Feminine

Ajeeb nazarein

The warm glow of the morning sun streams through the window, casting a soft light on the dining table. JASMINE, a young woman in her early twenties, sits at the table, engrossed in her breakfast of cereal and milk. Her father, RISHI, sits across from her, sipping his tea. He watches his daughter with a gentle smile, his eyes lingering on her form.

Jasmine looks up from her bowl, catching her father's gaze. She returns his smile, a hint of amusement flickering in her eyes. Rishi's eyes drop to her top, and a subtle shift occurs in his expression. A flicker of desire crosses his face, a fleeting moment of lust that he quickly masks with a practiced smile.

Jasmine notices the change in her father's demeanor, and a small, knowing smile plays on her lips. She is well aware of her father's unspoken attraction towards her, a secret that has hung between them for years. It's an uncomfortable truth that they both dance around, never openly acknowledging.

JASMINE finishes her breakfast and walks over to the kitchen sink, rinsing her bowl and placing it in the dishwasher. Her mother, PARVATI, is busy preparing her lunch for work.

JASMINE
Ok, Maa, ke chalti hu. Mujhe aane me thodi der hogi. Job ke baad me aur Meera shopping karne ja rahe hain.

PARVATI
(Without looking up from her task)
Theek hai, beta. Safe rahana.

JASMINE
(Smiling)
Haan, Maa. Zaroor.

JASMINE and MEERA sit at a small table outside a bustling coffee shop, enjoying their afternoon break. Jasmine takes a drag of her cigarette, letting out a plume of smoke that curls into the air. Meera watches her with amusement, a sly smile playing on her lips.

MEERA
So, aur tera tharki baap aaj kya kiya?

Jasmine rolls her eyes, a mock groan escaping her lips.

JASMINE
Kahani sun, behen. Aaj subah breakfast table par baithi thi na main. Papa ne samne baithkar chai peene lage. Aur phir kya, woh meri taraf dekhne lage, aise jaise meri rooh tak dekh lenge.

Meera leans in, her eyes wide with interest.

MEERA
Haan, phir?

JASMINE
(Sighing dramatically)
Aur phir... unhone meri taraf dekha, aise jaise woh meri dress ko nazarandaaz kar rahe hon aur meri... ummm... assets ko hi dekh rahe hon.

Jasmine gestures to her chest, her voice laced with exaggerated disgust. Meera bursts into laughter, clutching her stomach.

MEERA
Oh, my God! Seriously? He's such a creep!

JASMINE

I know, right? Aur phir... aur phir woh mujhe dekhkar aise muskurane lage, jaise woh koi dirty joke samajh rahe hon.

Jasmine mimics her father's lecherous grin, sending Meera into another fit of giggles.

MEERA
(Wiping tears of laughter from her eyes)
Oh, Jasmine! I can't believe him! He's hopeless!

JASMINE
I know! I mean, what's even worse is that he thinks I don't notice his little staring games. Like, hello? I'm not blind, Dad!

MEERA
(Shaking her head)
Men. They're all the same.

Jasmine takes another drag of her cigarette, blowing the smoke out in a thoughtful cloud.

JASMINE sits at her desk, engrossed in her work. She's typing away on her laptop, her fingers flying across the keyboard. Her manager, MR. SHARMA, approaches her desk, his footsteps echoing in the otherwise quiet office.

Mr. Sharma stops in front of Jasmine's desk, his eyes lingering on her form. He clears his throat, trying to mask his lingering gaze.

MR. SHARMA
Ahem, Jasmine. I just wanted to check on the progress of the Agarwal Enterprises quote.