6 Chapter 6 Most Important Person in the world

Their first such hug had been at the age of thirteen!

Fourteen years ago

It was the first day of grade 7 and the school had reopened after the long summer break. Unlike previous occasions when all the four children spent at least half of their holidays together, both Zheng Li Jie and Lin Jia Li had been away for the entire duration this time. Zheng Li Jie had gone to visit his cousins abroad while Lin Jia Li had gone to her grandmother's house and had been delayed due to the lady's unexpected demise.

As a result, her family had reached back only late last night and Xie Tang wasn't sure if she would come to school that day. For some reason, he had been miserable the entire vacation and there had been a constant uneasiness in the pit of his stomach, almost like an ache. At one point his parents had taken him to the doctor to check his well-being. The school bell had rung indicating the start of assembly and a dejected Xie Tang turned away from the entrance gate.

"Xie Tang, wait for me", shouted a voice.

With a wide smile spreading on his skinny face, he had turned around.

He was almost thrown off balance as Lin Jia Li came running and jumped up to loop her arms around his neck and hold him tight. His entire world had condensed to the moment and the misery of the past couple of months melted away. His hands had crept up to hold her just above the small curve of her waist. He didn't know for how long did they stand there like that. Nor could he register anything that she chattered non-stop in his ears. There was a strange buzz in his head and he had spent that entire day post that in a happy daze.

"Deng Chung, I want to show my insect collection project to Jia Li. You have already seen it, right? And Li Jie's mother is making him finish his pending summer homework. So today none of us are going to come play in the park", Xie Tang had tried to wiggle out from the evening play-time.

"It doesn't matter. I shall come hang at your house and once you finish showing Jia Li the project, we shall play", Deng Chung had countered.

An irritated Xie Tang had snapped back, "why don't you find someone else to play with today, Fatty?"

Deng Chung had turned away with hurt and confusion written all over his face. "Wait, I am so-sorry. I didn't mean to say those words. I have no idea what is wrong with me. The truth is that I just want to spend some time with Jia Li today", he had whispered contritely to his friend.

"It's ok. I think you like her the most out of all of us", Deng Chung had replied in a serious tone, forgiving him instantly.

"You have been behaving like this the entire time ever since she went away to her grandmother's house. Now that she is back, I hope you will also feel better", he had comforted Xie Tang.

Xie Tang parted ways with his friend after apologising once more but Deng Chung's words kept playing in his mind all through the afternoon.

"Ok, here I am. Show me your world's best insects collection", teased Jia Li, plonking herself on Xie Tang's bed.

With a creamy complexion and sea green eyes, she looked like a doll with wavy auburn hair. The only thing lacking was her height and her mother often lamented about it.

He came to sit beside her and said, "I want to tell you something. Promise me, you will not laugh".

At her encouraging nod, he continued, "I missed you terribly during the past two months. I didn't feel like doing anything. Even the prospect of ice cream at our favourite shop didn't excite me. Dad went on a trip to Shanghai and finally got me the video game, the one I have been begging for the longest time. But I haven't even played with it even once. There is no fun without you in doing anything."

With misty eyes, she had replied, "I missed you too. You know you are my bestest friend, right? I even thought about writing to you from there but under the circumstances, no one would have gone to post my letters. I am truly sorry that you were unhappy during the vacation. But now I am back and I promise I shall make up for it".

That day onwards, everything in Xie Tang's life changed. Each and every decision from smallest to biggest was taken keeping Jia Li and her happiness in his mind. She had become the most important person for him or maybe she had been so from before but the realisation had dawned now.