Party And Prejudice

18. Escapades

"I want to go home", Riya groaned like a Bigg Boss contestant.

She had been in a very bad mood since we had come back from the clinic. Dr Navya had prescribed some pain killers and asked Riya to rest for a day after bandaging her foot. But the real bummer was that she couldn't wear heels.

When we had come back to the resort, we had learnt that Lakshan's mother had finally overridden his father at her birthday lunch and he had been allowed into their penthouse again. He was gone by the time we came back and that had worsened Riya's mood.

"I agree", Zoya said "I couldn't have imagined things would go wrong like this. And Rahul, of all the people turning up while we're here! How on earth did it even happen? It's actually eerie!"

"Oh my God! What is wrong with you two?" I snapped "Have you forgotten that you were the ones bogging me to come here? And now you want to leave? And Zoya, Rahul came here because his sister was getting married. There's nothing eerie about it, for Godsake. Girls come on, if we somehow get through this, it's going to look excellent on our resumes after we finish college".

"And what use is an excellent resume, if I happen to be dead?", Riya snapped back "Because that's what I'm going to be, by the end of this program. DEAD".

"Don't be dramatic Riya".

"I'm not being  dramatic. Those boys tried to kill me!"

I got up and went to the door.

"Where are you going?", Riya asked.

"I said I'll go for shopping with Reyansh".

"Great, so you're going on a date while me and Zoya will work our asses off here".

"I can't cancel it", I said "And I'm getting things for all of us".

"For all of us?", Riya asked, a little more lightly.

"Yeah", I said, knowing it was working "Shall I get you foundation? Or lip gloss?"

"Get me BB cream", Riya said.

•••

It felt good to being going out with just Reyansh after such a long time. Even though it was a very busy day, we enjoyed each other's company to the fullest.

We had to buy the BB cream for Riya, some other stuff for Zoya, souvenirs for my parents and souvenirs for everybody else's parents.

After we finished, we went to a bakery down the same street to eat something. Three shopping bags lay plonked on the bakery floor near our table. We ordered a pizza and two red velvet pastries which arrived in less than a minute.

"I can't believe you still don't eat the edges", Reyansh said as we devoured the pizza "It's the best part". 

"That's why I leave it for you", I said.

Reyansh's expression softened as he looked at me. He leaned forward and tucked a stray hair behind my ear.

I leaned forward and kissed his lips.

All the housewives who had come to the bakery for shopping, simultaneously stared at us in horror.

They all looked like various manifestations of Revathi with that customary disgusted expression.

"Aiyo Rama! Youngsters these days have no shame", one of them lamented, out loud. The others nodded fervently.

Reyansh and I grabbed our bags and ran out.

•••

We burst into laughter once we were out of sight.

"Are you stupid?", Reyansh asked.