One Of A Kind [ slow updates ]

Chapter 6 : Official Introduction

Haven't proof read, please feel free to point out typos/errors.

I reached home to get scolding from mummy. She doesn't like the fact that I waltz out of the house before dawn. She began listing the crimes that happen against women in the city especially when it's dark outside., while I went through the newspaper. 

Papa took my side and argued saying I can take care of myself. And no one can as much as lay a finger on me without my permission. I wanted to tell them about how Aman Mehrotra was a living example, but I decided to keep mouth shut.

I sat at the dining table to give company to my parents and sister as they ate breakfast, while catching up on the news about an interesting murder case, that the news called the Dinner Gone Wrong Case. As per reports, a man was found dead at his dining table that had been set up for dinner. He had been stabbed from the back and his body had collapsed on the dining table.

The media speculated that the servant killed the man and left with the jewellery. The man was taken into custody and the jewelry was found on him. But he didn't confess to killing the man, he only confessed to one crime—theft. 

"What's the point of getting up at four in the morning to go to cycle? You can go at seven too." Navi remarked, distracting me from the article that didn't produce new facts. I hated when journalists repeated the same article in different words and new theories. Wasn't crime journalism about reporting facts?

"Shut up lazy bum.  It's exciting. You'll never know how beautiful Delhi roads can look." I said, flipping ti the next page. 

"Okay, enough. Listen to me," Mummy says. "Yesterday, Advay's mother was telling that one of her cousins is looking for a bride for his son. He's two years older to Avni." She pushed her phone forward towards me. "That's the guy's bio data."

I took a deep breath and exhaled looking at Papa. He said nothing but looked down at his plate. Some days even he didn't side with me.

"Yaar, I told you I am not interested in a marriage." I said skipping the sports section where only sportsmen got fame. There was hardly any article about sportswomen. 

"I am not telling you to marry. Just see. If you like then we'll talk."

"Of course, like you did for Navi." I scoffed.

"What's your problem if Navi wants to get married. She likes the guy, he likes her." 

I stared at Navi. Wasn't she going to say anything? 

"I am not marrying him right away. I told Mummy that we need at least an year to get to know each other." She spoke up noticing my gaze.

Great. You'll probably realize that he's not Mr. Right in the meanwhile. 

"I have work to do, so excuse me please," I said pushing away mummy's phone towards her. 

She cast me a disappointed look.

"At least tell me when you will be ready for marriage?"

"I don't want to get married." I said turning back to her. "What will I achieve by getting married? I will become a wife, a mother then? Grandmother? Then? I will die. Bleh. I don't want that life."

"Then what do you want? An alien attack? Apocalypse? You want to go to Jupiter?" She mocked.

"I wish, that sounds so much more interesting." I replied running into my room before she found new reasons to scold me. 

I sat for hours in my room, spending some time surfing the net and some lost in my thoughts. Eventually, even Papa would think I should get married. I knew my parents thought of it as securing my future. But I felt it would be like finding a cage for me.