As days went by, we got used to not having Akkachi around. I drop and fetch my sisters each day from their school and at 6 pm I go for my piano practice. Saturday is the most busiest day at home. Amma goes to the wet market early in the morning and buy fish and meat and then cook for a week. When I went in to the kitchen Amma was making fish curry.
“Do you want any help Amma?”
“No, get out of the kitchen, You children will give me double work.”
“Ok” I walked out of the kitchen. I didn’t understand what my mother’s problem was. If she doesn’t want any help, too bad, I thought.
There were too many dried leaves on the courtyard. I thought,I might as well sweep it. I haven’t done it before. I took the broom made with the ribs of the coconut leaves. I have seen Akkachi turning it first and hitting the handle to make sure that the handle is even. I did that, then I tried to fan it like Akkachi did. So far so good. I had to bend down and sweep the leaves. After 5 secs I got up and straightened my back.
“Oh, your back is hurting eh? Now you know how hard house work is!!!, All of you think life is easy.!” I didn’t know Amma was watching me. I ignored her. Akkachi can sweep the whole courtyard in 10 minutes. It must have taken me atleast an hour and I still haven’t finished the front courtyard.
“Nina” I heard someone calling me
I looked up to watch Akashavani aunty standing near the main gate.
“Is your mother home?”
“Yes aunty. Why?”
“I need to talk to her about something”
‘Oh god, what does she want to talk to Amma? Is she going to fight with Amma for me talking to her son yesterday? I didn’t actually speak to him. He was the one who was speaking to me.’
I ran in to the kitchen and told Amma
“Akashavani is outside, she wants to talk to you”
Amma switched off the gas stove and wiped her hand on the edge of her saree. I followed right behind Amma.
“Are you busy?” Akashavani asked Amma
“Not at all. I was just making fish curry.There was fresh seer fish(neymeen) at the market this morning. It isn’t often I see good fish here. So I bought 2 kg of fish. I just finished making fish curry, later I fry some as well.”
“Ah cooking. You are so lucky that you have daughters. At least they help you in the kitchen. My sons are so lazy!.”
“My daughters helping me? You must be joking. They are so lazy, I feel sorry for the man who will marry her.” Amma pointed her hands at me
“I helped you to sweep the courtyard this morning Amma”
“Yeah right, she thinks, sweeping the courtyard one day is considered a major work” Amma was laughing at me.
“Right. From now on you can sweep”. I dropped the broom stick on the floor and walked inside
“See how touchy she is? You can’t tell anything to her. She gets angry, just like her father. Nina, put the broom stick back where it belongs”
I ignored her.

Amma went out in the afternoon. I was so angry with her for lying to Akashavani. I asked her if she needs any help in the morning. I spend the afternoon playing with my sisters. Around 5 pm, I heard someone opening the gate.
‘hmmm, she came back early today? Today the crows will fly upside down’. I thought.
“Nina, I think Amma is home” Liza spoke
“Yeah, I will go and make coffee for her, before she starts her complaints”.
I was just about to enter the dining room and that is when I heard a familiar whistle. There is only one person that I know who whistles like that. No, it is not possible. I must be imagining. I continued to walk to the kitchen, expecting Amma to open the door any minute. I heard the whistle again. Liza was running towards me
“Did you hear that Nina?”
It took me a moment to fully understand what is happening. I ran to the door and opened it to see my wonderful father standing outside
“Appa, why didn’t you tell us you are coming” I ran to him. The joy I felt seeing my father after such a long time was beyond explanation. He carried me and kissed me on my forehead. Liza and Sally too ran to him.
“My goodness, you have all grown so much, I wonder if the clothes I bought for you would fit anymore.”
“Let me go and pay the taxi driver”. We were still clinging on Appa.
“Children, let go off me for a minute. I need to pay the taxi driver.”
Nobody moved. Eventually, Appa carried Sally, Liza held one arm and I walked on the other side holding Appa’s elbow. The taxi driver helped Appa to get the bags from the roof rack. Appa lowered Sally down, so he could get the money from his purse and pay the driver. All the nieghbours were looking at us. I felt like a princess. The king has come home.
After taking the bags inside Appa asked me
“Nina where is your mother?”
My heart missed a beat. I was so scared. What am I going to tell him?
“She was here just 5 minutes ago Appa. She just went out to buy something Appa”. Liza looked at me and I winked at her, hoping she would understand my hint and not to open her stupid mouth and say anything.
“I will make some coffee for you” I ran to the kitchen
Few seconds later I called Liza
“Liza, come here, I need your help”. She didn’t bother to come
I heard Appa telling Liza
“Your sister is calling you, go and see what she needs”
I saw Liza walking to the kitchen angrily
“What” She asked me
“Shhh, I kept my hand on my mouth and showed her to hush
“What” She asked me more gently this time
“Come here” I told her. I whispered gently in her ears.
“Please don’t tell Appa, amma went out in the afternoon. They would fight again. You don’t want Amma and Appa to fight, Do you?”
She shook her head. “Now go and tell Sally I need her help. I watched Liza going and telling Sally to go to the kitchen

“What help you need Nina?”
I told her the same thing I told Liza. I quickly made coffee for Appa.
“Not bad Nina. Your coffee is good”
I was beaming. I was happy at the same time worried. I kept looking at the gate. There was no sign of Amma. It was getting dark.
Appa was busy opening his bags and taking the things he got for us. He bought new clothes, colour pencils, crayons, erasers. Liza and Sally were fighting for the pink eraser. Finally Liza got the blue colour eraser, Sally got the pink one and I got the yellow one. I didn’t like the yellow one, but I was more worried about what time my mother is going to come back.
“Is your mother always this late?” Appa asked me
“No, never, it is the first time. May be she went to the ration shop to buy palm oil. There is always a huge queue at the ration shop.”
I went to the kitchen to warm the fish curry for dinner. I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I prayed silently
‘parumala thirumeni (jacobite saint), Please please, I beg you, bring Amma home soon. I will light a candle at the church. I promise.’
I placed the hot pot of curry on the table. I asked my sisters to help me set the table. I heard Amma opening the gate
I ran outside.
“Appa is home”
“what did you tell him?”
“I told him you went out around 5 pm to buy something.”
“Ok”.

My mother was suddenly transformed. She became the most loving mother and wife. I watched her running to my father and them hugging each other.
“You have lost so much weight” She told Appa
“Yeah, My cook doesn’t know to make Malayalee food. I haven’t had a proper meal for so long”

I watched Amma going to the kitchen to make hot water for bathing. Appa and Amma went to bath together
“Nina, why are they bathing together?” Liza asked me
“Because they are married!”
“Oh”.

