I held gayu by her hands and started to show her the almost extinct museum.

“Hey Maru… this place is full of stuffed animals, old specimens of insects and birds”

“You know…you may think why I brought you here but… this place has a lot of my memories which I want to share with you”

“That’s really sweet… I know you won’t disappoint me”

“Look at that fossil love….can you see it?”

“Yes it is a bat’s specimen”

“You know since my childhood, I had always been a die-hard DC fan”

“Dc comics? Batman superman and stuff?”

“Yeah! Have you read comics or watched cartoons?”

“Hell yeah… I love teen titans….. especially Raven! OMG she is my favourite”

“Ha ha she is devil’s daughter…..it’s obvious! Devil likes devil cartoons hihi”

“Shut up Mafia! You and your silly mouth”

“ha ha fine…..When I was seven,  my dad used to leave me here and go to the library which is very closeby”

“Oh… nice”

“I used to bring a rough note for sketching insects here…once I planned to design a batman dress myself so to get batman silhouette for the logo image, I chose this bat and designed it”

“Hihi crazy boy..”

“And yeah I got scolded by my dad for it!”

“What.? But why?”

“For the batman dress, I needed a big black dress so… I took my dad’s black shirt and painted the logo on it"

“Ha ha! No wonder…. And you expected your dad to appreciate you for that?”

“If you visit people near my home, they will tell you how crazy I was in my childhood”

“How… so you were kinda famous in childhood itself huh?”

“There are lot of incidents… I will tell you one but you shouldn’t laugh okay?”

“Ok I will lock my mouth… here is the key”

“Good… so when I was little, I used to put my dad’s big shirt and my moms shawl….as it would suit me well in my superhero escapades”

“Maru..can I giggle at least? I know it’s very difficult to control my laughing”

“Ok you can..but only a little….So during that time, I used to put my hero mask and that dress to protect my city”

As I was speaking, she laughed out loud so I pinched her to stop. The old man who was responsible for the museum came and shouted at us.

“I told you not to laugh silly… your mouth is very big to be locked it seems! What a powerful mouth”

“Shut up stupid! Let’s get out before the old man can chase us”

“Sounds like a plan!”

“So where are we going?”

“To the library!”

“Shit mafia! You are boring…what about an icecream shop?”

“Ok….but I do have budget problems that’s why…well”

“Hey that’s not a problem! I’m here na?”

“I don’t want you to spend for me”

“Why?”

“No…it’s not right! I should only spend….well let’s go then”

I looked at my purse which was filled with coins alone. Suddenly an brilliant idea struck me! I took her to an ice-cream shop.

“Hey pixie-cut! I mean..imsaiye…wait here for five minutes. Order something and eat. I’ll be back okay?”

“Dear.. I came here just to spend time with you!”

“I know da but my friend wants me to meet so him can you please wait inside”

“Ok be here soon! I’ll wait”

I went to a chits company owned by my friends father I gave him the bracelet I was wearing and got the money. As I walked back, I found a very realistic looking dog inside a shop.

Yes! It was a doll, but very beautiful and realistic. I went in, brought the dog and got it packed. I took the big parcel and went inside the Icecream shop where she was waiting.

“Hey pixie-cut! This is for you”

“What! For me? You told that you didn’t have money?”

“Now shut up and open it will you?”

She gave a surprised look at me and started tearing the gift wrapper. Everyone inside the shop was looking at us. I pretended not to notice. I saw her face glow with happiness after she saw the doll.

“Do you like it? I don’t know whether you like it”

“Of course silly mafia! I love it…but tell me how you got..I know well that you didn’t have money”

“Well….i found ten thousand rupees on the side of the road so..”

“Don’t lie! Tell the truth or keep the doll with yourself”

“Ok….i will tell! I sold my bracelet”

“What? you mad?”

“Yes I’m mad”

She looked at me shocked without batting an eyelid. I tried to smile at her.

“What will you do if your parents come to know that you have sold your bracelet?”

“I will say that I had lost it”

“Won’t you get scolded for that?”

“Of course! Dad will try to beat me up”

“Then why? why did you..”

“For you…Well…I don’t know when we are going to meet again. So I don’t want you to forget me that’s why!”

“Where did you get the money for bracelet? I mean people don’t do things like that without proof”

“Yes… my friends dad is nearby and he owns a chit company so I managed…”

“Come here maru…give me a hug”

“You know I’m too shy for that…”

She gave a little smile came near me and hugged me tight. She removed the nerdy glass that she was wearing. As I was about to hug her, her lips touched mine. She started kissing me.

Tears formed from the corner of her eyes and wetted my cheeks. I tried to wipe her tears but she held my hands and didn’t stop kissing for sometime.

“Well….why..huh..I’m…why..well.. crying..please don’t cry gayu”

“I love you Maru”

“I’m trying my best to love….the way you love me”

“And so…how are you feeling now?”

“Actually I should ask the question… you are my first kiss! I won’t forget this day ever in my life!”

“Me too…. Will you come to Brookefields tomorrow? With Yash? We can have fun”

“Na it’s difficult! Besides we can’t do anything in front of Shalini!”

“Well you afraid of her?”

“No not like that…But she’s my cousin so if she says something even by mistake, it will spoil everything…Besides have some project work to be done at college so..”

“Oh I can understand dear… See you soon then! It’s getting late..Shalini has already called me twice. I can go by taxi”

“Ok bye! Be careful okay?”

She smiled and hugged mefor a last time and got into the taxi. She waved her hands to me till I couldn’t see the taxi and her hands.

After two days, Yash gave me a small parcel in college. I opened and found the bracelet which I had sold earlier!

“Who gave it to you dude?”

“Shalini only!”

“What…why did she…how come? Tell clearly”

“Actually when Shalini and her friends were leaving, a girl named Gayathri suddenly came and told that Shalini wanted to give it to you..why anything wrong?”

I went home and called Gayathri on what’sapp.

“Why did you do this…I did’nt expect this from you…”

“Well…relax okay? I don’t want my love to get scolded for gifting me”

“You mad or what?”

“You only mad silly.. I’m trying to be mad with you….the way you are mad with me”

“I won’t say thanks…but I am sure that I am not going to miss you by any chance in my life”

“Well you have said more than what a simple thanks can…I love you”

“Love you as well Miss Imsaiye!”