22 October 2008
Yellow blocks, red blocks, green blocks, blue blocks.
"I want gray ones. And black too."
Kai chose all the red blocks from the basket and swept it to his side of the playroom. River gets up from between the pool of blocks she was in, being a little irritated by his actions. Besides Kai being her bestfriend, it doesn't justify his actions. She threw her hands over her hip giving him a challenging look.
"I thought you only wanted greys and blacks, Kai." Even though there aren't any greys or blacks.
"Come on, Ri. You can take all the yellow ones if you want."
Half heartedly she looked at the pile of abandoned yellows in the basket.
"But I..."
Kai makes a sad face which instantly makes River regret her anger. She immediately smiles and sits down, her hands etching towards her new favorite color. She can make her house with yellow. It doesn't have to be red. Always.
"What are you making, Kai?"
Kai's face lights up for a split second but goes back into a mysterious smile.
"You'll know when it's done."
River shouldn't probably be jealous of Kai using all her reds, provided that she's the one to visit him at his house. She can hear his mom cooking. It's going to be pizza. Or pasta. Kai always tells his mom to make fast food. We children like them. But River's mom makes her eat all the veggies at home. Plus she's working all the time, she never makes pizza or pasta.
"Kids. Come on. Food's ready."
River adores Kai's mom. It's early morning. 6:10 A.M. She woke them up at 6 and made them food all while they played blocks waiting for the launch. The launch of Chandrayaan 1 that Kai have been looking forward for months. River wouldn't miss it for the world. For him.
"You go, Ri. I'll be there soon."
Kai seems to be very much indulged in what he was making. River is worried if he'll finish by the time the countdown starts.
"No, I'll wait."
She says hesitantly but all her mind could think about is the smell of cheese from the dining.
"Go, Ri. You're hungry, right?"
"Not at all." She lies genuinely.
But her lie is uncovered by the monster in her belly. Embarrassed, she looks down at her feet surrounded by the blocks. Kai does not stop his childish laugh which makes River more aware of herself. She bends to take a block and throws it at him in defense playfully.
"Ouch." He cries but continues to laugh.
"You coming or not?"
"I'll be there, Ri. Let me finish this."
Kai goes back to his creation as River walks down the stairs to the dining. Kai's mom is sitting in one of the chairs, her head placed on the dining table, her brown hair falling over her partly closed eyes. Kai's mom is tired. River feels bad for agreeing to Kai's plan. She's a bad girl. Isn't she?
She places her foot on the wooden floor, her last step from the stairs as gently as she could but ends up making a noise and waking the poor sleeping mother up.
"River." She smiles at her brimmingly. Only chocolates can bring that kind of smile out of River. And maybe Kai too. But what makes Kai smile like that? She doesn't know.