It was getting dark and I decided to go and lock the main gate. Akashavani’s son kapalanga was walking up and down in front of his house reading and reciting. He must have some exam tomorrow. That is one funny way to study, I thought. He saw me and smiled at me. That was even more odd.
‘Why did kapalanga smile at me?’. He always talk in riddles to me. I wondered what lie behind the smile. He didn’t say anything and I was relieved. Without looking at him I locked the gate.
I went back inside and was going to pack my school bag for tomorrow
I heard Amma calling me
“Nina, Come here quick”
I ran to the kitchen to find my mother holding an empty rice container
“Nina, run to Anichettan’s shop before they close and buy 2 kg of rice. I forgot to buy rice today.”.
“Amma, it is very late. Anichettan’s shop would be closed by now”
“Don’t stand there and talk. Just go and see. If there is no rice, what will you take for lunch to school tomorrow?”
Amma gave me 10 Rs and I took the key from the key holder to open the gate.
“Nina, take Liza with you and be careful”
“Ok Amma”
“Liza come with me. hurry up” I screamed
“where are we going?” Liza asked me
“Rice finished and we have to buy some now”
“Nina, it is dark, I am scared”
“Why are you scared? I am with you right? After all I am the world famous Methran Thambi’s grand daughter!”
“You and your Methran Thambi” Liza was laughing.
I quickly opened the gate and I didn’t want to take the key with me. I was just putting it by the side of the gate, so when I come back I can lock the gate
“engotta? Ammente pani makkalkkum undo?”. I looked up to see kapalanga leaning on their gate and looking at me with disgust.
I wanted to go and talk to him and give him a piece of my mind. But I had to buy the rice and I pulled Liza’s hand and ran in to the main road.
I could see across the parade ground, the light from one lone street light near the lawayer’s office. I should have taken the torch. I was scared to walk in the darkness.
“Hurry Liza. let us run”
“Nina, I am scared”
“Don’t worry, nothing will happen”
I could see the shadow of someone walking towards us. I was relieved. Atleast there is another human being on the road and I am safe. The person looked at me as we crossed each other. I didn’t know who it was and I didn’t smile. I was just glad that there was another person on the road. Few seconds later I turned to look. His shadow was getting smaller and my fear was getting bigger.
The working street light was still far away. Just as we crossed the giant peepal tree, someone started walking towards us. I was so relieved. In seconds the man was holding my left upper arm. I wanted to scream. But the sound didn’t come out. Liza was standing like a rock. There was only one thing to do. I started to hit him with my right fist. I still didn’t want to let go the 10 Rs that was in my fist. Liza was crying now and we saw more shawdows approaching us. The man who was holding my hand started to run. I held Liza’s hand and started to run towards the street light. There were people who tried to stop me and ask what happend. I didn’t stop. I was worried that the man would come back.
Liza and I ran all the way non stop to Anichettan’s shop. We were gasping by the time we reached the shop. Anichettan had already closed the shutters and was bending down to lock the shutters.
“Anichetta” I called him
He turned and looked at us
“Are you ok?”
“Yes, I need some rice”. I kept looking back to see if the stranger is hiding somewhere behind and waiting to pounce on me the moment I leave Anichettan’s shop.
“Aiyyo mole I closed the shop already”
“No aiyyo Anichetta, there is no rice at home and we can’t take lunch to school. You have to give me some rice”
Anichettan showed enough signs of his displeasure to open the shop again. He was grumbling. I watched him opening the shutter a little bit up. He bend down and went in. I could see from the bottom of the shutters that Anichettan switched on the light inside his shop. I turned around to watch the road. I kept looking left and right to see if the stranger is lurking somewhere near me.
Through the gap between the shutter an the floor Anichettan placed a small bag of rice outside. He went back to switch off the light. I watched him coming out biting a huge silver torch. At any other time I would have laughed because Anichettan looked like a giant bulldog with a giant bone in his mouth. I couldn’t laugh now.
“Here” He handed me the rice.”Pay me next time”. I took the rice from his hand and I looked at him.
“Anichetta, I am scared to walk back home alone. Will you please come with me?”
He looked at me. He was not pleased at all. But I needed his help so I looked at him pleadingly.
“Ok walk. I will follow you”. Anichettan ordered. We walked in total silence. When we reached the parade ground Anichettan switched on the torch. I looked for shadows hiding near the peepal tree. My heart was beating fast. I consoled myslef by the fact that Anichettan is a big burly man. He can fight, if anyone attacks me again. I held Liza’s hand tightly. If anything happens, I can run with her.
Just as we reached the small road that leads to my house, I turned around and told Anichettan
“My house is the second one down the road. I can walk home alone now. Thank you for coming with me.”
“koche tell your mother, it is highly irresponsible of her to send her children out at odd hours. She can’t expect the nattukar(neighbours) to help her raise her daughters.”
I felt something getting caught in my throat. I was angry with Amma for asking me to go out in the night. I was also mad at Amichettan for judging my mother. I didn’t understand my own feelings.
I pulled Liza’s hand and ran down the road
kapalanga was still there, leaning on his gate.
“What did Kochu maharani pay to get that?” He pointed to the packet in my hand. I was thinking how did he know that I didn’t pay for the rice today? I wanted to tell him, Anichettan said I can pay next time.
I heard Amma shouting. She was standing near the veranda.
“Why are you standing there and talking to others Nina? Haven’t yet hatched out of the egg completely and she is standing and talking to boys in the night! Waiting for an opportunity to flirt! Aren’t you ashamed of yourself Nina?”
I walked inside and placed the rice in her hand. I marched inside. I was so mad at my mother.
I didn’t tell my mother what happend to me that day. because she wouldn’t beleive me and because she would try to justify her actions.

