My friends and I crawled into my black civic while my driver brought the engine to life. Clad in Chiffon saris and and high heels, with gaudy jingling ornaments around our necks and wrists we sifted the palus of our saris. It was the night of our dreams,the day we were finally being transformed from our youthful energies to the sophistication of maturity. Well I spoke for myself only, as my friend,Laila still maintained quite a bit of childish verbosity.I sighed and cut her off.
"Laila you know it's time we start to act ladylike now.", I said, using my most convincing tone.
Laila laughed, one of those meaningless laughs that have great splendour in them. She always had that laugh now that I come to think of it; even as little girls I remember she had the most beautiful voice in the entire school and perhaps that's what gave her laugh this edge. It's my little secret, but the truth was that I had always been fascinated by Laila's laugh. It was just magical. Anyway waving a hand in my direction,Laila laughed again.
"Oh Alyana, you know it's just a night now, don't get so emotional about it eh" , she said patting my shoulder.
I sighed again, there was no convincing this girl; it was almost like teaching a elephant how to walk on two feet. Totally impossible.

The drive to school was a long one, maybe because we were stuck in the back with awful lots of fragile things hanging around us.I remember my mother saying something about this before we got into the car.
"You're going to have to be very careful girls,do everything with care okay.And Laila darling, you too."
Oh my mother also knew about Laila's ways, everyone one did.She was the most jolly person I had ever come across and not only that but she also had a heart of gold. However it was also true, that this boisterous girl on my right, got on to my nerves sometimes, well actually most of the times. Even now she was enlightening Maryam, with one of her wild stories. Well Maryam had the patience. She was always very calm and had great stamina too, putting up with Laila's silly pranks and my abrupt moods wings. She was just wonderful. And tonight she looked very pretty in her bottle green sari. Her hair were thrown open covering her shoulder. She was the only one who didn't go to the salon to get them made. She didn't need it, they were already dead straight and always managed to look great no matter what.
"Hey earth to Alyana" , Laila said bringing me back from my thoughts. "Where are you dude, I asked you a question."
"Yeah I heard it", I lied.
"OK, so what was it?" asked Laila, a smile playing on her lips.
Oh who was I kidding, she knew me too well.
"Alright, so what was it?", I said giving in.
"She wants to know if the earrings look too much,tell her they don't! ", Maryam tells me.
"Of course they don't! Laila I have already told you a million times,you look great okay.", I said earnestly.
"Yeah whatever.", said Laila still not convinced.

When our car pulled up in front of our school we were already covered with perspiration.
"Get out, get out!", said Laila, giving me a nudge.
"Okay, okay.", I replied not forgetting my mothers advise.Do everything with care. Actually the thing was that this was the first time I had ever worn heels in my life thus I was pretty scared.
"You'll be fine girl, but not if I push you out.Now hurry up", called out Laila from behind addressing my concerns.
I turned around and gave her a look saying: shut up, while someone honked from behind.
"For Gods sake, the universe is waiting Alyana"
"No there's a puddle of water outside, Karim chacha can you drop us of across the road?"
"Yes miss", answered my driver obediently.
"But then we'll have to walk all the way to the school", complained Laila."That's okay Laila", helped Maryam. "We need a little practise before we walk into the gates anyway"
I mouthed a thank you to Maryam as we turn around a green belt.
I got out of the car quickly as we stopped, not giving Laila any chance to complain anymore.She was as usual, getting on my nerves

