Happy reading<3
. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.
The gate was crowded with students and parents , Ishika stood at the bicycle parking with her cycle waiting for the crowd to lessen. The crowd seemed to grow larger with every second.
A sharp shrill of bell ringing cut through the noise of the crowd. A dark green bicycle stopped right in front of her—Kabir sat on it, looking very smug about something.
“Mr.Kabir to the rescue…once again.” Kabir announced , getting off the cycle. He leaned against his cycle, folding his arms.
“Rescue?” Ishika asked , looking around for the person who needed to be rescued.
“Yes,” Kabir said as if it was obvious. “If you keep waiting for the crowd to disappear then you will reach home next day.”
“…Oh!” She muttered a little awkward.
“Let's GOOO!” He shouted immediately, clearing the awkward air. Few parents and students turned to glance at them, Ishika's ear turned red though she giggled at his energy.
She followed him as he cycled in front, clearing the crowd shouting 'shoo-shoo' at random people.
“Get aside! Brake is not working!!” Kabir shouted lying. Surprisingly, people believed it and made way for them.
Eventually, they reached a little far from the school, there wasn't much crowd so they got off the cycle and walked beside each other.
The afternoon sun created a warm aura, while the cold wind added softness in it. They both walked on the empty cycle lane in silence.
“Where do you live?” Kabir iniated the conversation. The wind blew his hair , messing through his curls.
“Three streets far“ Ishika replied , balancing her cycle and bag together.
Kabir noticed her struggling with her bag so he quietly took it and hung it on his shoulder. She made a noise to stop him but he suddenly stopped in front of a small shop at the end of the road.
“Namaste Uncleee!!” He greeted the shopkeeper, excitedly. He then tore two chips packets and took some candies.
“Aur beta, school khatam?” The shopkeeper asked. His eyes travelled to Ishika standing at side awkwardly. “Aapko kuch chahiye,beti?”
[School finished?
Do you want something,child?]
“Nahi uncle!” Ishika replied to him, smiling. Kabir quickly added, “Arey! Lelo. Uncle yeh meri dost hai. Ishika naam hai.”
[No uncle!
C'mon take it. Uncle she is my friend Ishika.]
He gave her the other packet of chips and candies. She accepted the chips but hesitated at the candies making him raise his eyebrow in confusion.
“I don't like these candies.” Ishika said clearing the confusion.
The shopkeeper leaned a little towards Kabir and whispered in his ear , “Bas dost hai…yha?”
[She is your friend only or...?]
Kabir turned slowly towards him , silently tilting his head. He smiled—widely , “Biwi hai meri! Lao do shagun.”
[She is my wife! Now give me money.]
Ishika who had been trying not to listen to their conversation, choked on air. Uncle laughed knowing Kabir was joking , he patted him on his back giving him the change back.
“Nahi uncle hum—”
[No uncle we—]
“Janta hu beta.” He immediately said making her nod silently.
[I know , child.]
Ishika hit him as soon as they left the shop, “Why would you say that?” She muttered, hitting him again on his shoulder.
“What?” Kabir said being oblivious, munching on his chips. Ishika glared at him , snatching her bag from him.
He frowned slightly, getting on his cycle. “Why was there so much air in this packet?” Kabir complained , putting the empty packet in his bag.
He looked at his side only to find it empty,he looked in front to find her riding away fast. Kabir quickly peddled reaching beside her.
“Are we doing race?” Kabir questioned , matching the pace of Ishika's peddling. “That's not fair! You should have told me.”
Ishika narrowed her eyes at him , peddling fast.
“Wait! What's the finishing stop? And what will the winner get?” He questioned again , voice rising against the winds.
“I'm not racing!” Ishika finally shouted , glancing at him.
“Then why are you peddling like your life depends on it?” Kabir asked again, frowning again when Ishika picked up speed again.
He thought for some time when she didn't replyto his question. “Are you still upset about that joke?” He heard a tiny humph sound confirming his suspicion.
“Ishikaaaaa….,” Kabir screamed making her look back at him in surprise. “Me majak kar rha tha. Sorryyyyyy!!”
