Heartbeats And Halos

Chapter 12

• P a l a k •

"Get a break already sis! You are seriously gonna wear that to your outing with Roshan bhai?" Ragini made a disgusting face pointing towards the suit I was wearing, since this morning.

"Why? What's wrong with it?" I asked looking at my radiant suit. Diya and Ragini looked at each other and then at me, both of them had frowns on their faces.

"Don't get me wrong Palak but this seems to be a very behen ji (sister-like, but here it is used to specify an attire which is way too traditional and perhaps makes one look old fashioned) attire for a date..." Diya forced a smile and I pouted.

"But I like ethnic wear!" I exclaimed clearly irritated by how judgemental my sisters were being.

"We know! But it wouldn't hurt to stay up to date with fashion." Ragini pointed out and I narrowed my eyes.

"Fine!!" I sighed. "What do you guys want me to wear?"

They both gave me big grins, looked at each other, and ran in the opposite directions like psychos. Ragini went to the closet and Diya went out of the room, to her room as far as I could predict. Ragini was searching through the closet like a mad woman and I sat down with my hands on my head.

Oh god! What have I gotten myself into?

Twenty minutes later they both were back on my tails. My eyes widened as I looked between the two of them. They were holding like a pile of clothes.

Oh boy!

In the next thirty minutes, I was made to try out ten different combinations of crop tops, tank tops, shirts, jeans, and whatnot until they both agreed on a single one. They made me wear a lavender crop top with jeans. Diya did my makeup and after wearing a pair of pencil heels I was ready.

Ragini was wearing an orange crop top with ripped jeans. She always managed to look elegant in anything and here I was with no sense of fashion. But at least I have her. I smiled a little thinking about it, about how much she cares for me.

"Looks like someone is excited to spend time with Jiju!!" Diya laughed nudging my arms and my eyes widened I only realised then what it must have looked like.

But she did not just say that! I can't believe it! Did she just call him Jiju?? I so wanted to slap someone!

"What did you just call him?" I asked Diya angrily and she stood up and started running. It's when I ended up chasing her throughout the house. Diya took a turn and I took out one of my heels to throw at her but before that someone else came out of a room and I applied brake on my legs abruptly to stop myself from colliding with him, again.

Guess who it was...yep the one and only Roshan!

He was looking at his phone screen but must have noticed the commotion so he lifted his gaze up. At first, he looked horrified but the expression was gone as soon as it camand after that, he raised an eyebrow questioningly. I was confused for a second but then I realised that I was still holding the heel high up in the air and it looked like I was about to hit him with it.

But before I could do anything Trisha Masi popped out of nowhere and yelled in a high-pitched voice which was enough to give the whole neighborhood a headache. I immediately threw my heel down hearing her voice.

"Hayee ram! Palak! (Oh god! Palak!)" She screeched. And before I knew it my entire family was there including Roshan's parents and his brother. Diya came up last and stood next to Ragini silently. I bet even she had no idea what was going on.

"What's going on here didi?" Mumma asked Masi with furrowed eyebrows.

"Why did you scream like that didi?" Papa asked next.

"Your daughter here is hitting this young man with her heels." She pointed towards me and then towards Roshan who was scowling. I could hear gasps from everyone. Mumma looked like she could slap me while Papa just shook his head disappointedly.

"Our Palak would never do that masi." Bhabi defended me in a low voice.

"So you are saying that I am lying!? I saw it with my own eyes young lady!" She shouted like a mad woman again. Trisha Masi always hunted for chances to create scenes and I had unknowingly served it to her on a silver platter.

"No masi what Alka is trying to sa--" bhaiya spoke but was cut off by masi.

"Don't you dare defend your wife!" She screeched and bhaiya shut his mouth. "Kids these days don't even have manners! Tell me Salini is this your rites?" She questioned Mumma and I have had enough.

How could she question my mother's parenting!?

"Will anybody let me speak before drawing conclusions in the air?" I yelled in frustration and the room became quiet and everybody's eyes were now locked on me.

"Speak!" Chacha demanded. Oh my god! Was he really believing Masi's words?

"I wasn't trying to hit him with anything let alone my heel. Why would I?" I spoke. "Mumma, papa, Chachi, and Chacha don't you guys know me at all?" I questioned them and this time their eyes softened.

"But then why were to holding your heel at his face, palak?" Masi asked mockingly.

"I--" ohh God now this was a problem. I couldn't tell them I was going to throw it at Diya, that way masi would blast plus I wasn't actually going to throw it at Diya, I was just playing.

"I twisted my ankle and f--fell. So I was checking if the heel was broken or n--not." I managed to mumble and it seemed enough to convince them all except for Masi. Mumma came to me.

"You twisted your ankle, Palak!? You shouldn't wear such high heels." She somewhat scolded me.

"And why should we believe you?" Masi asked again.

Seriously how low can someone stoop?

"I believe her." It was Roshan's mother who said that. Everybody looked at her star-struck.

She came to me and put her hand on my head caressing it gently. "The girl who went out of her way to help my grandson is the most cordial girl I have ever seen." Her words made my heart skip. Did she really believe me that much?

Her words had seemingly touched hearts. All my family members smiled, Uncle and Rishabh nodded positively, Roshan just stood there as confused as ever and Masi burned with rage.

"But--" Masi was about to say something again but Diya stopped her.

"That's enough Mom. I have seen her and she wasn't trying to hit him." Diya told Masi off and she glared at her. "Why don't we ask Roshan bhai himself? He'll tell us what happened."

"Very good idea." Srikant bhaiya said and Alka bhabi nodded furiously. "Tell us Roshan. What happened?"

He looked at me for a second before replying "Palak wasn't trying to hit me it was just a misunderstanding." I smiled a little.

Maybe he isn't as bad as I thought...

***

So much family drama! Trisha's a bitch and she's gonna create more trouble in the future! Stay tuned!