Ben clenched his Jaw and stared at me sharply through his glass . I gulped hard.

"Aunty onnum aakathu. Ellam nalla padiyaa nadakkum.please trust me aunty." ( nothing wrong will ever happen. Everything will be alright) Ben said begrudgingly while removing his glass and giving it to me.

I took it with a scowl discernible on my face. Ben nodded at me in assurance while closing his eyes at me. Smrithi elbowed me, making me jump out of my good life and skin. I turned towards her, while zipping the bag shut ,after keeping his glass safely.

"What is all this happening?" She asked me in a hushed tone while looking from aunt to Ben. I shrugged my shoulder and turned my head towards them.

Aunty was pinning down Ben with her glare. Ben ran his hand along his dark thick raven mane while glancing his surrounding with perturbation.

"Ben, nee ennode paiyyan maathiri kanna. Marriage mudichu shankar kude veetile varumbothu nee ithrondu thaan undu. Eppo paarthaalum sudha amma sudha amma endru kuppittu kitte irrupa. Andha paasathinaale sollugirain kanna. Please vazhkkaye pottu veena kozhapikkathae.nee romba nalla paiyan chellam. Indha generation le unne mathri oru paiyyanne paakkave mudiyathu. avalavu ozhukhamaana paiyyan nee. Nee nalla irundhaal naange santhoshama irruppom kanna." ( Ben you are like my son. When I came to shankar's home as a new bride you were this small and always tailing around me calling sudha amma sudha amma. With the same love and care of a mom I am asking you this child.A boy this elegant and respectful in his demeanor is real hard to find in this generation. Please this is life. Don't play with it and spoil it. If you live your life good we all will be happy and joyous)

Sudha aunty said her eyes glistening a bit. Ben looked taken aback and at a severe loss for words.when he regained his composure and seemingly equipped his brain with ample words. he cleared his throat

"I will look into it sudha amma. Please be calm. You were the one who still cares for us like a loving mom. We respect and love that sudha amma. After gran's demise you held mom close to you like a dutiful sister along with her kids that is us. And we will be always obliged to you with our life for all that you have done sudha amma. I will see to what you have said. Trust your son amma. " Ben said cryptically. But sudha aunty seemed to understand this. I was still at a loss to get the whole thing.

"Kichu. Get on the bike. Ini aanayum ambaaryum vachu vilikkano ninne. Kayaredi ninnu chellam kaanikkandu . ( Do you want me to invite you with the accordance of elephant and trumpet beat. Just get on the bike girl without showing much ado for nothing).

Ben snapped at me indignantly. I snorted while folding my arms across my chest with a scowl on my face to show my distaste.

Through my peripheral vision, I saw the ominous thing standing in front of me showing off its glorious height and shining body with an evil gleam. I gasped a bit. Bike ride always suck! I tell you. Especially with an evil brother like Ben it will never be a happy one.

I watched the death trap stood before me in all its deathly and ghastly beauty. I hate bike ride. I get a head splitting pain when I get on a bike.

Also my height makes it look like a pathetic attempt of a child to mount upon some table from the floor. Now how am I gonna crawl up on this.

" what happened baby pearl. Do you want your brother to help you with climbing the bike chakkare" Ben cooed at me in a sickeningly mocking voice. I glared at him with all vengeance of this world.

"Ninnu chinungaathe kayaru Neeli.( Don't show too much fuzz you ghost of a girl, Neeli is an infamous ghost of Kerala ghost legend. So girls who are a bit vigour and frightening in nature are called by that name.) catch it" Ben said while tossing the purple helmet at me. I caught it with niftiness.

"You are just an irredeemable idiot you fool of a brother." I said pointing my finger at him. He nodded like nothing will ever affect him.

"Suriyane nokki pattikal kuraikkum pakshe chakkare nee oru kariyam marannu. Athe pattikal avide kurachittu nilkkathe ullo.Avattakalkku vere Onnum chaiyyan pattilla. Suriyante thejas kurayathum illa pakshe pattiyude vaa kazhakkum. Athukondu ponnu molu melle kayariyatte ninnu kurakkandu. ( Thousands dogs will bark at sun darling. But they forget one thing. Those dogs will just bark sitting on one place. It will never affect the glory of sun. But the constant barking will affect their speaker system and mouth akin. So my sweet girl slowly get on the bike rather than barking your heart out at me.)

