This wasn't the first time it had happened. Aditi knew.

She had become accustomed to it a long

time ago. Probably her Dad said something, her Mom must have tried to contradict. But an
argument had nonetheless followed. Or maybe it was over something completely different, far
more insignificant. It still made no sense. She was not going to go down for dinner. She dug out
a snack-bar and began to chew it reluctantly. Any moment now she will be called downstairs
for dinner. But she will say she is not hungry or say she has too much homework. Or say she is
already full. But she will not go down. The reason was simple. She feels a gnawing pain at the
back of her neck during days like these. It makes no sense. Maybe she should call Mudit. Yeah.
His voice has that rare quality of tone that calms her down. Not that she was agitated. Things
like these happen everyday. She knew she would be asked to pick sides at some point. And she
did not want that. Maybe she should concentrate on sleeping. And she knows for a fact no one
will wake her to come down for dinner. They will probably see her half eaten bar and leave her
alone. Maybe she should really do that homework now. How about just a short message for
Mudit? Let him know she has been thinking about him. He will be flattered. Or maybe not. She
tried to think about the things she had to do for tomorrow and whether she can afford to sleep
without doing any of them. There was that assignment in Biology, she also had to figure out
how she was going to go about her math project. She contemplated on this for a while before
she actually got up to switch off the lights. She sent a small message to Mudit after all. By the
time she was called for dinner, she was already fast asleep.

***

It was a day well spent. She had put all her toys neatly. Like she was always asked to do. She
had been in the yard behind the kitchen all day. And she hadn't dirtied her clothes even one bit.
It was a day well spent. Of course now she only remembered laughing a lot. The monkey had
danced. Danced and danced. And even when she tried to stop her laughter, it had become
impossible! She tried not to think about the paint water she had spilt on her doll. Leaving that
minor incident aside ,she had actually had a good day. Her father had even lightly smiled at her
drawing. And it had rained pleasantly all afternoon. She could not understand how Lily had
managed to get her frock so dirty. Her own clothes were so neat. Even though she had played
all morning in the yard behind the kitchen. She was going to start laughing all over again! How
can a monkey dance like that? She will probably tell her teacher about it. And they would all
laugh along with her too. Maybe she will also show her drawing to them. The one her father
had smiled at. It was a day well spent.
He silently turned the pages of the magazine. The pages were crisp and made no noise. His
dinner plate had probably gone cold hours ago. The pain in his fractured leg had put him to
bed-rest for at least two weeks. No football for two weeks! The euphoria he had felt was both
unnatural and yet quite understandable. The approaching monsoons meant so much sweating
on the field, the nauseating odour of others boys, the piercing sound of t he whistle. It was a
relief that he no longer had to worry about the upcoming tournament. The coach had told him
that his game was not as good as the boys but that he should give still give the try-outs. After
finding about his broken leg, he must have just nodded lightly. His father was the one who had
gone to speak to him. And even though he knew he had let him down, his father had been very
understanding about his injury. It was futile for him to manage both sports and studies. Of
courselast yearhis typhoid had prevented him from from giving cricket try-outs. But he hated
cricket. If football was bad enough,cricket was insufferable to him. He wondered how to reach
out and scratch his fractured foot. He can call out to Lily and she will happily hand him that long
ruler kept on his desk. He did not feel hungry and probably send out his tray as well. The cheap
sports magazine in his hand had already slipped out from his grip. The last thought in his head
before he fell asleep was if he should try for Tennis.