A Story That's Been Part Of Everyone's Life

Chapter 1 (the one and the only;))

I set my jaw. Tied my handkerchief tight around my forehead. You can do this Kacy, I chided myself. I turned my chair around so that I was facing my desk, which was playing the cruellest part of lifting the cunning book high enough for me to be able to see it even when I looked straight ahead of me.

I reluctantly dropped my gaze to the evil book, already inching away from it till my back hit the backrest. My heart raced. You can do this. You got this. I gingerly picked up my pen and willed my hand to go towards the wickedly-grinning book.

You can't scare an 11-year-old that easily, I tried to say the book telepathically. And like a brave soldier. I yanked the book open to page no. 51, and stared at the length of the math exercise we had to solve and submit tomorrow.

Just 25 questions, this isn't going to be that hard, my brain soothed me.

This is going to be pretty hard, my other part of the brain argued.

Shhhh! Keep quiet and mind your own business! My soothing part of the brain snapped.

Or what?!? Challenged my heated part of the brain.

Or NO television! NO CHHOTA BHEEM!! Scolded my matured part of the brain.

WHAT? Nooooo..., groaned my still childish part of the brain.

Choose what you wanna do, said my brain part 1 coolly.

There is no choice, said my brain part 2 in total misery.

***

Phew! I thought as I removed my handkerchief, threw it away, and wiped my forehead with the back of my hand.

I did it. I grinned ear to ear to myself. Time for some Chhota Bheem. Just then my mom's phone rang and I ran to hand it over to her, who was in the kitchen, probably out of earshot. But when I saw the name flashing on the screen, I stopped midway. It was Mia, my best friend.

I tapped the jingling green circle with the telephone receiver figure lingering inside it, and held the phone to my left ear.

"Hey, Mia. Why'd you call?" I asked.

"Hey, Kacy. Did you do the math homework?" asked Mia.

"Yes!! I did it!" I answered triumphantly.

"What's the answer to question no.32?"

"Wait a second...," I said, confused.

I dashed back for my book and opened the book to the page of the exercise.

"Check again, Mia. There is no question no. 32 in this exercise."

"No, there is. Open to page no. 52," she insisted.

I turned the page around and the shock was enough to paralyze my brain part 1 for a lifetime. The exercise continued till question no. 50!!

"I didn't see the next page. I'll have to do it now," I said in a defeated voice.

"Oh, please tell me if you are able to do question no. 32, I'll skip it for now and move onto 33. Bye!"

"Bye," I said, barely audible, and the line went dead.

A piece of cake, my brain part 1 coaxed me in a sheepish voice.

A piece of porridge, you mean, shot my brain part 2 back. But there was no choice, it was either I could watch Chhota Bheem and then suffer the teacher's wrath the next day even after doing half of the homework, or do the remaining part and watch Chhota Bheem tomorrow.

I sighed, showing that my brain part 1 had once again won the debate, and went to find my handkerchief. God knows where I threw it. Probably out the window.