The girls told me they would follow me,as soon as they fixed their crumpling saris.So I crossed the road alone.I didn't wait for them,as I already had a lot to look over. This saris thing was no easy business and the fact was that, I didn't want to ruin it before we entered the gates ,because even though there was a slim chance, yet a girl could always dream to become lady of the evening right? But I already knew it was going to be Laila. I didn't tell her because I didn't want to humour her vanity, but she looked beautiful.Just like a goddess with her green eyes and white sari. Honesty I was a little shocked at first when she chose white, but now I could see why; her cream coloured rosy skin, complemented the colour completely and her auburn hair in soft curls as well. I finally turned around to check on the them,when I reached the gate, a blinding red light hazed my vision and a I heard a scream and the screech of a car. After that everything happened too quickly. There was blood on the road and screams, Maryam's screams. But where was Laila?
"Laila?", I whispered afraid to look down on the road.
But there she was lying in the middle of a road, blood oozing out of her head,with a bonnet of a red car right next to her head.I ran towards her, ignoring my previous fears that seemed so distant already.
"Laila? Laila?", Maryam called out to her,tears running down her cheeks.
A crowd had begun to gather already and in a moment all my teachers and friends were there.Somebody called 1122, while a teacher asked me for Laila's parents number. But I was so dumb folded that I didn't understand a word she was saying. The teacher jostled me, bringing me back to my senses.
"Help me beta." She said in a soft voice.
I took out my phone and recited the number with a trembling voice,close to breaking down. I could already hear sirens of an ambulance getting closer and a in a moment a police car pulled over at the scene.There were people around me and they asked questions I didn't hear. All I could hear were Laila's words echoing through my brain:
''But then we'll have to walk all the way to school.''
Oh my God, I thought.Please God,please let Laila be alright.

The ambulance took Laila, while Maryam and a teacher followed in my car.When we reached the hospital, Laila's,Maryam's and my parents were already there.I got a glimpse of Laila's beautiful face while they were taking out the stretcher.She seemed to be sleeping,her lips set into a smile, as they took her away.They took my best friend,the girl who always manged to brighten us up, the girl who had more life in her than any of us together away, ironically to fight with life itself. At that moment I said a silent prayer to God and Maryam squeezed my hand, I knew she was doing the same.

The doctors took Laila into the operation theatre, while all of us, her family and friends waited outside for some good news.During those two hours, the hands on the clock seemed to freeze, every second felt like eternity.Maryam and I paced the room, while Laila's mother sat sobbing, quietly in a corner.
''Will she be alright, Maryam?'',I asked.
''I pray so'',she replied, not able to match my gaze.
For a moment both of us stood there, saying nothing.I thought about what Laila would have said if she were here:
''Gosh guys, stop being such cry babies.Or do you want me to punch you in the face and make you cry for real eh?''.
I could almost hear her laugh.And that made me smile.Maryam looked over and smiled back at me.
''Everything would be okay Ayana,I know.'', she said sounding more reassured now.

But fate had something else in mind and the doors of the Operation Theatre opened.I watched the doctor come out with wan face.At once Uncle Azim, Laila's father was at his side with questioning eyes.
''I'm very sorry sir ,but she had lost too much blood.'',the doctor said holding on to Uncle Azim.
A shiver went through the entire room but the sickly truth seemed to envelope no one.
''What are you saying?'', burst Laila's mother, her distraught, green eyes wide.
Uncle Azim held on to her, while others rushed to support the crumbling mother.I tried to move towards her but my sari caught between my feet and I fell over.Laila,please no. I sat there on the ground for sometime that way.I just couldn't be true because this was Laila we were talking about, she would just walk through the door and look at everyone with disbelief.Maryam sat down next to me.
''But we have a Farewell to go to'', I said, my eyesight blurred with tears I held back.
Maryam looked at me but I could tell she was somewhere else.
''Maryam? Please.'', I said uncertain about what I wanted from her.
But then suddenly I couldn't hold on anymore and I hugged her.I waited for Laila to hug us both from behind.That was how it had always been.But I waited and waited, yet I couldn't feel her soft arms embracing us.I hadn't even got the time to tell her that she was going to be lady of the evening, or the secret about how much I loved her laugh.Would I never be able to hear that musical note again? Was I never going to hear Laila complain again? But - I couldn't understand. And now that I look back at it, I still don't understand.Years have gone by but a emptiness still remains ,for a friend... a sister that I lost years ago.