The Mute And The Reader [#YourStoryIndia][#Wattys2015]

Sixteen

Sadly enough, I had forgotten to take my home keys. So I have to ring the bell. I wait in anticipation, for my father to open the door. After about ten seconds, the edge of the door is pulled inside and my mother's face comes into view.

-That's your mother, right? She looks scary.

Aryan is practically sweating beside me.

"Who is he?" She asks me in Tamil, looking at Aryan, and sure enough, he cannot understand a word.

"He's a friend. He's going to join us for lunch today." I deliberately reply in Tamil as I enter my house.

As we walk inside, I hear him think.

-What was your mother saying, looking at me?

I look at him.

"What do you think she was saying?" I ask sarcastically.

He looks at the ceiling, thinking for a moment.

-I guess 'Who is this pathetic bastard you're sleeping with?'

I laugh without making much sound.

"Yeah. That's exactly what she said."

-And what did you say to that? I'm pretty sure you didn't say my name unless my name sounds something else in Tamil.

"I said you're an axe murderer." I reply with a wink.

-Ah! An axe murderer is any day better than a herpes giving boyfriend.

I'm laughing by now.

"You're not my boyfriend." I correct him.

He shrugs with a smirk.

-Who says I have to be you're boyfriend to give you herpes?

I hit him on his arm.

"Since when did you become such a pervert?"

He shrugs again.

-I don't know. Since I met you, I guess.

I raise a brow.

"Now that's a clever move! Blame it on me. Since you met me."

We're soon seated on the couch and my father enters the living room. He looks at me with a smile and then at Aryan. Aryan is trying to smile but he's nervous as hell.

-Okay, breathe. Breathe. Breathe.

Appa walks upto him and offers a hand. Aryan readily shakes it.

"T. Vishwanathan." My father introduces himself, "You must be Aryan."

Aryan nods vigorously. I can see relief on his face.

-He doesn't seem so bad.

"Anushka told me a lot about you." He says after sitting on the couch next to me.

Aryan nods his head slowly, with a smile.

-That's...that's nice.

He's stuttering in his thoughts!

"You're in the same batch as hers, right?" Appa further asks and gets another nod in return.

The conversation lasts for another five minutes. I can see that my father is taking care not to ask him anything that'll require a detailed answer. Most of the things he's talking about are related to me and it's making me blush like hell.

In an hour or so we've had a wonderful meal. It is evident that Aryan has become very comfortable with my parents. Soon Appa leaves for some work and the two of us are left alone in my room.