?" Raquel asked, glancing at Alicia's bag.

"Yes, I bring. You eat with me? "Asked Alicia.

"Yes, sure. Let's go outside and eat. We will have some fresh air." said Raquel and took Alicia's hand and went outside the class to the playground. Both sat and started eating together. They shared a bit of each other's lunch too.

"So, you miss your old school. Isn't it?" asked Raquel.

"Si!... umm... Yes, very much! I ... uhh... I come here from Seville... Umm, a city in Spain. In school, English not compulsory there. Lots of friends there. Daddy got transfer here. I got no admission here as my English is poor but daddy have friends and I get a admission. I will fail sure" said Alicia sadly.

"Oh, don't be sad Alicia. I will help you. You will learn everything easily. Where is your house?" asked Raquel.

"In Hilton Lane, Prestwich," said Alicia.

"Hey, even my house is on Hilton Lane!", said Raquel happily.

"Is it? "Alicia was glad. She would not only have a friend in school but in the same neighbourhood too.

"Yes, now don't worry at all. We both can study together." Said Raquel assuring Alicia. "One more thing, can I call you Aly?" asked Raquel.

"Yes sure, my friends in Spain call me by the same name. I am happy." said Alicia with a sparkle in her eyes.

Alicia had a Sharp mind which needed some shining and polishing. Within no time she mastered English, and was speaking fluently, impressing her peers and earning their respect, albeit grudgingly.

Alicia was practical and analytical whereas Raquel was a creative and intelligent person. And yet they had a connection that made them best friends during their first year together itself. They were totally inseparable. In school, on the playground, during weekdays, on weekends, while doing study or checking out the funfair! Due to them, both the families too came close. Raquel loved Alicia's parents, and how her papa doted on her constantly. She never had such a loving bond with a father figure, because she had lost her father early in her life. Alicia, too, was fond of Raquel's mother because of her culinary prowess, and was constantly complaining about her own mother's lack of skills in the kitchen. Both Mothers too became friends with each other because of their young girls, and Raquel's mother was especially happy that Raquel could experience the Spanish culture through Alicia's family. It somehow made her close to their roots.

Despite learning conversational English, Alicia barely managed to clear her 5th grade, but later with Raquel's support she became more and more confident.

Thus, the bond between the duo grew stronger and stronger with each day.

Alicia was pretty confident she would be able to score good marks in the 6th grade, with the help of Raquel of course. It looked like a possibility to her that she would at last break free from her cocoon of anonymity in school.


But this story isn't about how Alicia broke free from her cocoon.

It's about how Raquel built a cocoon around herself and separated herself from the rest of the world, and how one man single-handedly shattered that cocoon.

I would love to tell you how that happened but wouldn't it be nice to find it out on your own, dear readers?