Now the author is back with another exciting title:From Twinkle, With Love.
CHAPTER 1
Monday, June 1stHomeroom
Hello,namaste,buenos dias, andbonjour, Mira Nair!
And ugh, the only one whos still sixteen.
Credit: Timothy Falls
But that doesnt matter.
If you only learn one thing about me, its that I think I have a filmmakers soul.
Like you, Mira.
There are so many universes I want to explore with my camera.
BFF: Maddie Tanaka.
Well, used to be, anyway.
Now its…complicated.
So, now that were acquainted, can I just say that Im a huuuuge fan?
Like, the biggest.
I mean, okay, Im not deluded.
I know youre never going to read this in a million years.
But somehow, writing to you in here feels like youre listening.
This diary was a birthday present from Dadi, by the way.
She was all, Take this, Twinkle.
Anyway, it sat in my desk drawer for about nine months but then I thought, Why not?
Whats it going to hurt to try and journal?
I thought writing to my fave female filmmakers would be way more fun than writing to myself.
Or to one of Dadis soul bearers from beyond the veil.
(Too long of a story to go into right now.)
Some might call people like me losers.
I myself prefer the term groundlings.
But Shakespeare would never have gotten famous if he hadnt appealed to the groundlings.
Heres a little secret, though: I wouldntcompletelymind if I was something other than a groundling.
Its not like Im silk feathered hat material or anything, but still.
Maybe Ill ask Dadi if she knows any incantations thatll grow me a courage gland.
Oops, theres the bell.
Love,Twinkle
Still Monday, June 1stAP Bio
Hey-o, Mira.
And you wanna know what Maddies doing?
Drawing a six-color diagram of said life cycle.
I guess she doesnt make mistakes?
Even Mrs. Mears, thebiologist, didnt draw us a diagram.
But Maddie probably wants to be thorough.
She just gets them alot), along with the date, and underlined everything three times.
Maddie wants to be a physician scientist.
Yeah, thats really a thing.
Shes sort of a genius.
It must run in the family.
Plus, Maddies ultra rich.
She lives in one of those old neighborhoods in Broadmoor in a giant mansion.
Shes still super ambitious.
Meanwhile Im like, maybe Ill waitress/travel after high school?
Or go to film school at USC if I can get a scholarship?
Or live in my parents house forever, decrying the death of the arts?
Maybe thats why our friendship is as doomed as the Globe Theatre.
Maybe Im not ambitious enough for Maddie.
Or, or, or.
Mrs. Mears is giving me theevilicus eyelicus.
drinking coffee and lounging like the half-Indian, half-white god he is.
Its a travesty, but the only class we share right now is AP English.
Hes pretty bad at it, for someone whos definitely headed to Harvard.
He implied she was being dumb.
And I was like,Neil.
I even opened my mouth to say that.
But then I closed it.
And anyway, this was Neil.
He was sitting there, his legs splayed like he owned the place.
I love swim season.
Neil, in swim trunks.
Broad male shoulders glistening with water.
The smell of chlorine.
Neil, in swim trunks.
Ive always felt like I was meant to be more than an invisible wallflower.
I walked up to the counter, over-aware that Neil was behind me now.
Was my back sweaty?
Was my t-shirt sticking to me?
Could he see my cringesome ratty beige bra through it?
I casually loosened my braid so my hair could cover what my t-shirt might not be.
Then I tossed a strand over my shoulder and hazarded a look at his table.
He hadnt even noticed me.
I deflated a little.
I glanced around the cafe at the other silk feathered hats.
None of them had noticed me, either.
I deflated even more, until I was about half my original size.
Look it up).
Theyre total groundlings, too.
His name badge read Stan.
Hi, Stan, I said.
Can I get a small iced mocha?
He barely looked at it before handing it back.
No, no, its not.
I pointed to the fine print, my palms getting sweaty even at this tiny amount of confrontation.
It says June 1st is the last day to claim this.
And its June 1st.
Stans mustache twitched spitefully as he pointed to thefinerfine print.
It says June 1st at 5 PM.
And it is now…
He checked his wristwatch.
He was denying me for a lousy twenty-four minutes.
