This was during the time we had rented an apartment in town while our farmhouse was under construction. Early morning, around 7:30, I was on the landing with a neighbour who had an apartment on the same floor. We were talking about how the construction was progressing when a young girl walked down the stairs holding the hand of her younger brother. She had a small plate in her hand that had some chocolates in it.
As she reached our landing, this neighbour hailed her and she wished him.
Addressing the neighbour she said, "It's my brother's birthday today." Both of us wished the youngster and seeing me, he hid behind his sister, clutching her skirt. The girl, who seemed about 14 or 15 to me, turned towards me and pushed her chest out. It seemed like she did it inadvertently. I called him out but he hesitated. His sister admonished him and he reluctantly took my hand to shake.
The girl, who later I came to know was Pooja, offered a chocolate to me. Again, she pushed her chest out. I looked into her eyes and she looked back blatantly. She may not be aware of doing so but her look was bold and obvious. I was surprised at the way she was reacting to me. It was probably an impulsive action in front of a stranger.
She had small breasts covered in a tight bra and a tight shirt. The contours of her bra were sharply outlined. Her skirt hugged her slender hips.
I picked up a chocolate and said, "Thanks, sweetheart. So you're off to school now?"
She smiled and my neighbour said, "She's in the 1st year at college."
I took a second look at her. Again that reflex action of pushing her chest out. "How old are you, sweetheart?"
"Eighteen," she said, suddenly shy.
I looked into her eyes and she held my gaze.
"My God," I thought. "It would be worth finding out how far I could go with her."
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Two months in the building and I hadn't seen Pooja before, and now I was seeing her repeatedly. Coming down the stairs, or going up, she would be there many times. The same bold look in her eyes. Her chest would push out. She would wish me shyly and I would smile and reply and pat her head or shoulder. Her family were on the 6th floor and I was on the 3rd. I normally preferred taking the stairs than the lift.
One day I had a shopping bag and took the lift. As soon as I entered the lift, there was Pooja following me in. She wished me and I patted her head. As the lift closed she moved closer to me. She looked up and I smiled and put my hand on her shoulder and squeezed it. She moved closer and stood touching me.
We rode up silently. The lift stopped at my floor and I released her shoulder and left. When I looked back, she smiled at me.
This girl was turning to be an enigma. I decided to go forward and see what made her tick. The next time we met in the lift, I put my hand on her shoulder and pulled her to my side. She came without resistance and put her hands around my waist.
The third time I saw her in the lift, she had been crying. Her eyes were red and she had a sad and serious face. I put my hand on her chin and raised her face up. "What's wrong, sweetheart?" I asked.
She didn't reply but looked up and had tears in her eyes. "Talk to me, Pooja." She kept silent. "OK, Pooja," I said, "If you want to talk I'll be on the roof terrace at 7:30 this evening."
The building had 8 floors and there was a wide expanse of roof that had water tanks on one side and solar heating on the other. She came to the roof garden on the dot.
She looked around, saw me a little away in the shadows and walked towards me. Her chest pushed out slightly. I pulled her to me and hugged her. "Tell me, sweetheart, what was wrong earlier?"
She blurted out, "My step-father hates me."
I didn't even know he was her stepfather. "Why? What did he do or say?"
"He just scolds me all the time, even if it's not my fault. I'm fed up."
"Have you discussed this with your mother, sweetheart?"
"Yes. She says I'm over-reacting or that I must have done something wrong."
I patted her head in sympathy. She sniffled, "I'm not a child anymore. Why should he keep on doing this? It's been years."