6 | CHILDHOOD FIGHT 2

"You asked me why the hell I did it? She slapped you idiot. what are you expecting me to do? If any boy comes and slaps me, what will you do? I did the same. I don't regret it even for one bit." I shouted and calmed me, " you even asked me to not speak to you right?" I asked calmly and shouted at him, "Man up idiot. If she did that, face it like a man. How do you tell that? My Shiva won't let anyone point to him. And you let that head master scold you and slap you. how dare he slap you without knowing anything? He needs to answer me." with that I went to the head master room.

"May I come in sir?" I asked him. Shiva, Siddhu and ramya were stopped outside of the office room. He looked up at my face and let me in. he also said, " Don't worry dear. We will punish him for his worst behavior. I called your Patti ma. She will come here soon." That added fuel to my rage.

"Do you have any proof that Shiva is the one who did that?" I asked him straight and calm. He looked at me for some time and said, " Do we need proof? Isn't it obvious?"

"Obvious..how can you say that? At the top of all you slapped him. I need your explanation sir." I scowled at him. I think that angered him.

But am I wrong? NO. if this half bald man slaps me. then Shiva will do the same.

"why do you think I will explain to you? I will talk with your Patti ma." he asked me. that really scared me. but who am I ? I am not back off until he asks sorry to Shiva. So I use Patti Ma's name.

" What do you know about him? Are you trying to manipulate our family's Parenting? Are you trying to manipulate my Patti Ma's nurturing?" and I stopped there, " That Anamika admitted she did that in front of all. Go and ask anyone in school." He was taken back at my explode.

Only god knows it took a lot of courage to speak with him like that.

He immediately called the PET teacher and asked what happened?

The pet teacher said, " Yes sir. Anamika admitted the truth in anger and slapped Shiva. Then she pushed her down and Anamika hit her head because of her push." While pointing me.

Why do I look like the culprit here?. I simply pushed her. It's her fault that she fell on that stone. The stone had got angry on her and made her bleed. What is my mistake here?

The head master looked at me wide eyed. "Did you do that? If she is at fault, then you have informed it to me. But you pushed her. Now she is bleeding."

After all of this he asked me why I did not come to him? like seriously?

And one more time I asked myself like Patti ma asks me every time I do something, DO YOU REGRET? But the answer immediately came with the picture of Shiva with his controlling tears. Obviously NO.

I looked him in his eyes straightly, "Why do you expect me to come to tell you? When you came to know about that matter, you blindly accused Shiva. After that you expect me to come and inform you? and FYI, I don't regret pushing her down. Because she is the one who slapped Shiva."

I don't regret pushing her. But I don't want to give her pain physically too. I silently prayed to god that everything will turn good.

He sighed and ordered us to stay in the office only. Then asked about Anamika's condition . The PET Teacher said that there was nothing to worry about. We already dressed her wound and gave her anticipating tablets. The head master asked to get her office and called her Parents too.

Anamika came to the office while scaring at the fact she admitted the truth in anger. Four of us glared at her. The headmaster told her to stay at the office.

" Monkey... Monkeyyyyy" Shiva whisper-yelled to me. I glared at him.

He gulped seeing me, " sorry d. speak to me."

" You are the one who told me lets not talk in school" I mocked him and turned my head.

"Monkey sorry d. I was scared. Scared that what will you think about me, scared about what will Patti ma think about me. scared about how we face others in school. The headmaster scolded me blindly. I am scared about our family's reputation.Sorry d." He said looking down. But that all he said was like bullshit to me.

He is really that idiotic? I wondered.

" I really don't know why the hell you are thinking this all. In fact sidhhu is not dumbie. You are dumbie here. You speak like a dumbie idiot."

Siddhu and Ramya chuckled at my statement. He glared at them and turned to me.

I said, "Really donkey you think that we will not trust you? you think Patti ma didn't trust you? That valukka manda(bald head) doesn't know about you. but we know you idiot. We completely know that you won't do that shit even in your dreams."

Siddhu laughed this time loudly at the word valukka manda. We glared at him. The head master turned his head to our side. We hung our heads low.

After some time my Patti ma, Appa, Ravi mama , anamika's grandparents , her dad and another uncle came to school. The head master explained the whole situation to them. I don't know why I am not scared when my Patti ma asked, "did you push her?" I just sighed, "yes"

That's because I know she will ask me that. I prepared to say that YES for the last 20 minutes

I didn't even try to explain my point of view. I replied like a brat. But I really don't know why I did that.

God what will Patti Ma think?

Anamika's Grandpa shouted, " look at her. After hitting my grand daughter's head she arrogantly says yes. She didn't even regret it a bit."

