RECAP At school, Rupali ma’am makes the kids practise a lot. It drains Kabir so much that he retires to sleep early. Shilpa asks Sujata if he still talks to his imaginary friend. Sujata replies that these days he is so exhausted when he comes back that he goes to bed quite early. At night, Kabir dreams of Mark complaining for being ignored. CHAPTER 13   “Get me the bricks, duffer. Fast!” Aakriti instructed Kabir. “Me duffer?” Kabir faked a frown, “Then you must be duffer’s sister.” She laughed and said, “Okay! Now would you please get some bricks, my boy?” He ran to the other corner of the garden, where some old bricks were lying. Both the kids were busy making a ‘house’ for a kitten they had saved from the street dogs. Kabir was engaged in carrying the bricks to the ‘site’, while Aakriti, ready with an old shawl, was feeding the kitten with milk. “Here you are,” he placed the bricks on the ground. They together made two columns of brick with four in each column. “Woof!” Aakriti panted a little, “Let me put the marble tile over it. That will make it a shed kind of a thing.” “I’ll get it,” proposed Kabir. “No, no! It’s heavy. You’ll drop it on you foot,” Aakriti got up to get the tile lying near the rose bush. After the house was made, she placed the shawl inside. Kabir caressed the cat. It purred. Aakriti lovingly put it inside the house. “Oh! It’s smiling,” Kabir chirped. “Yes,” Aakriti found a lump of mud and wrote ‘KITTU’ on the tile. “But di, what’s the point in writing its name here?” questioned Kabir, “It can’t read.” “I know, silly!” she pinched him lightly, “But it is customary to write the name outside the house. You know, it creates a sense of belonging.” He could not understand what she meant but let her have her way. “Children! Where are you?” they heard Vishal’s voice from the house, “Don’t you have school today?” “Oh! Dad calling. Coming dad,” she got up in a jiffy, “Come boy!” They went back to the house and started getting ready for the school. Kabir quickly grabbed his towel and rushed to the bathroom. He had just taken off his clothes, when he suddenly saw Mark standing right before his eyes. “Oops!” he awkwardly draped the towel around himself, “Let me have a bath, Mark. Please go.” “Please go,” Mark imitated him, “Is that all you have to say after so many days? Do you even remember how long it has been since we met last?” “I understand, pal. But please let me have a bath first. We’ll talk later.” “I won’t go. I want to talk to you right now,” he said angrily, “I’ve been noticing this change in your behaviour from past few days. But not any more! Enough is enough.” “What change have you noticed in my behaviour?” Kabir frowned. “Do I need to explain?” yelled Mark, “You don’t spend any time with me. At home, you’re busy with your di, and at school you can’t think of anyone, but your friends.” “But you yourself said that you would help me make friends with them,” Kabir argued, “Now that I’ve won them over, why are you upset? Stop behaving so selfish.” “What? I’m behaving selfish. Kabir, it’s you who’s being selfish now. Left me when got new friends and now calling me selfish,” he grumbled. Kabir was frustrated. He took a deep breath and said, “So you won’t let me have a shower today. You must pour all your complaints right now.” But Mark was not interested in listening to him. He said, “Kabir! You have to mend your ways. Or I’ll leave you.” “Okay! Leave me then. At least I’ll have my shower in peace,” pat came a reply. Mark gave him an angry look and left. Kabir started with his shower. He was getting late for the school. **** The little actors were just three days away from their final performance. Today Rupali ma’am had assembled a small group of spectators, which mainly comprised Principal ma’am, Vice Principal ma’am, sports teachers, non-teaching staff and a few more teachers, who could spare some time. The practice aimed at helping the kids gain confidence to face the audience. There were a lot of whisperings going among the children. “I got to know that principal ma’am is also coming,” Manjeet murmured. “Yes! As such she’s so stern… I’ve never seen her smiling ever in my life,” said Samhita as if she were an old woman who had lived a life of hundred years. “So true! We can’t afford to go wrong anywhere,” joined Jasbir. “Otherwise she’ll come to the stage in the middle of the drama and beat us up,” added Armaan. “Come on, guys!” Kabir chided them, “Why are you talking like cowards? And why do you think we’ll go wrong? We’ve practised so much. Everything will be fine.” Rupali ma’am, standing in a corner, was listening to their conversation. She was delighted to notice such a sea change in Kabir’s attitude. “Kabir is absolutely right,” she supported him, “Have confidence on yourselves. I’m sure you won’t go wrong. And then, this is such a small audience, and you know all of them. If you’ll feel shy in front of known people, then how will you perform before the huge unknown audience on the final day?” The kids nodded with their faces radiant with revived zest. “Ma’am, we’ll give a good performance,” said Vinayak. “Yes ma’am,” they all chorused. “Good!” ma’am smiled, “Come on, now. It’s time to perform.” Soon the spectators began to arrive. After they all were comfortably seated, the performance started. The opening scene showed Vinayak, playing the role of darkness, whirling all around the stage. He did complete justice to his role and managed to hold the interest of audience from the very beginning. Rupali madam’s voiceover had multiplied the appeal of the play manifold. The beginning of life, marked by Kabir’s entry, literally made the audience’s jaws drop. The children carried off the whole act with utmost perfection and flawlessness. When the performance ended, principal ma’am herself came to the stage and patted everybody’s back. The little stars were delighted. Seeing a smiling face of principal ma’am was very rare. But today the smile she exhibited… it was so broad that one could actually count her teeth. Rupali ma’am was elated. She was proud of her achievement and the children too. After the departure of audience, she shrieked aloud like a child. “Great performance, kids!” she said, “You really deserve a treat for it. Let’s go to the canteen.” She treated them to cold drinks and burgers. They all were very happy. And Kabir was thrilled to be in the midst of so many wonderful friends.                                To be continued…..