GULMOHAR IN THE TREE

Chapter -3

He walks down barefoot through stairs, his tallow fair feets, almost like a grown-up, start following the steps down until he is in the kitchen. He splashes water on his face several times, frowning on hitting his two big pimples unconsciously, then dabs his face gently with a white towel. He then turns to the refrigerator, drinking water from a refrigerated bottle directly, something his mother would never allow.

The next moment, his phone rings.
Ved :Hello.
Varun (his friend ):Hi Ved!Drunk?
Ved :If it's any serious thing, carry on or find someone else to grace your shit.
Varun: No. You'll have to grace it, and it's not my shit.
Ved: Tell why have you phoned?
Varun: I know well that I can't make it to any reputed on campus college, so at least get me prepared for an off campus. .....just any affiliate.
Ved:But you were giving I IT'S Entrance. ....no?
Varun : Don't joke.
Ved: Your were joking.!!
Varun:When should I come?
Ved : I don't know.
Varun : Your scrawny asssssssss. .....
Ved:Hah. ......language. .......and I am not scrawny. ........so I don't have a scrawny asssssssss. .......!!!!!!!!!
Varun: anything else. .....?
Ved : Come from tommorow.
Varun :Thanks brother, if I make it to the entrance, your treat at Vishwanath Sweets is sure...
Ved: OK bye. I have something serious.
Varun :You have everything serious. Great. Well who?? At least you are serious. See you....

He gasps after keeping the phone, looks around and feels vulnerable,drinks water again, the water streaming down the corners of his mouth.
The doorbell rings, leaving him stunned for a while. He walks barefoot to the entryway.
As the door opens, the out air gushes in like struggling protesters against a fraud politicians doors, with dried leaves and dust.
It was evening milkman, delivering 2l milk every evening after twilight.
Afterwards,  Ved sat on the porch idle, looking at already there stars,  the darkening sapphire sky remembering the 'Sapphire  Moonlight '  from Senorita, following his own single terrain of mind, a time so different he has never ever seen, coming before his eyes and seeming as if it was already there, the charm of being a teenager, and the charm of being young, something he cherishes in himself, like no one could see it .The next moment his brother shows up, half covered in sweat, two rackets in one hand.

"Oh....you're here. Are you sick?" His brother Ayush exclaimed giving a ridiculous look, swinging his racket.
Ved remained silent, giving a stone look.
Ayush clings over him, elbowing in his stomach and laughing, until Ved gives a tight punch and shooes him away inside house. With falling evening, the summer heat calms down and Ved returns to his room. His mother is back home by 6:30 pm when he notices her echoing voice in the stairway and corridor, the flapping of her foam flite chapples, that warn him and Ayush while playing games or listening songs continuously on phone; with an interest less will he opens his books open, flipping the pages then lying, yawning while reading theory portion and feeling a helpless tiredness when compelled to solve questions.
"Ved!!!!!" His mother calls him, in a high voice.
"Cominnnnng." Hey replies, frowning.

While sipping his sweet hot milk and eating marie biscuits, his thoughts still linger over the happening, how quickly it passed, how restless, and yet it felt him like something he had savoured second by second, breath by breath, until half of his biscuit falls in his glass.
"How are your preparations for entrance going?" His mother asks, chopping potatoes and lady finger on a chopping board on the dining table, Ved and Ayush beside her. She gives a stern look, brows curled.
"Good!" Ved replies, gulping his milk.
"Better if it's that. I'm not there all day to hold you stable in your studies. "She says, giving a disappointed face to him.
"What's the problem? I'm really sincere with it." He says, in a confirming voice, a bit tensed.
"Are you sure you want to do B.sc only. Better if you took any professional course." She frowns.
"It's up to me Mumma.....nd..........." He begins but stops in the middle, tensed with his own unsure nature.
"Yes.....you were saying something. ....." She says, peeling the magenta skin of onions, frowning and disgusted.
"No!! Nothing......." Ved replies, in an almost inaudible voice, then picks up his glass and flees back to his room.
She resumes to her veges, while Ayush still holds his Coldingham down glass, busy in a Marvel comic.