He says she is a victim. Huh?

I looked at him, " why do I regret when she is the one who slapped my cousin? I have not intentionally harmed her. But yes. I pushed her. But I don't want to ask sorry for that. I am not at fault." He looked at me with pure anger.

God I exactly sound like a spoilt brat. Please god save me from Patti ma. Please...

Her Grandma looked at My Patti Ma and sighed, "I thought these kids take our friendship to the next level. But I was afraid that they spoil our friendship too."

Our family taught us to value friendship. If true friendship costs high, then we should happily pay the cost for the sake of our true friendship.

I felt a pang in my heart and thought for a minute and went to Anamika and calmly said,

"I am sorry." All of them including my Patti ma looked at wide eyed.

who won't? because just a minute before I said I don't want to ask sorry. But now I asked her sorry.

I turned to Anamika's grandma, " I am asking her sorry only for you, for my Patti Ma, for your Friendship. She taught us the value of friendship. You don't need to be afraid of losing friendship. I am sorry. But one thing if she again gives us any problem, then I won't be silent."

I went to my old place near Shiva. Still all of them looked wide eyed.

I turned to Shiva and asked him, "did I do something wrong? Why are all of them looking at me like this?" I was nervous.

" I really don't know. Patti ma also looking at you like that. I think you made a mistake."

" you think that too. Donkey please come with me, we should run away from here."

" I wish I could. But you think they let us run. What will Patti ma do after that?" He said.

I looked at all of them. Anamika's Grandma eyed Patti ma and smirked. Patti ma genuinely smiled at her. Then suddenly her Grandpa said, " you don't have to run away from here." I couldn't believe my eyes, he said while smiling.

Her Grandma said to My Patti ma, " She looks exactly like a carbon copy of you sharadha." My grandma proudly smiled at her.

After seeing my Patti ma smile, I felt relieved.

Her dad said, " she will not give you any problem in future, but you have to be a friend of her. What do you say?" I was confused. I just looked at him. He again asked me, "will you be a friend of her?"before I answered Anamika answered, "I don't want to be friends with her."

I was relieved. How can I make friends with her?

Her grandpa sighed loudly, "She won't give you any problem. She will come with us and continue her studies there. Is that okay for you Mappila?" he asked her dad.

Anamika will go to a new school. She makes new friends right? Why can't my Patti ma say those words. If she does I will be happy. I won't be able to see this valukka manda HM right?

Her dad thought for a while and nodded, "Okay."

Then Patti ma came to us and kissed our foreheads and smiled at us, " Go to your classes and we will meet evening at home."

We started to walk away but then I hesitated, " But the head master didn't ask Shiva."

What ? That is the main purpose I came to the office room. Right?

They all looked at me and the head master shook his head in disbelief and came to Shiva, " I am really really Sorry Shiva." Shiva nodded, then the head master looked at me, " Is that enough madam?" my eyes lightened up then I gave a big nod to him, " yes." I immediately held the hands of Shiva and Siddhu while Ramya held Shiddhu's hand, and then ran out of the office. We heard laughter from the office room. But I didn't stop there.

After running enough distance from the office room, we stopped and panting.

Siddhu said, "Now all the problems are shorted out. Don't worry about students rumours. I will handle them."

Did I ever tell you Siddhu is don of school? More than don, he is a bully. He is the leader of our school NCC cadets.

We all nodded and went to our respective classrooms. In the evening, we stood in front of home. We are scared to go in.

What if Patti Ma scolds us? What if our Amma's hit us?

You guys don't know about my Amma, She is more than happy to hit me with Dosa karandi. Yeah. Dosa karandi is her weapon. Our Amma's have their own weapons like my mom has Dosa karandi.

Even though Seetha ma is a lovely soul in the world, if Shiva or Krithik do something, she will become a BatraKali. Her weapon is the Poori roller.

Janu Athai is the most violent lady in our home. If Siddhu did something, then surely he would have a feast from Janu Athai. Her weapon is Groom.

Rey Chithi is a teacher from the profession. So she has a bamboo stick at home too.

After a lot of arguments, we went into home. We are surprised to see their smiling faces.

We thought there was some special occasion. That's why no one asked a single word about school.

We took this chance and ran to our rooms. We, girls had a separate room and the boys had a separate room. Not each one had each room. After sometimes Shiva, Siddhu and Krithik came to our room. We just chatted. We are not in the mood to play then.

After some time, Seetha Ma came to our room and called us downstairs and told us that Parvathi Patti came to meet us.

We don't have an idea about Parvathi Patti. We just peeked downstairs from upstairs. There stood Anamika's Grand Ma.

