The Sudden Death of Sangfroid

A letter tucked inside a short stories book
to be ready to answer mother
if asked about the whereabouts

Mother over the phone, never asked after
where or when, the letter bypassed her
to be handed over as a gift
to the girl who quit smoking.

The letter contained a story
of a boy, proponent of puff clouds
made every boy throw butts into dustbins,
throw, even the empty packets, alive,
buried under the curse of friendship.

The girl, teased a pull over of the book,
then left saying she already had it
she didn't need it anyway, smug.

She said 'You look different today!'
The boy showed his sweaty clothes
as the answer, gesticulating hands
in a flourish before saying - 'Yes! I ran!'
The girl didn't show a confused look,
but she mindfully cussed a 'What?!'

An hour later, the boy remembers
a missed compliment to his newly short hair,
facepalming,
his face, his body, his mind, the embarrassment
too big to be covered by a small sheepish smile,
He went 'O crap!' and slept on it.

- Arihant