“Stop shout—”
A stray dog suddenly came right in front of Kabir. He swerved his cycle hard, his tyre skidded against the road as he fell on the road hard.
“Kabirr!!” Ishika shouted , throwing away her cycle and running towards him.
Kabir sat upright against the wall holding his arm. He groaned in pain , his elbow was covered in blood and dirt. His once white shirt was now brownish in colour.
“Are you okay?” Ishika kneeled in front of him , checking his wound.
Kabir turned his head to look at the stray dog who stood near his cycle's tyre. He ran his eyes over the dog checking if he was hurt. The dog titled his head and then walked off , wagging his tail.
“Bhalai ka zamana hi nahi hai!” He exclaimed , pouting slightly. Ishika gawked at him, not able to understand how he could joke even now.
“You're bleeding!” She muttered, taking her water bottle she poured a little water and cleaned the wound with her handkerchief.
“Arey! Aise bade bade seher me chote chote chot lagte rhete hai!” Kabir joked , trying to ease the worriness of the girl kneeling in front of him.
Ishika decided to ignore him , busy in cleaning his wound. She carefully wrapped her handkerchief around the wound.
Kabir who was quiet noticed how Ishika's hand trembled a little while wrapping the wound. He sighed softly before gazing up at her.
“Ishika…,” He voiced. “It's just a small wound. Nothing to worry about.” He continued, his soft unlike the usual teasing tone.
Ishika took a deep breath, “It's not…,” she trailed , her voice zoning out. “I shouldn't have…distracted you.”
Kabir frowned upon hearing her , “It's not your fault, Ishika. I wasn't focusing on the road. So use your brain on helping me pass the exam not on trivial matters like this.” He said , winking at her.
Ishika nodded , a small smile making its way despite her trying to be serious. Kabir smirked slightly seeing it , “Aye-Aye! Hase toh phase!”He teased bending down to look at her face.
She looked away from him with a little pout, making him laugh. “Shut up!” Ishika glared at him, now making a direct eye contact with him.
“Aye-Aye! Captain!” Kabir mock saluted. “Please lead the way, Mam.” He added in utter seriousness.
Ishika rolled her eyes, going to pick up his cycle. Kabir meanwhile picked up his stuff from the ground cause he apparently forgot to zip up his bag in the excitement of racing.
They reached the diverging point of their route. Ishika waved him goodbye , smiling as she turned left. Kabir in full excitement, jumped of his cycle , waving her with both hands.
The cycle trembled to the ground in not very graceful manner, immediately the passing cars and bikes started honking. Ishika stared at him horrified.
“Oh shit!” He quickly picked up his cycle , “Byeeee! Text me when you get home!” He rambled and took off avoiding the traffic he caused.
Kabir parked his cycle beside his mother's scooter , whistling he moved the keys like a chakra in his finger. Suddenly, a slipper landed in front of him.
He slowly turned his head towards the window from where the slipper came. There stood his mother , the other pair of slipper in her hand and her duppata tied across her shoulder.
He frowned slightly opening his mouth, “What—” the other slipper flew nearly away from his ear.
Kabir ran inside horrified, “What are you doing, mummy?” He asked , seeing her pickup another slipper.
“Chipkali!” His mother , Anu , said pointing towards the small lizard above the window frame.
“Ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!” He shouted, jumping at the sofa using the pillow as a shield.
Anu narrowed her eyes at him , “Dekho kaise bacha hai , apni maa ki madat bhi nahi kar sakta!”
[What a child! Can't even help his mother!]
“Mummy, Me and chipkali don't go hand in hand. So, I'm out.” Kabir said , still hiding behind the pillow.
She rolled her eyes and finally after what felt like an eternity though only 5 minutes passed , the lizard decided to leave the mother-son duo alone.
Kabir stood up from the couch , hands in pocket. He walked confidently towards his mother , took the slipper from her hand.
“Me bhaga deta na , mummy! Aap bhi na…” He shook his head sadly.
[I would have scared it away, mummy. Why you...]
Anu gasped , twisting his ears lightly. “Accha, bhaga deta? Khud toh bheegi billi ki tarah chupa betha tha!”
