Since I was one of those kids who hated bedtime and would rather stay up whirring motorbikes over Saloni's barbie dolls, my parents were obliged to tuck me into bed so that I come to understand that playtime was over.

But even then, I'd never feel such a delicate caress against my hair,patting me gently to sleep.

Kabir was absolutely sure I was asleep because I heard the beeping of buttons on his Blackberry after that.

Since I had to shut my peepers, I had no other choice but to rely on my sense of touch.

He'd only patted me twice or so when I pretended to fall in his arms because I was unconscious.

I wasn't unconscious of course but I had too much ego to just lean on his shoulder like some lovesick puppy when I was awake so this was the only opportunity at hand.

His touch was so light and feathery that I almost convinced myself that I imagined it.

Then since he believed I was seriously in a deep slumber,he sighed heavily and went back to his cellphone.

It was hard to filter the 80's Jacuzzi music on the stereo and the whirring of the air conditioner while trying to eavesdrop into Kabir's and David's conversation because their voice were lowered in husky murmurs.

Not that I was cherishing a thought that they could be saying flowery things about me, though a backhanded compliments would be nice--I generally liked to eavesdrop.When I was in school, I glued my ears behind wooden doors,listening to grownups have discussions that I assumed would be interesting but most of them I couldn't make head or tail of. But I cherished that habit anyway.

Anyways, David was interrupting his murmur with a snicker and the duo were probably staring at me so I tried to appear as unconscious as I could.

I wanted to scratch the itch on my nose but I refrained.

David made a comment under his breath which wasn't very audible and Kabir told him to shut up. And they moved on.

So from the comfort of Kabir's lap, I listened to an account of the latest cricket match and how this one player didnt even know to deliver an outswinger.

Whatever in the world that was.

Moving on.

I caught every word of Kabir's loyally though it flew right out of my head the next minute. The point was to hear his voice, the content can go to hell.

My only inconvenience was that I was at a very odd twisted angle on his lap because I had head-bumped his shoulder when I was really sleepy but he had pulled me down twisting my entire frame like a stick of twizzlers and now my body rested against the thick fabric of his jean.

I probably looked like one of those ancient dancing Egyptian paintings on monuments.

Then to my bad luck, I heard the car slowing down.

Which meant that we reached.

I could pretend like unmoving luggage for an hour but to act like i'm waking up?

How do I wake up?

Should I jerk upright and scare the passengers or stay immobile and give them a heart attack and then slowly squirm into unconsciousness like in the movies.

How do people wake up?!

Unfortunately, I didn't have enough time to contemplate as I felt David announce my name as if it were a roll call in class.

But I was smart. No sane person who is fast asleep responds with a quick unlocking of their eyes.

"Stop it ra, she's fast asleep," Kabir advocated when David tugged at my arm.
I softened further, melting like ice cream on a warm, summer day.
"Rey, we've reached and I'm waking her up. Or if you want, I'll leave you both in the car with Sleeping beauty on your lap. You sing her a lullaby also. I'm going, bye."

I wanted to badly sit up and choke him to death but I spared him on second thoughts. The car jerked to an abrupt halt and I used the opportunity.

When I woke up Siya, she usually squinted her eyes in a mixture of initial confusion and dismay of another day of strife in the world.

I did my best imitation of the same as if the tiny jerk had completely destroyed my peaceful rest.

I blinked once again and realised that I almost hit my head against the cushion.

I didn't need to pretend now. I was genuinely shocked as I turned and gazed around me.

At that very moment, David unlatched the car door and I almost stumbled out.

"You idiot!"

"Hey, I was trying to be chivalrous!" He replied, offended as I punched his arm.

Kabir had slipped from beneath me and now very slickly climbed out of the car, dropping a last gaze behind him.

He casually slid his mobile into his jeans and ruffled his fingers through his hair.

I shook my head mentally.

He could have just stayed where he was and I would have woken in his arms, this stupid boy.

