Wilted Petals

Chapter 23: Textbook Case

The countdown to Jen's wedding has officially started. In one week, my hands will be embroidered with the beautiful designs of mehendi, I'll be cheering when Jen accepts her marriage to Anwar, and I'll shake it on the dance floor at their reception. 

The jewelry and anarkali that I plan to wear hang on my closet door, illuminated by the dim white light. Meanwhile, I'm enshrouded in the darkness of my closet as I try to find the perfect outfit for my date.

I used to dream about this day whenever I really was missing Manish. I always thought what we would've done if I had been honest and we both felt the same way about each other. Now, as cliche as it sounds, my dream has come true. We're finally going on our first date.

I'm elbow deep in my closet, trying to find the most comfortable pair of jeans to wear. As Manish told me over the phone two nights ago, "Dress as comfortably as you can," and he sounded absolutely dead serious. So I'm trying to find my most comfortable pair of jeans. 

My red leather jacket is lying on the bed, ready to uplift whatever outfit I decide to wear for tonight. "Come on, I can save the lives of several people, but I can't find a pair of fucking jeans?" I grumble to myself, as I feel like my closet is going to engulf me in its black hole of endless clothes.

Eventually, my fingers brush against the pair I'm looking for, and I yank them out of my closet. I heave out a sigh of relief, and fling them out so they're straight and wrinkle free. Now comes the second hardest part. Actually putting them on, I think to myself, as I slightly dread the next 10 minutes.

After the ten minute tug of war happens, I'm in the mirror, multitasking. One eye is on my phone, watching to see when Manish's text will come. The other eye is staring at my mirror, looking up so I can apply mascara without blinding myself. 

Surely enough, I hear my phone buzz, and without fail, I blink too hard. Now there's mascara smudged all over my upper lid and I look like a melting orca. Shit, not again, I think to myself, as I grab a towel and wipe off my failure. Screw it, we'll just keep it simple with kajal and lipstick, I mutter to myself. 

Once the mascara is wiped off, I check my phone to see what the notification is. Surely enough, it's Manish, and the text reads, "Hey Jaya, I'm leaving now!" With a simple nod, I grab my kajal and start applying it in my lash line. 

At the same time, so much excitement is buzzing in the depths of my stomach. I have no idea what Manish has up his sleeve, but knowing that it's Manish, he's probably saving the best for me. 

After kajal, I throw on a light pink lipstick, and heave a sigh of relief. Cool, that wasn't as bad as other days, I think, reminiscing about the time I tried a new blush and ended up looking like Pennywise. After smoothing out my hair, my phone buzzes once more. "Hey, I'm outside." I exhale once more, and stare deeply into the mirror. Showtime, I think to myself.

The gentle clicking of my shoes against the pavement is weirdly satisfying to me. I shove my keys back into my purse, as I pull my jacket slightly tighter over me. I keep my head high in an attempt to inflate my confidence before I meet Manish. 

Surely enough, when I reach the parking lot, Manish is standing there, on his phone, scrolling through it. When Manish notices my presence, his eyes dart towards me. They immediately light up when they notice that it's me. "Jaya, hey," he greets, with his usual smile that's always as bright as the sun. 

I can't help but smile back, because of how infectious Manish's energy is. It's literally impossible to not smile whenever he does. "Good to see you, stranger. Are you ready?" 

Manish nods, and then without missing a beat, opens the passenger seat door. He holds it open as I sit down and make sure to not trip and fall on anything. With a loud SLAM!, Manish closes the car door and sits down in the driver's seat.