Girl Who Likes Pretty Things

A cold day in winter with empty roads. I was sitting in the bus stop waiting for the bus. I usually don’t travel by bus and prefer the metro train but for some reason that day I had to take the bus. As soon as the bus came, I jumped to get on the bus and left for work.

My work for me is kind of easy and fun. On the same day I got off work early and came back by bus. The bus stop was near my house. I intentionally choose that area so I can travel to work easily. After getting off the bus I was walking towards my house. There were so many shops, unable to resist any. I bought some groceries from one of the familiar shops. I preferred going to that shop only because the owner was really nice and friendly. And I know nice people when I see one. I always avoided going to any new shops and if the owner of the shop I go to regularly starts acting too friendly, I stop going there. This shop was kind of my type. The owner was friendly but not too friendly. After getting the groceries I again started walking towards my house. I stopped near a cafe thinking whether I should buy pastry or not.

I saw a little boy in school uniform standing near the cafe, totally zoned out.

Oh! He must also be thinking whether to buy or not to buy.

But, the boy wasn’t facing the cafe. He was facing the road.

He should be at school at this time. What is he doing here?

Should I ask him?

No, no, no, don’t bother getting involved, there are many people but nobody cares. Mind your own business.

I took a step to move forward but the thought of remembering it for ages and haunting me stopped me from moving. I took a deep breath and said, Hey kid! What are you doing here alone?

He was so zoned out that he wasn’t able to hear me and then I had to shake him. When I looked him in the eyes, he looked terrified.

I asked again, is anything wrong with you? Do you need any help?

He still didn’t give me any response, just kept looking at me as if thinking, whether to tell her or not.

I understood I had to deal with this matter carefully. So, I bend down to his level to gain his trust.

See, if you do not feel comfortable enough, I can wait for you to tell me while we can eat pastry in this cafe. I said pointing towards the cafe.

Bu...bu..but my mom said not to take anything from the strangers.

This was the first time he replied to me after hearing the word pastry.

He must be hungry.

I won’t be the one who is making pastry. Those people who own this cafe are.

I went inside the cafe and he followed me. I ordered a strawberry pastry on his demand. Once he started eating, he was more talkative.

What’s your name?

Ivan Oleander.

Wow! That’s a nice name, I was intentionally overly enthusiastic which is completely opposite of my nature. I just wanted to make him comfortable.

My mom just loved this name so she named me Ivan and my sister Evy.

Oh! You also have a sister. Where is she?

Yes! She is three years older than me. She is not well so she is staying at home today. She is an eleven year old baby getting sick and all.

So, that makes you eight years old. You are so brave for an eight year old.

Yes! I never once got sick and I have got 100 % attendance. I am the topper in my class.

Seeing that eight year old kid bragging about 100% attendance and being topper was funny and cute at the same time. If you asked me now, I would have skipped those classes instead of getting 100% attendance. Once in my ninth standard I was the only person in the class who had 100% attendance and there was a system of giving certificates for 100% attendance. I came to know that the school was soon going to distribute certificates. So, one day I intentionally didn’t go to school to make it one percent less for 100. I don’t know why I did so. Maybe because I didn’t want to stand out and wanted to jell with my friends and classmates. I already got one in my seventh standard. So I didn’t really care but my class teacher must have been disappointed as not a single person got 100% certificate from our section and the only eligible person which was me you know what I did hehehehehehe....she called me out in front of whole class for the same that if only I wasn’t absent that one day. I was an average student who they considered to be dumb. Not even a single student who they called intelligent came to school regularly. You know what’s the funniest part? I got 100% attendance because I was never sick. I was the healthiest child. Skipping school means acting as a sick person in front of your parents which requires acting skills which is way more stressful, you have to form a script which is reliable and convincing, otherwise you will get flying slippers in the morning. At that time, I only went to school to see my friends. Suddenly my class teacher acted like she was disappointed in me which was too much to handle. It was not even such a big thing. I was like, I am not even a good student, wasn’t it expected of me? School is the place where you have been judged the most in your entire life and at the end of the day that doesn’t even matter. I was lost in my own thoughts that I forgot this was my chance to ask him, what was he doing here?

If you have 100% attendance, why would you risk it to be 99%?

After hearing the question, he stopped from putting a huge piece of pastry in his mouth.

You have to tell me so I can help you. There was desperation in my voice.

It’s not that I don’t want to tell you, it’s just that the thought of what you would think of me after hearing the whole story is concerning me.

Oh! Kids nowadays talk like adults.

After analyzing what he said I understood this isn’t a normal situation. Something is going inside his mind which needs to be dealt with care. So, I chose my words after a lot of thinking.

I won’t think anything about you. I am just a stranger who has just met you and has no right to question you. So, just tell me what’s bothering you? I will help you. I am just a stranger and we will never meet again.

He remained silent for some time. I waited for him to speak. And then he started talking.