But no, he still wanted to be the indifferent jock. So be it.

I stretched out my limbs and the muscles in my neck, that was slightly frozen due to my unmoving posture for the last thirty minutes or so.

"It was a great day auntie!" I said as she got to the back of the car to pull out the supplies.

"Don't call me auntie please," Sylvia laughed with a quick grin, "I'm glad you kids had a good time. Next time all of us need to go trekking. We'll plan and camp somewhere, it'll be fun.Maybe next weekend?"

Trekking as in, climbing over rocky terrain under the merciless heat of the sun just for the joy of it? No thanks.

"Trekking? Um, I--" I glanced around for some sort of assistance and Kabir looked smug, waiting for me to refuse politely.

"Trekking locally? Please!" David barged in, saving me from phrasing a respectful declination letter, " We could hike up Armadale castle or maybe the lakes in Hopkinton--"

"Great, you fund us to all those places," Sylvia shot back at David and then pulled me into a loose embrace. I wasn't good at hugs but she liked to hug so I barely tolerated it, offering her a tight smile before bidding adieu.

I could've just gone home but I stood rooted at my spot, watching the D' Souza's drive away.

"Why are you still standing here?" Kabir asked.

"What?" I snapped.

"I mean one of your parents might have been back or something. Go home."

"You go home," I retorted and realised that the young bully in me had not died just yet. I grinned as he shrugged and turned towards his building.

"Good night," I called out cheerfully with no response.

I really enjoyed the process of poking fellow playmates and watching them bawl their eyes out as a kid. It was toxic but fun.

At least until I met my match at 7 years old--

"Hey you. You come here. Where are your snacks? Sprouts? Yuck no."

The girl in the pink frock frowned and put her steel tiffin box back into the straw basket.

I stretched my legs luxuriously and my toes rifted in the sand.

"So now we play Super rangers, thunder bolt."

It wasn't a suggestion, it was a command.

"And I as usual am the red ranger and you kids can be the...Whatever you want to be."

"I think we should choose who gets to be the red ranger," The suntanned boy muttered, "It just can't be you every time."

I narrowed my eyes and bought my legs up together, "I made this game and you listen. You're new here so shut up."

"So you don't have the guts like you show you do."

"Thumb wrestling? Pencil fight?"

"No, fight me if you want, whoever wins gets to choose the red ranger."

He took his stance, sizing my plump body in an oversized baggy shorts and my cousin's jacket looking like Huckleberry Finn but not quite.I offered him what I assumed was a challenging gaze. Except there was one problem. I couldn't really fight.

As an impulsive kid might behave, I threw up my hands hitting him square on what I thought was his chest, assuming he would fly backwards and fall like how villains do in the movies but he turned and I smacked his bony arm hard.

We shuffled silently on the sand, trying to duck each other's fists and I got him once on his cheek but it barely brushed his face and he chuckled.
A chuckle of superiority.

He clearly didnt know who I was. I'd set the neighbour's dog behind Tarun after we had a scuffle once.

I narrowed my eyes into a squint and jabbed my fist hard. He was startled yes, but budged for hardly an inch.

Hey, I wasn't that bad a fighter. I could definitely throw in a punch or two.This boy was weirdly powerful.

In my pensive state of thought I forgot that he would be reciprocating the favour.

He came at me, no particular strategy needed because I clumsily tried to defend myself and ducked so I got a smack on my right eye.

An impactful one that made me see stars and I fell back.

"What did you do to our friend auntie's daughter!" Saloni cried, coming up from behind as I tried to sit up.

"Girl?" the boy muttered, coming down his knees to examine me like a bug. He wasn't sorry or concerned. It was just a cool evaluation.

I gasped, holding my eye while my minion helped me get up and I watched the boy shrug and walk away. That's when Kabir realised I was a girl and I realised that- Ladies and Gentleman- there is a brave boy that stands up to bullies and it has piqued my interest.