This Love

CHAPTER 6

"Your daughter is homee.. " I sing as dad opens the door and he immediately pulls in for a hug.

A familiar rush of happiness consumes me.

"Oh, who else do we have here." Dad is now openly judging Rian who's standing besidely behind me.

"Come in, both of you." Dad carries us towards the couch.

"Vanhi.. Did you bring-" Mom interrupts herself after she drags me into the kitchen. "We'll be right back." She announces with gritted teeth.

"Mom, good to see you too."

"Why did you not tell me that we have guest?" She says already panicking about her lack of elegance in the dinner she might have prepared.

"It was just sudden" I tell her as I eye Rian with a pointed look. He grins but in an apologetic way. I didn't think that combination was possible till now.

"What does he like? I'll make it. We still have time till dinner-" She says looking at the clock.

"Mom, chill. Whatever you made, I'm sure he'll love it." I make a mental note to remind him to tell my mom he loves the food even if in worst case scenario he doesn't.

"Who's he by the way?" She says going over to put the flame low.

"Rishi's cousin, mom. We're the ones going around doing errands together now."

"Go on. Sit with them and chat. Go, go." She shoos me away with me away with a pretty smirk. My mom can do that?

I give her a suspicious look and go over to the couch.

"That's what I thought, you looked so familiar beta." Dad taps Rian on his shoulder. What's going on?

"Yes, uncle." Rian replies shyly. What in the world? Rain can feel shy?

"Did I miss something while I was gone?" I ask taking a seat beside my dad.

"Why did you not tell me he is your friend, Vanhi?" Dad is genuinely concerned.

"Who? Him?" I ask confused. First, we're not even friends. Secondly, I just met him few days ago. Thirdly, I'm seeing my parents only now.

"Sunita, come here. This boy. " Dad chuckles patting him the back again and again with pride.

"What?" I mouth and Rian just raises his thick eyebrows in delight.

Mom comes rushing from the kitchen.

"This boy, Sunita. I thought I had seen him somewhere. He's the one, we were watching that day in star sports. Don't you remember the Asian games prelims? And we got qualified in badminton. Remember?" Dad kept on ranting but mom had totally lost it. She doesn't seem to remember.

But wait. Rian played the prelims and got selected?! In asian Games?!

"YOUU GOT TO ASIAN GAMESSS?!!" I stand up and scream out.

Rian just laughs, tearing up a little due to the effect.

"Yeah. I know."

"Why the fuck didn't you tell me?!"

"I thought you weren't much into badminton."

I may have not been consistent with watching the games routinely due to my research and other work but I do like sports. My dad had been a major influence. I couldn't help it.

"Beta, she and her father are always in front of the TV with one of the sports channel on all the time. They never let me keep any of my soaps." Mom says smiling, walking towards the kitchen to resume her chores.