Chapter 05

Nalini woke up Sekara early morning with the hope of getting him to study. After many tosses and turns Sekara got up and dragged himself up to the table and opened one of his commerce books. Nalini came into the room with tea.

“Make sure you study enough before going around disturbing the peace of this village with those friends of yours. Your father had heard about the fight, and he was furious but Mr. Siriwadhene was the most grateful that you were there so he has let it go.

Studying comes first, Remember I’m not going to be alive for long to keep you fed” 

Sekara smiled at her, which usually pissed her off more. She scoffed and went outside. 

The rest of the day Sekara was forced to study as his parents constantly visited his room to complain about his low marks for the tests, yet it only made him read the same lines all over again. He was fed on time, and no one in the house made a noise.

He kept remembering himself about the meeting in the evening. “Mani, Mani oh Mani” he kept muttering to himself between every page he turned. He suddenly wished he had a photograph of Mani with him. He was filled with overwhelming ecstasy. 

“Mom, I’m going for a bath in the Canal with Mihindu, I won’t be late”

Nalini came running out of nowhere. 

“Is Mani coming too?”

“Perhaps, why?”

“Don’t let her jump into the water with a bunch of guys, you know how these villagers talk. I know she is a sweet girl, but she is also very mischievous and stubborn.”

“Well mom, she grew up with us. What else did you expect? A princess?”

“Well, these folks around here don’t like that much, so take care of her.”

“Like she would listen to us, but yeah, I always try to”, he replied while putting a towel over his shoulder and hurrying out. 

Mani was always considered part of the guy group since they were very small. She never talked or behaved like a girl. She had a language like a sailor and never took anyone else’s take on how she should live her life. She never wore dresses or skirts, she was the one with long pants and an oversized t-shirt and always sang her heart out. Sekara and Mihindu were always protective of her and had taken care of the girl like two big brothers until Sekara recently developed feelings towards Mani.

“Seriously man, why did u start liking Mani? I thought she was one of the dudes” Mihindu asked him few weeks back. They were at Raveen’s having some beer, which they sneakily grabbed from Raveen’s father. Even though Sekara can be quite shy when it comes to conveying feelings, the liquor always gave him liquid confidence. 

“You know how we were always so close with Mani since we were kids? Well, she was our sister Mihindu, you know that, my man?”

“Yes yes, but what happened?”

“It was her smell, man”

“Smell! What are you even talking about?”

“Few months back she was at my house revising for me just before one of my commerce tests man. You know she has always been exceptional at mathematics, so she came over because my mother asked her to. We were sitting by the window, and she was sitting next to me so close. At that moment I still had no feelings for her. Her hair was down and her shoulder was brushing mine. It got windy once, and her hair got all dangled up over my face and the smell, oh the smell. The thing is, I didn’t know where it was coming from. Was it her hair, neck, her clothes, her lips, her soul; I had no idea, it was so mysterious, I drowned in it man. When it happened just one time all I did was waiting and waiting for the wind to be kind and bless me again and again.”

Mihindu slapped his hand and offered him the cigarette without letting him go far with the story.  

“But you failed the test?” Raveen asked the important question. 

“Yeah, flying colours” 

“Smell”, Mihindu coughed on his beer, “smell my ass” Mihindu stuttered with uncontrollable laughter.

While he was smiling to himself at how ridiculous he must have sound, he reached the canal. The canal is connected to the lake directly, was a hangout spot for many during evenings. While the adults and pilgrims going to Kataragama often used the lake, there was a significant amount of attraction from young ones here, as the spot was hidden between the paddy fields. In the morning, this canal is usually occupied by housewives washing clothes, where many shared and spread local news. It was just in front of the lake, away from its shore and below the lake level so the people who travelled on the road couldn’t notice it directly. As a painter adding exquisite remarks to complete his masterpiece, there were frangipani trees beautifully blossoming on the sides of the canal. With the sun setting so slowly, the rays of sunshine were leaking through the white petals of the flowers. While he was enjoying the shade, he saw Mihindu and Mani coming through the paddy field. Mani was wearing her usual long pants, baggy shirt and her bucket; probably filled with toiletries and her clothes. Mihindu was non stoppingly talking about something, and Mani was laughing and following him, hitting his back occasionally.

“What's so funny?” Sekara scoffed to himself. 

