Fist Bump

Chapter 11

I woke up the next day to find Sameera didi in my room. As usual, I had woken up late. Veer was not around. But my chest was not bound. So on seeing Sameera didi, I grabbed the pillow and held it in my lap closing my chest. "Didi..." I called. "What are you doing inside?"

"Hey..." Sameera didi said. "Now don't freak out. I know you are a girl."

"Huh?"

"Veer didn't tell me. I found out by myself." She said. "So it's not his fault."

I kind of started to panic.

"Hey... it's okay. It's fine. I won't tell anyone." She said.

Okay. I felt a bit relaxed.

"And well... for today, Veer and I had this idea." She said. "Well, he is more into the plan than I am. But... anyway. We thought... for a day, you should get a break."

"A break?" I asked. Is this what Veer was talking about last night?

"Like a holiday." Sameera didi said. "Like a vacation."

"I am on a vacation," I said.

"A vacation from your exhausting act of being a guy." She said. And she sat on the bed. "I have acted as a man in plays. I feel so stuffy even if it's just for a day or hours. You have done this for years. You deserve a break, girl..."

"Eh..." I was not getting exactly what she is saying.

"Don't you feel like being a girl sometimes?" She asked me. "Aren't there things you wished that you could do?"

"Yeah. I kind of do. But I can't."

"You can now." She said. "For one day. You can..."

"Veer," I called panicking. "VEER..." I yelled louder. He appeared at the door of the room. "What's this about?" I asked him. He came to me and sat on the bed. He took my hand in his hand.

"This is not Dehradun or Mumbai, Jai." He said, in a caring voice. "And it's just one day. It's not like your uncle or anyone is going to find out. You can do all the things you want to do. Let yourself be free. Just...be Gauri for a day." He squeezed my hand. "It's okay..."

I looked between Veer and Sameera didi. They seemed to urge me to brave up. I was not sure if this was a good idea. But when I looked at Veer, and his eyes calmed me. It was as if he was giving me confidence. I nodded. 

"We need to wax your legs." Sameera didi said.

"Huh?" I asked.

"You are going to wear a skirt, baby." She said.

Right. I looked at my reflection in the mirror of Sameera didi's room. I might need to shape my eyebrows as well. I have let them grow so wild over two years. But if I shape them, will they look weird afterwards when I return to be a boy?? To hell with it. I can adjust something. I grabbed the tweezers from Sameera didi's desk. Maybe just a bit not too much.

"And the most important..." Sameera didi asked. "Do you prefer black hair or brown hair?"

I looked back. She was holding two wigs. They were not plastic looking wigs. But real looking shiny hair. My mouth fell open. 

I checked my watch as I waited outside in the living room. It was 11 am. I guess it sure took a lot of time for a girl to get ready. I checked my clothes. Blue jeans, a grey t-shirt and a white leather jacket. I looked cool enough. Sam didi had said I need to look my best since she is going to make Jai look so good that I might have a heart attack at the sight of her. I laughed. How much different she can look from what she looks now? I already think Jai look pretty cute.