The First Kiss

Firsts are always interesting!!

The first day in school, first cycle, first phone.....the list is endless.

Sukhbir was my first crush. My eyes met him the first time when we were in Grade One. He was the new mid term admission that everyone was talking about. His father was a civil servant and was transferred to our city, that explained why he joined mid term.

Sukhbir was geeky with braces, bespectacled and always into books, almost Sheldon Cooper-like with his thoughts and words.

A week into his new school, he had become the teachers' favorite but hadn't made a single friend. It was break time one fine day when I decided to break the ice. I offered him the yummy aloo paratha that mom had packed for lunch. He was hesitant but took a bite nevertheless. He loved the paratha and then there was no looking back. Thanks to Mom and her culinary skills, Sukhbir and Roshni became best friends, akin Rahul, and Anjali from Kuch Kuch Hota Hai.

Sukhi used to help me with homework, we used to go for karate classes together. My grades improved due to the joint studies in particular.

Everything was hunky dory until Grade Seven when the puberty plane came crashing on our heads and everything changed.

Sukhi had grown taller, his voice now had a sexy tone, he was no longer geeky, braces were off, contact lenses replaced spectacles and he had girls swooning over him. I had grown up as well.

It was a bit difficult for me to understand what was happening inside my body and mind, all I knew was I hated that Sukhi got so much female attention.

He always seemed irritated with girls swooning around but I was sure he secretly enjoyed all the attention.

It was a rare rainy night in November, Sukhi and I were coming back from drama rehearsals for the school's annual fest, my father had offered to pick me up as it was close to 9 pm,however, I had told him that Sukhi would walk me home, my house was a 15-minute walk from my school anyways.

The moment we hit the road, the wind came roaring upon us, the rain completely drenched us and flew away my umbrella as well. It was scary, I clung on to Sukhi. He instantly calmed me and asked me to share his umbrella. Just a little away from the school gate was a huge banyan tree. Sukhi suggested that we wait there for some time till the rain subsided a bit. There was nobody in sight.

Standing so close to Sukhi, it all felt so right. He was the one who would hold my hand in the storm of life and never let it go. Hesitantly, I asked Sukhi if he had a girlfriend. Sukhi looked at me and started laughing. He said yes and asked me to guess who it was. I was in no mood to oblige. He said he was kidding, he had no time for the thing called love.

Suddenly, thunder stuck and I held him tight. His eyes locked with mine and I drew close to him. He grabbed me with both hands and placed a soft kiss on my lips. I reciprocated by kissing him back gently.

So much that he denied, the kiss was a perfect expression of Sukhi's love for me.

Sukhi, Roshni loves you too!!