Nikki vs Rikky

Chapter 5 -The Conflict

‘Really? Since when on a Friday night have you been so eager to brush your teeth straight after dinner and go to bed early?’ Ira pressed her lips tight and looked at Nikky with fixed eyes.

‘I just want to sleep early tonight. The physical education lesson was grilling,’ Nikky shot back. In reality, Mr. Kumar, the physical education instructor at her school, was absent due to a sore throat and the class had enjoyed a forty-five minute break. This was Nikky’s first deliberate lie to her mother, as she didn’t want to break the promise that she had made to Rikky about keeping her identity a secret.

There were some questions that were vexing Nikky, though. Rikky was too good to be true and if she disappeared suddenly, there was no way she could get in touch with her. The thought was distressing. A panicked Nikky waved her mother goodnight and hurried out of the living room.

Rikky had a wide smile when Nikky entered the bathroom, what they now addressed as the girls’ room. It sounded more personal.

‘There you are!’ Nikky was relieved seeing Rikky. ‘Listen, how do I find you if you disappear?’

The question took Rikky by surprise.

‘But why would I disappear?’

‘I don’t know, but...’

‘Actually, ’Rikky said cutting Nikky short, ‘I never gave it a thought, but there is a way you can visit me in Fantastica.’

‘Is there? How?’

‘Through this mirror!’

‘This is so cool.’ Nikky’s voice was full of excitement. She was about to say something when a thought struck her. ‘What would I tell mamma?’

Rikky looked composed. She folded her hands and raised one brow. ‘I have an idea. If you want to visit Fantastica on your own and see with your own eyes what a lovely world I come from, we can switch places for a day. I will cover for you until you see Fantastica.’

It was a tempting proposal but Nikky wasn’t able to make up her mind. Should she be really doing this? What if her mother finds out that Rikky really wasn’t Nikky? On one hand she didn’t want to further upset her mother. She had already troubled her ever since she started spending more time in the girls’ room with Rikky. But on the other visiting Fantastica was once-in-a-life chance and that too just for a day! How would a day make any difference? Besides, Rikky knew all about her and would be able to take care.

Just then she heard her mother’s footsteps in the corridor outside. Nikky frowned and spoke in a hushed tone, ‘Let’s do it tomorrow. Mamma will freak out if I don’t get out of here, now.’

‘Okay, that’s fine,’ Rikky replied.

Nikky quickly brushed her teeth and blew a kiss at Rikky. She had barely closed the bathroom door behind her when she remembered about the diary. She had to pen today’s events. Nikky flicked on the light and entered the girls’ room again. So did Rikky.

‘What is it?’ she inquired. Nikky gestured Rikky to wait and took out the diary from the secret spot. She waved it to Rikky and then silently left the bathroom.

Ira was in Nikky’s room a couple of minutes later. She tucked Nikky into bed, planted a kiss on her cheek and left. As the door closed, Nikky turned on the lamp and drew the little book from under her bed and turned to the day’s page. There was so much to write but she didn’t know from where to start. She waggled the pen between her fingers, thinking. Nikky faced a dilemma of whether she should really write about Rikky. The conflict was between a promise given to Rikky that their meeting would be a secret between the two of them and her personal journal.

After a few minutes of battling the thought, Nikky decided to write it. 
13 January 2023

Dear Diary,
You have just no idea what happened today!

Nikky’s hands quivered as she tried to write fast.

She felt she would forget everything if she didn’t pen down her thoughts quickly.