Locked down in lockdown

5-The conversations

Reaching home at night, Vaani went straight to her mother who was cooking in the kitchen. 

"Maa, I met Vikrant today. He insisted that I meet him and I didn't have any option," She confessed, more like blurted out in front of her mother. She believed that it was better to tell her the truth, instead of her getting to know it from someone else.

"Ok, where did you meet?" Her mom asked still involved in her cooking.

"Umm, just outside the reception hall for a few minutes and then he gave me these chocolates and left," She omitted the part where she rode in his car. She did not think that her mother would have liked that very much.

"Hmm, ok, good. Did you see him properly now?" Her mother asked. Vaani nodded her head without saying anything, she just saw his side profile, sitting in the car. That's it.

He had cleaned up nicely before meeting her but kept complaining about the barber who cut his hair, short, more than he had wanted it to be. He hadn't talked much other than that. 

"Now go and change, dinner is ready" Her mom ordered, shaking her from her thoughts.

Even though she wasn't as attracted to him as she should be, she appreciated that he did not try touching her or behave mischievously. Though he gained some brownie points as he had bought her chocolates to celebrate their first meeting.

A few days later, they had started to talk over calls now, as they had already crossed that bridge and Vaani had no more excuses to make to avoid him. But once in a while, she would use her phone as an excuse, telling him that it wasn't working properly. What she actually used to do was, she would watch some Korean dramas online to fill her time.

She was obsessed with romantic movies and series but she herself was not like those characters who would express themselves fully. She makes excuses not because she didn't like him, it was just because, talking on the damn phone the whole time, only sharing things from her side had made her frustrated.

Just then, in one fine evening, her cousin Meghna called ranting about what she was wearing for the wedding. Vaani kept laughing listening to her chatter nonstop without complaining.

 "Akka, you still have that white saree right? I am going to wear that in the wedding ceremony ok?" They were so close that they didn't have to ask permission to share things.

"Oh!, intelligent being, why are you always behind my clothes? Don't you have your own?" Vaani joked, laughing. It was true though. Meghna was more into fashion and had many clothes but she still whined about wanting Vaani's clothes saying that she was older and should distribute her clothes amongst her younger sisters.

Vaani was very picky about her stuff and didn't like sharing unless she felt so and everyone knew that. But if asked nicely she would give you the world and her sister knew that. You just have to as nicely and if had worn the dress once, then she would definitely give it to you.

"Hey, you have soo many clothes. You should leave them behind, now, that you are getting married. You won't need them." Meghna commented smartly.

"Yeah sure. Why not? What should I wear after marriage then? Should stay bare?" Vaani asked sarcastically making Meghna laugh from the other side.

"Yes, yes. Jiju would love it," She commented slyly laughing still.

"Shut up, you idiot..." Vaani was in the middle of scolding her cousin when she heard the waiting caller tune, the beep beep, indicating that she was getting another call.

It was Vikrant. Not in the mood to stop talking to her cousin, she let that ring without cutting the call. He would definitely call back later.

"Hey, where did you go off to?" Meghna asked from the other side when she didn't hear any response.