You Find Love When Love Finds You.

         Ravi stared at the beribboned plaits that trailed on either side of the fair neck in front of him. A few stray strands curled invitingly at the sides, their black sheen contrasting with the soft cream of the skin they caressed. The captivating owner of those tresses was his dearest friend and neighbour, Yasmin. She was the focus of his existence but was seemingly unconscious of his adoration. It had been that way for as long as he could remember; for a ten year old their eight-month-old friendship was since ‘forever’.

         The plaits twirled energetically as she made a swift movement towards him and bent to his seat, demanding to see his Math homework. There being a few minutes yet to the end of their lunch break; he hurried to oblige, laying down his half-eaten sandwich and delving into his nearby satchel.

         “Ravi, can I finish your sandwich?” she asked in a sweet plaintive voice, pitched with a design to extort the affirmative reply. Taking his assent as a foregone conclusion, she bit into the thick brown slices; making a soft moan of appreciation as she mumbled something about his mother making the ‘bestest’ sandwiches.

         She wiped away the last crumbs and graciously accepted the juice flask he proffered. As she tipped the last ounce of juice down her throat, she pulled his notebook towards herself.

         “Oh, no. I have got all the division sums wrong. I can’t even understand this new ‘long’ division.”

         The wail of despair had the desired effect; Ravi was prodded to correct her mistakes. As he became busy with eraser and pencil; she made her way to the next table and chatted with Hiten.

         Hiten-the-Glorious always has the girls in orbit around him. Plenty of money for snacks at the school shop, flashy pens and gadgets to gift his disciples, invitations to his swanky house with its swimming pool...no wonder they queue up to flatter him. Bitter thoughts jostled for dominance in his mind as he made automatic  corrections. Knowledge and skills count for nothing in this world.

         The slow clang of the bell warned of only two minutes to the end of lunch-break. Yasmin took her completed homework with a cursory smile of thanks as she scurried to Hiten’s side. They walked into class with heads close together, murmuring and smiling to each other. Ravi glowered his way in their wake, his steps dragging and uncaring of the quicker peal of the class bell. His entire demeanour for that day made him akin to those sullen black thunderclouds that spit rain and threaten lightning.

         The annual school picnic was two weeks away and he wanted to ask Yasmin to be his seat partner for that day, but how to get her to stand still and listen to him was the one problem the class whiz found beyond his powers. Only on the school-bus riding home, did he get an inkling of solution.

         I’ll get Mummy to give me a rose from the garden. The pink one with the heady scent was a bud yesterday; it will be just perfect tomorrow. Or if her precious Floribundas are not for plucking, the deep red Ooty Queen has an abundance of blooms; surely she will spare me one. I’ll give Yasmin the rose for her hair and just as she allows me to pin it in her plait, I'll ask her to sit by me at the picnic.

         The fates seemed to be conspiring with Ravi, his mother allowed him to cut one of her cherished flowers; he wrapped it with careful hands, in moistened tissue. He was able to juggle satchel, lunch, and the precious burden, without any disaster up to the bus-stop. Ah good, only Yasmin is at the stop.

         Alas, Ravi proposed and Hiten disposed. Just as he handed Yasmin the perfect red blossom and she let out the delighted squeal that heralded his dreams; along came Hiten in a chauffeur-driven luxury car. He pulled up and descended from the low-slung vehicle to invite Yasmin and Ravi to accompany him. It was he who took the bloom in his masterful hand and pinned it firmly in those raven locks. The disappointed Ravi could only watch in agony, as Yasmin simpered and blushed at the attention. The whisper smooth ride in air-conditioned comfort did not dispel the sullen response to the thwarting of his bright scheme.

         He spent much of the first period scheming ways to separate the by-now-Siamese-twins Yasmin and Hiten, and was sharply reprimanded by the teacher. Only his previously unspotted escutcheon saved him from punishment.

         He had macaroni salad in his lunch-box, and he decided to give it to her during lunch, knowing how partial she was to his mother’s culinary delights. She was seated two tables away today and he could not prevent a bitter comment from forming unconsciously in his mind. Today we have neither Mathematics nor Physics after lunch.He gave himself a vigorous shake to dislodge the unworthy thought and found to his dismay that the lunch box went sprawling upon the ground with the sudden movement of his body. A jigsaw puzzle of bell pepper, macaroni, baby corn and lettuce shreds appeared on the floor and the dressing drizzled slowly from the now upside-down box .

         The lunch monitor rushed up with paper towels and helped him to clear the mess. Frustration and hunger vied for attention whilst he dabbed at the gooey mess; the monitor’s rhythmic tongue-clicking accompanying his efforts aggravated Ravi further. His drooping shoulders as he made his way back to class, proclaimed his acceptance of defeat.

         Art class however, gave him both inspiration and opportunity and he occupied himself with the surreptitious construction of an elaborate card. The assignment he turned in was cursory and consisted only of a black rock in a blue sea, to the astonishment of the teacher who had observed his frenzied painting. He bore away his prize under his shirt.

         He counted out five lockers from his own; hers was number sixteen and his number eleven.  Making sure he was unobserved he slipped the card into the crack between its door and the edge, using his fingers to guide it on its way, whilst one wary eye kept a watch for potential observers who might tease him.

         He waited with anticipation tingling and coursing through his body, until the pleasure intensified to pain. Yasmin made no acknowledgment of his artistic invitation. She might at least wink at me, or nod and smile to show acceptance. But all she does is giggle and whisper to that fathead Hiten.

         Black thoughts clouded his abilities but his eyes registered motion and action, long before the mind allowed recognition to diffuse inwards. Why that is Seema, she’s Mom’s friend’s daughter right? She came home the other day, they have just recently moved into town. We played Scrabble and she beat me. Then we took Buster for a long walk and she hugged him good-bye before leaving. I’ll wave back to her.

         After class, almost numb with pain as Yasmin passed by without any sign; he turned to find Seema at his elbow. She was neat, there was no other word to describe her. Straight black hair combed back and held in immaculate order by a plain black Alice band, kind of 'normal' eyes of brown and a wide mouth now showing even white teeth in a pleasant smile.

         “Thanks for asking me to be your seat partner at the picnic, I was afraid no one would ask me since I’m new. And that was such a beautiful card you made, the kingfisher was such a lovely blue. Of course, I’ll be your seat partner.”

         She must have the locker next to Yasmin’s and I must have miscounted somehow in my haste. He bowed to fate and smiled at this friendly and bubbly girl. As they walked back towards the bus he found she liked Math puzzles and warmed more to her. Then she invited him to her house to see her African Grey parrot that could talk in both English and Hindi and his interest firmed.The bus ride seemed all too short to a bemused Ravi.

         Long before the picnic they were inseparable; Yasmin could only fume at this loss of a congenial source of homework help and sustenance.


Word count: 1383 words.