Meera

Chapter 1

'Khushi, this party better be worth all the effort I have put in.' — Meera whined as she sat on the edge of the bed and strapped her heels in place.

'Where is the party and whose party is it anyways? And do you really need my company?' — I said in an attempt to weasel my way out of it but as always Khushi had chosen to ignore me blatantly.

'Calm down, Meera. It is kind of a get-together. Siddharth invited us over to his house and will probably introduce me today to his parents. That is getting on my nerves and that is why I need you there beside me.' — She completed in a stretch and turned to me after successfully applying her lipstick. I just couldn't leave my best friend hanging now, could I be on one of the most important moments of her life? She has been waiting for this for quite some time. She deserved all the happiness. I only wanted to say an immediate yes if I hadn't overthought too much.

'Okay, so I am going to be there to calm your nerves down but who is going to be there to calm my nerves down?' — I put forward, in a calm voice rather than screaming it into her face. After all, that is what best friends do, put you in a difficult position.

'Again Meera, calm down. There are going to be Siddharth's friends too and he has a sister too, you can just bond with her. Can we go now?' —Khushi said frustratedly as she gestured towards the door with her hands. Now, I get her motive of dressing me up in baby pink Anarkali, though it is what I usually wear, she almost made me wear an Anarkali to a party. Wonder how that might've turned out.

'Stop your horses Meera and just walk.' — She said grabbing my hand and taking me downstairs.

'Aunty, I am taking Meera with me. Will it bother you if she is a little late?' —Khushi asked my mother as if anybody could refuse that tone and face. Mumma surprisingly was in a good mood as she sang while she cooked. It is good to see her happy and everybody says that food becomes tastier when it is cooked with love.

'Bhaiya, Malviya Nagar, J - Block chaloge? – She asked the auto driver and he agreed to drop us off.
[Bhaiya - An Indian endearment for someone elder to them.
Chaloge - to go somewhere]

'After pulling me out of my bed and spending all that time on my hair, you want to take an autorickshaw to Siddharth's house? What is wrong with you?' — I ask her, irritated by her choices.

'Meera, you live in Delhi, and the only way you commute is by autorickshaw.' — She did make a valid point.

'Metro?'

'You want to travel by metro? In all that crowd? I would love to but you hate crowds.' – that statement makes me look at the ground. She really knows me inside out. Autorickshaw it is then, I guess. With the Delhi traffic, reaching his house took us quite some time. Well, It was the first time that I was here and his house seemed magnificent. The garden lay ahead of the house's entrance with a beautiful swing in between. The ensemble looked beautiful.

Of course, out of courtesy, he had been standing by the entrance waiting for us, Khushi per se.

'You've got a beautiful house.' — I say as we climb up the stairs. Biting my tongue, fighting my urge to question him whether this was an actual party or not. As it later turns out, it is a housewarming party and I am Khushi's plus-one who is nowhere in sight by the way, now.

Finding a secluded corner, I lean against the wall with the glass in my hand. I had mentally killed her a few times, each time adding a variation for leaving me alone between a bunch of strangers. I walked to the garden, humming the song Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar. Well, that flower looks beautiful, and the urge to put it in my hair. Taking a quick glance, I pluck it and put it effortlessly behind my ear. The corner was apparent from here and so was the man who was so tensed while standing there. Well, who knows if he is even tense or not. His face has been like this the whole time.

Have I been noticing this man this whole time?

'WHERE ARE YOU LOST?' — Khushi inevitably shouts in my ear to break my transfer, turns out I had zoned out yet again.

'I'm sorry?' – I shrugged my shoulders while saying it. My eyes are still on the corner as she leans down to me and whispers in my ear.

'That is Arjun.' — She says pointing at the man, who was standing there a minute and now has walked off while talking to somebody.

'Huh?' — Are we really playing dumb Meera? Khushi did notice you staring intensely at the man. The only good thing was that he had not noticed her staring at him.

'That guy you were staring at. That is Arjun. Siddharth's best friend. I can introduce you if you want.' — She offers and I do nothing but politely decline it.

'Come inside, Aunty and Uncle are here.' — She says again as she grabs my hand.

Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar ke dil abhi bhara nahi.

'Abhi Abhi toh aaye ho bahar banke chhaye ho.' Is this supposed to be some kind of sick coincidence? Him completing the lyrics to the song I was singing seems intriguing. Everything about him intrigues me which is so unlike me. At that moment Khushi takes me with her near Uncle and Aunty and I join my hands in respect.
[Abhi Na Jao Chhodkar is an old Indian song]

'Meera, right?' — Ravi Uncle questions me dubiously to which I nod a simple yes.

'So Meera meet Arjun Sengupta. My bestfriend's son.' —- I don't know what to do, so I simply send a warm smile his way.

'And beta, she is Meera Aggarwal. Khushi's best friend.' – and I get a smile in return. That smile. 
[Beta - Indian endearment]