"Do you not wish to talk to me in school?", she asked, sounding quite angry. I didn't know what to say. I was feeling a little embarrassed. I mean, I obviously did want to talk to her. But I wasn't used to talking to girls. Certainly not face to face. I mean, when you're texting online, you can say a lot of stuff that you wouldn't be able to otherwise. Maybe that's because the other person can't come out through your phone and slap you and go back. Most of the kids our age flirt online only. I was no different.
"It's not like that, Saisha", I began. "I didn't want Cyclops to think there was something going on between us. You know how weird she is about this stuff." I was hoping she'd buy it. Two very anxious minutes later, she finally said, "I guess you're right. I was stupid, thinking that way. I'm sorry", she said, taking my hand. It was as if electricity was flowing through all my veins and arteries. I couldn't help but jump up a little. Vikram, walking a few steps to my right, smirked.
"You alright, Kabir?", she asked. "Yeah I think something went into my shoe. It's gone now, though!" Vikram smirked again. I was in a good mind to push him straight under a bus or something.
We were going back home from school. Saisha was walking with us for the first time. Usually it would just be me and Vikram. Samir had cricket practice daily after school, so he didn't bother going home and back. He would eat his lunch at the canteen with the rest of the team and return home only after seven. Then he'd come to tuitions with us till 9, and then we would go for a jog in the park. The guy was a robot, I tell you.
"Why's she coming with us today? Where's her fancy car today?", Vikram asked me. "Excuse me, I'm standing right here! That was so rude!", exclaimed Saisha. She wasn't used to him yet. I glowered at Vikram. He stared back defiantly, and without a word, started walking faster. I hung back, and apologized to her. "Why is he such a prick?", she asked. If it were someone else, I would've defended Vikram and asked them to go to hell. But this girl was different. I just shook my head and walked along with her. We talked about random stuff, and the distance from school to home seemed to be very less. Before I knew it, I had reached home. Vikram was staring at us from the house next-door. He looked as if he was trying to tell me something. I pretended not to notice. "So you live here?", she asked. I nodded. Then I noticed Mom. She was standing at the door. She must've rushed home after Hottie's call. Damn, I thought. Just what I needed. Mom was already pretty mad at me. And now this. Saisha seemed to notice that I was no longer paying attention to what she was saying. I saw the look on Mom's fce, and ran into the house, without even saying goodbye to her. She looked dumbstruck. Mom banged the door shut after me.
Saisha started walking home. She lived in the same locality, just a block away. Just as she turned the corner, she caught Vikram sighing and shaking his head. What a prick, she thought.
"Explain." This word meant that my mother's decision was made, and no matter how logical an explanation I gave, I won't be forgiven. Hottie seemed to have had a really serious talk with her. The look on her face was almost murderous. I tried to look calm. "I got nothing", I said. "What?", came the reply. "You won't even bother explaining anymore? Who was that girl? For how long has this been going on?"
I was thrown off-track. "What?", I asked, confused. I was expecting her to lash out on me about talking back to teachers and calling them names. But this is what she's suddenly mad about? That I was talking to a girl?
"She's a friend, Ma. She lives just around the corner, in the next block", I managed. "Friend or girlfriend?", she said. I rolled my eyes. I wish, I thought. "Just a friend. She's new to the area so I thought I'd walk with her. Vikram was with us too", I added hopefully. My Mom thought Vikram was the epitome of goodness. She was always going on about how he managed to score more than both me and Samir, and how quiet he was. She thought the sun shone out of every orifice in his body.
"Oh!", she exclaimed, softening a little. "Then it's okay". Of course it was okay now. Anything that involved Vikram could never be wrong, according to my Mom. "Since I'm home today, I made pasta. Go change and come down quickly", she said, going into the kitchen. I did a silent pirouette and danced away upstairs, thanking all three hundred and thirty million gods in my religion. I couldn't believe it. Knowingly or unknowingly, Saisha Jain had saved me from what seemed an inevitable doom. I went into my room, and looking into the mirror, asked out loud, "Am I the luckiest guy in the world or what?" A voice inside my head sniggered. Saisha likes Samir, not you, it said. Ah, well. I guess one can't have everything in life. Atleast I had pasta. Not bad. Not bad at all.
