The girl handed Anu a tissue paper to wipe off the sweat. Anu mouthed a thank you, eliciting another glare from the instructor. Then the class resumed. Just when Anu had started feeling like a cooked tomato with the skin half peeled, the class ended. The teacher, glancing at Anu frequently, gave a short speech. ‘I hope you enjoyed the class. Those of you taking this as a trial today, please do sign up outside for regular classes. See you all on Friday, same time. Hari Om.’ Of course, the yoga instructors had to end with a spiritual salutation. But Supriyaji just said bye. Anu liked that because she could also just say bye. She could never say something like Hari Om back naturally.

Anu got up along with the girl. When they walked out, the girl asked. ‘Are you signing up?’

Anu laughed. ‘Are you serious? I will sit in an oven instead!’

The girl burst into peels of laughter. Just the way youngsters do. ‘I am not coming back either. My mother has already paid I think but she can think of it as a charity.’

Anu walked with the girl until she got on her cycle. Anu recognized the brand, it was a Tata Stryder 7 Speed. Sameer had bought one last year. When Anu said it was too expensive for a cycle, he hadn’t stopped defending it for months. Now it was collecting dust in his driveway just like Anu’s ordinary BSA cycle did in hers.

When the girl bid goodbye, Anu thought of asking for her number but didn’t. What if the girl thought Anu was a stalker?

The girl peddled away but then stopped and looked back at Anu. ‘Aunty, do you play every day?’ She pointed at Anu’s racquet.

Aunty! Anu had to get used to getting addressed thus by teens. She shook her head. ‘Started only today. So I don’t know yet how long I will last! Do you?’

The girl now stopped and started pushing the cycle next to Anu. ‘I learnt for a couple of years. Then I gave up. It was too competitive, so it was no fun.’

‘What do you do?’ The girl asked after a pause.

Anu smiled. ‘As of now, trying to get used to this place. We just moved here. How about you? I am Anu, by the way.’

The girl shrugged. ‘I am Pooja. I finished my twelfth. Waiting for my results. We are quite new here too. Moved in only last month.’

That explained why a teenager was striking up a conversation with Anu! She had no friends yet. ‘Enjoy the holidays. Join me for tennis if you want.’ But Anu quickly explained to her that it was not a great playing situation.

The girl laughed. ‘So I will be playing with fourth-graders? That will help me look hep.’