Not That Interested

Chapter 7: The one with all the flashbacks

17 years ago: Mina's POV (6 years old)

"But Maaaa!! I don't want to share my toys with Shehzer!" I whined quietly to my mom.

"Beta, be a big girl. You know how much Shehzer loves to play with you and your brother. He is a friend darling, he is visiting from so far away, soon he will leave for America again and you will miss him."

I pout like the spoiled brat that I am; "I won't miss him! HE WANTED TO HUG ME MOM! EW!"

Mom struggles to control her smile, "Well, the next time he tries, just tell him to hug your brother instead. Okay?"

"Hmmph" I grunt back in annoyance.

......

"My toy car is bigger then yours!" I boasted to Shehzer, showing off my Barbie pink, battery operated monster truck.

9 year old Shehzer looks at his tiny Hot Wheels "Dinky" car, frowns, then confidently says; "Nope, Mine is bigger!"

I stare at him in disbelief. Is he crazy or what?

"Well, if yours is bigger, then try to beat mine in a race."

"No."

"WHY NOT?"

"Because I don't race with girls. They always lose. And then they cry. I hate it when girls cry."

"I NEVER CRY. EVER."

"Fine, then we can race, but on our bikes. I don't want to break my toy car."

I nod with understanding.

Ten minutes later, We are out on our street. Shehzer is sitting atop a bike he has borrowed from his cousins who live next door to us. He is visiting his cousins for the summer vacations; hence his lack of bike.

I confidently stride out with my Barbie Bike, decked with training wheels, and plenty of ribbons. I'll show him whose car is bigger. Err...wasn't that the ultimate goal?

"You can't race in that! it still has kiddy wheels!" My nemesis points towards the bright red training wheels on my bike.

"But I don't have a Big-Kids bike yet." I tug worriedly at my curls.To be honest, I was quite scared of the two-wheel bikes. Ali had tried teaching me to ride his own two-wheeler but I always fell off too soon. Ali said it was because my legs were too short and too fat. But I wasn't about to go confessing this information to Shehzer...

"Then borrow your brother's bike, he is not home is he?" Shehzer's suggestion sounded almost reasonable.

"I guess I could take Ali's bike..."

(A horribly dangerous bike collision later)

I cannot stop crying. One of my legs is stuck inside the bike wheel spoke, and the more I stare at it, the more I cry.

"Ssshh! Mina, please stop crying. Please! I am helping you."

Shehzer's dark head is bent over the bike wheel trying to disentangle my chubby legs.

"Mama! it hu-hu-hurts! make it stop please!" I blubber incoherently.

"Okay, wait, I am calling your mom."

"NO, DON'T LEAVE ME SHEHZER PLEEEEASE!"

"I will run very, very fast, so she can come and help you. Okay?"