Companionship!

I am coming, Rustam. I am coming.

Brother, I am waiting for you; we will go together. Come fast!
Okay, Rustam. Then, wait for sometime. I am searching for my 'sports shoes', do one thing, check under the bed if my shoes are there.
Oh, under the bed? How come? The shoes are supposed to be in the shoe rack, isn't it?
See, you ask many questions. I came after playing a match yesterday in the evening. I was so much tired that, I came and slept, so my shoes must be in the room.
Okay, wait, let me check, brother!
Yeah!

So, here are your shoes. So, wear them and I am waiting outside. Come in two minutes. Okay?
Yeah, Rustam. I am coming.

5 minutes passed.. Rustam comes running to his elder brother. His brother is putting his watch to his wrist while looking into the mirror.

Now, this is not done brother. You're not coming. Now, you are standing in front of the mirror and I don't know why are you taking so much time?

Rustam, listen! I have a secret for you to keep. Will you?
Yes, I will brother! What is it? Promise, it doesn't go out to people.

While his brother is about to tell him his top secret, Rustam gives a blushing smile. It feels as if he has some idea in his mind. But, what can it be that made him smile? 

His brother wasn't convinced, and told him to go to the park whereas he had to go somewhere else that day. Rustam ran for the park smiling, and his brother was confused as of why did he just run away and why was he smiling? "Does he know?" He thought about himself.

She was waiting for him, under the shed of the bus stop. She was in her perfect sports apparel. They shook hands and led off running in the park, adjacent to the colony where Rustam and his brother lived. The elder brother was talking to Megha, the girl. While Megha was busy telling him, her stories and thoughts, Rustam found his way to follow the two of them. As fifteen minutes passed by, and the young boy kept his eyes on his brother and the girl; he found an intense desire to surprise them! Least expected for the elder brother, Rustam shouted his brother's name suffixed by the hindi word, Bhaiya which means brother and to give respect to his elder brother. 'Ramit bhaiyaa..', you came without me??? Ramit, the elder brother stood actually surprised by his presence out of the blue. 

Whaat are you doing here, you kid? How did you come here? Dad has told the security guard to not let you come out of the colony, how did you come then?
I am smart, you see. Rustam started laughing and Megha looked into Rustam's dreamy eyes, and greeted him with an affectionate hello. Rustam was happy enough, if not his elder brother.
He likes you! The little boy spoke in his sweet voice.
Yeah, I like Ramit as well. So are we good friends. I have heard lots about you, but met you for the first time today. You're sweet. Replied Megha. The elder brother had no expression on his face!

Come, let's run little champ! Directed the brother and the three of them led off, conversing thoughts about school, society and their passions in life. They liked one another's company, and the elder brother had nothing to hide from Rustam. Friendship was beautiful, the young boy learnt that day, when he met Megha and saw how Ramit bhaiya had liked her company, as much as he himself had liked their company.

Gagandeep Singh Vaid