So she is Parvathi Patti.

We all see each other. We believed that no one in the family knows about the school incident except Appa, Ravi Mama and Patti ma.

What if Parvathi Patti told that to Amma's? We really don't know why we are scared. But we were SCARED.

After Seetha Ma went down, Siddhu said, "You guys think, is this a good sign that this Patti is in our home?"

Shiva said, "Don't be scared kitten da. She said she is a friend of Patti Ma. What If she came to meet Patti Ma?" that makes sense. Not after what Ramya said.

She said, " what if she asked us to come to her home And ask sorry to Anamika, for the sake of their friendship?" That scared us.

I don't want to ask her sorry again. That too in her house. A big fat NO.

But Shiva thinks that's ridiculous. He said, "don't be stupid guys. Patti Ma won't let that happen."

But we are not convinced. I said, " If she asked us to come home with her, we wouldn't go there. Hell if she doesn't ask to come, then also we won't go there. Now all of you guys promise me that we won't step in that Anamika's home."

Siddhu and Ramya immediately agreed and promised, " We won't."

I seriously don't know why I want to promise like that.

Shiva looked to us that we had grown horns in our heads. I narrowed my eyes and asked, " Are you going to promise or not?" he shook his head in disbelief but promised, "We won't go there unless it's necessary." We looked at him in disbelief. He shrugged.

Arghhhh ... this guy... huff..

After that little Krithik also promised without knowing what was happening, "We Won't Go." Then Vaishu says the same. Because we did that, so they did the same. We laughed at them and went down.

Nothing happened as we expected. Indeed she is the sweetest person. She also played kannaamboochi (hide & seek) with us. My Patti ma scolded, " Parvathi you think you are a ten year little girl. Aren't you? god you are crazy." But Parvathi Patti didn't hear her. She played with us till night. Then she had dinner with us.

Then she asked Patti ma, "Sharadha can you please send the kids with me today. Just for today. If they come there, then our home will beam in happiness. Kids can you guys come with me?" she looked at us.

All of those traitors saw me as their brain and mouth was with me. " uhh.. Patti.. that... we can't easily get sleep in a new place. Umm.. so..." I shattered.

My Patti Ma looked at me then said, " Yes Parvathi. They can't sleep in new places. Why can't you stay here today? With kids?"

" Ohh.. It's Okay. But I can't stay here. Then my husband will come here." Parvathi Patti said.

"That's Okay Patti. We have enough room in our house. He can come. It won't be a problem." Ramya said. We all laughed.

Parvathi Patti promised us that she will come to our house whenever she comes to the village. Then she went to her home.

**FLASHBACK ENDS**

"After that day no one talked about that issue neither in school nor at home. You know Parvathi Patti. Right? The one who comes to our home every year at the temple festival. After that I saw Anamika only three times. That too in the temple. That's it. Now that she is here in the village. So I think Parvathi Patti is also here. Parvathi Patti will come to our home in one or two days." I said to Vaishu.

"I know Parvathi Patti. She is all sweet and lovely. I can't believe this bitch is her granddaughter." She said.

"So was I." I chuckled.

At the same time Ramya came looking all glowing. She is indeed looking like ready for marriage.

"well. The bitch is gone." Ramya asked. I chuckled and said, " Yeah Yeah."

We three spent our afternoon around the village. We went to the lake in our Village. Whenever we come to the village, we will definitely come to the lake. It's one of our favourite places. The lake was special to my heart.

We have to reach home before mehanti designers arrive. When we reached home, mehanti designers were already there. All of our beautiful Amma's narrowed their eyes at us. We smiled sheepishly. Then a mehanti designer came and started to put henna to us.

Ramya asked, " Will you write the groom's name in my hand?"

I said, "Ohh madam you are going to be engaged and not married. So let your horses down."

Ramya scowled at her, " You are no fun. If I write his name, then tomorrow, after engagement I will ask him to find it. It will be interesting."

Vaishu said, "You will do that in your marriage also Akka."

I teased, " Ohhh.. Vaishu after marriage she will see Karthik on only her wedding night. They have more work to do than finding names." Ramya blushed, " My god, for heaven sake you guys are my sisters. Stop teasing me."

"Of course we are your sisters. That's why we are teasing you." I said. Then we started to laugh.

In the evening only three of us were in the house. Others went to the farmhouse to welcome the groom's family. Karthik called Ramya. she started to speak with Karthik on the phone. I snatched the phone from her and said to Karthik, " For heaven sake, you guys leave the rest for tomorrow Karthik. Now go and sleep." Then I cut the call.

After a lot of teasing, we went to our beauty sleep.

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