“Oi Sekara, come here”, Mihindu was calling him from a distance.

There is a small abandoned hut there just by the paddy fields. If it was vacant, that’s where they usually hung out. Sekara walked there slowly without showing his excitement. 

“Sekara, I can't believe there was a fight and I wasn’t there!” Mani snapped loudly.

“Yeah, like he would ever run out of those”, Mihindu replied.

Sekara took a cigarette and a matchbox out of his pocket and lit it up.

“Did Raveen talk? How is he? Shall we go and see him?” Mina was troubled.

“He will be home soon. Shall we go and annoy the bastard?” Mihindu added.

“Your parents will be worried, you stay”, Sekara said while looking at Mani’s eyes. The sun was pouring down its best of evening lights on her, and the colour of her eyes and her curls danced perfectly along with it. 

“No! I must tell my parents that I’m going to see Raveen. He is just out of the hospital, and it wouldn’t be nice if we weren’t there.” Mani snapped with determination in her tone and snatched the cigarette from him. She took a long drag and pinched Sekara.

“Oh, who are you fighting with, Sekara? You can’t win this fight, buddy,” Mihindu said sarcastically.

Sekara didn’t like Mani smoking, but Mani wouldn’t be Mani if she listened to anyone in her life. She did as she pleased, so Sekara knew it wasn’t his place to lecture.

“Okay, okay, shall we have a quick dip then?”

“Okay I’ll race you”

Passing the cigarette to Mihindu, Mani vanished. One could see Mani running on the gravel road like a bullet. Her body was slimly built that a wind could have taken her in a whim and flown over the oceans.

“I don’t know what I’m going to do with her”, Sekara smiled.

“You could start by telling her how you feel about her idiot”, Mihindu casually replied. 

When they hurried to the lake, Mani was already in the water. She was wearing the same and was chit-chatting with some of the guys from the school cheerfully. 

“Can't leave her for a second”

“Hush, my friend, you aren’t the boyfriend yet” Mihindu grinned, removed his t-shirt, threw it under the frangipani tree and jumped into the lake, making a tsunami.

The other guys were moving away from Mani when Sekara and Mihindu approached her. Sekara was pissed, but as Mihindu said, he didn’t have the right.

The water was cold and comforting. Mani took a puddle of mud, balled it between her palms and threw it towards Sekara, and it hit his bare back. 

Mani always liked to mess with Sekara as it brought her immense joy. Since she was a child, she has been a pain to Sekara, and Mani often wondered why he always put up with her. Sekara took all her mischievous activities with a smile and never took revenge through actions or even words. Mani was confused about her feelings towards Sekara, but she knew he was always going to be a part of her life. 

Sekara laughed back, but he didn’t hit her back. How could he when everything she did left him smitten? Sekara just shook his head and asked them to hurry as they need to meet Raveen without getting too late. Mani came out of the water and went behind a tree to get changed. While she was getting ready, the guys just shook themselves to dry. Mani ran home to leave the bucket and wear something else to go to the town. The boys got changed into dry clothes and waited for her by the road.

“Dad, where is Mom?” Mani asked her father, who had just come from work. 

Mani’s parents are working for a company in the town and often come home together. 

“She left work early and said she is going to the temple for a Bodhi Pooja*. Where are you hurrying off to?”

“Raveen got admitted to the hospital yesterday, but he is home now, I’m going to visit him with Sekara and Mihindu”

Even though Mani’s father didn’t approve of her hanging out with these guys, he knew that those are the only friends she had. Perera had a close connection with the boys’ fathers, and he never doubted the young fellows, but Nilanthi always disapproved since Mani isn’t a child anymore. 

“Okay, be home soon. Don’t come alone. If the boys can’t, give me a call, I’ll come to the road” He gave 100 rupees to Mani and went inside for a shower. 

Mani got changed into a different usual and ran off to the road. 

Since it was a nice evening, they decided to walk to the town, which wasn’t that far. 

Throughout the walk, Mani complained about her studies. She wasn’t the smartest at what she learnt. But she always managed at the last minute. She is always in a pickle when it came to dealing with teachers. Mani was such a free bird with a mouth with no filter. Though she loved living in a village, her heart was always wondering what else was out there beyond everything. She often talked about how she wanted to travel the whole world and meet new people. Her excitement was too hard to handle for a normal person; Sekara and Mihindu hardly had time to even breathe around her. But Mani never shut up when she is around her friends. She often wrote poems, short stories, and she would read them out loud to Sekara and Mihindu. Mihindu finds it annoying sometimes, but Sekara had never seen anyone else who could tell stories like her. 

