Marriage for Two

03: The one Malhotra that likes me

"Shanaya! I've been waiting for you to visit for days" Nandini kisses Shanaya's cheek lightly, caressing the spot with her thumb afterwards to remove the lipstick stain her lips left behind.

"Aunty, you know I missed you so much, it's not much fun being home alone most of the time, papa is always working" Shanaya smiles, accepting the peach tea as she nestles on the lounge chair opposite Nandini.  

"How's everything at home, your dad taking care of himself?" Nandini sips her tea as she looks at Shanaya.

"He's doing just fine, except I'm the one taking care of him most of the time" Shanaya laughs, taking another sip.

Shanaya's eyes dart around the house.

Nandini smiles, "He's in his room, he came back home late last night."

Shanaya blushes as she smiles in Nandini's direction, "Thank you, I'll see you in a while" she rushes up the stairs.

Nandini smiles to herself as she reads through the day's newspaper, Shanaya's glass of peach tea glimmering in the sunlight filtering through the window.

— — — — — —

"Raj! What is this?" Shanaya's voice is laced with anger as she stares down at him, pushing her phone screen in his face.

He groans, letting his wet hair fall on his forehead again, covering his eyes.

"Hey!" Shanaya pushes him back up as his head falls forwards tiredly.

"What do you want Naya?" his voice is a tired whisper.

"What time did you come home last night?" she asks, her voice softening slightly.

"I don't know, 1 maybe? Why are you asking me useless questions?" he groans.

She sighs, "Maybe if you'd come home on time you would actually be able to look me in the eyes right now and talk to me like a normal person."

Raj slurs in his half-awake state. His towel laying in a heap next to him, the hangover was still pounding his head, Shanaya's loud voice was the last thing he wanted to hear right now.

"Raj!" her voice shrills out again.

"What?" he snaps.

She seems unphased, "What is this?" she pushes her phone towards him once again.

He catches sight of what's on it this time.

It's a photo of him with a few of the girls he'd met at the party last night, he'd beaten them all in beer pong.

"A photo?" he asks, annoyed at why Shanaya was bothering him over such a mundane reason.

Shanaya sits down on the bed next to him.

"Raj, it's a photo of you with these girls, you know how these girls are. They've all been posting this photo, gushing over how you talked to them."

Raj sighs, "Shanaya you know it's not like that. I just went there for Ricky's party, we just had a few drinks together."

Shanaya's lip lifts slightly on one side, "I don't see how you can be so nonchalant about this."

"You can't?" Raj questions, still in a drowsy state, the shower had done little to sober him up.

Shanaya leans closer, a smug smile plastered on her lips, Raj leans back on the bed, his elbows touching the mattress.

He stares at her as Shanaya finally speaks up, "Doesn't matter does it, you'll be marrying me after all anyway."