Ben said seriously but I was quivering like a leaf with escalated anger brooding within me.

"Nee enne patti ennu vilichu alle da. Nokkikko njaan daddy de aduthu paranju kodukkum. Also krystal neyum ariyikkum. ( you called me a dog, didn't you. Beware I will tell daddy about this. Also let Krystal know about this)

I said warningly. He flustered at the mention of Krystal. Smrithi giggled enjoying the bro-sis bickering which bloomed in front of her in all its glamour.

When he gained his lost composure he squared his shoulder and cleared his throat feigning a serious look.

"Oh pinne, onnu podi, vegam kayaru. Sandhyakku munbu veedathanam. Ividunnu Tamil nadu valare dhooreyaa. Vaadi veen pechu vittukkittu. ( oh yeah, just go girl. Hop in kichu. We have to reach our home before twilight. It is a long journey back there. Just stop talking nonsense and come girl)

He said in a dominating and dark voice.I looked at Sudha aunty she nodded at me encouragingly.

"Aunty neenge eppadi veetukku poguveenge? " I asked suddenly realizing that I am leaving them alone.

"Shankar will be here any moment pearl. So no worries." Sudha aunty said while Smrithi squealed with bubbling enthusiasm.

"Is it mom? then we will go shopping" Smrithi said happily. aunty just nodded quietly. she was immersed deeply in some thoughts.Her vacant look reflected this.

I got on the bike while holding Ben's shoulder for support. He held my arm tightly by making it easy for me.

"There you go" Ben said with a smile.

"Bye aunty. Bye Smriti!" Ben said glancing at them.He waved his hand towards them with a small smile. They mirrored his expression.

He put on the helmet and mounted the bike. I looked at Smrithi and aunty. Now when am I gonna meet them only good lord knows. I held Smrithi's hand. Tears threatened to spill from the shell of my eyes but I refrained it .

"Bye Rithi. Do come for the function" I reminded her sadly.

"Hey sweetie pie I think I will be there next week or so. Let me have a talk with my dad and I will let you know. Don't be sad Pearly barbie. "

Smrithi said smiling but I sensed a shroud of sadness lurking around her. I sighed with a small smile and wave of my hand towards them

There were so many bitter and sweet memories since we became besties.

"Pearl don't forget to practice . I suggest you to stay away from howling, hollering with your cousins. keep your voice intact ." aunty said as a reminder for me.I nodded politely.

"Hold me tight Kichu." Ben said while starting the bike. I clung to him like a baby koala clinging to its mom koala.

Smriti waved her hands and gestured to call her when I reach home. You know we are not allowed to use social media for several reasons.

It is not they don't trust us but it is just they don't trust the wonderful world sprawled before in this social media.

Jayashankar uncle is a police officer and he is a specialized officer in cyber cell department. So on a daily basis he encounters gruesome cases. He is very particular that he doesn't want that fate for either of us.

so does my father. So they warned us to stay away from every single site which will breed a lifelong pain and shame to the family according to them.

Grievingly and grudgingly we succumbed to their demand.All our friends are equipped with every single facility social media provides but me and Smrithi being the daughters of high officials were forced to stay away from the death trap called internet.

The Irony is my cousins and Ben are allowed to use this as they are boys and in their opinion boys know to tackle any situation. This is frustrating at times. Even in this era of technological hike there are girls who lead the life of despair and disdain because of some narrow minded thoughts and acts of people.

yeah we are given education and special training in many areas of life. But what is the use of education and all the training when we are restrained from certain fields,

See my family can be sometimes tyrants to the core. Dunno how I survived my life among these Hitlers called grown ups all these years.

Still a bommakutti amma ( baby doll) for my family. They pull the strings of this doll called me and make me do this and that. I badly wanted to break the shackles of this submissive and obedient nature. But there are things which bound me from doing so.

