“Get off of me”

“First she drops us and then sleeps on us?”

Sara lifted herself from the floor and looked at the boxes of cornflakes lying all around her. “Are you talking?”

“Yes. Of course we are talking. Now get off of us.”

“Wow! That’s incredible. Who else can talk?”

“Everyone and everything can. You wanted someone to talk to you. Here we are. Talk all you want.”

“It doesn’t feel safe over here. Can you park me over there?” Tangy (Sara’s bicycle) said pointing to a lonely spot in the distance.

“That far?” Sara was bewildered. “In fact that is a spot where you would most likely get stolen. You are safer here.”

“Can I get what I want?” Tangy replied firmly. “You and Rose always get to do whatever you want while I always miss out on the fun. Can you at least listen to me once?”

Rose (Sara’s flower) tried to warn her but Sara was in no mood to argue. She placed Rose in the pannier and climbed the bicycle to park it in the distance. No sooner had she done so than Tangy turned towards the store’s entrance door and said, “Sara, you have been anxious and worried too much and for far too long. You have stopped enjoying life and you have not let me enjoy either. Now we will end this. Prepare for fun.”

“No, no, no” screamed Sara but it was too late. Tangy had already started his mission. “What is wrong with you? Where are we going?”

“No questions. Just enjoy.” Tangy laughed.

And Tangy, with Rose in the pannier and Sara mounted on top, burst through the store’s entrance. The security personnel ran after Sara to catch her and get her to stop. What they didn’t know is that poor Sara wanted to do the same thing. She too wanted the bicycle to stop but Tangy was possessed. Tangy wanted his adventure.

Tangy drove through all the aisles of the store and crashed into several things as the guards helplessly chased after Sara. “Are you having fun?” Tangy asked as he picked up more pace.

“I can’t hear you.” Sara cried with the wind brushing wildly against her face. “What speed are we going at?”

Tangy laughed. Rose shook his head. Sara was busy apologising to all the other customers in the store as she drove past them at full speed.

“Stop, stop!” Sara screamed. “Please stop now!”

“You really want to stop? Aren’t you having fun?” Tangy said, hardly able to contain the fun he was having.

“Yes. Please stop.” Sara pleaded.

“As you wish, my lord.” And Tangy crashed into a rack full of cornflakes boxes as their exhilarating  ride came to an end. At that moment, as they were about to crash into the rack, Sara felt free and happy. She had no idea why.

“Mom, I’m going out,” Sara yelled from her room. “Is there anything you need?”

Her mom replied, “You should have told me. I just came home. I would have got your stuff. What is it that you are going out for?”

“Never mind.”

“Don’t forget to wear your mask.”

Sara grabbed her mask and her bicycle (Tangy) with her rose (Rose) in the pannier and off she went to buy a gift for Kai.

“Have you decided on something?” Rose inquired.

“Yes, I will get him chocolates,” answered Sara. “He loves chocolates more than anything and I am sure he will like my gift and then we can be friends again.”

Rose was delighted to hear that, “I am sure of that too. It sounds wonderful.”

“What do you think, Tangy?” Sara asked as they were slowly riding towards the store.

“Well I think you’ve gotten fat,” quipped Tangy. “You have been sitting at home and laying on bed all day. You have been munching because of your anxieties and you hardly get any exercise done. I can feel the extra weight of yours and I don’t like it.”

“I was talking about the gift idea, Tangy,” Sara retorted. “Anyway, I am happy with what we are about to do and nothing can spoil it.”

When they reached the store Sara parked Tangy along a row of other bicycles and said, “Tangy, you stay here. I’m taking Rose with me inside. We’ll be back soon.”

“No,” stomped Tangy. “I wanna go inside. I don’t want to stay here. Why does that stupid flower get to go inside?”

“Bicycles are not allowed inside the store,” Sara answered. “It’ll be just a couple of minutes. We’ll be back in no time.”

“She’s right, Tangy,” Rose added. “Rules are rules and I am not stupid. Nice flowers are not stupid.”

Tangy spoke in a tearful tone, “I never get to have fun. I get tied up like a monkey in a circus while Rose gets to fly around. This is so unfair.”

“Alright, I’ll untie you,” Sara took pity on him. “But you have to promise to stay here and be a good boy. You cannot come inside and we will be back quickly. Understand?”

“Poor Sara,” Tangy whispered to himself. “She doesn’t know what is going to happen to her.”

And Tangy gave an evil laugh. Sara was too happy to notice it but Rose did. Sara’s heart was going thump thump thump.

What gift would you like best?
A yellow flower or a treasure chest?
Or a gift which when you see
Reminds you every day of me?
Would you like a photo frame?
Or would you like a video game?
It is tough though I know you well
To pick a gift is hard as hell
Soon we’ll be a bunch of teens
So would you like a pair of jeans?
Would you like a black wristband?
Or a T-shirt of your favourite band?
I really have not a single clue
Tell me tell me what should I do
I’ve never felt so like a fool
What I choose I hope it’s cool

That night Sara was crying on her bed. Tangy (her bicycle) and Rose (her rose) came up to her to talk to her.

