Continuation...

I never completed the homework given in the class(for some weird reason) and wouldn't do it the whole year. And the teachers would punish me every day for not doing so(though all liked me) and Believe me, I have had some of the worst punishment sessions anyone can ever imagine of. Slaps, kicks and even boxes against the wall. The girls would sit in the front row and cry seeing me get beaten up so bad, which would make me cry even more. After the teacher was done. I would sit back and cry more. The wet eyed girls would come and say, "Do you want me to complete it for you?" And my reply was no, it's my business and I will handle it. Now this girl called Kirti, whom I liked, missed a few classes and couldn't complete the notebook. But the surprising part was, she didn't complete it for many classes, "I can't understand anyone's handwriting and you don't complete it. So how to do it.?" She told me on asking. The next day I brought one of my notebooks completed! Gave it to her, she completed it and came to my home for returning it. Now that became a habit, she would purposely(I still think) not complete the notebook and ask me to complete it and bring it for her. And I would do it pleasurably.

We used to play a game during recess, which involved me and 2 of my friends plus all the girls. 12 people in the school during recess used to play a weird game. Hide and seek with a difference. We boys would hide anywhere in the school and the girls would seek us. 30 minutes was the deadline. If they fail, one of the girl brings the next day's lunch for the boys. If they succeed, I complete one of the girl's notebooks. Only I, coz I had a good handwriting back then, not now though.

Then I got rid of my bicycle coz the girls used to go in the bus, Joined the school bus. And I would enter the bus the last and find a place reserved for me, Near Kirti. She would keep it for me always. Didn't allow any of her friends too to sit. One day, the bus got damaged and we had to get down half way through. Since Me and Kirti didn't live far apart, we got down and started walking together. That day, for some reason, the paths were very calm, felt like everyone had vanished! After walking a fair distance, all quite without a word being uttered from both the mouths. She suddenly caught my hand. I had shivers sent up my spine and clutched her hand back. The whole way we walked without our hands leaving and tight lipped with no eye connection what so ever coz I was a shy kid and couldn't gather strength to do so.

A year had gone by in all this and I was 10. She came home, Gave me an invitation card...Hand written by her. It was her birthday, the next day. All the classmates were invited. That's the first time I had seen a cake in my life...always heard about it but never actually seen it. She got ready to cut it. And all gathered around her. Her father asked her to give the first piece to someone very special. She rightly gave it to her father. He had it and said, "no, not me among your class mates." She looked around and found me, came slowly and gave to me in my mouth. Ahh...That is among the most romantic moments of my life and will always be.

I have written it all today because she was born on 13^th of June. And the day is tomorrow. I completely dedicate the post to her and my first feelings of attraction...

• Rajesh Pareek