Chapter 3 - Honey Gems
1136 Words
"Move," my own voice sounded foreign to me.
Ishan scrambled backwards at once.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Look outside the window.
My breathing gradually became less laboured.
At times like this, I wish I was sitting with Tuhina. Claustrophobia was never an issue when I was with her or Ma. It was actually the reason Tuhina had been sitting with me every year of school. But I had have enough of her trying to babysit me.
"Are you okay?" Ishan asked, uncertainty lacing his voice.
"Do I look okay?" I snapped back as dizziness overpowered me and I closed my eyes.
"You are as pale as a paper and I could practically hear your ragged breathing a few seconds ago. So that does mean you're not okay, right?"
"You don't have the right to be sarcastic. You don't have claustrophobia," I spat at him.
"Right. Claustrophobia. s**t! I'm sorry, I forgot."
The sight of food before me on the table made me nauseous. My head kept throbbing. This had been pretty intense.
I wanted to pass out.
But I couldn't. At least not in the middle of school. The least I could do for Ma was not to let her worry unnecessarily for a phone call from school stating that I needed to be taken home early.
"Can I help you?"
"Just talk me out of this. Else I'm going to - Just go on talking about anything."
"Okay. Um..," he looked at the sheet in front of me.
"Most of the guys I've seen playing cricket at my old school, usually fought each other to get a chance to bat.."
"That's one of the m..many causes I took up b..bowling, so that I wouldn't have to f..fight," I stuttered.
"Do you think you should talk?" He asked with worry etched on his face.
"Yeah, else I'll p..pass out. R..remove these foods from my sight."
"Okay," he gulped and did as I said. "Should I get Tuhina?"
"No," I shook my head. "She doesn't need to know."
My head was starting to become clearer.
"So what do you think about India's bowling?"
Think cricket. Think cricket.
"It has come a long way than what it was earlier. I actually like Ashwin's bowling. And among the pace bowlers, Umesh Yadav and Shami are impressive."
That felt better.
"Hey let me see what your sister has written," he turned the paper.
I could at least sit up straight now.
"Quiz, public speaking, drama, table tennis. OH MY GOD! SHE'S INTO AN AWFUL LOT OF ACTIVITIES!"
That broke the remaining dizzy spell.
Thanks, Ishan.
"She's forgotten to mention her talent as a know-it-all nerd."
"HOW DOES SHE MANAGE ALL THESE THINGS?"
Okay now, he didn't need to be loud anymore.
"You're awfully loud. It doesn't help my eardrums."
"How does she manage to do all these?" his voice dropped to a mere whisper.
I snorted. "I don't know."
"As expected," his voice was back to normal. "But I feel accomplished. I feel I'm on the top of the world," he said fist pumping in the air.
"Why?"
"Because I made you laugh! Okay, you didn't exactly laugh, but you smiled!"
I rolled my eyes.
What was his problem?
"Move."
"Where are you going?"
"Tuhina," I said and waved the paper in front of him.
"Can I come?" he looked excited.
"You're really asking for my permission?"
"Nah, let's go. However, I like your face when you lift an eyebrow and look amused."
I frowned.
What was wrong with him?
We passed the two rows of benches in between and I spotted Tuhina in the midst of a crowd of students.
I pushed my way inside and held the paper in front of her eyes.
"Oh right, the paper. Hey guys this is my brother, Tuhin and that's Ishan. Tuhin, this is -"
"Please, you can't expect me to remember all your friends' names," I turned and headed outside the class. But I could hear their voices.
"That's your brother, huh!"
"He's so rude and mean!"
I took those as compliments. They didn't really affect me anymore.
"Shut up if you're talking about my brother in front of me!"
That's why I loved Tuhina even though I'd say I hated her.
***
The first Bengali class of the year was where I found myself hurriedly taking down notes as the teacher dictated.
Seriously? Who gives notes on the second day of school?
My eyes flickered over to Ishan's notebook and taken by surprise, I did a double take to be sure.
I stopped following the class momentarily. There was this i***t sitting beside me with a handwriting that made me feel jealous.
I'd always been a bit proud of my Bengali as none at my old school had such a command over the language as me. Even Tuhina had given up trying to beat my score. But my handwriting was enough readable and presentable, not as nice and smooth as his.
Within those few seconds, I could spot some spelling mistakes, if they were any condolences. But I still had to bite back my tongue from spilling out compliments. That'd be the very last thing I'd do for him.
"Looks like someone's impressed there," he suddenly whispered.
"Ahem," I felt the need to clear my throat badly. "No, nothing like that."
"Liar liar pants on fire!"
"Oh it'll be a beautiful sight once my pants get burnt," my mind just got dirtier.
Now Tuhina wouldn't put it that way. She'd say, I don't have a dirty mind, it's just my sexy imagination.
"No no no, keep them on!" a slight blush crept up on his cheeks which didn't go unnoticed by me.
I chuckled quietly at him. "You're such a girl! There is something called underwear, you know."
He deadpanned. "Now don't get me started on it. I am a boy going to be a man. Whatever I do, I'll always be a male. M-A-L-E. Male."
"Can you two quit your hideous conversations? Although I'm the only one paying attention here, it'd be loads better if you didn't get everyone in a fit of laughter and then have to explain the reason to the teacher," a savage looking girl hissed from the bench before ours.
"Yes Tuhin, quit it," Ishan said with a mildly amused look on his face.
I looked past him at the row beside ours. Sure enough, the boys there were struggling to hold back their laughter. And the boy and the girl in front of them were violently shaking with laughter. Apart from that, not a soul could overhear us. But then again, the things I said, were they so funny? Then I'd make a great stand up comedian with a grumpy face.
Yeah, I knew I always had that face on.
"Come on, Tuhin," Ishan nudged me in the side with his elbow. "Write."
"Yeah right," I picked up my pen.
Ishan looked at me with a massive grin on his face.
"Write," he said, tilting his head towards my notebook.
"Right," I nodded.
"Write," he urged.
"Gosh! Stop it! I'm writing, ok-right?" I couldn't help but smile at our stupidity.
He chuckled. "I can't believe you're actually fun to be with."
"Wait till I bang both of your heads on the wall behind," the girl in front again hissed through gritted teeth.
- Writer
