Party And Prejudice

8. New Avatar Of Reyansh

"The plan is clear", Riya declared.

"So is your stupidity", Reyansh snapped "I'm telling you, this is mental", he said staring at his reflection in the mirror.

Or rather her reflection. Because he now had long wavy hair, fluttery eyelashes and wore padded bras beneath Riya's t shirt.

"You have to flaunt that area, a bit...it still looks flat", Zoya said. Reyansh's now thick plum lipstick coated lips curved into a frown.

"Like I told you Reyansh", Riya said "Don't act the woman. Be the woman", she said making a dramatic hand gesture.

Reyansh looked miserable.

"It's only for a day", Riya said coaxingly "After dinner tonight, you'll be Reyansh again".

Until dinner tonight, however, Reyansh was going to be duplicate Keerthana.

Could you believe it?

I couldn't either.

"WHY?" Reyansh howled.

"Uhm..your pitch has to be a little more feminine", Zoya said from behind.

"Don't make a big fuss now", Riya snapped, dropping her pretence, "So many men have done this. Saif Ali Khan, Shammi Kapoor, Govinda, Kamal Hassan..."

"They are all actors Riya!"

"So? You're getting into a character too".

"Are we letting Maya into the plan?" Zoya asked.

"For heaven's sake, yes", I said "I don't want her to figure out on her own which I'm sure she will even if we don't tell her. She's too smart".

•••

"I think", Maya said finally as she looked at Reyansh in his new avatar, up and down, "She actually kinda looks like my brother".

This was too much for all of us and we burst into laughter.

"What? Why are you guys laughing?"

I had to admit, I was starting to feel excited too. Reyansh in a woman's getup was going to go and steal some keys so that we could break into a room and grab someone's clothes. Only Riya, comes up with stuff like this man.

•••

"I don't need any dress", Maya said "I'm okay with this", she pointed to her jeans and linen crop top.

"Okay fine, we are going", Riya shrugged. I could tell she was disappointed that Maya wasn't impressed with her plan, "See you in the theatre".

"See you", Maya said "And be careful. Don't get caught. There's a Section 441 in the Indian Penal Code which prohibits criminal trespass."

Riya, Zoya and I gaped at her with open mouths.

"Section what?", I finally asked.

"Nothing, be careful", Maya shrugged and left.

"Bitch. She's jealous. That's all", Riya muttered to me after Maya left.

Personally, I felt I should learn a few IPC sections too just to shut Riya's mouth.

•••

"Pomegranate juice aunty", I said in my most innocent tone (one that I had mastered after a lot of experience in school) as I handed the glass to a tired Revathi.

"Thank you ma", Revathi said curtly as she took it from me and drowned it in a gulp. She then slammed the empty glass on the table and settled down clumsily on a plastic chair which creaked under her bulk.