[Really? You would have scared it away? You were hiding like a scared cat!]
“Areee!! Ahh mummy , dard ho rha haii!” He fake cried , trying to get out of her hold.
[Aree!! It's hurting, mummy!]
He grabbed her wrist ,wincing a little. Anu's gaze landed on the white -pink handkerchief tied around his elbow.
She frowned, “What's this?” She asked removing the hanky carefully. His elbow had scratches with a little dried blood.
“What happened?” Her voice carrying that motherly care. “Tum acche se chal bhi nahi sakte ab?”
She continued fussing about his injury, bringing the first aid kit cleaning his wound and treating it. Kabir tried to speak but was cut off by her glare.
“Vaise…yeh itni saaf handkerchief tumhari toh nahi ho sakti?” Anu teased with a small smile.
[This clean handkerchief can't be yours?]
Kabir looked down at the white-pink cloth laying on his lap. A small smile broke free , which he tried to hide it. Anu glanced at her son and his flustered face.
“So…who is she?” She asked him, while applying band aid.
“Who she?” Kabir suddenly looked up confused. She narrowed her eyes , ready to hit her stupid son.
“The one who's handkerchief you are blushing looking at.”
“I'm not blushing!” He argued , defensively. His mother tilted her head and looked at him.
“Fine, it's Ishika's. She's the new girl and we were coming home together and i fell.” He told her , getting up he moved towards his room. “AND I WASN'T BLUSHING!”
“Yes, and you are not scared of lizards.” Anu replied , teasingly. Kabir put his finger in both of his ear and ran away.
Kabir opened the door of his room , throwing his I-card and bag somewhere near the bed.
His clothes, books and other things were kept at random places in a messy way. On the wall, there were photos he clicked from his childhood. On the side table, a family photograph was kept.
He started removing his school uniform changing to a comfortable clothes. Kabir looked at the handkerchief lying on the bed.
Kabir picked it up carefully , fingers brushing the intricate designs on it. His eyes landed on the small I sewn on the most right corner with a small sunflower.
His mouth curved into a small smile, a little laugh escaped from him. He went to his washroom and started washing the dirt that stuck to it.
“Badi ajeeb ladki hai , bina galti ke bhi rone me aajati hai!” He chuckled remembering how she almost cried after he fell.
[Very weird girl, was crying even without her fault!]
He carefully hung it on the chair , keeping a sharpener on it so it doesn't flow away. Taking out his camera , he checked the photo he clicked today.
Kabir rolled on his stomach smiling when he saw the photo he clicked. The sun rays filtered through the dark shade of trees as two cats slept underneath. In the side of the photo , Ishika half silhouette was visible crouching looking at the cats.
“So cute!” He whispered looking at the cats, his eyes travelled to half visible Ishika. “Photobomber!” He muttered, shaking his head.
The wind blew slightly through the half opened window causing the sharpener to fall down. Kabir looked up instinctively, there were dark clouds as cold winds blew.
Kabir picked up his camera seeing the perfect set up for a dreamy photo.
Click
“It is missing something!” He murmermed under his breath disappointed with the photo. He angled his camera again when his eyes landed on the handkerchief. He quickly jumped from his bed and hung it on the window accordingly.
He clicked the photo again , this time the I and the sunflower visible in it. Kabir smiled looking at the photo. Something shifted in him seeing the handkerchief in the photo deliberately ignoring it.
Kabir spent his whole evening editing the photos occasionally taking a break to eat something. He looked outside seeing the rain pouring heavily.
He leaned outward the window letting the rain fall on his face. For a moment, it was perfect — rain and peace but he felt he was forgetting something or someone.
“Wait!” Kabir suddenly stood straight, he quickly went and took his phone and started checking for messages.
“She still hasn't messaged? She reached home, right?” He muttered checking all his messaging apps.
He took out his umbrella and a raincoat and started walking towards the door when he stopped abruptly.
“…oh,” Kabir placed the umbrella back.
“Ushke pass toh mera number hi nahi hai?!”
[She doesn't even have my number?]
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