One Cuppa Chai

•7•

4:15 pm. My watch stated when I climbed down from the van.

My music class was at 6 and I had ample time to go home and take a shower and change into fresh clothes.

My hair was reaching a little past my collarbone now, which was a great feat for me because my mother chopped my hair off before someone could accidentally identify me as a girl.

I brushed the wet hair off my forehead and pulled the shirt over my head.

"You're going to music class?" My father queried, peering from the newspaper.

"I didn't go for three weeks already so..."

"Then come, I'll drop you."

"Er, no it's fine. I want to walk,"I replied a little hastily.

My mother didn't have a problem with this because I was gaining a little weight and she personally thought I needed some exercise.
So I slung my guitar bag over my shoulder and rushed out of the door.

I climbed down the stairs and hurried my steps. I would reach earlier but anyway, I needed to catch up with my strumming techniques and maybe practice a little before master comes and breathes fire. And I realised that I didn't tell Kabir where we could see each other. Oh, well.

I rounded the corner of my street, observing a new sweet shop in my locality and I almost scared the life out of myself when a bike almost hit me.

My hand immediately flew to my chest and I took some steps back before focusing on the smug person riding the bike.

"Are you insane? I got a minor heart attack!"

Kabir chuckled, turning the key in the engine. "Yeah? Good. That's what you get for not meeting me all these days. Not a text, a call, nothing!"

"Weren't we both going to focus on our studies till the board exams?"

He snorted in response,"Yeah right.As if you were actually studying."

He knew me too well.

"Just tell me, you didn't miss me."He said.

"I don't need to show my affection only by talking to you, you know."

Kabir's attention perked up and I realised what I said so casually might actually mean a huge step for couples. Which I wouldn't know. Something akin to fear, nervousness and bashfulness crept into my cheeks seeing Kabir's mirthful eyes directed at me.

"Excuse me? Show your what?"
He asked and I smiled at the hint of almost childlike expectation in his face.

Then, I realised that we were simply looking at each other wordlessly: one teasingly and the other red as a tomato and my parents happened to be around the corner.
I coughed, trying to break the invisible haze in the air that was causing my heart to beat like a drum.

I brushed an imaginary speck of dust on my dress and refocused my eyes on Kabir who seemed to almost see through me at that point, and didn't mind much.

"So, let's go?" He asked and I immediately agreed. Anything to break an awkward moment.

His headlights flashed and I carefully walked around the vehicle.

"Hey?"

I turned back. "What?"

"Get on. We'll be late." He said as if it was the most obvious thing that we had been doing for decades.

I was friends with Kabir for approximately 8 years but never in my life did I even have the guts to ride his fancy tricycle let alone cosying up behind him like a stereotypical lover on his sports bike.