Rose spoke softly, “Sara, are you okay? What happened?”

Sara did not respond and kept wailing.

“Leave her alone,” Tangy said. “She’ll be fine in no time.”

Sara got up and gave Tangy a furious look, “It’s all your fault. Don’t you get it? You were the one who came up with a supposed brilliant plan and forced me to speak with Kai’s mother.”

“And so?” Tangy asked.

“Her mother found out that I had been doing his homework and he got an earful from his parents. He just called me and told me the nastiest stuff ever. He even said that he doesn’t wish to talk to me or see me ever again. It is all your fault. You were better off being inanimate.”

“Hold on, hold on, hold on,” Tangy responded. “You were the one who wanted to talk to him. You were the one who was worried about him ignoring you and not picking up your calls. Because of my plan he picked up the phone and called you. You should thank me. Moreover, I never told you to tell his mother about your help in completing his homework. You got nervous with her mother and blabbered your way to your doom.”

“Calm down, everyone.” Rose interrupted. “It is getting really heated here. We should relax. What’s done is done. We cannot change it but we can act now and improve our position.”

“I have just the plan for that,” Tangy replied. “We will stalk Kai on social media and find out what he is up to.”

“No, I am not listening to your plans anymore,” Sara spoke sternly. “You have ruined it. Rose, do you have a plan?”

“Rose has gone stale. There’s nothing he can do here.” Tangy replied curtly.

“I do have a plan actually,” Rose spoke. “We should get him a gift.”

“What? Are you serious?” Tangy did not like the idea at all. “This is the best plan you could come up with?”

“I like it,” said Sara. “Tomorrow we will buy a gift for him. Thank you, Rose. You are the best.”

“When a guy doesn’t pick up your calls, you know what to do?” Tangy the bicycle asked Sara.

“I should wait for him to call me back?” Sara answered hesitatingly.

“No, not at all,” Tangy yelled. “You have waited long enough. Has he returned a single call so far? No, he hasn’t. Never wait for a guy to call you back.”

Rose tried to calm Tangy down, “Go easy on her, Tangy. Don’t yell.”

“We have been quiet for too long,” replied Tangy. “Look at her state. She has nearly gone insane. We should be direct and bold now. We will call Kai’s mother.”

Sara was shocked, “How do you know I have his mother’s number? Even Kai doesn’t know that.”

“Come on, girl. Don’t be so naive. You have been talking to us about everything. And we remember everything.”

“Gosh! You know all my secrets?”

“Let’s not go there. Concentrate on the work to be done. Call his mother right now.”

“Maybe we should think through…”

“No chance. You call her right now or I will drive up to Kai’s place and tell him everything.”

(A few moments later)

“Hello, Aunt. Can I speak with Kai? I’m Sara from his class. I wanted to talk to him about a school project.”

Sara heard Kai’s mother call out to him to come and answer the phone.

“I’m studying, Mom. I’ll call her later.” came the answer from Kai.

His mother answered Sara, “I’ll tell him to call you later. He’s studying right now. Is that okay?”

Sara, pressured by Tangy, refused to give up, “Doesn’t he need any help with his homework? He hasn’t asked for my help for the past few days. I always used to complete his homework earlier but now he doesn’t seem to need my help.”

“You used to complete Kai’s homework?”

“Umm… I mean… I used to help… actually no no… he would do his homework himself… in fact he used to help me with mine… I’m sorry I got it all mixed up… hehe”

“I think I’ve got it cleared now. Let me speak to my son. He should be ashamed for asking you to do his homework and you should be ashamed for doing it.” and Kai’s mother hung up the phone.

Sara’s heart went thump thump thump! Poor Sara!

Sara woke up with a start and looked at her bicycle (Tangy) and flower (Rose). They were still as any other inanimate object would be. Sara slowly moved towards Tangy and shook its handle but nothing happened. She took Rose in her hand and sniffed it. It was stale and nearly rotten but there was no movement or answer.

“So it was all just a dream last night? I really thought I heard Tangy and Rose talk. Wow! That was crazy. It felt so real,” Sara muttered to herself.

She turned around and started tidying her bed.

“Hello, Sara!” she heard a voice from behind her. A shocked Sara jumped around but there was nobody behind her except for her bicycle and her rose. They still looked inanimate. “My head needs to be a little quieter. Stop playing tricks on me.”

She threw herself on the bed and covered her head with a pillow but she could still hear that voice in her head.

“Oh Sara!”
“Oh Sara!”
“Oh Sara!”
“Oh Sara!”

