Ha! I replied to all the comments this time! *pats self on the back* 😎
This next OS is, well, a bit childish. 🤔
With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility
"Aaahh! Sharon! Leave me!" yelled the eleven year old Swayam.
"No!" replied the ten year old Sharon, stubbornly.
"Please Sharon! Think about my precious hair!" yelped Swayam, his face contorted in pain.
Sharon came to a halt and contemplated for a second. Finally she gave a small sigh and let go off his hair with which she had been pulling him around.
"Fine!" she said, folding her arms, haughtily. "But it's only because I like your hair!"
"What did I do?" he asked, massaging his scalp and patting his hair consolingly.
"Who asked you to hit Rahul?" she demanded.
"He pulled on your ponytail!" replied Swayam, suddenly looking fierce.
"So?" asked Sharon.
"Only I have the right to pull your ponytail!" said Swayam, determinedly.
That was enough to pacify her.
"Fine. Let's go!" she said, grabbing his hand.
"Where are we going?" he asked.
"To the Swing, of course!" she said.
They snuck out of the house, full of guests, went out to Swayam's backyard, jumped over the fence and landed in Sharon's backyard. There, hanging on a sturdy banyan tree, was a big, merry little swing. It swung drunkenly as the wind gave it a gentle nudge or two. They ran towards it with bubbling excitement. This had been their haunt for the past two years when Sharon had demanded her Father to put up a Swing in the backyard.
Sharon plopped herself on the Swing and lifted her chin haughtily.
"Let's play a game. I'll be the Princess and you'll be my slave!" she said, cheerily.
Swayam sighed. They always played this game.
"Well what are you waiting for? Get down on your knees!" she commanded.
Shaking his head in commiseration, he bent down on one knee and said in a dull, bored voice-
"What can I do for you, my Princess?"
"Make me a tiara!" she said, happily.
He got up gruffly and fifteen minutes later he managed to procure a wreath made of flowers and twigs, entwined haphazardly.
He placed it on her head as she looked approvingly at him.
"Why do you always get to be the Princess? Even I want to be a Prince and give orders!" moaned Swayam.
Sharon frowned for a minute and gave a tired sigh.
"Fine, you can be the Prince for some time." She said, reluctantly.
Swayam, happy at the prospect of giving orders, excitedly sat on the Swing while Sharon knelt down on the grass and looked grumpily at him.
"Hmm...now what do I want you to do?" he said, scratching his chin.
Swayam tried to think of something that he could order her to do. Meanwhile, Sharon sat there seething with impatience.
"Well?" spat Sharon, annoyed.
"I can't think of anything that I want you to do!" he said, frowning.
"Well what did you think? Giving orders is an easy job? Only clever people like me can do it. It's not for people like you!" she said, scornfully.
"So you think I'm stupid?" asked Swayam.
"Yes!" said Sharon, unhesitatingly.
"I'm not stupid!" yelled back Swayam, yanking hard on her ponytail.
"Yes you are!" said Sharon, now angry.
The next instant, she pushed Swayam from the swing, making him fall on the ground and sat on the Swing herself.
"Now I'm Princess again!" she said, smugly.
"But I didn't even get to give you any order!" wailed Swayam.
"It's your fault that you wasted your time talking to me!" said Sharon, aloof. "Now I want a horseride! And you are going to be my horse!"
She made him bend down on his knees and place his palms flat on the ground, squatting down on all fours. Then unceremoniously she sat on his back and clutched his collar, making them her reins.
"C'mon! Giddy up, horsie!" she said, laughing.
Swayam managed to crawl for a step or two before falling down flat on his stomach.
Still sitting on him, Sharon said-
"You're the laziest horse ever!"
"And you're a big, fat bully!" retorted Swayam, frustrated and angry. "And when you grow up, you won't find anyone to marry you!"
"I don't need anyone. I have you." She said, showing her teeth and two cute little dimples.
"Me?" he scoffed. "The first chance I get I'm going to run away from you and leave you behind, all alone!"
He didn't get back any answer from her. Instead he felt the weight lift off from his back as she stood up and walked away.
He too stood up and saw that she was sitting next to a small, marble fountain that had been devoid of any water for the past many years.
She sat there with her elbows placed on her folded knees and her round face resting on the palms of her hand. She had a glum expression on her face and little drops of tears in her eyes.
Swayam suddenly felt extremely guilty.
A little while later, she saw his face appear before her.
She looked away, frowning.
"I'm sorry Sharon!" he said, pouting a little.
She looked at him, not convinced yet.
He offered her a bunch of purple bellflowers that he had gathered and had bundled together in a hasty bouquet.
Her frown lessened as she accepted those flowers. They were her favourite.
Finally he offered her a half-eaten chocolate from his pocket.
"I was saving it for later, but you can have it." he said, smiling.
She beamed at the sight of the chocolate, before snatching it from his hands and placing a swift kiss on his cheek.
"Yuck!" said Swayam, wiping the cheek on which she had kissed him. "Don't ever do that again!"
But she wasn't listening anymore. She was busy stuffing herself with chocolate.
Together they walked back to the Swing.
She sat on the Swing and he once again knelt on the ground.
"I will never leave you, Sharon." He said.
"Good." She said, smiling.
He smiled in return.
"Now what are you smiling about? I'm still your Princess!" she said, once again assuming her haughty mode.
"As you always will be." He said, smiling.
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