Falling Softly

SURPRISE GUEST

Aaryan's POV

I woke up to the sound of the doorbell. Sliding aside my blanket, I walked into the living room and opened the door. There stood Rahul, my brother-in-law, AKA Kavya's younger brother. He had a small bag in his hands and looked surprised that I opened the door. We had only met a couple of times before, and most of the time, he gave me cold, disapproving looks. I could tell he didn't like me much.

"Finally," I heard from behind. I turned around and saw Kavya. She had a towel wrapped around her head and had just come out of the shower. Her excitement was evident as soon as she saw him. She quickly came and hugged him, took the bag from his hands, and went inside to place it near the cupboard. Meanwhile, Rahul and I sat on the sofa.

It was a bit awkward for a few seconds until Kavya arrived with a glass of water in her hand. She quickly handed him the water and went back to get tea, leaving us both in the living room.

I wasn't sure what to talk about at that moment. I didn't know anything about him, except that he had just completed his board exams.

"So, how is your vacation going?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"Good," he nodded while drinking water.

I also nodded. I wished I had subscribed to some TV channels; it would be less awkward if the TV was on in the background. Before I could overthink everything, Kavya came and placed some snacks and tea on the table for him and sat beside him. They blended in pretty quickly; I could hear chuckles and laughs and excited voices.

Feeling a bit isolated, I went to the bathroom to get ready. After getting ready, I entered the kitchen to drink some water. Kavya followed me, placing the plate and cup in the sink and starting to chop vegetables.

"Sorry, I totally forgot to tell you about Rahul. In the excitement of the cruise, I forgot. He has his exam center here, so he will be staying. Tomorrow, he has his entrance exam," she said.

"Yeah, it's totally fine," I replied. I didn't mind him staying, but I always wanted to get along with him. Kavya and he seemed to be pretty close, and I wanted him to think I was worthy of being his sister's husband.

"I'm free tomorrow. I can arrange a bike and drop him if that's okay. Nobody wants to be late for an exam. You know how buses work here," I offered.

"Really? That will be great. I was worried," she exhaled.

"Do you have another interview today?" she asked, noticing my formal outfit.

"Yes," I realized I was getting late.

"Why do I have to guess every time? Why can't you tell me beforehand if you have interviews?" She rolled her eyes while continuing to prepare lunch.

"Hopefully, this will be my last interview for now," I said. The rejections were taking a toll on my confidence.

"I know. All the best," she said, coming closer and wrapping her arms around my neck, giving me a side hug while making sure my shirt stayed intact. I was taken aback, my eyes widening a bit. I wasn't ready for such comfort. I should get used to it, I guess. A smile curled up on my face as I went back to the living room.

"What are the timings for tomorrow?" I asked Rahul as I sat on the sofa. His eyes were glued to his smartphone.

"It's in the afternoon. I'll leave early in the morning. I've checked the bus schedule," he said, looking at me.

"Yeah, it's fine. I'll drop you. It's better to reach early; we can't rely on buses on an important day," I insisted.

"No, no, it's fine. You have work too. I'll manage, don't worry about it," he said casually, making me a bit uncomfortable.

"No, no, he will come, that's final," Kavya came out of the kitchen quickly to settle the debate.

"Whatever," he continued on his phone.

I went back to the kitchen with Kavya.

"I can clean up my desk if he needs to study," I offered.

"It's fine, he probably won't be studying. I know him," she replied.

"Alright then, I'm about to leave," I said before heading out for the interview.

"Okay," she smiled and went in for another quick hug.

I picked up my bag and went to the living room.

"Okay, I'll see you in a few hours," I said to Rahul, he nodded and looked bit confused. I guess he didn't knew I am unemployed at the moment.

Thank you for reading. Don't forget to add star. Feels good to be back after week long break.