She pushed the pillow firmly against her head to drown out the noise but it didn’t work. She kept hearing those voices. Frustrated, she screamed and began to cry uncontrollably. After a few minutes had passed she noticed that the voices had stopped and her head felt lighter though she had a running nose. She got up from her bed to look at Tangy and Rose and they had moved. Rose was in the pannier but Tangy was not resting against the wall. It was right next to her bed.

Sara felt scared and tried to touch his handle…

“Boo!” cried Tangy.

“Aaaaahhhhhh….” yelled Sara curled up on her bed.

“You really can talk?” Sara helplessly inquired.

“Yes, we can. Now time for some action.” Tangy replied with nonchalance.

“It was Tangy’s idea to scare you,” fumbled Rose.

Sara faintly heard voices calling out to her. She was still in a dreamy state and everything felt like a blur.

“Hey, wake up!”

“Wake up already.”

“Be gentle. It may shock her.”

“She should have known this a long time ago.”

Sara rubbed her eyes and woke up to a peculiar sight. She saw Tangy (her bicycle) and Rose (her rose) talking to each other. She pinched herself but it didn’t work. She buried herself under her blanket again and started to pray that it was all just a dream.

Rose whispered, “It’s okay. You can come out. You need someone to talk to. You can talk to us.”

Tangy did not whisper, “Get up! It’s time for some action. We don’t have a lot of time. We need to teach Amy a lesson.”

Sara jumped out of her blanket immediately. “How do you know about Amy?”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk, my girl,” said Tangy, “that’s all we have been hearing for the past few days.”

“Not entirely true,” corrected Rose, “she has been speaking to us about the pandemic…”

“And Kai and Kai and Kai,” snorted Tangy. “I’m sick of hearing about him. Gosh! Kai this, Kai that, Kai here, Kai there, Kai my rear wheel! Do you have any idea how often and how fast you’ve driven me just to meet him on time. That useless piece of…”

“Hold it,” screamed Sara. “Not a word more.”

“Ooo, thus speaks the lover girl. I am so scared,” mimicked Tangy.

“Calm down, Tangy.” Rose exclaimed. “Come here, Sara. Take a whiff of my petals. It should calm you down.”

Sara took Rose in her hand and brought it closer to her nose.

“What is this…..?” and plop she fell unconscious on the bed.

Tangy turned to Rose and shook his handle in dismay, “You’re stale! Really stale!”

Sara finished dinner quickly and ran upstairs to her room.

Her mother screamed, “You can’t keep your bicycle in your room, girl.” But she paid no heed.

She rolled around on the bed but couldn’t find peace. She picked the rose that Kai had given him and plucked a petal out. “Should I call him? Will he pick up?”

She thought about it for a minute and then, in a moment of zealousness, she dialed his number.

“It’s ringing. It’s ringing.”

Another ring
And then another
And another
And another and another

But no answer.

“Maybe he is studying. Oh, who am I kidding. That idiot never studies. He only wants to talk with Amy. What if he is speaking with Amy right now? That’s why he doesn’t want to talk with me. Nobody wants to talk with me. No, no, no. This couldn’t be. What if Amy is with him? No, no, no. There’s a lockdown. She can’t possibly be there. But what if she is? No, he probably is sleeping.”

She curled up on the bed with nasty thoughts running across her mind. She hugged her pillow and shed a tear. One tear led to another and soon there was a flood.

She had heard stories of people losing their minds during lockdown. She just never thought it would happen to her.

Poor Sara! Her eyes went sob, sob, sob.

Sara sat on a bench of a nearby park and flipped the yellow rose in her hand. Tangy, her bicycle, was parked next to the bench. It was a sunny morning sullied by the enforcement of another lockdown to combat the surge in covid cases. Schools had swiftly moved their classes online and Sara’s mind had plenty of time to torture itself.

“What do you say, Rose?” Sara asked as she continued flipping the flower. “What do you think I should do?”

She continued talking, “Kai hasn’t called me once since he started talking with Amy. Why is he doing this? Am I not his friend anymore? Why is he not asking me to do his homework? You must know Kai better than anyone. You were in his garden, weren’t you? Tell me what should I do. I have messaged him a couple of times but he hasn’t replied. Why is he acting like this? Did I do something wrong?

She turned to Tangy, “Have you any solution?”

She placed Rose back in the pannier and gave a long sigh. “Why does nobody talk to me?”

She looked up at the clouds and cursed loudly, “Nobody talks to me. I feel so lonely. Why did you have to bring this corona at this time. Everything is ruined. It’s all your fault. I cannot even concentrate on anything. Mom and Dad have been getting anxious too with my behaviour. What do I tell them? Answer me! Oh even you don’t want to talk with me. Fine! Have it your way! Am I asking for too much? Am I?”

Am I
Am I

The words rang thunderously in her head

Am I
AmI
Ami
Amy
Amy
Amy
Argh!!!

Poor Sara! Her heart went thump, thump, thump!