Sweet 'n' Sour | ✔

three

3. Aurat Hai Ya Aafat

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I was at this expensive cafe, drinking my seventh tea of 200rs and digging a deeper hole into my wallet. I thought chai refreshes you? Maybe not when you haven't slept a wink for the last twenty-four hours and have had to deal with mess for half of the day at the office. The day, sans the lack of sleep, had started on a good note. But now that I'm halfway through, and had dealt with a shit load of things in only a few hours, my body is ready to doze at any moment.

Moments like these make me regret the decision of getting married. I don't even have a girl I like yet, and it's so hectic. What if things with someone really go a level up? I'll have to deal with the mental stress of keeping up a conversation with them for the rest of my life. You can't have awkward silences with your partner, right? Good or worse, communication is the key. I hope Preeti is of extrovert attitude, like Sunaina, and I hope she builds my interest enough to expect something fruitful with her.

I took a look at my watch and sighed. It's been ten minutes that I've been sitting here. And yes, I did drink seven cups of tea in such a short period of time. I'm nervous, don't judge.

I find this ridiculous, really. What's the point of passing the screen test that her elder sister has set up for the potential matches if later the groom doesn't end up liking Preeti? It'll be a waste of time for both. Some people have these atrocious notions of living life that it's a bother for those looking for a quick understanding of their lives or personalities.

How much time and stress I could have saved if I had just directly met Preeti, gotten to know her, and seen if we fit?

There's no need for her sister to poke her nose in matters that don't concern her primarily. I'm sure her sister is old enough to make mature decisions. She is the one wanting to get married for God's sake, and if she is prepared to take on such big responsibility, then she should also be wise enough to know who is compatible to share the responsibility with her.

My phone rang, momentarily distracting me. I connected my air pods and answered the call. "Yeah?"

"Is she not there yet?" Vikram asked.

"Nope," I answered.

"Oh, she is fifteen minutes late."

I sighed in exasperation. Tardy people annoy the absolute heck out of me.

"Are you nervous?"

"Of course, I am." I deadpanned. "What if Preeti is the right one for me but I don't pass Miss. Director's test and miss the chance on something amazing?" I grunted.

"Don't worry. Just be you-" he paused. "No, wait, don't. Just be confident and try to sound smart."

"How?"

"I don't know. Figure it out. Talk about taxes. That shit is complicated but makes you sound eloquent. I was once talking about them with my sister's fiance and later that night I got lucky," he chuckled. "Nisha said I've never sounded so hot before."

I scrunched my nose in disbelief. "You got the right match." Half crackheads.

"I know right." He laughed. "Anyway, do you know how she looks? Because how are you gonna know it's her?"

"She must have my picture or something. She'll recognise me." I shrugged, taking a sip of my newly served tea. Eighth.

"How old is she? If she is taking all major decisions instead of their uncle, she must be quite old."

"Mummy said 29 or something."

"Oh, from your description of her, I envisioned a forty-year-old principal."