“If we get a bottle for the bastard, he’ll be fine in no time”, Mihindu said jokingly. 

As they always visit each other’s homes, there was no need to buy anything. When you are at the age of these children, true friendships are never counted by possessions. It’s a matter of being there for each other and accepting them for the mess they are. 

They rang the bell and their servant opened the gate. 

Since Raveen’s mother passed away, there was a kind old woman taking care of cooking and washing. She didn’t talk much but managed everything in the household. She smiled widely and invited them in. 

“Raveen sir, your friends are coming up”, she called up Raveen gently. 

His room was upstairs with an amazing balcony. It had the distant view of the lake and the faraway mountains. Even though it was situated in the town, this part of the town was away from the buzz. There weren’t many shops or people around, and they owned a massive garden. 

“Brothers you came!” Raveen yelled with excitement. 

“Yeah, Mani forced us to,” Mihindu replied.

“That’s my girl” Raveen was over the moon. 

“So what did you guys bring me?”

“We kept you alive, you ungrateful bastard, what else do you possibly need?” Mihindu stuck his tongue out.

“Here”, Sekara threw some cigarettes on his bed, and Raveen quickly snatched them away.

“This is why I love you my bro, If it's not for your sister, I’ll be marrying you”

“Oh shut your damn mouth” Mani hit him with a pillow.

“So how do you feel, man?”

“Last night I was a feverish, but today it went away. My body hurts a bit, but yea,h it will be fine in a day. My bruises weren’t that bad”

“Don’t come to school tomorrow anyway. Get some rest”

“Aye aye father, I will. Don’t forget the watch”, Raveen said humbly.

“Seriously, you are going to fight again for the watch?” Mani wasn’t happy.

“I’ll try to ask nicely. They didn’t know who they messed with. I’ll take care of that,” Sekara calmly replied.

Sekara always played the father figure in the group. Everyone respected and listened to Sekara. He always knew how to be calm during storms, and while everyone else was usually stressing out or panicking, Sekara always managed to make the best decisions on behalf of the group. 

While they were talking, Raveen’s father walked into the room. Mr.Siriwardhene was a pleasant and respectable man. He was known for his good heart and his actions in helping the villagers out. He wasn’t well-connected with Raveen, and they had problems understanding each other. As I think, Father-Son relationships are bound to be like that.

They never understand each other, and it might seem that all they do is yell and hate each other. But sons tend to understand their fathers when they become adults; why men have become silent in sharing their feelings. The society often expects the older male in the family to be steady and show no emotions, as they could be considered weak in the eyes of other people. So for decades, maybe for centuries, fathers have locked themselves up in a cold, dark room. How I wish many people knew about the mountains they hide. 

“Oh, it is nice to see everyone, hello Mani, my darling daughter, have you been well?”

Mr. Siriwardhene was quite fond of Mani, as he had no daughters. His eyes lit up every time he saw her. 

“I’m fine, uncle, thank you for asking! Just came to see how Raveen was”

“Well, he is quite safe thanks to Sekara. Son, I’m glad you were there for Raveen like you had many times in the past. Make sure you take care of my stupid idiot. He isn’t studying well either. I have asked him many times to invite Mihindu and Raveen over to study here.”

“Well, he didn’t ask us uncle. Never,” Mihindu snapped and grinned at Raveen.

“Raveen, the only thing I’m proud of you is that you have great friends. Do not disappoint me. You need to pass your exams”

“Yes, Great, friends.” Sekara highlighted. 

Raveen hissed. 

Mr.Siriwardhene spent a considerable time chit-chatting with Raveen’s friends. He always loved to have a conversation with the young ones, as it always made him think about his childhood. Going through his childhood memories, he always missed his school sweetheart, who was Raveen’s mother. Raveen was in grade 4 when his mother passed away. It is hard to comprehend a death at that age. Raveen didn’t want to understand first. He convinced himself that his mother never left, and after a long time, he became numb. He met Sekara and Mihindu, a year after his mother’s death. His family has been his dear friends since then.

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*veneration of the Bodhi tree