Sweet 'n' Sour | ✔

sixteen

16. aaya mausam shaadi ka (the season of weddings has arrived)

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Witnessing the sight of nervous Priya has to be my favourite thing. When I first met her, and after hearing the judgements about her from the people around us, I was afraid of getting into a relationship with a person who's rarely emotionally available. But when it comes to moments like this, all my insecurities wash away. To watch her fiddle with her wristwatch, unnecessarily tug at the seatbelt, and look out of the window to constantly check if we are there yet is endearing and cute.

"Calm down. My Dadi is not a monster who'll eat you up the moment she sets her eyes on you." I spoke softly, breaching the silence in the car.

She sighed helplessly. "What if she doesn't like me?"

"Then she doesn't like you," I shrugged, purposefully holding back the insignificant piece of information that my Dadi has already accepted her.

"Aditya," she looked at me disappointedly, judging my lack of concern towards her worries.

"Relax, Miss. Worrywart," I chuckled, turning the wheel of the car to the extreme right before releasing it slowly once we made the sharp turn. "Just be yourself," I looked at her, frowning when I found her eyes locked on my arms. Did she space out due to overthinking? So like me. "Priya?"

She looked up in startle. "Huh?"

"Stop worrying so much," I said in a gentle voice.

She swallowed and nodded, looking back to the front instantly.

"Dadi has already seen your photo and I think she likes you," I informed her to relieve the stress off her stiff shoulders.

Her head whipped towards me. "Really?"

I hummed. "So, now just relax. But be ready to face two disasters of humans."

"What?"

"Reshma Bua and Mala Bua. But the main culprit is Reshma Bua, Mala Bua is more like a puppy following her steps." I grimaced just at the thought of the two women. I hope Neelam bua is already home by the time we reach. Only she can shut up their trash of a mouth. "Reshma Bua will pass some insensitive comments on you, targetting your age and skin color. You know how these people are. I want you to ignore them and if not, give them a befitted reply but don't take their words to heart. They are merely tolerated in our family. No one takes them seriously."

"I can talk back to them?" She asked me innocently.

I chortled noticing her befuddled expressions. "Yes, Miss. Mathur, as long as you don't use swear words, feel free to put them in their place."

"I don't use swear words." She defended.

"Don't lie," I snorted.

"I don't!"

I nodded, pretending to believe her.

"I really don't!" She persisted.

"Okay, baba, I trust you." I smiled fondly at her.

"You don't!" She frowned. "You think I'm lying!"

"Aisa kuch nahi hai, (It's nothing like that,)" I gave her my whole attention when we stopped at the red light.

"Aisa hi hai! (It is!)" She insisted stubbornly. "Aap ko kyun lagta mein bad words use karti hoon? (Why do you think I use bad words?)"

"Because everyone does!" I chuckled. "Even kids nowadays use words like fuck and shit on daily basis."