“Nina I am hungry”. Liza climbed on my bed and sat next to me.
“Why don’t you go and eat bread. There is pineapple jam in the fridge”
“I don’t like to eat bread Nina. I am sick and tired of eating bread everyday”
I started to laugh.
“Why are you laughing Nina?” Sally asked me
“Do you remember the first time Amma bought Pineapple jam? How mad Amma was, when she found out we finished the jam?
“Oh yes, it was the day after Akkachi left. Amma had bought a big tin of pineapple jam, when she came back from work. Right?” Sally asked
“Right. And we ate only bread and jam for breakfast, lunch and dinner and by the time Amma came back from work, the family sized tin of jam was finished”
“That was because Amma never bought jam before. Even in Malaysia we never had jam!” Sally justified
“Well, we used to have kaya(coconut jam) when we were in Malaysia.”
I remembered walking with my father to go to the morning market and how both of us would eat breakfast at the Chinese shop. Appa liked to eat half boiled egg with kicap (soy sauce)and pepper and I liked toasted bread with kaya. “Do you remember the the Chinese shop?” I asked Sally
“No”She shook her head. “One day when we go back, I will take you there”. I promised Sally
“Nina, will you cook something for me?”
“What do you want to eat?”
“Fried rice, like the one Tante Ida used to make”
“Oh, Sally I don’t know how to make fried rice”
“You will know Nina, come to the kitchen and see” Sally got up and started to pull my hand
I held her hand and we walked to the kitchen. Liza was sitting at the dining table and colouring
“Do you want to eat something?” Sally asked her
“What are you going to make?”
“I asked Nina to make fried rice”
“Really? Like Tante ida’s?”
“Yes” Sally nodded her head excitedly
“Guys, hold on. I don’t know how to make the fried rice.” I replied
“It is simple Nina, you just fry the rice to get fried rice” Liza replied
“When exactly do you fry? Before cooking the rice or after cooking the rice?”
“I think it is before cooking the rice” replied Liza
“I think it is after cooking the rice”
“aiyaa, now what do we do? I don’t know how to make fried rice. Akkachi taught me how to make curd rice. I will make that for you”
“No. We want fried rice”
I looked inside the rice cooker. There was cooked rice inside. “tell you what, we will try frying the cooked rice. Go get me some eggs” I ordered Liza
“How many eggs do you need?”
I didn’t know. “I guess one each per person”
“What did Tante Ida put in her fried rice?” I asked my sisters.
“babi (pork) and vege lah” Replied Liza
“Shhh don’t use ‘lah’.. Amma will kill you” I scolded Liza
“Ok, ok ok. Sorry I forgot”
I placed the big wok on fire. Gently I poured some oil in to the wok.
“How much of oil should I add?” I asked my sisters
“Add little more Nina, we have to fry the rice” Liza suggested
I added little more. When the oil was really hot, I broke the first egg inside and immediately it turned brownish black.
“aiyyo the fire is too hot” I quickly tried to reduce the flame. There was egg on my hand and now there was egg on the knob as well. I will clean it later. I thought
I quickly broke the other 2 eggs s well and started to stir. There were egg shells in the wok and I tried to remove it using my fingers.
“Ouch” I screamed.
“Are you ok, Nina” Sally took my hand and started to blow on my fingers.
“Don’t worry, I am fine” I pulled my hand out of her grasp and stirred. When the egg was cooked I added 3 cups of rice, one cup for each of us. There was too much rice in the wok and I couldn’t stir.
“Go get me a plate” I ordered Sally.
I removed some of the rice from the wok in to the plate.
“Do we have any vege?” Liza asked me
“We have potatoes, but we don’t add potatoes to fried rice”. Then I remembered Akkachi showing me dried green peas and teaching me the malayalam name for that.
“We have green peas”. I shouted happily.
“Here, you stir the rice”. I gave the spatula to Liza. “Be careful. Don’t burn your hand”. Liza stood on the small stool and started to stir the rice. I quickly went and got the dried green peas. I added a handful of green peas in to the wok.
“Give me the spatula”. I ordered Liza.
I stirred and stirred. The green peas in Tante ida’s fired rice was a nice beautiful green. Mine still looked almost white with hardly any green colour on it.
May be the Malaysian green peas is different.
“Bring me your plates” The chef ordered
“Me first, me first” My sisters were stoving and pushing each other.
“Aiyya what is this? there is enough fried rice for all of us. Remember always..Patience is a virtue” Spoke the chef again
I served my sisters and took some rice for myself. We marched to the dining room. We were all eager to eat.
As soon as the first mouth that went in all of us looked at each other. We took the rock hard green peas from our mouth. Sally was laughing, Liza too started to laugh. I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry. As I just cooked my first fried rice with dried green peas and no salt.
“I can’t eat this Nina”. Liza spoke
“me too”
“We will throw it before Amma see it”
The same moment I heard the main gate opening.
“Long life. We just said her name and there she is”
I quickly tried to throw the rice in to the bin
“What are you all eating?” Amma asked
“Nina tried to make fried rice. She didn’t put any salt Amma” My sisters told her
Amma came in to the kitchen and saw the mess
“Who asked you to cook Nina? Look at the oil. You finished half of it. How dare you? That oil was enough to last till the end of this month and you finished it!.”
Amma looked inside the rice cooker. “You finished the rice too? I cooked enough rice for lunch and dinner before I went to work. Get out of the kitchen all of you. No dinner for anyone. Nina, if you ever enter the kitchen and cook food, I will kill you.”
I quickly walked out of the kitchen. I could hear my mother muttering
oru panikku ayiram pani undakkum. Chekuthante santhathikal…

Amma and Maria were busy most evenings shopping for new things for Maria to take to college.
I overheard them talking about going to the Carona to look for sandals. I wanted to go too. Carona always has the latest shoes and after buying my black shoes there the last time, I became a member of their stamp collecting team. If I send the main office a receipt of new shoes, I can get 20 more new stamps. I have been collecting stamps from the time we were in Malaysia. Appa used to bring stamps from Britain from his office and together we would soak the envelopes in water and remove the stamps. Appa taught me how to dry the stamp by keeping it in the freezer for few hours.
“Can I come with you?”
“No” Screamed Maria
“Why not?”
“Because you are uncultured and uncouth. You are an embarassement. Remember the last time I took you out for shopping what you did?”
I was trying to remember the sins I have committed. I couldn’t.
“What did I do?” I asked indignantly.
“Oh, Kochumaharani forgot already? You asked me in front of everyone. What is carefree? Do you remember now?”
Yes, I remembered. I have watched the advertisement for carefree everytime in Vanitha magazine. I thought it must be an Indian biscuit. Maria and I were at the Ladies corner shop and I saw Maria buying a packet of carefree. That is when I asked her “Is it a biscuit?”
Maria pinched me so hard that day. The shop attendent was laughing at me and I remember thinking everyone is mad. Just because I asked if carefree is a biscuit, I got pinched and laughed at.

