Shreya watched intently as the new people moved in next door.She was partially hidden by the potted plants which had grown too big over the summer .Her Mom had not been around lately to prune the greenery she loved so much. The new family seemed to be in mourning; garbed in white.And like with most children ,for Shreya,the adult figures faded away to obscurity and thus found herself concentrating on the boy who looked to be about her size and age. Even with his head shaved he was still a beautiful boy, very much like his mother. Shreya at age eight fell in love with him . And as if he suddenly had an inkling of all that was going on in her head ,the boy looked up and gave a little wave. Shreya gasped involuntarily. She could not figure out how he could see her ,hidden amongst the plants.
Then she heard a voice wafting through, “ Hey! Can we come over to see your house?”

It was her Didi, Shovana. Shovana was a completely different entity from Shreya though they were only 2 years apart.Shovana it seemed ,was forever bursting with excitement.It was in the way she woke up.She never awoke gently. Pop! Her eyes would open,and up she would jump and she would do a little jig as she went to the bathroom. Singing off-key and growing louder as she shampooed. On the brink of some great discovery to the meaning of fun.That was her elder sister.
.Shreya who shared a room with her didi was a confounded witness to it all.
So there was Shreya,watching in the shadows while Shovana trundled downstairs unheeding of Thuli who was polishing the floor.

“Hi,I am Shovana. I live next door.We are so so so happy to have you all here.I knew there were going to be children .There are no children of our age in this neighbourhood.unless ofcourse you count the kids from the big house across the road.But they are home only during the holidays so it’s not really the same.Where is the girl I saw just now? She looks tall but then she could be my age since my Mom tells me I am pretty short for my age.Ofcourse, my mom is prone to exaggerations!She used to to be actress you see..” she finished off in a hurry .

All this was received with a mild amusement from the couple of grown-ups who were unloading boxes ,suitcases, strange bundles and some worn out furnitures.Shovana always had that effect on people,with all her enthusiasm and her dimples.

“ Where do you go to school?” the boy asked.
“ You are probably hoping we will be going to school together but nopes.We go to an all girls’ school. My mom does not like the idea.Although,I fail to see why. Boys are so much more fun to play with. Some of them are even better runners and cyclists than I am. Ofcourse,it is a great place for my Baini. She is a girly girl. You ought to see her doll collection.Phewww..that girl can sure play with her dollies.All day sometimes!” she added,eyes widening.

He was just as excited about the move,happy to leave their old house with their unhappy memories behind.Over the past few months,much had changed. For one,his Papa had died.And though when asked if he missed his father ,he would nod silently and retreat into his room.He did not. He knew he was supposed to and intermittently woke up at night ,screaming in terror ,for he would find that his Papa had come by his bedside,reproachful and simmering with anger.He would wake up,heart pounding,breathless. His elder sister understood and held his hand ,caressing his brow until he went back to sleep. They both never spoke of it to their Mamu.

“My name is Aashish.And my sister who is helping inside is ,Kriti. She is a lot like your Baini I would say. ” he offered a smile at that.

“ Do you cycle? I could teach you and my Baini at the same time you know?”Shovana’s feet were already starting to itch. Her new red bike gleaming in the sun was her latest pride and she rode it like a devil .But try as she might,she could not get her little sister to try it out. Shreya was in Shovana’s book very very dull.always poring over her picture books,sketching,painting,playing with her dollies or begging Thuli to make a new Fariya set for her Barbies.Imagine..Barbies in Fariyas! Just thinking about it all,made her head muddled up.

“Do you like yoghurt? I love mine cold with a dash of sugar.I think I could have you and Kriti over at my house.Don’t mind if Thuli makes eyes at you though hai? She does it to all ke.” Shovana explained.

Aashish after getting permission from his mom ,tried to get his didi to go too but was turned down as he expected. Aashish,half a head shorter than Shovana,walked towards her house at first, and then suddenly she shouted ,“ Let’s see who touches that old evergreen tree at the end of the driveway!”

With that they both sprinted.It was a very close tie.Shovana grinned her huge big grin ,dimple and all and said approvingly, “You can run hai?”

As they entered the house through the backdoor,they heard Thuli complaining shrilly, “ You brought in all the dirt again?You been running without any slipper on ho ? Uff..this girl will be the death of me,Prabhu!”

“ Sorry Thuli dd,won’t do it again,didi!” Shovana hollered back. As she said that ,she got two china bowls and then adding a third one,she whispered conspiratorially ,“ Thuli will go blue in the face if she knows I am using these.But I think you should ,since this is your first time in our house.The next time…you get the steel bowl same as all my other friends!”

“Shreyaaaaaa….come downnnn!” Shovana called for her sister. A while later,Shreya appeared.Unlike her her sister,she spoke only when necessary and was dressed neatly.Her hair in two neat plaits ,tied at the end with yellow ribbons matching the colour of her her cotton dress.

That day, their friendship was forged.It was perhaps the best summer of their lives.Unclouded by grown up worries. The whole of that day,while Kriti and her mom got settled in at their new place ,Aashish learnt how to cycle. Shreya at his gentle coaxing stepped out too. Shovana lost interest after a while and took to climbing her favourite tree with her plastic telescope.In her own little world,pretending to be a lone pirate ,marooned on an island. Aashish encouraged and praised and willed Shreya to cycle.Shreya too,used to only her sister as a playmate found that she could do far better than she had thought possible. After a while they were laughing and often falling on the soft grass which cushioned their fall.
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[This much for now.they will probably have turned into teens or sthg in the coming chapter.And nah,tis not a love triangle thingy with the 2 sisters fighting over one boy!]

Correction:
"Betty could do better...."