It's Complicated

Twenty Five

Sivaangi huffed, throwing her cards into the middle of the pile.

Ashwin and Prakash broke out into laughter, high fiving each other.

"I haven't even won one round! Neenga rendu perum senthu enna cheat pandringa!" she complained.

The trio had been playing card games in Ashwin's living room for awhile now, with Sivaangi struggling to execute even a single win.

"Ma intha game ah win pannanum na nalla poi sollanum, strategic ah think pannanum. Unnaku athu konjam kooda vara mattinguthu."

"Ashwin unnakum poi solla varathu, actually ennoda nee thaan worst. Just admit you're getting lucky!"

He stuck his tongue out in reply, and she glared.

"I need a break from you two! Have fun playing by yourselves," Sivaangi said getting up.

Ashwin laughed.

"Irru ma, vera ethatha panla ennakum tired ayduchu. Hm.. how about a house tour?"

Sivaangi's eyes lit up.

"Yes! Come on, show us everything!"

Ashwin took the two around the space, pointing out little trinkets and decorations.

It was a very classy, put together home that said a lot about his family. They had fine taste, they were elegant, they were sophisticated.

And though they weren't an ordinary middle class family, their house still had warmth and charm.

Ashwin guided them along the hall on the second floor.

"And this here is my room."

He opened the door and Sivaangi gasped.

"Oh wow!"

As one would expect, Ashwin's room was perfectly tidy and organized to a tee. For someone who took painstaking effort in putting together even an Instagram story, it wasn't much of surprise that his room was so coordinated.

Prakash looked around with awe.

"Dei enna da ivlo perusu ah irruku? Flat screen, so many dressers, huge mirror... kuduthu vachaven thaan da."

Sivaangi nodded.

"Aama! And bed ah parrunga supreme king size maari irruku."

She fell back on his bed, spreading her arms around her.

Ashwin gulped at the sight.

"Your bed is soo comfortable Ashwin."

She sighed contentedly, oblivious to his affected state.

Of course no girl had ever been near his room or bed, much less one who he had so many pent up emotions toward. It invoked a surreal feeling, how she fit in his space, how everything his was hers.

She bounced up, opening one of his cabinets to run a hand across his row of shirts.

"I'm going to ask my parents to build a room like yours for me. This is totally a dream room."

He laughed.

"Parents ethukku? Neeya unnoda dream room, actually dream house build panla ma."

"Ohh aama la? Just wait, it will be ten times better than this."

"Apdiya... kanavu maligai?" he asked.

"Exactly. Kanavu maligai."

As Ashwin and Prakash headed down to settle on the sofa, Sivaangi's attention was caught by a peek of the garden out back. She quickly slipped away to step outside, drawn to the rows of flowers and greenery.