"The bike is not fixed yet Khanna." Dad said right when I was getting ready.

"I know appa, Nayan's picking me up." I said. 

It was 3 already and I decided to walk to her house. I had secretly put in some snacks in my bag incase we were going to the beach.

Suresh was there. I called him uncle cuz he kinda was and it seemed as though he didn't like me. I was expecting a reply and we were standing just like that staring at each other, then he put a "what?"

"She's dropping me today..."

"Who?"

"Nayan- Is she busy?"

"Oh not for you apparently" he said it loud and looked pretty disappointed.

She came downstairs with a bed hair and went, "oh your bike's not fixed yet?"

And a half of me was pretty disappointed and hurt but the other half was like 'oh yeah, she was just asking them as a formality'.

"Yeah but- you seem busy. I- sorry I'll go" I said and she stopped me. She asked me to wait there for a second which was a really long second. I remember thinking thank God I didn't actually have classes that day.

Half way down the ride, I felt guilty. I didn't actually have classes and I just made her drive for nothing.

"A-are we going to the beach?" I asked.

"Sure." that bitch said casually as if I was the one who requested it.

"Can you stop the vehicle?" I asked and she stopped it on the roadside.

Cause I was mad because she made the plan...

"I want to know if you actually like to go to the beach with me. Like... I don't want to waste both our times and it seems though you'd rather be at home than here. And I was excited and I thought you were too but I guess I'm just stupid like that and forget people like you exist." I said and gasped for breath. She just looked at me confused.

"Aren't you late for your classes?" she asked.
"Yeah" I said and I climbed back on the scooter.

"Can we just go the beach?" I asked.

I thought she was just going to nod and take me there but she was like "n-no you can't just skip classes. That's wrong."

"But I don't have classes" I said and she hit a sudden break and looked behind. I could tell she was mad. But then she just drove and took the route to beach and we were there.

As we moved further and further, a cold breeze hit us. Nayan's ponytail slowly scattered and fell on my face. I just grabbed them all and held them on my hand.

Nayan stopped the scooter on the edge of the road along with the rest of the vehicles and scanned the crowded beach.

It was a pretty nice feeling, to just be there, with someone who's, you know, pretty as her.

I walked first dragging my foot in the sand like anything. It left pits and was very disturbing for Nayan, so she ran a bit and came side by side to me. We were quiet for a bit and then she said "I'm sorry for making it seem like I wasn't interested to come to the beach with you..."

"I'm used to all that really.. so"

She looked at me nervously and breathed hard. She stared somewhere else and said, "I want to tell you something."

"Mm. Go ahead."

"I- I know the difference between gender and sex." she hesitated and said.

I stared at her in disbelief. And then it hit me and I said, "oh you see this is different sex that we're talking about in this case" I explained to her.

She stared at me and went, "oh my god please." and then we both laughed.

"Do you know about sexuality?" I asked.

"Yeah. Do you believe in them?"

"I don't know.... I don't know anything anymore." I said as I took a deep sigh.

"Shoot me for saying that but I kind of think it's a phase." she said as she smiled and she stared at me.

"Nooo don't be that person" I yelled at her and looked at the sky.

"Let's just agree to disagree." I said and she nodded.

I looked at her once and she had a scar in her face and I asked her what had happened, and she said "nothing."

"Oh should we sit there?" she asked pointing a distance empty space with her fingers.

"Actually. No. I'll show you an interesting place." I replied and ran . Nayan smiled and walked behind me.

"Huh crabs." I whispered as I walked. Nayan gained speed and walked along me and said "yeah it's cute..."

I still don't know why I did it, but I took some mud and dropped it on Nayan's feet. Nayan stared at her legs.

"I don't know why I did it" i said.

"I liked it... I think I'll like anything you'll do." she looked down and giggled. I blushed.  "I- we- go there." I said and ran towards the park.

Yeah I took her to the grossest park mankind could witness. I don't know why I did that but she wasn't very happy about it. 

I could see her face go from smiling to frowning in seconds.

"What the hell is this?" Nayan asked.

"I- don't worry. I come here often" I said nervously.

"so what is the mark on your cheeks?"

"I- I fell down" she said focused entirely on what was in front of them, and starts to yell "I'm gonna be an elder and say that this is gross. Don't do it please. It's perv-"

"Oh." I thought. That's when I realised what I had done.

Someone suddenly yelled out my name and I snapped out of it. Both of us look behind and it was my Accounts teacher.

"I knew you were lying Madhu!!" she yelled from far away.

"Fuck" I yelled and grabbed Nayan's arm and ran inside the park.

Nayan looked at the teacher and her face looked very disappointed.

"Why did you lie about the classes?"

"I- needed space for myself. I felt crowded back at home..." I mumbled with my head low.

We just stared at couples and I wouldn't call it a sign but we were right in front of a lesbian couple making out. She looked at me and slowly covered my eyes with her hand.

"I've seen it all miss" I said and pushed her hand down to look at her. My eyes scanned her face and then both our eyes locked. Slowly my focus shifted on the wound on her cheek. "It looks painful to me." I said softly.

"I mean. It doesn't h-"
"Should I kiss you there?" I asked slowly lifting my hands and touching the wound.
"Ah" Nayan shrieked in pain.

My original intention was to ask it as a joke and platonically but the execution was poor.

"My mommy says you should kiss the wound for it to heal." I softly mumbled with my eyes fixed on Nayan's cheeks.

"I- if your mommy says..." Nayan said and stared at my lips. 

I wasn't going to do that originally. But her reply felt like she agreed with my proposal.

I slowly stood on my heels to reach her cheeks and pecked it with my mouth. I shouldn't have done that but I'd do it again.  "I think it'll heal now" I said and cut the eye contact.

I didn't notice her shivering but she was. I looked at her and she was taking unusually large breaths.

Nayan looked terrified, and then I was terrified, I asked her if she was okay and she said yes but she didn't look okay.

After a long time Nayan takes her eyes off me and stared at the couple. Yes, the gay ones. She breathed, picked the keys and walked fastly.

Nayan dropped me off at my home and when I turned back, she called my name. I turned back again, and she gave me my backpack.

"That's it?" I mumbled to myself. 

"Uh.."

She frowns and turns back, "Uh have a nice day!" Nayan says.

"I had a nice day" I said.

She smiled. "Same."

That was a first for me. No starry eyed adult woman has ever looked me in the eye blushing and said that she had a great time with me.

I turned behind with a secret smile. Nayan was waiting there until I opened the door and closed it, and then she started her scooter and drove away.

I felt lucky that day.

I saw the old woman from her home that evening. It was a casual random meet, we were both there at the store to buy something and that wrinkly old lady really had the audacity to tell me not to hang out with Nayan and that I was a bad influence on her. I wish Nayan had heard that, she would've killed this bitch.