Lion walked out of the Seven Eleven whilst trying to open the banana bread packet with his teeth. The crook of his elbow was already getting red marks from where he was carrying the heavy grocery bags and his other hand was wrapped around a cold soda can.

“Little Lion!”

Lion jerked his head round to see a group of boys lazing on the steps. They had already changed out of their school uniforms and were wearing mostly dark sweats, sharing a packet of cheap cigarettes between them.

Lion nodded awkwardly as he spotted Boon in the middle, with his friends Oak and Wanlup.

“Look at his shorts,” Oak snorted, gesturing to Lion’s uniform. “He’s like one of the girls wanting to wear hot pants.”

Lion flushed as the boys broke into laughter. He tried to tug the hem of his black cotton shorts down but ended up dropping his banana bread. It was quickly snatched up by a dog that growled before slinking away.

Lion had experienced another growth spurt that winter, but new uniform was an expense he figured they could do without. Not when he was sure he would be able to let his shorts’ hem down himself with a sewing needle.

Only now, Lion regretted putting off the task for so long. His legs were long and spindly with awkward knobbly knees that knocked together. Plus, they were always unattractively bruised from his dance practices on hardwood floors.

“Hey,” Boon called out as Lion began to shuffle away. “I’m thirsty.”

Lion sighed, his grip on the soda can growing tighter as it began to sweat its chill in the afternoon sun.

“Then go buy yourself a drink,” Lion snapped.

The boys looked at each other in shock before bursting out into peals of laughter.

“Why should he, when he’s got a wife to buy it for him?” Oak questioned, standing up to brush the dust off his pants. Oak stalked towards Lion, his mouth twisted into a lopsided grin. “Look – you even got us food too.”

“No,” Lion bit out, yanking the grocery bags away from Oak’s reach. The other boy’s eyes widened for a moment in surprise before he whipped out his hand and curled his fingers around the back of Lion’s neck.

“Don’t give me attitude,” Oak growled, pulling Lion’s face towards his, so their noses were nearly touching. “I’ll make you regret it.”

“Hey,” Boon announced, drawing up beside them and flicking his eyes amusedly between Oak and Lion. “I’m still thirsty.”

“Coming right up Boss,” Oak smirked, swiping the soda can from Lion’s fingers.

“Stop,” Lion exclaimed. “That’s not yours!” he pushed past Oak and tugged the now open can back away from Boon. Only, the other boy was stronger than Lion was. The can was jerked back again, with enough force to spray them both in sticky syrupy soda.

“You little shit,” Boon snarled as Lion panicked and scrambled backwards.

“Oh you’re gonna pay,” Oak grimaced, fixing Lion with a menacing look and gesturing for the rest of the boys to join them.

“Fuck,” Lion swore as he nearly tripped off the sidewalk, only regaining his balance at the last moment and sprinting away from the store. He could hear the thudding sound of the other boys’ footsteps behind him and he knew that they were getting closer.

Lion skidded to a halt a moment later so as to avoid an elderly couple, when fingers closed around his bicep and yanked him backwards. Lion let out a yelp of shock and pain as he was slammed against the nearest wall, hot breaths against the side of his face.

“Caught you,” Boon hissed. “Thought ballet was meant to make you quick?”

“Get off me,” Lion garbled, his mouth pressed against the dirty concrete as he tried to buck the other boy off, kicking back as hard as he could. Obviously he managed to make contact with one of Boon’s limbs as Boon let out a grunt of pain before wheeling Lion around to face him.

“Tomorrow, after school,” Boon rasped, drawing his fist back to land a punch in Lion’s gut. “You’re going to wish you’d never been born.”

Lion whimpered as he doubled over, clutching at his stomach. His grocery bag spilled its contents across the street, crushed under the feet of the other boys.

+++

“You’re late home,”

Lion winced as his grandmother shuffled out of the kitchen with a frown.

“Sorry,” Lion replied, trying his best to stand up straight.

“Those boys from school give you trouble again?” Granny raised a wrinkled hand to wag her finger angrily. “I’ll call their parents; they should know that they’re raising hooligans.”

“Granny,” Lion smiled sheepishly as he walked over to pull her into a hug. His grandmother was short and wrinkly, with grey beehive hair and cardigans that always smelled like frangipane. “It’s fine, I’m fine.”

“You’re such a good boy,” his grandmother sniffed, “why do they want to pick on you? They should want to be your friends!”

“Yeah,” Lion’s smile became more muted and strained. “That’s not really how it works.”

“Hah!” Granny’s eyes lit up as she remembered something. “I know what will help –freshly washed,” she said, quickly hobbling over to the counter and picking up something small and white. Granny turned around beaming, her arms outstretched to reveal the laundered Hanuman plushie.

Lion laughed, his eyes crinkling up as he took hold of the toy and gave it a squeeze.

“The monkey warrior will protect you,” Granny nodded sagely, giving Lion a reassuring pat on his shoulder.

“You know I’m eighteen now?” Lion giggled as his grandmother cuffed the back of his head.

“Don’t give me cheek,” she snorted, “it’s you that still sleeps with teddy bears and plays with action figures at weekends.”

Lion leaned in to press his cheek against his grandmother’s, inhaling deeply in a gesture of affection.

“I’ll make dinner,” he stated, drawing back with a content sigh and lifting up the bag of repurchased groceries.

“Okay, but hurry,” Granny told him, shuffling into the kitchen area.

“Oh, how come?” Lion frowned, he couldn’t remember any of his grandmother’s favourite shows being on that evening.

“I already told you!” she tutted. “It’s the meteor shower tonight; it’s been all on the news.”

“We won’t be able to see that,” Lion shook his head, “it’s Bangkok, Granny. We can't see the stars.”

“Just you wait and see,” his grandmother poked meaningfully at his chest. Lion tried not to wince as her finger hit a fresh bruise. “I’ll be getting my wish.”

“Huh?” Lion cocked his head as he started up the stove and began drawing out ingredients.

“Don’t you know you can make a wish on a shooting star?” Grandma chastised. “I already did it, many years ago during the last meteor shower – so I know it works.”

“Your wish came true?” Lion narrowed his eyes as he began to pour oil and chilli into the pan. “What was it?”

“That my grandson would wake up.”

Lion froze, his hand hovering above the now sizzling wok. He clenched his jaw and closed his eyes for a moment as he felt oil spit against his skin.

Fifteen years ago, Lion and his parents had been in a car accident. Both his mother and father had died on impact but Lion had been rushed to hospital where he had remained unconscious for days.

“I see,” Lion swallowed hard, his throat feeling thick as he reopened his eyes and began tossing in the chopped garlic.

+++

“I’m sorry Granny,” Lion sighed, “I told you the light pollution would be too bad.”

“Pssh,” Granny waved her hand dismissively. “All these stupid new buildings and roads and what now – can’t even see the damn sky anymore.”

Lion grinned fondly as he sat back in the collapsible picnic chair his grandmother and he had set up the seats on their small terrace, peering up into the night's clouds.

“At least I got to see it once,” Granny muttered, heaving herself up and walking back into the apartment. The air was thick and humid tonight and Lion knew that both of their fans were on inside.

He glanced back up one last time, frowning as he caught a glimpse of something bright and moving.

“Probably just a plane…” Lion murmured, thinking of the nearby airport. He turned back to the sliding doors before pausing.

“Just in case,” he muttered to himself, rolling his eyes before snapping them tightly shut and whispering a desperate wish.