Amma bought Maria a brand new sandals with heels. I knew that was Maria’s christmas gift. Amma didn’t want to buy anything for me, so she said it was something Maria needed at the engineering college.
“Can I please try your sandals Maria? I have never worn a high heel sandals”
“No way. You will spoil it.”
“I promise I won’t”
“No. This is mine”
Amma was sittting down at the dining table and drinking her coffee.
“Can I please have the bill Amma? I can send it to the Carona shop and they will send me more stamps”
“Nina, Maria too wants to join the stamp collecting club, anyway it is her sandals and her bill”
“But Maria never collects stamps. It is only me and Appa who collects stamps in this house.”
“Well, you are never too old to start a new hobby”
I turned around and walked out. I was so mad at Amma, I imitated the way she spoke the last sentence”well you are never too old”
“Did you say something Nina?”
“No , I didn’t”

I went to the field to look at the panineer champakka tree. The tree is very tall and in order to prevent me from climbing, Amma had cut all the branches near the bottom. There were at least 20 white juicy fruits on the tree. They were looking at me and saying, “you can’t catch me, neh neh neh neh”
“Hmm, I thought. I am Methran Thambi’s grand daughter, and you my dear friend is only a fruit. You think I can’t catch you?”
I looked around me. There was plenty of rocks and small stones. I took one and threw it up and learned the first lesson of law of gravity. The rock fell down right on top of my head
“Ouch”, I screamed. I rubbed my head with my hands, so there won’t be any bumps. I was mad. I took more rocks from the floor and started to throw. Not a single one even managed to touch the fruit.
Methran Thambi’s grand daughter isn’t as good as she thought. I sat down on the steps. I saw a fruit on the ground. I have been forbidden from eating any fruit that is on the ground, because wild animals could have touched or eaten them and I could fall sick. I picked up the fruit. There were no bite marks. I wiped it and started to eat
‘If I have to die, there is nothing that can stop. At least I would die knowing that I ate a yummy panineer champakka.”
I heard someone opening the main gate. I watched my mother leaving.
‘Oh no, She is going to ‘just over there’ again. Leaving me alone with Maria.’

A little while later, I heard Maria talking to Liza and Sally. She was going somewhere. I waited for her to close the gate and I ran to where Liza and Sally were standing
“Where did Maria go?”
“She went to buy a magazine at the Paico shop”
“Oh really?”
There was something I had to do. I ran inside. I took Maria’s new sandals out of the box. I desperately wanted to try them on.
“What are you doing Nina?” I looked up to see Liza watching me
“I just want to try this on Liza. Please don’t tell Maria. I have never had a high heel sandals”
“You can’t take Maria’s things Nina”
“I know, but I just want to try it one time. I will buy you a cream bun from Better bakery if you don’t tell Maria. I promise”
“No. I am going to tell Maria that you wore her sandals”
I thought anyway Liza is going to tell on me. I might as well try the sandals and get beaten
I wore the sandals. It was big for me and I could hardly balance. I walked holding the side of the wall. There was no thrill anymore as I my feet kept tripping and I took the sandals off my feet, wrapped in the clear cellophane paper and placed it back in the box. I watched Maria opening the gate and Liza telling her excitedly that I wore the new sandals. Maria ran inside like a possessed woman and screamed and asked me
“Did you try my sandals?”
I nodded my head. She pulled my hair. There was a handful of my hair in her hands. My scalp was on fire. She didn’t stop with that. She started to hit me and scratched me all over. I pushed her and ran out.
“Stay out there”. I watched Maria slamming the door shut. I didn’t want to be locked out of the house. I remembered the kitchen door and I ran to the back of the house. Maria was faster than me. She shut the door, just as I was about to reach the door.
I went back and sat on the veranda. It was getting dark. I watched the porch light being turned on at Akashavani’s house. I was getting scared. I was scared of ghosts that roam around the earth at twilight time. I quickly got up and knocked the door
“Maria, please open the door”
I could hear Sally begging Maria to open the door. I heard Sally crying and I knew, Maria must have pinched her. I didn’t want Sally to get hurt. So I stopped knocking at the door.
I thought of my options. There was only one option. I will run away. I wanted to get out of this family. I walked to the main gate. It was very dark. Someone’s dog was braking in the distance. None of the street lights worked. I could hear someone talking at Akashavani’s house. They must be eating their dinner now. I leaned on the gate and looked at the main road and I saw someone walking down. I stared at the person and I knew it is my mother. The next thing I did was something I never knew I could. I bit myself hard on my hand and the moment Amma opened the gate, I cried and ran to her
“Amma, Maria bit me and locked me out of the house. See the saliva is still on my hand”.
Amma touched my hand
“How dare she?”
Amma pulled my hand and marched inside the house
“Open the door Maria” Amma was shouting.
Maria quickly opened the door
“Did you bite Nina?” Amma asked her
“No, I didn’t”
“Show her your hand Nina” Amma ordered me
I showed Maria the fresh bite mark.
“I didn’t do this Amma. I swear I didn’t”
I watched Amma giving Maria a tight slap across her face
“Don’t you dare hurt your sisters. You are supposed to take care of them”
Maria was mad and she responded
“My sisters are not my responsibility. Perhaps you should think of taking care of your own children, Instead of gallavanting around the town.”
There was a moment of pin drop silence. Amma was stunned. I watched Maria going back to her room and Amma walking to the kitchen. Somehow I knew I won again. Maria never hurt me physically as she knew, what I would do if she as much as raised her hands on me.

