I placed the sweater over my head. It hid my face.
‘What?’ she said.
I said nothing.
‘Are you sulking, my tall tree?’ she said.
I didn’t respond. She pulled the sweater towards her so that both
our faces came under it.
'Yes? Sulky man, what’s the issue?’ she said, her face upside-down
and huge, given that it was so close to mine.
I did not respond. She blew on my face but I did not react.
'Everyone here must be finding this so creepy,’ she said,‘our faces
under the sweater.’
'Nobody cares,’ I said.
'I thought you said everyone talks about us.’
I let out a grunt of protest. She laughed. I took aim and bent. In a
second I managed to place my lips on hers, despite her face being
upside-down. Spiderman kisses like that. It isn’t easy. I wouldn’t
advise it ifvou’re kissing someone for the first time.
She sprang up. As she rose, her forehead hit my chin. I bit my
tongue.
'Hey,’ she said, ‘not fair.’
I held my mouth in pain. Her forehead had hurt me badly. Still, the
pain paled in comparison to the joy I felt from landing my first kiss.
‘Are you hurt?’ she said.
I made a face.
'Listen, I’m sorry. But what was that?’ she said.
'A kiss.’
'I know. What for?’
'I felt like it.’
She stood up, collected her tiffin box and walked away. I ran
behind her. She ignored me and walked faster.
I held her arm. She stopped and glared at me until I let go. She
started to walk away again.
'I am sorry, okay?’ I said and blocked her way.‘I thought you like