I went to school today but before I could enter the school campus some boys from my class stopped me and told me to hang out with them instead of going to school. I wanted to look cool in front of them so I went with them. As soon as we reached an area where nobody could see us, they left me and went back to school. They said, now I won’t be able to get 100% attendance. I was not far away from the school but even if I went back, I would have been late. I was never late before. I didn’t know what to do. If I asked someone to help me contact my mom. I will still get scolded. So, I started roaming here and there and reached this place.

This kid is quite mature for his age. I am sure he doesn’t want to disappoint his mother.

Give me your mother’s number and I will tell her to pick you up.

NO! You cannot call her. She will scold me and I will be punished.

I cannot take you to my house as you are someone else’s kid and even if you have made a mistake, she is your mother she will understand. Those kids who left you won’t even care if you were lost. The only person who will cry for the loss is your mother. She might be upset for some days but eventually she will forget it because you are her beloved son.

I could see his eyes filled with tears and he was trying to control it. Actually, I didn’t know whether his mother would understand him or not. But that was the best possible thing I could say to convince a kid and if I was his mother, I would have understood him.

I don’t remember her number.

Give me your school diary.

He gave me his school diary. His mother’s name was Shylah Oleander. I pressed the number on my phone but before calling a lot of thoughts were going inside my head like, what would I say? How will I introduce myself?

The thing which I most disliked in this world is having conversations and especially when it is with new people. I will do anything to avoid contact with people. But, in this situation I was helpless. For once I thought I should tell the whole story to the cafe owner and let her do the work. But then I will still be concerned whether the kid got back home or not and that will be a lot more work to know whether the kid reached home safely. For some reason I couldn’t trust the cafe owner though she didn’t do anything for me to suspect her.

Should I ask Ivan to talk?

NO! Still, I have to talk once.

Ah!!!!!! Why am I like this?

Involving the cafe owner means involving more people which means more conversations. It’s better I should just muster up the courage to call.

I prepared myself for the conversation and called Ivan’s mother. But, I could only hear her ringtone which was from one of the famous movies released this year. Ever since the song was released it has been played continuously everywhere. For a person like me who doesn’t watch movies or hear any songs from my country, it was so annoying. I assumed her to be among one of the fans of the song. No matter how many times I called, Ivan’s mother wasn’t picking up the call and I have to listen to that annoying song again and again.

Is God trying to test my patience?

Normally I call people only once or I never call them first. But, I called Ivan’s mother more than five times and my self-respect was about to get shattered.

Is this karma for not picking up other’s calls?

Hey! Your mother isn’t picking up my call.

She must be busy. She will call you back once she sees your miscalls.

At least she calls back people unlike me who neither picks up an unknown number nor calls back.

What if it’s an important call?

I normally ask people to message me before calling. Anyways, what do we do now? Are you sure your mother will call back? What if she doesn’t? Should I take you back to your school?

NO! I don’t want to go back to school. I will be in more trouble if I go back to school.

Then what? Should I take you to the police station?

Po....lice.....Station.......!

Chill! I was just teasing you. Let’s just wait here. Do you want to eat anything else?

Chocolate Donut!

I don’t think you should be eating so much sugar.

Let me eat please! My mom won’t allow me to eat delicious things. She says it’s unhealthy.

I ordered a chocolate donut for him. While he was busy eating his donut, I got a call and it was his mother’s number.

Hello! This is Eklavya Periwinkle. I called you because your son Ivan is with me. I explained to her the whole story. Unlike her ringtone Ivan’s mother was a really sweet person. Listening to that ringtone made me think about what kind of person I would be talking to. She didn’t seem like a person who would have a taste in music. I told her the address and she said she will come pick him up.

Ivan really doesn’t care anymore and was busy eating his donut and chocolate was spread all over his face. I took some tissues and wiped his face.

You want your mom to find out about strawberry cake and chocolate do.....

Before I could complete my sentence Ivan ran towards someone. I couldn’t see that person because I was sitting opposite to the entrance door. I was about to turn to see that person. I got a call from Ivan’s mother.

Hello!

I am really sorry, I couldn’t come to take Ivan as I am busy right now and it’s impossible for me to take a break. But, instead of me I sent my brother who was near the address you sent me. Hope you don’t mind.

The whole time she was explaining things I was zoned out. More than communicating with strangers the thing I am worst at is talking to a gender called MALE.

Hello! Hello! Eklavya! Are you listening?

Her voice brought me back to reality.

No! It’s okay. I am completely fine, I lied. As long as Ivan reaches home fine it doesn’t really matter who takes him home. I said those words putting a huge stone over my chest.

It’s okay .............. you can do this.....you can do this....

Excuse me!

Oh no! I can’t do this. What should I do?

I stood up and turned to face Ivan’s uncle. He was tall, had short black hair and had tan skin. He was wearing a black jacket and his hands were covered with black gloves.

When I saw him, I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. I was so shocked.

KIAN SCAEVOLA!