“Nina, Coffee please”. I was sitting down on Appa’s chair and reading Malayala manorama newspaper.
“huh”. I looked up to see Maria standing in front of me
“Nina, Please make some coffee for me”
“Why should I? Why don’t you make it yourself?”
“Nina” She was pleading. “You know I don’t like to cook and besides you make the best coffee in the world. It taste just like Ammachi’s”
“Really? My coffee really taste like Ammachi’s?”
“Ofcourse it does, everyone knows that. Even Amma says you have inherited Ammachi’s cooking genes!”
I was flattered to hear that. The fact that even Amma thinks I am a good cook. I got up from the chair, folded the news paper and placed it back on the chair. I was half way through the main article in the paper. I thought, I will make Maria some coffee and come back and read my paper.
I quickly made a cup of coffee for Maria and came back to find Maria sitting on the easy chair and reading the news paper.
I gave the coffe to her and asked
“Can I have the news paper now?”
“Just a little while more, I will read it quickly and give it back”
“No, I want it now, I was reading it first, I got up only because You asked me for some coffee. I want the paper now!”
“I am reading it now Nina, I will give it back when I finish”
“Oh No, You are giving it now” I pulled the paper from her hand.
Maria got up from the chair and scratched my hand with her nails. I was so mad at her, I bit her hand.Maria started to cry and my mother came outside in the nick of time.
“Amma see, Nina bit me” Maria showed the bite mark to Amma
“But she scratched me first” I replied
“Show me your hands” Amma commanded
I showed her my hand, there was only a slight redness in my hand, where as Maria had a big bite mark.
“Your sister is home for just a month and this is what you do to her. I will teach you a lesson Nina.” I watched Amma going to the yard in front of the house and breaking a stem from the jasmine plant. I watched her using her hand removing the leaves and bringing the stick with her. I could have run for safety. I didn’t. Amma came back to where I was standing and she hit me with the stick on my leg. It felt like a lightning passing through my leg. I didn’t cry.
“Look at her, she is becoming so evil. She doesn’t even cry now. Stubborn like he father.” She started to hit me all over my body. I couldn’t take the pain anymore and I ran. I half expected Amma to follow me and hit me some more. I ran inside the banana thicket. I couldn’t sit on the floor, so I squatted down. I wanted to cry. There were red welts all over my leg and hands. I gently massaged the marks. It was stinging and tears started to flow. I thought of Akkachi and I hated Akkachi even more. If she was here, then I didn’t have to get up and make coffee for my sister. There is no one for me. Nobody loves me anymore. I felt so lonely. I wished Appa would come back. The next time he calls, I intend to go to Aunty Reena’s house and speak to him. I am going to tell him to come back soon, before his wife and daughter kills me.

I watched from the banana thicket and saw Amma leaving.
‘Oh god, Now Maria is alone and I was really worried thatshe would hurt me again. Every time Maria is alone, she would hit me and pinch me. Amma doesn’t beleive me, because by the time she returns, there is no evidence on my body to show her. I couldn’t squat on the floor anymore as my kness were hurting and the ants have slowly started to climb on my legs. I quietly walked to the veranda and sat on the easy chair. If Maria comes out,I can run out to the safety of the main road.
I overheard Liza and Sally speaking to Maria
“Chechy, when are we going to get a tree to decorate?”
“Why don’t you ask Nina to get one?”
“We already asked her yesterday and Nina said, ask Maria, she should get the tree” They replied
“That is because Nina is lazy. Go and tell her that Maria ordered her to get a tree. This is after all christmas time. She should be a little less lazy.”
I could hear Liza and Sally walking to the veranda.
“Nina, Maria orderes you to get a tree.” Liza spoke
“Oh really? Why don’t you ask her to help me?”
“Nina please get a tree. Only our house doesn’t have a tree. Please Nina”
I looked at my younger sisters.
“Look, I can’t bring the tree alone from Baker school. It is too far. Maria has to help.”
Sally was crying. “Maria says ask Nina, Nina says ask Maria and both of you are not bothered to get a tree. If Appa was here, we could have had a tree.”
I knew the pain that was in my baby sisters heart. I didn’t want her to cry. I will have to get a tree somehow from some where. But there was no way I could cut a tree from the Baker school compound and bring it all the way walking on the 70 feet road. That is atleast 3 KM.
“Liza, I just can’t carry tree alone from the Baker school. But I can put a star for you”.
“I don’t want a star. I want a tree. You are just like what Maria said. You are plain lazy to do anything.” Liza scoffed and walked back.
I watched Liza and Sally going back inside. There was nothing I could do. I wished my sisters understood that.

That evening was my Christmas choir concert. Akkachi had starched and ironed my white skirt and blouse. I wore the skirt and I thought of Akkachi. She is already someone’s wife now. I hoped she would be happy.
“Maria, are you coming for the Carol service?” I asked Maria
“Oh No, I am not coming anywhere to hear you croaking.”
“Can we come Nina?” Sally asked me
“Ofcourse you can. Go and get ready. Liza, why don’t you wear your pink dress and Sally, you can wear your blue skirt and blouse. Bring me your shoes, I will polish for you”
The service starts at 6 pm.
“We will have to wait for Amma” I told my sisters. Every few m inutes I checked my watch and then the road to see if there is any sign of Amma.
I waited till 5.45pm. There was no sign of Amma.
I looked at my sisters
“I am sorry, I can’t take you with me. I have to sit with the choir and won’t be able to take care of you at the church. Wait here for Amma and come to church with her.”
“I want to come with you Nina” Liza held my hand
I pushed her from me and ran. I could hear them crying and running after me.
“We want to attend the choir service Nina”
“Go home, go back home, please. I can’t take care of you at the church, wait for Amma and come with her.”
I watched my sisters walking back. I saw Liza turning back and she told me
“I hate you Nina. You cheated us. You told us, we can come with you. You are a liar”
I turned around and started to walk towards the church. I thought of my mother. She knew it is my big day today and she didn’t even bother to come home on time. There was no way I could leave my sisters alone at the church while singing in the choir. Who would take care of my sisters when I am away?

The church was crowded. The Christmas tree was kept near the pulpit. Biju and his friends decorated the tree last night. There was supposed to be a big surprise for everyone. Biju and his friends were planning for weeks. I looked everywhere to see what is the big surprise. The walls were decorated with flowers and balloons. That can’t be a big surprise, I thought. I noticed the big pink star in the middle of the church. Could that be the big surprise? I saw the beautifully decorated tree near the pulpit. I looked at the tree and noticed the crib at the bottom. ‘Oh my goodness, that is the most beautiful crib I ever saw.It looked so beautiful, with the Joseph and Mary sitting on hay and holding the baby Jesus in their hand. There were little lambs every where and in one corner there were the statues of three Magis holding the gifts for the baby Jesus.
All my choir friends were standing with their families. Anju saw me and she ran to me
“where is your mother and sisters Nina?”
“Amma is working overtime today, she will come later with my sisters” I told her and prayed silently, Lord, Please bring Amma to the church.
“Come and meet my Ammachi. She is my father’s mother. She has come to visit us from Trivandrum.” Anju spoke agian and I walked with her to meet her grandmother
I noticed that everyone except me had their family at the church. All the women were dressed in beautiful sarees. Little children in beautiful frocks, most of them white colour and wearing nice shining shoes on their feet. I thought they looked like angels.
Everyone was eager for the service to start. There was so much of laughter and happiness, while I was all alone.. at the church and in the world.

