Us Against the World

2). Family Antics

EDITED

Chandini is waiting outside the school doors as Riya and I walk up to the small but wide brick building that serves as a high school. She's leaning against one of the rusty pillars with her arms crossed over her large chest and talking to one of the boys who I assume is in the same class as she's in. I've never met him, but I'm pretty sure that I will soon when I see him and my sister share a quick peck.

Riya groans. "Another boyfriend? I swear, Meera, your sister has more game than you do."

"Because she's prettier than I am," I chide, but not in a malicious way. Chandini's beauty has never been a secret; from the moment she was born, we all knew that she'd grow up to be a beautiful girl, hence her name. She's as bright and lovely as the moon, but I realized as she grew up that Chandini may have inherited the beauty of the moon, but she certainly didn't inherit its calm, gentle personality.

"Beauty is not meant to be compared," Riya says with a click of her tongue. She's partly scolding me but with good meaning. "Look, here she comes now."

As Chandini approaches us with her lip-locking friend, Riya claps slowly. A deadpan expression flits across her narrow face and she drops her hand on Chandini's shoulder, dragging my sister away from the boy.

"Another one bites the dust, eh?" She teases, tugging on my little sister's braids. "Who's this one? I haven't met him yet."

"None of your business," Chandini snaps. She jerks away from Riya and smiles at the boy with a shy, girlish wave that can only mean bad things are going through her mind. "See you tomorrow, Spencer."

"See you." Spencer, whose face has turned the same color as ketchup, doesn't even wave to Chandini before he's bolting down the sidewalk and around the corner, vanishing with the setting sun.

"Rude," Riya smirks. "He didn't even ask for your number."

"He already has my number," Chandini growls. She stomps her foot and glares up at Riya. "What's the big deal? Why did you have to embarrass me like that in front of him?"

"Embarrass you?" Riya feigns offense. "Did I do that? I thought I was helping you. Boys like assertive girls." She nudges my side. "Right, Meera?"

I roll my eyes and Chandini snorts. "Assertive and Meera? Since when?" She quips.

"Since never," I interrupt after a quick glance at my phone. "I'm not an assertive person, you both know that. Pick up your bag, Chandini, and let's go. We've gotta go see Mum."

"Pick up your bag, Chandini, and let's go," Riya mimics. "She can wait a bit, can't she, Meera? Besides, we haven't even gotten the juice on Chandini's new boy toy!"

"He's not a boy toy," Chandini snarls. "His name is Spencer and he's the smartest kid in my class! I need his help for a project I have to do, that's it, so don't get too comfortable with him."

"I would advise you to do the same," I grumble. "Chandini, why can't you just be happy with one guy? Why do you have to lead Spencer on? He seems like a good boy."

"And he is," Chandini agrees. "For doing my assignment."

Riya and I exchange concerned glances.

"What about when he realizes your ruse?" Riya asks. We begin to walk and I lean on Chandini's side to let her carry some of my weight. She bends her arm for me to hold without question, her glare drilling holes into Riya's back. "What will you do then? The whole gig will be up."

"He won't find out," Chandini says confidently. "He's book smart, not street smart. Besides," she shrugs carelessly. "He's kind of cute. Maybe I will date him. Depends on how good he is."