Your Hand In Mine.

I wasn't really thinking about writing this one until yesterday. A brief Skype call and a sweet request got my mind working. She said to me," Jay, my birthday is coming up, could you please write something for me as a birthday gift?" Oh Yes! I sure will...

 p.s. she is just a friend. (I think it is necesaary to state this to avoid any msunderstandings)

My first real Brazilian friend.(I won't take names) Schoolmate.. A year older to me. Beautiful, really, like most Brazilian girls. At first impression she looked like one of those cheap, wannabe girls. How wrong could I be! My first day at school, I was bewildered, I had no idea what was happening. This girl comes up to me like we have been the best of friends for decades and starts talking 'Brazilian English' (Very strange, sometimes difficult to understand). She is dancing, singing, doing all sorts of crazy stuf. First Impression. Bad. 
As days passed by, every recess she came to talk to me. In English. The people around made fun of her for getting a lot of it wrong... Then she said,"Atleast I'm trying" Boom. Ranade impressed. Then, I started hanging out with her more and I learnt that there was a lot more to this girl than it seemed at first. We had lunch together, every recess we played volleyball together (She got me into playing volleyball here), after every class I went to drink water because the 'water machine' was near her class, after every recess we went to our respective classes together hand in hand, to be honest, we became pretty good friends. This girl made me feel like one of them. She made me feel accepted. She also tried to protect me when anyone was making fun of me... 'The sister I never had' is my interpretation of our friendship.
She was also responsible for an unforgettable moment in my life. I don't know if she still remembers it, but I certainly do. Very clearly, that too. I was settling in pretty well in the school and she had become someone worth calling a friend. I got her cellphone number that day and like a 'cool guy' I called her when the class was on. She did not pick up, quite expected. When the class ended I went to have my sip of water (as usual) and I saw her crying outside her classroom. I went to her and asked what had happened. She replied in a trembling voice," I forgot to put my phone on silent and now the teacher has it and he called my dad and now my dad is very angry and the school will give me my phone after a month". I was speechless, rocked to the core. I was the reason behind a Brazilian girls tears. I could do nothing at all. I just went back to my class with a heavy heart. The teacher who had her phone was in my classroom now, she came with him, pleading. He simply said no. She left. I suddenly remembered that I hadn't even said sorry! I asked the teacher permission to go and apologize. He let me go. I went running through the corridor and met her. I said the most honest 'Sorry' I ever had in my life. I kept on saying it.. I even offered her my phone to use. She simply wiped her tears, grasped my hands TIGHTLY, smiled and said," It's Ok, Jay. Happens."
Those, Ladies and Gentlemen, are some of the most amazing words I have heard. I mean it. She told me to go back to my classroom. That girl, became my best Brazilian friend that day. I know nobody who would have done what she did. I haven't felt anger since that day. Whenever something happens that would make me angry, I always remember this moment and all the hate and anger disappears into thin air.

She turns 18 on the 4th of February... She has invited me to go with her family to her uncle's house. I can never say no to this girl. Happy Birthday in advance to the Most Amazing Brazilian Woman I know. Cheers.
Te amo,

Jay Rahul Ranade. :)