My sadness turned to anger the more I thought about what Akkachi did to me. Akkachi knew she was leaving. yet she didn’t tell me. I thought of all the hints she had given the last 2 weeks.
Like the time I came back from school about 2 weeks ago,before I could go out to play, Akkachi called me
“Nina, do you know how to make curd rice?” She asked me
“No Akkachi. Why did you ask me that?”
“Come here, I will teach you how to make”
“Later Akkachi. I will learn cooking when I am big”
“Anyway you have to learn Nina, Why don’t you watch what I am doing. It only takes a few minutes. Take the rice in a bowl, for every cup of rice add 1/2 cup of yogurt and 1/2 t spn salt, heat a spoon of oil, fry a bit of mustard, curry leaves and pour it over the rice. Even if I am not around, you can still make this and eat when you come back from school”
“Where are you going Akkachi?”
“No where Nina, just incase I have to go somewhere, I want to make sure you know how to cook. Nina, do you know the name of all the lentils we use for cooking?”
“No Akkachi. I know in Malay, not in malayalam.”
Akkachi took all the lentil containers and one by one she taught me the malayalam names and I taught her the malay names. How much I laughed when I got Akkachi to say kacang hijau(green gram in malay)
Akkachi lied to me that day. She knew She is leaving. She must have waited till Maria came back. So she could see her one last time.
I thought of today morning before I went to school.
Akkachi hugged me and told me
“Do well Nina, May you have all the blessings” and I thought she was wishing me good luck for the hindi examination. I am a world class idiot. I was sure of that.

“Nina, come and eat dinner.” I heard Amma calling me
I didn’t want to eat, but I went anyway because I didn’t want to start another fight.
There was beef perattal, my favourite Avial and cherupayar thoran. Akkachi must have made all this for me before she went. I am the only one at home who likes to eat avial. Each mouth of rice that went in all I could think was how much I hate Akkachi. ‘I hate you Akkachi. I just hate you for what you did to me’
“Now that Akkachi is away, all of you have to work to keep the house clean” Amma spoke
“Are we getting a new maid Amma?” Liza asked
“Shhh.” I ignored Amma hushing Liza. I wanted to tell her,’I know Akkachi is gone, I overheard you telling that to Liza, so you don’t have to pretend that, Akkachi is going to come back after few days!’
“Maria, you wash the dishes, Nina can clean the table, Liza can help you to dry the dishes”
“aiyyo Amma, I can’t do the dishes. It will spoil my nails. Everyone at my college love my nails, besides i just polished my nails this morning.Why don’t you ask Nina to do the dishes, anyway she doesn’t have any nails.”
Amma looked at me and at Maria
“That reminds me, Nina I think it is high time you stopped biting your nails.”
I didn’t respond. I don’t know why I bite my nails. After biting so much, my nail bleeds most of the time. But I can’t stop biting. The last time my nails were bleeding badly, Akkachi decided to help me. I thought of how Akkachi applied some bitter ayurvedic medicine on my nails and how I bit my nails along with the bitter medicine. Suddenly I felt an uncontrollable rage
‘Akkachi Akkachi Akkachi. That is all I can think of. I hate you Akkachi, you have no idea how much I hate you Akkachi’. I was upset with myself for hating Akkachi. Somewhere at the back of my head something told me
‘be sensible Nina, if she told you she was leaving, you wouldn’t have written your exams well’. I tried to hush that voice.

After dinner I went to the kitchen to wash all the dishes. It was the first time I ever washed dishes. Amma doesn’t buy dish soap. We have to use ash* mixed with water to clean the dishes. I felt so yucky. There were left over food scraps blocking the sink. I used my hand to clean that.
“Amma” I scremed
“What?” Amma came in to the kitchen
“Where do I throw this?” Water was dripping from the rubbish in my hand
“Oh my goodness Nina, use your stupid brain. Look, You dirtied the floor. You silly stupid child, you are supposed to throw all the rubbish in to the bin before you start washing. Throw what is in your hand in the rubbish bin and make sure you mop the floor.”
I was angry with Akkachi, angry with Amma, angry with Maria. Maria could have thrown the food scraps in the bin, before she put them for wash. I thought of all the times, I put the dishes for washing before throwing the rubbish. I remembered how Akkachi would use her hand and remove all the scrap. I suddenly realized I am becoming the new Akkachi.

*I was trying to remember from where we got the ash to clean the dishes. Does anyone know what kind of Ash we used at that time?

