Nasaza

XLIV

I zoomed in on the photo, squinting to get a better look at the small letters. After a few moments of intense scrutiny, I could make out the beginnings of a word starting with 'A' and ending with 'L', but the rest was too blurry to decipher. I let out a small huff of frustration.

It was maddening, not being able to read the name clearly. I tried adjusting the angle of my phone, hoping a different light would make the letters clearer, but to no avail. The name remained just out of my grasp.

"Dammit." I muttered under my breath.

It had been two days since I took a snapshot of the photo frame in her room, and I still couldn't figure out what was written in there.

I was starting to drive myself crazy with all the different theories and guesses I had come up with. Each one just seemed more ridiculous than the last.

I ran a hand through my hair, sighing in frustration. "This is pointless. I'm getting nowhere like this."

She might as well could have written 'Amul: The Taste of India'.

Shaking my head at my own sarcasm, I put my phone down and let out another sigh. The puzzle of that name was getting more and more annoying by the minute.

Maybe it was a name, the name of the boy in the photo.

That was a plausible theory. It definitely made more sense than 'Amul: The Taste of India'.

With a renewed sense of determination, I picked up my phone again and zoomed back in on the photo. Maybe I had overlooked something before.

I squinted at the small letters, studying them intently, searching for anything that could give me a clue.

But no matter how hard I looked, the name remained hidden. There was no way to make out the rest of the letters past the 'A' and the 'L'.

Feeling defeated, I decided to try a different approach. Maybe Google could help me decipher the name.

I opened up the search engine and typed in 'Possible Indian four letter names starting with A and ending with L'.

The search results popped up, and I scrolled through the list, my heart sinking as name after name passed my eyes. None of them seemed to fit with what was written in the photo. I cursed under my breath.

Why the fuck was I even trying to figure this out instead of studying about internal trade?

My phone vibrated, notifying me of a new message. I picked it up to see a text from Aadrika.

Aadrika: Hiiiii

Aadesh: Hello to you too, oh princess of the keyboard mashing

Aadrika: shush. you love it. how are you?

Aadesh: You wish I loved it. I'm good, just drowning in assignments. How about you?

Aadrika: u remember that u have to attend the wedding na?

Aadesh: How could I forget? You remind me every fifty minutes

Aadrika: don't be a smartass or I'll tell my parents to arrange a marriage for u too

Aadesh: Yeah, right. I'll be dead before any arranged marriage happens.

Aadrika: no one is safe from those aunties. you'll find yourself engaged tomorrow

Aadesh: Please, you're giving those aunties more power than they deserve. I'll survive.

Aadrika: wanna bet? i'll tell all the aunties you're still single. see where u'll be in a week

Aadesh: Will u purposefully leave out the part where I'm underaged?

Aadrika: don't worry, the older aunties will be more than happy to look past that

Aadesh: Just what I like to hear. Old, desperate aunties coming to propose to me.

Aadrika: more like aunties coming to get you married to their daughters

Aadesh: Right right, my bad. How could I not be thrilled about being set up with random girls my age that I've never met?

Aadrika: it will very thrilling. just think about it - awkward dates, uncomfortable conversations, and lots of pressure from parents to make it work. what's not to love?

Aadesh: Wow, you're just making it sound more and more appealing. I'm practically swooning with excitement.

Aadrika: is she looking forward to the wedding?

Aadesh: Who?

Aadrika: sanskriti

Aadesh: Why would I know if she's looking forward to the wedding? I don't read minds.

Aadrika: idk, thought you're a mind reader and all that. u seem to know everything

Aadesh: I wish I could say the same about you, but clearly your mind lacks the ability to focus on anything besides your next Instagram update.

Aadrika: wow, and I thought I took the most savage shots!

Aadesh: What can I say, I'm just a man of many talents. Devastating burns are one of my specialties.

Aadrika: u sure are, mr. smartass. also, make sure not to wear sneakers to the wedding

Aadesh: I don't think I'm the one who needs to be warned that. I'm gonna wear heels.

Aadrika: lmao, u wish. do u know how weird u'd look in high heelers?

Aadesh: Hey, I'll have you know I look fabulous in anything I wear. High heelers included.

Aadrika: sure u do. keep living in that fantasy world of yours

"Aadesh?"

"Han mumma?" I looked up from the screen at my mum, who had just appeared at the doorway with a belan.

"What are you doing?"

"Uh talking?" I blinked.

She raised an eyebrow, "Seriously, it's such a nice weather outside and you're chatting on your phone? With whom, anyways?"

"Aadrika?"

Mumma blinked at me, then threw me a glare that made the belan in her hand seem more threatening than before.

"I'll uh I'll go now. Let me just tell her I'm going." I hastily sat up. She pointed the belan at me as a 'warning' and walked away.

Aadesh: I've got to go. Bye!

Aadrika: bye. have Fun studying!

Sighing, I left my room and headed downstairs, leaving my phone behind. Talking to Aadrika had been a welcome distraction, but her constant wedding talk had gotten slightly annoying by now.

As I descended the stairs, a mixture of anticipation and trepidation filled me. I knew what I was about to do was a bad idea, but a reckless part of me couldn't resist the thrill of it.

Standing outside Sanskriti's door, my hand hovered in the air for a moment, hesitating. Every fibre of my being was telling me not to go through with this, that it was asking for trouble. But I pushed the doubts aside and knocked on the door.

I wanted to die today.

For a few seconds, there was no response. I silently hoped that maybe she wasn't home. Then, the door swung open, and Sanskriti appeared, looking slightly surprised to see me standing there.

"Hey, little devil. Wanna have a match of badminton?"