#Aman.
We crept slowly through the streets, which had now opened up a bit courtesy the sun shining over our head.
While on the way back, I could see Rasheed blinking over and again, as if taking vivid snapshots of every bit of snowflake and every crinkled leaf on the trees, which he could carry back home in his head.
For me, snow was nothing too special, but just an anticipated affair for December and the only reason behind me awaiting it, was the kick start of the winter vacations.
And that was why I smiled to every pouring snowflake, hoping that the fall continued till January end.
Still, I could see Rasheed's forehead battling the wrinkles and sweat, which indicated stress.
When asked about, he answered back with his worries on the excuse he was going to put forward to his ammi.
Rasheed loved his ammi more than anyone in this world, and I could always sense the strength of the bond they shared.
And maybe that's why I always came up, ready with a hundred of excuses which would save him a lot of scolding.
I smiled at him, and just pointed my index finger to my brain.
I guessed he understood, since he responded with a nod, and an innocent smile. But no matter how hard he tried to smile; those wrinkles never seemed to leave his forehead.
While walking back, we took the long way through the monthly market. The market as always was full of people. No matter how hard God went at the weather, he could never stop women and children frolicking around with bags full of new outfits for the season.
We could see newly married couples, out shopping for tiny sweaters for their new born babies who started crying as soon as the dog barked at the corner of the street.
We made faces at them, and they smiled at us.
Rasheed seemed to have fallen in love with the every bit of life happening around, and that just added to my happiness.
I had known Rasheed for over ten years, and I knew how lonely he was at heart.
I could never imagine a day without my dad, or without my right leg.
The sight of the shoe rack at rasheed's house always made my heart cry out. It was very difficult to see a shoe rack filled only with shoes for the left leg.
''honk honk'' was what I heard as I broke out of the window of my thoughts.
''star gazer, watch out you jerk'', yelled out the man in the driving seat, as he sped off when I got out of his way.
I could have yelled back angrily at him, but when I saw Rasheed break into nig fits of laughter, I joined in effortlessly.
After a short hour of ambling, we ultimately reached Rasheed's place. I advised an entry through the main gate, and he hesitantly agreed.
I glared a look at him while he was busy biting his nails, and I sensed the fear fizzing in his mind.
''Rasheed, where were you ?'', yelled out his ammi.
I could feel the furious knack I her voice, and before Rasheed could manage to speak out a word of truth, I interrupted.
'Khala, it was mom who wanted to see Rasheed.'', I lied confidently.
''look, she has also sent halwa for both of you'', I added as I pulled out the tiffin out of my side pocket.
All I feared was the halwa coming out as frozen.
But fortunately it didn't happen, and I heaved a deep sigh of relief.
I saw a relieving smile on Rasheed's face as khala left him with a short and sweet warning. We looked at each other through the corner of the eye, and shared a victory smile.
I walked out of Rasheed's place only after a two hour long game of chess, which I lost, as always.
''I always have this strategy, but it just doesn't work'', had to be my words of excuse for my sixth straight defeat in December.
But I was glad I succeeded in spreading a smile over his face, though I wanted to get better on the board.
On my way back home, I tripped over a big pointed stone, was chased by a stray dog, and still managed to get a few delicious apples from the tree in the central park.
As I entered my room, my mind classified the day as 'eventful', and a thought of her suddenly hit me.
I tried to ignore the face in my mind, and looked at the big stack of books waiting for me at the study table.
I looked at the giant calendar on my wall, and it read 17th December. I still had a lot more days to go for the homework.
But then something struck me, and I looked again at the calendar, Tuesday it read.
I couldn't help but go reminiscent.
'' Tuesday '', I murmured as I lay on my bed.
Yes, Tuesday used to be the day, when the Army jeep used to arrive at the grandeur's cricket club.
Madan used to arrive early at 6 a.m. sharp; by the time our group of four was still busy unpacking our cricket kits.
He would walk in straight, like a don in his territory, and occupy the only pitch available to play on.
We could never mess with him on that, or anything.
Madan, a 35 year old, happily married army colonel, used to be one of the most senior of all the local players in Alheb.
He was that one guy, who could take on every bowler, any day.
Owing to a body structure as tall as 5 inches added to a 6 feet and a chest as wide and strong as the walls made up of sun baked bricks, everyone could just imagine him battling out a pack of horrifying terrorists on the border.
And even the way he carried his kit suggested as if he was carrying a sack hoarded with weapons, on a retaliation mission.
With a personality as such, he used to be earn a bunch of people cursing his ways.
But then there was something he carried along with himself every Tuesday that saved him the curses.
Laila, a girl around three years elder than me, as I presumed on my first inspection, used to make her way into the club every Tuesday with her rude father.
She looked like a flower that basked in the utter glaze of an early morning. She carried that bounty of lusture and serenity in her looks that could defy every other girl in town, and maybe that's why ''the grandeur's'' had more players than expected, every Tuesday.
But Madan was a possessive dad, and I never questioned this aspect of his personality.
If I had a daughter as beautiful, I would have been the same.
I ignored Laila for a few Tuesdays, but I was a teenager.
With a heart that could easily fall in love.
.....................................................................................................................................
Ammi - mother.
Khala - aunt (in urdu)
Halwa- refers to a dessert of a dense consistency, served across middle east.
