New idea I got for another miniseries. xP Each chapter will be named after and written around a childhood game. For Kartik - I Spy!

I spy, with my little eye, something that starts with 'G'.

Kartik moves just a bit closer to the boathouse, the sunlight dappling his face through the overgrowth of trees. He watches the girls with a wide eyed fascination as they attempt a game of lawn tennis. The key word is "attempt," for none of them put forth much of an effort towards playing. On the rare occasion one of the girls is able to hit it to another, the receiver is never ready, or enthusiastic. But mostly, they just take turns hitting the ball out of bounds, and laughing as they make the plump one retrieve it.

I know! Is it 'game'?

No, it's not that…

He moves even closer to the pitch of lawn they play on, daringly stepping into plain view, taunting them with his audacity. They abandon their game and move on to pick wildflowers, though Kartik can hardly imagine the sport in such a dull activity. To him, the lawn tennis holds more interest, even if it is an English sport. It'd give him the chance to hit something very hard, something he'd very much like to do in his present mood. That feeling intensifies as he locks eyes with one of the girls.

I've got to be right this time – it's 'Gemma', isn't it?

Hmph. Closer, but it is not Gemma either.

Kartik does not move a muscle the entire time he holds Gemma's gaze. Like rivals on a playground, they stare each other down, until one of her friends distracts her. Kartik feels as if he's won a small battle, though it only heals his wounded reputation minimally. He rubs absently at the teeth marks still imprinted on his hand from his last encounter with Gemma. She told him not to follow her or even watch her, but here he is in plain sight, stubborn and defiant. The plump one walks up to Gemma and her friend, holding yellow flowers in her chubby hands.

I'm running out of ideas! Is it 'goldenrod'?

Not even close.

Kartik freezes as all three girls look over at him and whisper to each other. He is certain they are talking about him and the knowledge makes his cheeks burn. Even from his considerable distance away, he can still hear the voice of the black haired girl as she exclaims something in horror. Kartik winces, hoping rather childishly that Gemma didn't tell them about their little "meeting" in London the night before. It was quite embarrassing for him, to be rendered speechless by the words of an angry school girl.

Wait, I think I've got it…

The blonde one steps close to them, putting her arm around the one that shrieked. Suddenly they are all giggles and smiles as they walk back towards the school, away from their wildflowers and away from Kartik. He remains at the boathouse, baffled by their foreign ways. It is like learning a new language, watching them. And though languages are something he is very familiar with, he cannot quite grasp this particular dialect.

Ah yes, how could I have missed it? The answer is 'girls'.

Yes, but I cannot see them anymore.

That last line is from the formal I Spy game. The person has to say if they cannot see the thing anymore. Yeah.

I've always wanted to write the boathouse-lawn tennis scene in Kartik's POV! I thought this was a cute way to do it.

Soon to come - Simon Says; Mother, May I?; Musical Chairs; and Monkey in the Middle. Not necessarily in that order.

My purple hair is rad,
LunaEquus

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