‘’Growing Up’’: My entry for the Get Published contest

The Idea– 
Anu and Aryan’s story, well, it isn’t all that special—just two kids playing and fighting, going through the motions of childhood. They're best friends until they're not. It’s all very innocent until it isn’t. One moment they are playing G I Joe’s Saves Barbie and the next thing they know, they’ve their falling in love. Not with eachother, of course. That would be absolutely ridiculous, wouldn’t it?  

What Makes This Story ‘Real’– 

The story walks you through your childhood, making you remember that special friend you had perhaps. Or maybe it is about those encounters when you realise that the person you were looking for all along has been right in front of you but you were too freakin’ blind or stubborn or, maybe just plain stupid to notice it. 

This story is inspired from my two friends, whose anonymity I wish to keep.

Extract 

“Mommy,” Anu sobbed as a woman with a heart shaped face and curly black hair just like her daughter’s, albeit neater, opened the door. She had an apron tied around her waist and her hands were white with flour. Anu hugged her around the legs and began to cry in her skirt.

  “Anu?” she said anxiously. “Are you hurt?”

  Anu’s sobs were the only response she got.

  She walked to the washbasin, which was a difficult task with a four-year-old hanging on to her legs for dear life. She quickly washed her hands and picked up her daughter.

  “What happened?” She asked as she walked to the sofa. She sat down with Anu on her lap. Anu’s head was on her shoulder.

  “A-a-ryan.”

  “What did he do?”

  “W-why am I only four years old?”

  “Because you were born four years ago.” She laughed.

  But Anu only cried harder.

  “What did Aryan do, baby?” She wiped Anu’s tears.

  “H-he s-said I was too young to play with him and his friends.”

  “What were they playing?”

  “G.I. Joe Saves Barbie.”

  “How about we play the same game right here?”

  “I want to play with him!”

This is my entry for the HarperCollins–IndiBlogger Get Published contest, which is run with inputs fromYashodhara Lal and HarperCollins India.