He held her hand to stead himself
"Sorry" she said immediately, concerned
"I rode the bus sometimes (ONCE?) you owed money if you were late beyond a point, I think my folks paid some towards a building fun" he bit his lower lip
"Did u ride the bus with your sisters?" she asked eagerly "See Akka is 7 years older, (she counted) when I was in Middle school she was done I hated that, I wanted a sibling
I didnt want to be the youngest I wanted to be responsible for a brother or sister, I was envious of my friends that had, they would lead the kids to their class and such" she complained
He watched spellbound
She had a STORY FOR EVERYTHING! EVERYTHING!
"Your parents didnt want any more"
"they didnt want me" II said looking down quickly masking her grief
OMG! WHY? WHY WOULD THEY THINK THAT? he wanted to ask
"They had Periappa to care for" II said clearing her throat...
He wanted to take her home to Malcha Marg and make love to her until she was knocked out of her senses...
Her face was flushed and her eyes not moist but bigger and somber... her lower lip shook like she had admitted to stealing
"Appa loves me a lot. He thinks Iam the best thing that happened to my family. I tell Akka that EVERYDAY" II giggled...
changing the topic quickly not ready to get any more emotionally intimate with him than she already had, ACCIDENTALLY,
unwilling to be so emotionally intimate... he was from a completely different culture and society... and they were incompatible,
HOW COULD she give him more ammunition? II YOU ARE A FOOL
A COMPLETE FOOL, HE STARES AT YOU LIKE THAT AND YOU LOSE YOUR LID?
"What else do u tell her?" he coaxed gently, probing
"VERY CLEVER PODA! I am not telling you until u talk for the next (she reached for his watch with her free right hand bending down fully until she breathed over his wrist)
sending his wrist hair beserk ) 4.5 minutes until (he gently raised his wrist letting it rub her lower lip she let go immediately) "Rakshasan!" she hissed softly
"Chacha lived in green park, we would hang with his boys, they would hate Manny and Sam, but "teach me stuff" he said
"Oh?" "Ummm" she said looking away
"Not what u are thinking of II" he reassured her
"U dont know what I am thinking of" she said defiantly, hated being so expressive with her face
To get off the balcony from the second floor and go down a rope or a sheet... bring out the hose on neighbors during Holi, hot wire cars"
Good grief" she slapped a hand on her mouth
"Watch po*n" he said
"I think your 4.5 minutes are up" she said laughing "Did u hot wire cars?"
"A couple" he said
"Who defended your crimes at home?" she asked spontaneously "Who protected you when u got busted"
"Ma" he said without losing a second...
They stood staring