Flashback to School Time

You know I only eat strawberry-flavored ice cream... some girls sound coming.

Today's prayers have started too. Aadhira hasn't come yet. She must be late for school.

We can hear the sound of the prayers, and we all started singing together, closing our eyes

Aye Maalik Tere Bande Hum
Aysein Hon Hamaare Karam
Naykee Par Chalein Aur Badhee Se Talein
Taaki Hastein Huye Nikale Dum
Aye Maalik Tere Bande Hum

Badaa Kamzor Hai Aadmi
Abhi Laakhon Hain Isme Kameen
Par Tu Joh Khadaa Hai Dayalu Badaa
Teri Kirpaa Se Dharti Thamee
Diya Toone Hamein Jab Janam
Tuhee Jhelega Hum Sab Ke Gum
Naykee Par Chalein Aur Badhee Se Talein
Taaki Hastein Huye Nikale Dum
Aye Maalik Tere Bande Hum........

(O Lord, we are your followers

May our actions be so That we walk on the path of righteousness And avoid evil, So that we may depart with a smile O Lord, we are your followers Man is very weak There are still millions of flaws in him But since you stand as a great benefactor It's your grace that holds the earth You gave us life You will bear all our sorrows Let us walk on the path of righteousness And avoid evil, So that we may depart with a smile

O Lord, we are your followers...)

After the prayers, we sang the national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana."

After that, we all sat in our classes for a while. Aadhira was already sitting in the classroom; it seemed like she had come up before anyone else.

  As soon as I got there, I asked her,

"Late today? Did you come in through the back door?" I sat down on the wooden bench and said, The wooden benches could seat only two people.

"Shh, don't say anything, or they'll complain. I was with you the whole time." She spoke with her eyes, but her expressions were never clearly visible. You could call her a cold expression girl.

"Yes, you were," I said, looking around.

"There's a math test today. Are you prepared?"

"What? Do you actually prepare for tests? Who cares about the marks anyway?"

"I care. My mother has high hopes for me." I opened my math book and started revising.

"Are you always this serious or is it some illness?" She tapped my nose.

"You are the one with the illness; you don't want anything Big." I imagined myself holding a trophy.

"Ony Boobs!" she smirked.

"Shut up!" I said, annoyed.

I angrily asked, "Is it just your words that are bad or is your brain like this too?"

"Why are you so angry?" she said calmly.

I retorted, "Who's angry? I'm not angry."

I put my hand on my stomach and tensed some muscles. Aadhira looked at my face and said,

"Come on."

She took my hand and led me to the staff room where there was a place to rest. She made me lie down on a bed, gave me a tablet, and pulled up a chair next to the bed.

"Is it the first day?"

I nodded.

"You're really angry."

"Yeah, it's my first time experiencing this. It feels like there are lots of needles in my stomach," I said, clutching my abdomen.

She brought a heat pad and placed it on my stomach, which brought some relief.

"Mom said not to tell anyone, not even to mention it."

"Just rest. If you need anything, let me know. I'm right here."

I eventually fell asleep. The pain was unbearable, and going to school with such pain was really tough. Sometimes I wonder, do boys ever go through something like this? It was really painful. Aadhira stayed beside me the whole time. 

When I opened my eyes, I noticed the room was painted sky blue, and there was a little soft bed with a white mattress. My white shirt and grey skirt... wait, my skirt! I quickly checked the back... thank God. I was very scared, and I missed the math test too. What should I do now? I have to go home. Aadhira had fallen asleep with her head against the wall, but when she saw me awake, she asked,

"Ready to go home?"

"Yes."

"My house is nearby, you can come to my place."

"No, I'm fine. This is going to be a monthly story, as Mom told me. I have to take care for 7 days, and this pain will just kill me."

"There are many kinds of pain in the world. For now, just enjoy this one," she said with a light smile.

When I tried to get off the bed, my legs had gone numb. I was not able to walk properly. I was about to fall when Aadhira caught me by the shoulders. It felt like I had fallen into her arms. I remembered Shah Rukh and Kajol, and my ears turned slightly red. I looked in the Big mirror and saw posters everywhere about staying healthy.

I got up and said, "I'm okay, Aadhira." My mind imagined her carrying me to the classroom, like in the movies. She brought my school bag and put it on her back, her own bag slung over her other shoulder. I said, "Give me my bag."

"Trying to act all strong, huh? Don't you like the princess treatment?" Her words came out without much thought, and I glared at her.

"You're not even my prince to give me such princess treatment," I said irritably. I normally don't get this angry, but given my condition, I couldn't control my emotions.

"Easy, Bachcha! I'm trying to help."

"Bachcha?" I repeated incredulously.

"Oh God, how things are hurting right now? You've turned into a jerk. I thought I was the jerk, but look at you." She handed my bag back to me. It was really heavy, loaded with 20 kg of books. I asked in a low voice,

"Aadhira, take it b... bac k."

"Huh?" she said, pretending not to hear.

I glared at her, annoyed. "You heard right. Don't try to act smart."

She smirked and took my bag. "You don't like princess treatment. How about prince treatment?"

"Your jokes aren't funny." I was walking alongside her.

We reached my house, and I asked her to come inside. She declined with a wave and said, "Bye." I smiled at her as she turned to leave.