Okay, Stalin, I muttered as I stuffed the coupon back into my pocket.
He leaned toward me.
What did you say?
His mustache quivered indignantly, almost independent of his face.
I said, um, thanks, Sta-an.
I stretched his name into two syllables to make the lie more believable and smiled weakly.
So are you gonna get anything or not?
he asked, eying me like I was a bug hed found swimming in his perfect coffee.
I looked at the menu and sighed.
It was almost five dollars for the coffee, which was my lunch allowance for the week.
If I bought it, Id have to do without at school, and hungry Twinkle was hangry Twinkle.
No, thats okay, I said, my cheeks hot.
In that instant, I was kind of glad about my invisibility powers.
At least none of the silk feathered hats had heard how Twinkle Mehra couldnt even afford an iced mocha.
In my hurry to escape, I almost smacked face-first into a muscled chest.
ITSHIMITSNEILOHMYGO oh, wait.
My brain registered more details, like the red skull on the black t-shirt.
The smile that was half-shy, half-awkward, not at all like Neils full-on, sear-your-retinas-with-its-strength-but-you-wont-even notice-the-pain-because-its-so-glorious smile.
Oh, hey, Sahil, I said, trying to go around him.
I could buy you that coffee?
he said, pivoting to see me.
Um, if you want?
Specifically how they have it and I dont.
Thats…nice, but you dont have to do that.
Um, heat wave.
Was that supposed to make sense?
I…just meant theres a heat wave outside.
You definitely need an iced coffee.
Then he grinned suddenly, this thing that set all his teeth on display, and leaned back.
It all had a very rehearsed vibe.
Sadly, I was too late delivering point (b).
Sahil sent it flying to the floor, and the napkins wenteverywhere.
He stared at the mess for a minute in silence.
Oh god, Im so sorry, Sahil said as I rubbed my forehead.
Ill have that iced mocha after all.
I figured it was easier to just accept than risk another mini-disaster.
I smiled at Sahil.
He waved me off.
Ah, no, no worries.
His eyes were locked on mine and everything.
At least, thats what I thought at first.
But then he got closer and I saw he was looking at his brother Sahil.JustSahil.
Yo, Im heading over to Patricks, he said.
Can you catch a ride with someone?
Sure, Sahil said, turning back to me.
And then Neil Roy winked at me.
Neil Roy asked me a freaking question.
And I responded by gawking at him.
What should I say?
Something cool and casual and maybe even a little bit funny?
The seconds ticked by.
I realized I was still standing there with this idiotic, glazed smile on my face.
OH MY GOD TWINKLE, JUST SAY SOMETHING.
But by the time Id decided to rejoinder with a perfectly acceptable, Pretty good, and you?
his back was already to me.
And those bulging calf muscles were taking him to the door.
I blinked Sahil back into focus, trying to ignore the thudding disappointment at my own geekiness.
That was the sort of guy shiny, future Twinkle Mehra should date.
Id missed what Sahil was saying again because I was ogling his brother.Anyway, context.
Look at his face.
What might he have said?
He was holding out a business card.
I took it, frowning slightly.
Sahil Roy, film critic, it said.
There was a phone number below it.
Youre into films, arent you?
he asked, tugging at his t-shirt.
Am I into films?
Only like Bill Nye is into science.
Mm hmm, I said.
Sahil smiled his shy/awkward smile.
I am, too.
You should think about joining the film club sometime.
He rubbed the top of his ear.
And thats, uh, my cell number there.
He cleared his throat and then coughed violently, choking on his own spit.
I patted him on the back while he stared at me, his eyes wide.
Do you need some water?
I was starting to get worried about the color his face was turning.
Aaron tossed me a smile and I nodded back.
I found Stan holding out my cup and I took it.
I walked up to Sahils table.
Hey, uh, thanks again for the coffee.
I gotta go, but it was nice seeing you guys.
Aaron and Skid held up a hand and Sahil cleared his throat.
Sure, no problem, he said, all hoarse and funny sounding.
How could two brothers be so different, honestly?
I looked for Neil once I was back outside, but he was long gone.
Our Bollywood romance would have to wait.
One day, though.
One day Ill be the Alia Bhatt to his Shahid Kapoor.
