Meet me on the roof

CHAPTER 2 - TUMMY

AKRITI

AGE: 12

"Will you please get me a glass of water?" I say to Sahil who was sitting on my bed playing games on my computer.

"I am not talking to you."

"why?" I ask him and make a puppy face to melt him. But his do not waver from the screen.

"Because you ate all my chocolates, Aki."

"I am sorry, bunny. I pinky promise to never do that again." He ignores me and I go downstairs to the kitchen to fetch water myself. I feel like crying because he is being so mean to me.

I feel way too emotional these days.

A lone tear rolls down my cheek, I tap on my mother's shoulder and she turns around to look at me.

"Oh my baby, what happened? Why are you crying?"

"Sahil refused to bring water for me and I have an ache in my tummy." I sniff and cry.

"It's okay, sweetheart. Let me get you." She gives me water in my favourite pink tumbler with bunnies on it.

"Thank you mama, I love you and can you scold sahil for me."

"Done." She says and kisses my cheek

"HOLY HELL! SHE IS BLEEDING." My brother says with a scream.

"WHAT?!" My mother exclaims and turns me around. I look at it twisting my neck and my butt is covered in blood. I scream. "Ahhhhhhhhhhhh."

"MOM! I AM DYING."

"OH GOD, SHE IS HAVING PERIODS. I THINK I AM GOING TO FAINT." My brother Akash holds his head and dramatically sits on the chair.

While I just keep crying. Am I really dying?

"Mom, can I see sahil one last time before I die?"

"You are not dying, it's just a period."

"Please let me see him."

"Listen to me Akriti, baby you are not dying not before I do, it's ominous to say such things and you are having your period, first let's get you changed and then I will explain. Okay?"

"Okay." I whisper.

My mom carries me to my room and Sahil sees us, he pauses whatever game he was playing and looks at my miserable crying face.

"Why are you crying? Aki." He practically sprints to me and wipes my tears from his thumb.

"sweetheart why don't you go home for a while, Akriti is down with something. You can talk later okay?"

"Okay aunty." He says and waves me good bye after kissing my cheek. I smile at him.

"Bye, Aki."

"Bye, Bunny. I will meet you on the roof if I feel okay"

"Me too." He replies back.

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"Will they happen every month along with this god awful tummy pain?" I ask my mom and widen my eyes with horror.

"yes, but it's god's sign that you are turning into a big girl now."

God, this is not fair.

"Really? No."

"Yes." She says and kisses my forehead.

"Take a rest, my sweet sweet girl." She tucks me in and I sleep.

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"Aki, Aki." Sahil stirs me up from my sleep. He has been coming here almost every night since we were 9.

He climbs down the stairs and enters my room which is just adjacent to the door that leads to the stairs of the roof. I keep it open for Sahil to enter. He would leave very early in the morning before my mom comes to my room top wake me up but usually I am awake during the time so that we don't get caught.

"Hi, Bunny." I smile at him and my eyes try to trace him in the dark.

"How are you? I was so worried. I am sorry for hurting you while you were having your period or whatever you girls calls it."

"How do you know?"

"My sister told me after your mother told her."

"Oh."

"Yeah, you want me to massage your tummy? Does it hurt?"

"Yeah, it does and mom says its going to happen every month, I don't want this pain, Bunny."

"I really wish I could help you, but my sister says it's natural and women can't stop it until they are 40 or something."

"Oh lord," I burst into small cries and Sahil lays down beside me, I hide my face in his chest and cry. He lies there with me and soothes me by rubbing my back or my head.

"I love you, Bunny." I say to him when I am done crying.

"I love you too, Aki."

I then drift to my dreamland with my favourite person in the whole wide world.

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WORD COUNT- 715