They are really shrewd in taking decisions of a girl's life in a joint family.

In my family my life is almost decided by my chithappa ( small uncle- father's younger brother) and periyappa( big uncle- father's elder brother)

Is there any better explanation I should give how a good death trap of a people they can turn out to be for a girl like me.

If I protest. It wont be that nice a scenario to be envisioned. A small dispute is enough to distort the peaceful mirth of bonding our family shares.

We meet only three or four times a year. And also at every possible vacations we meet. There is absolute euphoria and solace when we three families become one.

We kids are the ones who have the greatest time in our lives because of this.

We part as three groups. Dads group, moms group, kids group.

See dads group are good at cherishing their passed glorious younger days and how they are enduring the verbose grinding of their respective wives.

Mom group. They are serial specialized group. They just cry over the poor fate of the hero who is smitten by a hot headed girl. God!! Just stop moms!! Also finding faults with their kids and flaunting how great a boy Ben is ,Steeve is and so on.

Also they share their cooking recipes with each other as three of them belong to different states. Not exactly ,but they reside in different states. So they share their experience and food habits.

Kids group. I am not bragging. We are the most noisy group in this world.

As only two girls are there. You know boy strength is high in our group. Five boys !! Do you have any idea what five boys can do.

Safrin is a book worm and always sits in a corner binging her so called books with specs on.

Okay, the only girl left is me. We just run and jump. Holler,howl and what not. But occasionally boys go out to savour the beauty of the world. And meet their friends here.

So I am banned from joining them as I am a girl. So talking to a boy except family is extremely and strictly banned for me.

At times I wonder to which era I actually belong to. I think era.

Gosh!! Why?? No social media. No going out. No chatting with other boys. Okay, latter I too am in no way interested, but going out. I love to travel a lot just to see the world, savour the beauty of world etc,etc . But by the look of it everything is gonna be turned to be a dream.

So coming to the point if I deny anything my uncles decide for me they will blame my parents for not giving proper chastising.

I don't want to become the main reason for the dispute in my peaceful family.

So I am kinda scape goat. Suddenly the bike skidded pulling me and my soul out of the reverie I was undergoing. I clung to Ben's jacket.

"Ben what are you doing paithyame(fool)" I yelled while holding him for my dear life.

"Now princess got the time to wake up from your princess slumber..eh?" He asked while turning the bike.

Jerk! He intentionally did it. He knows well that I am scared to death about the very idea of bike riding. But ,no ,my lovely brother should kill me while scaring all the dirt that is accumulated in my soul.

Bike halted in front of my home. Home sweet home!!

spell after exams were always a matter of joy and celebration.

But this time it is something different. I didn't feel the same excitement as before. I felt dead pan

I got out of the bike not before smacking hard on my brother's back.

"Back stabber!!" He yelled while running behind me. I pulled out my purple helmet and threw it towards him,while screaming and running , which he caught it with ease.

We did a good round of five around our home . I dodged every smack and kick he threw in my direction.

I blocked his hand ,when it came to catch me, with my back pack and swiftly moved from his way not before giving him a good smack.

"Hey ! Kichu you have good reflexes and strong metallic fist." Ben mused wincing and rubbing his shoulder. I gave him a look which told have you gone cuckoo bro!

"True da kichumatti. You do have good reflexes" Ben appreciated me. Now what is it with reflex and all. I bend down holding my knees panting.

Isn't it that obvious for a girl who is good at martial arts to possess good reflexes. Ben is making this little thing look like a big achievement of this century.

I rolled my eyes while sticking out my tongue at him.

One thing which amazed me is he is not panting or puffing. Not even his breathing is shallow.

And here I am taking breaths like a dying gran. Wow! How easily I got Promoted from a sweet teen to a dying gran just in matter of few seconds.

I put a mental note to myself to do my practice daily. No bunking practice from now on. Or else in a matter of few years I will turn to a grim old lady with nothing but laboured breath for constant friendship sake.

I just shrugged to myself while walking towards our home. Ben tried to pull my braid but I veered away.

"Stop ! Ben." I yelled impatiently. Ben was whistling like a fool with an idiotic grin on his face.