Kiss Of Life

Twelve

'This is not going to work,' Meera says, exasperated.

'It will,' I mutter. We found Meera's brother's signature on an official document. He's got a complicated, loopy kind of signature.

'There,' I say, looking at my rough copy of his sign. It looks very close to the original one.

'Damn..,' Meera whispers in awe.

'Told you I can pull it off. Give me the permission slip now,' I instruct her and she hands me the letter.

'Here goes nothing,' I mumble and sign at the bottom, in place of guardian's.

'How are you so good at this?' Meera questions.

'I'm good at a lot of things. You just don't know me yet,' I wink and she rolls her eyes.

'What would you like to eat today?'

We are sitting on Meera's tiny bed. When we got to her place after school, we dug every place around the house for Mohit Banerjee's signature. We had to get Meera going to Goa. There was no way I'd go without her.

'You,' I whisper in her ear.

'Be serious,' she scolds, slightly pushing me away.

'Kayyy...pizza then.'

'I'll order one.'

'Wait, I'll order, I've got money on me, plus you feed me everyday's lunch here, it only seems fair,' I say.

Meera looks unsure but nods her head in agreement at last. I grab her phone and call Pizza Hut to order two pizzas. Large please. I've got appetite of a...hungry lion. Yes, his. So lame, A.

'Let's watch a movie or something?' I suggest and Meera agrees, leading us to the living room.

Her living room is impeccable. As if no one uses it. There's an old model of TV sitting against the wall and a battered couch in front of it. An ugly table between them with a chipped vase, with no flowers. OK.

I sit on the sofa and Meera switches on the TV. I snatch the remote from her hand, she mewls in response.

After going through the boring channels she has prescribed, I turn off the TV. A girl and boy can do a lot more than watch TV, if you what I mean. Wink wink.

Just when I go in for a kiss, the door bell rings. So much for a fast delivery. Meera rushes to the door, ' It's the pizza guy!' She yells.

'So?'

'You were paying,' comes her voice.

Oh. When I reach the tattered entrance, I notice the guy checking out my girl.

'Eyes up here,' I order. Meera stifles a laugh.

'What?' I ask innocently.

'Eyes up here,' she imitates me.

I grab her by the waist. I drops the pizzas and push her against the door inwardly hoping it doesn't break.

She looks at our feet, cheeks reddening, 'What were you saying?'

'Eyes up-' her eyes meet mine, I seal our lips.

'We're half pizza down when I ask, 'So, when did it happen? Your mom and dad I mean.'

'I was seven,' she replies hesitantly as if still living the day she lost them, 'my brother was nineteen.'

'It must've been hard for you two,' I murmur.

'Harder for him, had to quit his college and become a taxi driver, and take care of everything at that age, take care of me..,' she whispers.

'Why quit college? Didn't you get any funds from the government?'

'My dad worked in a private factory. All we got was sympathy and sympathy does not feed empty stomachs,' she deadpans.

'Akshay..,' she starts.

'What?' I ask.

'Never mind.'

It seems like she wanted to tell me something but changed her mind. I think it must be about the topic we were on so, to upbeat the mood, I ask, 'So, when can I eat you?'

She laughs in response. At least I make her laugh now.