I stood by the window, looking up at the sky, and spoke to myself. Did I start liking her? It's been a year we are friends, and for the first time, I feel a bit nervous around someone. Girls are a different thing, just like she said. I refused to believe it at the time but look at me now. I imagine that was so terrible. Periods can be so painful that they can wring out your mind and body, leaving you drained. 

Next Day

Mom is waking me up, but I can't even open my eyes. Her sharp voice brings me out of my sleep, but I have no mood to go to school today. I didn't even finish my homework; my stomach ached all night.

"Maaaa! mujhe school nahi jana."

(Mom, can I skip school today?)

"Kio, aisa mat karo," she replied firmly.

(You cannot)

"Mere pet me bahut dard ho raha hai."

(I don't want to go, I have a stomachache.)

"Kuch nahi hoga, chal uth, thoda strong ban Kio"

(No, don't skip school. Get up, strengthen yourself.)

 I heard mom's serious voice and went to the bathroom to start bathing.

Mom brought food a while later. I ate and then in the pain, I took an auto to school. Aadhira was standing at the school gate. Again, She recognized from my walk and changed expression.

"I knew you'd come today," she said.

I held my stomach and replied, "Had to come, my mom doesn't like me missing school even for a day."

"Let's bunk, let's go watch a movie." She had her hands folded, her smile as if she was enjoying my discomfort.

"Are you kidding me? I'm going to school. If my mom finds out, she'll complain to the teachers. Besides, I'm not feeling well." the muscles of my cheeks were repeatedly rising.

"Come to my place, I've informed the teachers. if you're sick today, you shouldn't come. They won't say anything."

"Your place? What if your mom sees? She'll definitely complain."

"No, she and I don't live together."

"Then who lives at your place?" 

"My Nani (grandma) used to live at my place. She passed away about four months ago... Let's stop the auto."

I got into the auto with Aadhira and reached her house. It wasn't a palace; the whole place felt empty and quiet. She gave me a bottle of water. I lay down on the sofa.

"Rest inside, in my room."

I got up and went to her room. Her room was filled with anime character posters; there was even 'One piece'. It seemed like she really enjoyed watching anime. I sat hesitantly on her grey bedsheet, supported by a soft white pillow. It felt strange being at her house. She gave me a tablet, she said that she checked with a doctor if it would be okay, but not to take too many times.

She turned on the TV and handed me the remote. She went outside. I changed several channels and finally settled on a music channel. I was getting sleepy because of the tablet. My eyes were about to close when she brought a plate of papaya in front of me.

"You cut up this fruit yourself?"

"I like it when it's cut up. You should have some too." Personally, I didn't like papaya, but I mustered the courage to have a slice.

"When was your time? I'm a year older than you, so understand when it'll happen."

"How do you know my date of birth?"

"It's written on your ID." She showed me my ID card. She didn't have a smile on her face at all. After having two slices, I felt sleepier, and we both fell asleep. The TV volume automatically lowered. I couldn't hear anything. There was AC in her house. No one's voice was heard. 

When I woke up, she wasn't here. I got up and started looking for the bathroom. I looked around. I heard her coming back. I went to the bathroom, and she came out.

After coming out of the bathroom, she said,

"Open your tiffin, let's eat."

"Your tiffin?"

"I eat outside food."

"Eat from my tiffin."

I looked at my bag, then took out my tiffin and gave it to her.

As she opened my tiffin, Aadhira said, "Yum, it smells so good."

When she ate, she closed her eyes as if she was lost in it. I said, "I'll bring you some food too. It must be difficult for you here, right?"

"I'm learning to cook."

"Until you learn, you can come to my house. Just don't burn yourself."

"Prince is taking care of me."

"Aadhira, stop calling me that."

She was quiet for a while, looking at me. I took a spoonful of pulao from the tiffin, and she said,

"I'll always take care of you."

I stopped chewing and looked at her in surprise. The sparkle in her eyes showed she was telling the truth, and her smile showed that she really liked taking care of me.

"Are you crazy? How long will you take care of me? Don't you have any work to do?"

"Work? What work?"

".... Marriage." I said as I started chewing again.

"With you?" She laughed as she said that. I looked at her in astonishment, thinking she had gone crazy. I joined her laughter, realizing she was just joking. With a light smile, I continued eating while she ate too.

"Get a new spoon; don't eat with my used spoon, Aadhira."

"Prince I'm too lazy for that." She alternated between eating from the spoon and letting me eat from it.

Back to the Present

I had prayed that no evil eye would fall on our friendship. Today, look at those lips with which we used to share a spoon. Since when have I started looking at them romantically? Considering me as her prince, my princess took such good care of me that anyone in my place would fall for Aadhira. Her straightforward talk, her caring nature. I wanted to kiss her, but somehow I felt she didn't love me back and was only pretending to date me to make me happy. If things didn't go well, our friendship might break. I had to find out what my crush thought about me. Should I kiss her or not?

The lights turned on, and the film ended. We sat in the back seat. We came outside. I was looking at Aadhira. From her facial expressions, I couldn't figure out anything. She bought cold coffee and handed it to me.

"Where's yours?"

"Don't waste too much money."

"Are we going to share this?"

" Yese kaise chalega prince? Yese to (Stay shocked like this prince and..) the experiment will be over."

"I need to ask you a question. Be honest, okay?"

"Go ahead," she said, taking the coffee from my hand and taking a sip.

"Are you into boys or girls?"