Egbert

For whom the bell tolls

It takes an hour for me to get out of bed in the morning. There's a stain on the ceiling that looks oddly like her hair, leaving me too emotional to move. That and the fact that it's freezing. Autumn is beginning. I get up with just enough time to get changed before the carpool is outside, the first time that's happened in ages, usually I'm always at Vikram's before we leave.

"Sorry I overslept I apologise."

"It's your last day Egbert! Look more energised than that." Vikram's mother roots around the car door pocket and pulls out a square present all wrapped in blue. "I should be very angry that you did not tell me you were going to a new school. But your mummy ji told me everything and I understand that you are sad. Lehkhen Putaar, it's a new chapter of your life." I pull at the paper carefully while Preeti peers back at me and Vikram stares eagerly out of the window, clearly avoiding any emotions this present will bring. I wish I had waited to open it after school.

I remember the photo sitting in the plain wooden frame so clearly. But it was taken when we were almost five. A year after I knew them mother had left me around there house while she was going somewhere or the other, I can't quite remember. It was one of the hottest days of the year, so Preeti had the bright idea to dig a hole and fill it with water as a swimming pool. Between the three of us we managed to make quite a mess. It was Aaditiya's direction that had gotten a large hole dug and filled with water from the hose. We hadn't counted on the water becoming as muddy as it did and we ended up way more hot and bothered. It was Vikram's father who found us in the backyard all mudded up. Instead of being angry he chased us around with the hose to clean us up and dry us off and his mother documented the incident with a Polaroid. I have to fight back the tears as I look at the image of us running in every direction, while Preeti uses me as a human shield, I don't seem to mind though with my arms pushed high into the air and my mouth agape.

From the front seat Vikram's mother spares a glance back. "It's okay to be sad. This is a very sad thing. One day this sadness will have its place, it will just take time. But you are not losing us, so don't think for even a minute you won't be writing to us and calling us every week okay? And this new school will let you visit. It won't be too long, only a few years compared to the rest of your life. You'll be back in no time."

She parks up the car and ushers us out, "now smile and have fun." I kiss her cheek through the window before she drives off.

Vikram adjust his foggy glasses and Preeti doesn't run away to her group of friends as soon as she steps out of the car. She stays with us and pulls the photo frame from my hand. "Hah! Look Ram, your little mud covered butt cheek!" He snatches the gift from her and examines himself, true to her description, young Vikram is splayed out on the muddy grass with his trousers hanging half off his butt, clearly pulled by Aadit who stands to the side laughing. "Oh yeah, well at least I'm not hiding behind Eg like a coward!" he bites back. She rolls her eyes, "for your information he stepped in front of me!"

"That's not how I remember it." I say. "You pulled me when your dad cornered you with the hose, remember?"

"Shut up." She knocks her shoulder against mine without a hint of actual anger. Actually she looks a little poignant.

"You're going to miss me." I chide smugly.

"Not even a little." She shoots back, smugger than me. Hans chooses that moment to join us, eyeing up the photo in Vikram's hand before he hands it back to me and I put it my bag quickly, to avoid Hans seeing his muddy butt cheek.

"Besides why would I?" She moves over to Hans side and links arms with him. "there's a new pasty weirdo to replace you."

"Um... thanks?" Hans looks sceptically at her.