Her mother forcefully pulled her in the front to display her before their latest guests.
She hid her face in her mother's stomach, out of shyness. Everyone in the room laughed at the ten year old shy-soul, except for a girl, of around her age.
The girl approached the extremely shy creature that was her mother's friend's daughter, Payal, as she was informed before in their Premier Padmini during the ride.
The girl, Naina, touched Payal's shoulder.
Payal, when felt a hand on her shoulder, turned discreetly to look at the girl who didn't laugh at her like all others in the room.
Payal saw her smiling and her own lips tilted into a lopsided smile. She then fully turned around to face her.
" I am Naina. And I know your name, you are Payal, are not you?", Naina asked Payal, her voice just a faint whisper among the loud voices of their parents.
Payal could only manage to nod her head.
Naina took Payal's hand and said," Lets go to the terrace. We can talk there without anyone disturbing us."
Payal again nodded and whispered back," Okey, come with me. I will take you there."
------------------------------
Kamal and Mayank, both eleven years old, ran to the terrace as soon as they were forgotten by their parents. Their parents, after all, were too busy reminiscing their own childhood days to pay attention to their children.
They barged through the door onto the terrace to find Naina and Payal giggling uncontrollably while Payal tries to catch Naina.
Both girls stopped at ones when they saw the boys approaching. Naina smiled at the pair and Payal hid behind her new friend.
Naina took her cousin-brother Kamal's arm and dragged him to her new friend who was feeling shy again.
" This is my cousin, Kamal. We call him Kallu!", said Naina.
She and Mayank burst out laughing at the nickname while Kamal scowled at his cousin-sister and best friend. Payal couldn't help herself and she too joined them.
Kamal colored brilliantly and argued," What is there to laugh? Lord Krishna too had wheatish skin color!"
Payal's face lit up at the mention of her favorite God and she said shyly," Kamal is right. And I love Lord Krishna."
