Growing up is hard to do

Summer, August 2009, Sanjay Ramaswami is 56, Priya is 55, Suni is 13, and Geeta is 11 months





Summer break is almost over and I can't wait. I'm going to high school! Well, I won't be in the 9th grade or anything, but I will be with high schoolers. Just how cool is that!

I really wasn't excited when I started kindergarten, but this is different! I'm actually on the verge of starting my adult life. Yeah, I know I have a few years to go of secondary school, but it's still very exciting!

So I spend a few hours e-mailing and chatting with my friends online, before my mom calls me for a late breakfast. I guess you could call it a brunch. I think brunches are cool. It makes one sound sophisticated!



Breakfast/brunch goes down hill kind of quickly, and I didn't even see it coming. First dad starts going on and on about how fast I'm growing, and were didn't the time go? He couldn't believe that my mom took me bra shopping! OMG! I nearly melted with embarrassment. Why did my mom tell my dad that I got a bar! I wish the floor would just open up and swallow me whole. Seriously, school can't start soon enough.

Then, to make matters worse, he asks me if I've met anyone? OMG! Are you for real? You can tell my the look on my face that I can't believe we are having this kind of conversation. Like I'm going to tell my dad I met a guy.

At least he's cool with whoever I date, not like with my brother Mohindr. Mom and dad really wanted him to marry a girl from back home. Well their home, this is my home. I'm not suck in old traditions, and thank goodness they aren't anymore!

But I'm still not telling him I met a guy over the summer, no way. But I guess me turning red in the face gave that bit of information away.

He turns to my mom and starts going on and on about how I was when I was a baby. He couldn't believe it. It seemed only yesterday I was starting to walk and now I'm starting to date.

Date! Who said anything about dating. All I did was met a guy, who is totally hot, and swoon worthy. Did I mention hot? He is. I can't wait until I see him again. *sigh*

That's when mom decided to travel down memory lane too. Could this get any worse? Where's Geeta? They do remember that I have a little sister that they can fawn over, right?

So finally breakfast/brunch is over. *yay* And the doorbell rings. OMG, it's totally AJ. I can't believe he came over. And I try not to act like a totally loser. When he's around my brain goes on auto pilot, and my mouth kinda talks on it's own accord. It's sad, I know.

But I get it together long enough to invite him in, and we head to my room for some privacy. I do not need a repeat performance from this morning with my parents in front of AJ.



We talk for a bit, he tells me about this game he's saving up for. I'm really not much into video games, I'm an artist, but I nod my head, and ask him what game is it. He tells me it's "Call of Duty 2," and he's wanted it since last year. Money's a little tight at his house, and he does odds and ends and saves all that he makes. But this year he'll be old enough to get a job.

This would be so cool. If he asked me out I would be dating a guy who has a job!



Then he starts to tell me how his brother really wants to pursue this rapper gig, but I kinda zone out. I'm entranced by his lips. They're so smooth, and look so soft. I can't help but to wonder how they would feel on my. Ekk! Bad thoughts! I should not be thinking about kissing... at all. To fast.

He's looking at me, waiting for me to say something. What was he talking about about? Oh, right, his brother.

"I think that's cool. A rapper, huh?"

He smiles and nods his head.




We stand up to stretch our legs, when I get a great idea. One that will have him coming over here for a while.

I tell him that I want to paint his picture. Not to get all artsy on him, but he is my muse, and I want to capture him in paint.



To my surprise he agrees and we head to the living room to get started. I think AJ was a bit bored though. I did turn on the TV. So I didn't paint him as long as I would have liked, but I at least had a reason to stare at him all that I liked! That was a big bonus.

But he told me that he had to leave soon. His mom was big on family dinners and he couldn't be late getting home. I understand, my parents are the same way with me.



And to my surprise, and delight, when I went to hug him goodbye, he kissed me. He kissed ME! I almost passed out. His lips were smoother than I could ever imagine. I can officially turn into a big puddle of goo now.