PART-II
I was running late. I got up late as usual. Daddy woke me up. "Bulli! You will be late to school." He warned. "Daddy, just few more minutes please." I growled. "Talli, Now." He said. I woke up and lay in his lap again. I knew, he loves it and he won't say a thing. He smiled. I slept again. Amma came in. "You are letting her sleep? She will be late." Mamma walked in "Subrahmanyam, you can't spoil her. Her sister and brother already are up and are almost ready for school .This girl is still sleeping." She said rather sternly. I came to my senses right away, but didn't open my eyes. "Amma, let her be. How long is she going to be like this? Once she grows up she will move on." he said, patting my head softly. I love you Daddy, I told myself. Mamma called out "Mohana ! Wake up. And Now". I sat up straight. Daddy is smiling and his eyes were saying you are dead now girl. I said "I am going Mamma."
I stood in front of the mirror and sink with tooth brush and paste in my hand. Amma put tooth paste on my brush and said "Brush otherwise you will be late." I was half asleep with brush in my mouth. Daddy walked by. He sighed. He came up to me and brushed my teeth. Amma was praying that Mamma doesn't see this. And she didn't. Amma made Boost for me. "I hate Boost." I said. "I want coffee." "What?" said Amma. "Yes, the one daddy and you drink. Not the one you make lightly." She sighed. Amma knew, if I said I will do it. She gave me coffee. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Suddenly I looked at the clock, I am running late. I rushed to the bathroom. "DADDY, HELP !!!!." I yelled. Daddy came, he knew. He quickly gave me a bath and Amma got my school dress ready. Daddy helped me dress to school. Amma was braiding my long hair and Daddy was putting my socks and shoes on. Anna was holding my school bag.
Akka was darn furious. "I am going to be late because of her." she mumbled. "Amma,Daddy ! Can I go? She is going to be late and I don't want to be late because of her." said Akka. "Sure talli, Go head." said Daddy. Anna is patiently waiting with the bag; after all he was the one who did all my school homework while I watched TV with Daddy. Mamma was scolding me whole yesterday evening and night. "He is a boy and see how is attending on you and doing all your chores. You should be ashamed of yourself." Anna was smiling; he said "Don't worry. But I think you should learn to do it". I shrugged and came back to present. I love my family. I picked my bag and left to school.
You would think for someone who was late to begin with would run to school. I was in no hurry. I was upset about what Mamma said, is it ok for a girl to wait on boy, but not boy on a girl. I kept on thinking about reasons to justify her statement. I couldn't find any. "I will be darned if a man ever told me what to do and how to do it." I told myself. I got myself to school. I reached just in time. Finished the prayer and went to classroom. I passed the boys section. "Boys" I scoffed. Teacher passed test results. I am still in top 5. I am not quite happy, because there is a boy who got more marks than I. I went to the teacher. "Is something wrong with my answer? I wrote better answer than him. Why did I get fewer marks?" There were other girls who got bit more marks than me. For some odd reason that was okay for me because they were my friends. Teacher said "It is only half mark difference, Mohana." "If there is no difference in answer, can you please give me my half mark?" I protested. My teacher smiled and said "Here you go." And now he was on par with me. I am not happy but not unhappy either. The end of the day, I marched back home.
Amma made our favorite fruit custard. I love it and ate it. Daddy came home, I heard the boots sound. I ran, "DADDY!" I yelled. "Hey Ram" said Mamma. "Will you simmer it? Your dad just came home. Let him breath. How many times I told you not to jump on your dad like that. Behave like a girl. The guy in whose destiny you are written, I pity him." "Here we go again." I rolled my eyes. Dad gave me his brief case and went to change. I couldn't wait to tell dad about my victory at school. I scrambled through his suitcase. He usually had cool pens and pencils. I'd beg and plead for them, take them to school to flaunt. He walked in "Don't" he said. I sensed anger in his voice. I stopped and sat in the sofa.
He sat down with Financial Express in his hands. Amma gave him coffee. I was sitting on thorns. Finally he asked "How was school?" I jumped at this. I told him every minute detail. "So you are still not first rank?" he said. "That's beside the point, I beat him daddy. I am still in top 5." Amma walked in to sit "If she stopped watching TV and actually did her homework she probably would be. She is too lazy. What do you do anyway? You and your worthless friends. Whenever you guys get a chance you are roaming on the streets. You could study and actually learn a lot. You are relying on your memory a lot. Don't . Hard work always pays off." The very first lecture from Amma. I was quiet, so was Daddy. I looked at Daddy. He seems to agree with Amma. To be honest, I did too. Amma hardly ever scolded but whenever she did it was like darts .
I learnt something from Amma that day. I need not speak much, whatever I speak has to be valid. "And what is the competition you have with boys. Compete with yourself." said Amma. My head was down. My friends walked in "crap" I thought, "she is going to kill me." "Go and play." she said "In the backyard. No more streets." My friends were disappointed. But we played at home anyway. I kept on thinking though, Why do I do it? Who am I trying prove wrong, Mamma? Society? Culture? I was confused. I made a decision though. I will not let this boy girl thing get to me. My family loves me and I have great friends. Life is grand and I still dreamt that my prince charming was nothing like the kooky boys in my class. He is perfect just like my Daddy.
I came inside to go to the bathroom. Amma was talking to Daddy "What is with this girl? Why does she fight with everyone? She is short tempered and ill-focused. I don't have to rack my brains for the other two. She drains my energy." I heard Daddy say "Give her some time. She will grow up; she is still in 3th grade. She will be fine. We will worry if the school complains." See, this is why I love my Daddy. He knew me so well. But Is Mamma right? Am I going to make a horrible life partner? Something struck me. It is two way street. And I am already prejudiced. God, this is stupid. I am going to go and eat another bowl of custard. And I did. I am calm now and future, who cares. I love my life now. I couldn't care less about the prince charming.
Edited by aj_observer - 15 years ago
Jhanak
