“Oye Jassi”, yelled my mother. “Karu is ready to go to Sukhi’s place”.

“Uff Mummijee, what will I do there? I don’t want to go. These people play silly games and  I have to study for my Punjabi paper”.

“Oh Jassi Puttar, you will do fine haan. You are a Sikh! Punjabi runs in our blood haan. I didn’t even go to school, and see how well I teach you two. Sukhi’s cousin Preet is here too. You two used to play all day long when you were little. Ab jaa na!”

I was regretting making the promise of taking Karu to Sukhi. Usually Mummijee isn’t this paranoid but with all the tension going on in Jammu, she doesn’t like any of us to travel alone. Ours is a little town called Madhopur.  As they say, no beauty without a beast – it lies on the highway that connects Pathankot-Jammu  NH1.  The evenings are picture perfect here. It was on one such picture perfect evening by the river where I and Preet were enjoying the view of Kangra hills when,“Oye Jassi!” Presently Karu’s shrill voice broke the train of my thoughts. Only Guruji knew how grateful I was to Karu. I held his hand, and out we went.

I am Jaswinder Kaur. I’m 15 years old; my parents’ first child. I’ve been studying at the Army School, here in this town. Papajee has served the army for 15 years now. He has made us tough and strong. Karu wants to join the Indian Police Service when he grows up. Well, given that he’s only 7 and prefers thieves over terrorists, speaks a lot about his smart head. A sharp boy indeed. He prefers details, precision, and things done the right way. Mummijee  used to teach the students at the primary school but she quit a year ago.

I usually don’t mind taking Karu to Sukhi’s place. Even though they play silly games, I actually enjoy their company. Sometimes I play with them, and other times I just enjoy reading my Mills and Boon in one corner. My friend Jaswinder’s sister is studying in Delhi. She secretly sends us all the latest Mills and Boon novels. I enjoy them for the jitters I feel in my stomach when the tall handsome hero pulls the fragile secretary in his arms, and covers her lips with his.

“Jassi, today we will play Chor – Police. You and Preet promised to play with us”

“Karu.. “ . “No, you promised!”, Karu said defiantly.

After ten minutes, we were standing outside Sukhi’s house. Before we could ring the doorbell, Sukhi came out running. He had a pistol toy in his hand. He held Karu’s hand, and ran towards his room. “Preet is in the kitchen”, yelled Sukhi.

I closed the door, and stood there nervously. After what had happened at the river side, I really didn’t know how to face her. It wasn’t my fault alone but … Suddenly I heard Preet say something to me from the kitchen. “Juss, come here and taste this!”.

I went into the kitchen and noticed she was making cheese tomato sandwiches for us. She was wearing this pair of fitted jeans, high boots, and a hot red shirt. Her gorgeous hair was a little wet and hung loose on her back. She was the most beautiful girl I knew. “Juss, come closer and taste this,” she said this with a notorious smile in her eyes.

Boom.Boom.Boom.

BANG. BANG.

I turned and saw Karu running after Sukhi. “Stop! Surrender yourself to the police. We will forgive  you. My grandfather is a judge. Stop or I will shoot you.”

Sukhi tripped on the floor, and then my darling Karu over him. They both started giggling like girls, and I looked at Preet. She was laughing too, and looking at me.

Sukhi got up and ran to Preet, “Play with us, Please!! We need teams.”

“Okay, I will be in Karu’s team,” I said before Preet could say anything. I thought it’s better we play this silly game, lest Preet bring up the kiss episode, which I wouldn’t know how to explain. It’s all that stupid Mills and Boon novels’ fault. Had I not read about those passionate kisses, I wouldn’t have noticed the blood pink color of her lips, and ran my tongue in her throat the next second. But in the novel, it’s always with the hero. Could Preet be the hero of my story ?

“Yayyy”, screamed both the boys. “The winning team will be the one who kills the other team”, said Karu excitedly.

“That’s very dark. How about we just capture the opponent team”, Preet said smiling at us.

“Dead or Alive, we have to win Preet. These stupid police officers cannot stop us from going to Kashmir. We will go there and kill all the terrorists”, said Sukhi from under the table. He was taking out more guns, and god knows what from his bag. “Oh guruji, why am I stuck in this silly game with a wanna-be terrorist, a police officer, and a gorgeous girl?”, I silently said.

The shootout was planned to happen on the highway. Our team was posted there, and we were to stop the other team who was driving in a make believe foreign made SUV.

Zzzz…zoom.. “Look look that’s the car our friend officer told us about. Block the road,” Karu said in a serious tone. “Stop! Please come out. We have to frisk you”.

“FRISK?!!!”.

“Yes Jassi, that’s what the police do.”

The next minute both Preet and Sukhi stepped out of their SUV with their hands on top of their heads.

“Look at the wall and don’t act smart. Jassi, please frisk the girl. I will deal with this boy”, Karu commanded.

“No Karu. This is stupid. I don’t want to play your silly game. “

“Jassi, you promised! Please.”

I sighed and walked toward Preet. I touched her shoulders, and felt her breathing grow heavy.

“Do it properly. She could be hiding the gun anywhere”, Karu commanded from behind who was finding it difficult to hold Sukhi still so that he could take away his gun.

I touched Preet’s hands and slowly moved them towards her shoulder. She is two inches taller than me. So, I had to be move really close to reach her hands. Something was rising in me. I couldn’t define it but it was crazy and making me dizzy. My newly grown breasts were grazing her shirt from behind. My hands touched her bare neck and I found myself smelling her hair. It was a moment when my hands realized they had a mind of their own. I slowly felt her back beneath my palms. My fingers traced her ribs, and I slowly cupped her breasts. She arched back, putting herself into my arms. Well almost.

“Check shoes”, said some distant voice.

I knelt down and held her ankles. I slowly moved my trembling hands up her legs, and inhaled the smell of her skin into the core of my being. It was the most exhilarating experience I had ever known. I reached for her other leg and started rising with the moments of my hands. My fingers almost traced the crack of her butt when I heard her sigh.

“Juss.. “

Boom.Boom.

She was still. My hands touched her smooth stomach and I closed my eyes. Her stomach was moving in and out and I could almost feel her heart beating loudly. I had moved so close that I was lost in her. My hands moved across her crotch and I was wet with desire. I held my hand on the button of her jeans when I heard her say my name in weak breaths. I had slid my leg between hers, and I was about to put my hand inside her jeans when…

BANG. “Oye Jassi, you are so Dead!”

Sukhi  pulled my tee from behind. I turned away, gasping for air. My face must have been all red and flushed because Karu had stopped crying on losing the game, and was holding my hand with concern.

“I’m sorry we lost. Please don’t be upset. It’s just a silly game!”