Us │✔

04│Bibbidi - Bobbidi - Boo

Face pressed against the crystal clear window, Jivika was desperately waiting for the minute hand of the vintage clock to move.

For if there wasn't a rule that she could go to the park only when the clock struck six, she would have been sliding down that red slide or sitting peacefully in the park with her feet sunk in the sand. After all, she had completed all her school work for the next day within an hour.

She was habituated to school that it almost seemed boring to her. All the teachers had loved her at the first sight, as they told her mother, "Hema, what a doll she is! So quiet but bright! You are really lucky to have her!"

Little did they know, that she was anything but quiet! And her friends and family knew, the trait of silence could develop in her only if the sun would rise from North.

Sitting lifeless, she once again, took a quick peek at the timepiece.

Great! She had another ten minutes to go!

Having nothing better to do, she carelessly slid her hand inside her bag, grasping onto a random book and pulled it out.

She was dazed.

A notebook belonging to Jivika Mallik could be anything but blank. No book of hers could have the mercy of escaping her wonderful mini sketches.

But this book was blank. Empty. Plain.

Except for the math questions of addition and subtraction, scribbled in an untidy manner. And of course, no solutions.

2 + 2 = __

15 - 10 = __

Math being her favourite subject, she was offended to see those unattended questions. And the book was not hers. That she was certain.

She impatiently flipped the cover of the notebook, ran her tiny fingers over the smooth classic brown cover paper and checked the nameplate.

But before reading the name, she noted the elegant cursive writing. It seemed familiar to the one she saw during her English lecture. Reading the name she realised why the writing was familiar.

Amaan Chandel.

The rapid change of the handwriting was not unnoticed by her. It just intensified his distaste for the particular subject Math.

But the question stood hanging in the air. What should she do with this? He had to do his homework by himself and submit it on the due date, which was the next day.

Contemplating on whether she should do it for him and hand it over the next day, she finally decided that doing so would come under 'cheating'. He had to do it himself cause only then he could if not like, at least understand the subject.

And that's when the clock chimed six.

Slipping into her rubber sandals, ignoring the shouts of her nanny, she grabbed the book and knocking off every person on the stairs, entered the 'Tulips Society Park'.

Knowing that the 'known stranger' would be near the muddy area, she was about to rush to the place but suddenly jumped.

The roaring cackle of a certain crowd at the corner of the park, had made the poor kid jump with fright and fall to the ground with a 'thud'.

How was she to know that boisterous laughter was classified as an exercise? The senior citizens gathered at the corner of the park for their Yoga and Zumba session had brought chaos to the otherwise tranquil heaven.

Confused, she sat on the ground, trying to understand why those people were laughing. And that's when our knight in his armor of mud appeared.

Extending his hand for her was out of question. He knew that his friend would drag him to the ground as she was tons stronger than he was. So taking his own sweet time, he settled on the soil beside her, giving her some company.

Watching his actions, the young girl let her face be adorned with an amused grin. Handing over his book, she gave him a stern glare, which clearly meant 'your tricks won't work'.

Drawing out a long sigh, he groaned at the sight of numbers.

"I wish I had that godmother's wand to make this disappear", he grumbled, tempted to tear off the pages.

"And say what? Bibbidi bobbidi boo?" she taunted.

Two seconds. That's all it took for her to laugh her heart out, imagining Amaan speak those words, waving the wand and wearing godmother's cloak.

But she considered another contradiction, 'he's rail thin! Their physiques won't match!'

Her crazed laugh got him scared. "Was she possessed?" was all he could think about.

As the monsoon breeze made her hair strands come out of the neatly tied up braid and attack her face, he blew her hair as an effort to push it back.

That only increased her dilemma.

For someone who was impassive, he gave out a soft childish chuckle and asked, "Now whose gotta say Bibbidi bobbidi boo?!"

Eyes gleamed as they laughed over their first innocent inside joke.

She looked.

He looked.

They looked away.

And they looked back again.

~