School closed for Christmas holidays on thursday. I was excited mainly because Maria will be home today. I haven’t seen her for so long. I wondered what she would bring for us from Kharagpur.
On the way home I mentally planned the lists of things to do. I will have to ask Maria to help me cut the tree from the Baker School grounds. I will decorate the Christmas tree tomorrow, today evening we will go to Seematty junction and buy fire crackers, I will help Akkachi to ice the cake. May be this time I will try doing royal icing. Tante Ida taught me how to do it. Adding icing sugar to egg white and lemon juice. I was so excited.
The moment I opened the gate, I heard Maria’s voice. I ran inside
“Oh Chechy, I am so glad you are home, I missed you.”
I wanted to hug her. But she was sitting down. She looked at me and went back to talking to Amma. She didn’t ask me how I was, she didn’t even bother to smile at me. It took me a few seconds to realize that, we are sisters but we are also strangers. Maria was speaking to Amma in english. I tried to listen, but I didn’t understand anything. That is when I noticed there is no milk for me at the table.
“Where is Akkachi Amma? Where is my drink?”
I watched Amma looking at Chechy and Chechy telling her something in english.
“Nina, Akkachi went home for a few days”
“What? Why? Why did she go without telling me?”
“There was a letter from her mother this afternoon. There is some emergency at her house and she had to leave in the afternoon bus, that is why she went home without telling you”
“What emergency?” I asked my mother
“Nina, it is nothing. Why don’t you go and play outside, Akkachi will be back in a few days” Maria was speaking
Something wasn’t right. I didn’t trust the combination of Maria and my mother.
“When is Akkachi coming back?” I asked again
“Didn’t I tell you, in a few days Nina?.” Amma was yelling at me
“Why are you yelling at me Amma, All I asked you is, exactly when Akkachi is coming back?”
“How dare you shout at your own mother Nina? I was away for just 4 months and you have already became so arrogant?” It was Maria’s turn to shout at me
“What is your problem Maria? I only asked Amma when Akkachi would return. I am speaking to Amma, not to you. Why don’t you mind your own business?” I was mad at my sister.
“How dare you speak to me like that. I just came home and this is how you show your respect?” I watched Maria getting up from the chair, in the split of a second, She slapped me. ” As long as I am home, I won’t tolerate such uncouth behaviour Nina, You are becoming too arrogant. No wonder God made you deaf and dumb and blind”.
I looked at my mother hoping that she would see how unfair all this is and support me
“Amma, look Amma, Maria hit me for no reason”
“No reason? You deserve it Nina, you are becoming too much lately”. I couldn’t believe my own ears. I didn’t do anything wrong and Amma is allowing Maria to hurt me.
“Who asked you to come back? Why couldn’t you just stay at your engineering college?”
“Who are you to tell me what I should do?” I watched Maria approaching me.
I ran out of the room. I didn’t know what to do. I walked to the banana thicket to hide. I haven’t gone inside the banana thicket since the day Maria left for engineering college. There were too much of dried leaves on the floor. I tried to use my feet and move the leaves, so I could sit on the floor. That is when I noticed the red ants on the floor.
“Damn it, I can’t even sit in my favourite spot anymore. Stupid ants, I started stepping on the ants to crush and kill them. Ants were running all over, some climbed on my legs and started to bite me. I used my hands to wipe them off my legs and they climbed on my hands. I tried to shake my hands and legs hoping to dislodge the ants that are on my body. There were too many ants and I ran out of the thicket. My hands were stinking. I wanted to wash my hands and legs. I didn’t want to go inside the house. I walked towards the outdoor shed. I can use the tap there and wash. I quickly washed my hands and legs. I suddenly remembered Akkachi’s clothes inside the shed. I pushed the door open and went inside the shed. There was no sign of Akkachi’s clothes. Her bag of clothes were missing. If Akkachi went for just a few days, she won’t take all her clothes and suitcase.
I ran back inside, Amma was talking to Liza and Sally and just as I was about to enter the kitchen I heard her telling them
“Akkachi won’t come back. She is getting married tomorrow. Don’t tell Nina, She will be upset.”
I felt everything standing still. Nothing moved. My Akkachi is getting married tomorrow and I didn’t even know.

I do not know who Akkachi married. I haven’t seen or heard anything about her in the last 23 years. There are too many promises yet to honour. buying her a jimikki, a blue and red kancheepuram saree, showing her my kids, her nieces and nephew.

For the first time since I came to India, I didn’t have diarrhoea the night before the christmas exams. Akkachi sat with me and together we revised the subjects. I was studying about Mughul emperor Shah Jahan. I noticed that Shah Jahan’s father was a muslim(Mughul emperor Jahangir) and his mother was a hindu(Rajput Princess Manmati)
I looked at Akkachi and asked her
“You told me, Prem Nasir and Sharada weren’t married because muslims and hindus can’t marry, but Emperor Jahangir married a hindu princess and their son Shah Jahan ruled India. How come?”
“No way Nina, there is no way a hindu can marry a muslim.” Akkachi responded
“Then you look at this.” I showed my text book to Akkachi
Akkachi read my history text book over and over.
“I don’t know Nina, may be the rich have separate rules! “
“What building is this?” Akkachi pointed to the photograph in my book
“Akkachi, That is Taj Mahal. It is one of the seven wonders in the world. Emperor Shah Jahan loved his second wife Arjumand Bano begum(Mumtaz Mahal) so much that he built a memorial for her.”
“Really? he built this building for his wife?”
“Yes Akkachi, he did. It took almost 22 years to build it. When he died, he was buried next to his wife’s tomb. So even at death, they are still together.”
“Wow, how lucky his wife was, to have such a beautiful building built in her name. He must have truly loved her!”
“Don’t worry Akkachi, One day you will marry a man who will truly love you.” I told her
“No, Nina, it won’t happen”
“How do you know?” I asked her
“Because there isn’t a malayalee man born yet, who can marry only a woman and not her family.”
I looked at Akkachi trying to see what exactly she meant
“What do you mean Akkachi?”
“Nina, I am an illegitimate child. That is the truth. And that truth can be used against me anytime.”
“How?”
“aiyyo this child will never leave me in peace.” Akkachi got up from the floor. “Imagine this Nina, I got married to a nice guy, one day we have an argument and we fight. You know what he would say to end it?” Akkachi asked me
“Don’t know Akkachi”
Akkachi pretended to be a man, She extended her right hand and pointed her index finger
“he would say, all this is your family fault, jathygunam thothal poovulla.(you can’t rub off your bad genes!)”
“Go Akkachi, you are imagining too much. No one is going to blame you for your birth.”
“If you don’t want to believe, don’t. But that is the truth!”
I thought about my parents. Each time Appa and Amma fought, Appa would say, he should have never married a Malaysian manga.(malaysian woman) and Amma would say, she should have never married a penkonthan(?henpecked) who was raised by a single mother.
“Akkachi, Appa and Amma always fight. Then my future husband too will say that it is my jathyagunam(genetic fault)”
“No Nina, you are a smart and pretty girl. If you study well, one day you will become a doctor, then you can marry a doctor. If he talks like that to you, you can tell him off. Unfortunately I can’t do that, because I am just an ordinary servant girl, no money, no education, no family. I will have to listen to everything my future husband says!”
I thought of Biju. Would he talk like that to me? May be I should seriously consider becoming a doctor.

how many of you know the old and the new seven wonders of the world?

I was so happy that evening. I had so much to think and dream about. I didn’t want to be disturbed.
“Akkachi I have history class exam tomorrow, I don’t want to be disturbed”. I went to my room, took the note book from the table and lay down on my bed.I was already building dream mansions with the love of my life. I dreamed of going back to Malaysia with Biju, showing him off to all my annoying cousins. May be I will take Biju up Penang Hill on the funicular train. I hoped he will like Penang. I thought of all the children I would have. I wanted 5 kids. 3 girls and 2 boys. ‘hmm, that isn’t a nice combination, may be I will have 3 girls and 3 boys!” I thought of all the good names for my children. Biju and Nina together can have Beena, Bijina, Juliana, Jina.
“Nina, come and have dinner” I heard Akkachi calling me
I got up from my bed. I was disappointed that I had to take an intermission in my dream movie. Dejectedly I got up from my bed and went to the dining room.
Akkachi had made my favourite beef perattal(fried beef with slivers of coconut).
“Nina, sit down quickly, so I can serve you.” Akkachi was rushing me. She knows I like the fried slivers of coconut in the beef curry and she would dig in the pan and find all the coconut pieces for me before anyone sees. I sat down and Akkachi served me the coconut and then the beef.
Amma and my sisters joined me to have dinner. half way through dinner, we heard someone knocking our door.
Amma washed her hand and opened the door.
I craned my neck to see who is visiting us this time of the day. ‘Did someone see me with Biju today?’ Oh my goodness, I hope it isn’t the Achen(priest) coming to tell Amma about me and Biju. Aiyya Why did I have to go and hide in the vestibule? I asked for all this trouble.
I heard a small voice telling Amma
“Aunty, phone call for you. the caller said it is Appa. He said he will call in 10 minutes time”. Suma, Aunty Reena’s daughter was speaking to Amma.
‘phew’, I sighed.I was relieved to know that no one at the church knew about the Biju incident.
‘Phone call from Appa?’ I quickly got up from the chair and washed my hand.
“Amma., I am coming with you”
“For what?”
“To speak to my father. I haven’t spoken to him for so long”
“You are not coming anywhere. You stay here and eat your dinner.”
“Why can’t I speak to my father?”
“because I want to speak to my husband. I have many personal things to talk to him”
“he is also my father”. I was angry with my mother. What kind of a silly mother who wouldn’t let her daughter speak to her own father? I so very much wanted to push my mother and run all the way to Aunty Reena’s house and speak to my father. I wanted to tell him to come back home and take care of his family.
I watched Amma going with Suma.
“Nina, come and finish your rice” Akkachi asked me
“I don’t want”
“Oh No, You have to. I already put all the coconut in your plate. It will get spoiled.”
“I don’t want to eat Akkachi”
“you have to. I am not going to let you waste all the coconut”
I wanted to tell Akkachi to eat the coconut, if she really felt sorry for wasting the coconut. I looked at her and was about to tell her off. But I couldn’t. I just couldn’t hurt Akkachi
I stood near the table, took huge mouthful of rice and stuffed my mouth. I grabbed a glass of water and drank some water, so I could chew the food. I swallowed everything and cleaned my plate
“Happy?” I showed the clean steel plate to Akkachi.
“Like father like daughter.”
I know why Akkachi said like that. Appa does the same thing when he is angry with Amma. But today I was not in a mood to be compared to my father. I was so mad at Akkachi, I stuck my tongue at her. But Akkachi had already turned to keep my plate in the sink
“Akkachi, Nina stuck her tongue at you”.Liza shouted
Akkachi turned around, looked at me and asked
“Did you, Nina Thomas, stick your tongue at me?”
“Me? Oh no Akkachi, how could I do such a thing?”
“She did Akkachi, I swear I saw it” Liza shouted
Akkachi looked at me and then at Liza. She shook her head.
“These children will never stop fighting” and she walked back to the kitchen. I quickly placed my hand behind my ears and while moving my fingers, I stuck my tongue at Liza. I ran back to my room
I could hear Liza crying and telling Akkachi that I stuck my tongue at her and Akkachi telling her
“never mind Liza, just ignore your sister”

I heard Amma opeing the gate and I ran out side
“What did Appa say? is he ok?” I asked Amma
“He is fine” Amma walked in to the house. I watched my mother going inside the house. It made no sense. Why did Appa call? How did he get Aunty Reena’s number? Why didn’t Amma let me speak to him?

As soon as I dropped my sisters home, I told Akkachi
“Akkachi I am going”
“Where are you going Nina?” Akkachi asked me
“Church Akkachi, I have christmas carol practice today. From today onwards every day till Christmas I have to go for practice”
“You will be hungry, why don’t you eat something before you go?”
“I am already running late Akkachi, I will come back and eat.”
“Oh Nina, just few seconds more isn’t going to get you in to trouble. Here eat this.” She opened the biscuit tin and passed me Marie biscuit.
“Ok. ok. I will eat one.”
I quickly took the marie biscuit from Akkachi’s hand and ran. I liked going for the choir practice. I get to play with all my friends.

At the church everyone was waiting for me.
“Hurry up Nina, Let us play hide and seek before Achakuttichayan arrives.” Anju spoke
“Whose turn is to seek?” I asked Anju
‘It is Ancy’s turn.Come on, let us hide.” I ran with Anju to find a hiding place. Raji hid behind the piano, Anila tried to hide inside the pulpit.
“Come let us go to the entrance side, if we hide here, Ancy will surely find us” Anju pulled my hand and we ran acorss to the main entrance.
Anju hid behind the main door. I didn’t want to be caught along with Anju, so I ran to the vestibule where the men usually wait before the church starts. The door leading from the vestibule to the outside was closed. There was no way anyone would think that I am hiding in the vestibule. I was so happy, because I found the perfect hiding spot.

I could hear Ancy shouting when she found Anju. I didn’t want to be caught right away. I looked around and I saw the open closet where all the choir uniforms are hung. I quickly ran and hid behind the clothes. The clothes were stinking and I could hear Ancy’s footstep approaching closer and closer. I started to breath through my mouth.
“Please lord, don’t let me sneeze”. I prayed silently. I watched Ancy standing near the entrance to the vestibule and scanning the area. She turned and went back to find others.
I could hear Ancy finding each person and asking everyone
“Where is Nina? Have you seen Nina?”
I was excited, it is the first time I was ever going to win the game. If Ancy can’t find me, She has to say the word”Sull” and my team will win the game.
I listened for any sound. There was none, I wondered what is happening? Did Achakuttichayan come early today?
I slowly peered through the clothes and looked outside. No sign of my friends. I came out of the closet and found myself facing Biju. He was standing near the door
“Aha, so this is your hiding spot eh?”
“Shhh” I tried to hush him “Don’t shout, Ancy will know I am here and then we will lose the game.”
“Oh like that eh? I won’t shout, but I will ask you something and you have to answer me.”
“What?” I asked him
“Well it is very simple. I like you. Do you like me?”
“What?” I looked at him trying to see what exactly he meant
“Yes or No?”
“I am not telling you anything”
“Ancy, Ancy” Biju started shouting.”I know where is Nina hiding”
“Aiyaa, shut up, keep quiet.”. I was mad at Biju
“Yes or No”
“No, I don’t like you”
“Why?” He asked me
“Because I don’t like you”.
I heard Ancy shouting “Nina, ‘sull’, Nina ‘sull’.”
I pushed Biju and ran. I felt exhilarated because my team won and for the first time someone told me, he likes me. That too Biju..