It Ignited This Summer

Chapter One✨

Making sure my sister's saree was looking perfect, I sucked in a breath looking at my sister in the mirror. No matter how much I teased her, I knew she was the prettier one among the both of us. In return I fulfilled the perfect student quota for our parents.

She was 24 and had finished high school a few years back. She wanted to open her own boutique, despite our parents' disapproval and managed to take a loan on her own and set her boutique up. I was certainly proud of her.

As for me, I am 19 as per our family's tradition, was about to go to Yale as an undergraduate. It had been a family tradition since my grandfather migrated from India to America during the Indian Independence. Since my sister was adamant on opening her own boutique, ofcourse it was on me to continue the tradition.

Today she was going to meet a guy selected by one of our aunts. She had no intention of marrying yet, but she didn't want to upset my father so she agreed to meet him once. He was also Indian but his mother had shifted to America after divorcing his dad, which was quite a taboo in India. Wondering how I know all this? All you need to know is that I have good sources. Need to make sure the background's clear y'know?

"Are you done, Aarna? They are here already." our mother's sweet voice rang up the stairs.
Almost immediately we heard the doorbell ring and parents greeted the guests with pleasentaries.

Almost on cue, my sister descended down the stairs, me right behind her, helping her with the pallo of the saree.

A hush settled over the room as the boy saw my sister for the first time in real life. He was rudely shaken out of his daze by his younger brother who elbowed him, when he noticed things were getting awkward.

I made sure my sister was comfortable before greeting the guests and rushing off to the kitchen to make sure everything was ready to be served.

"Didi, you are looking pretty." came a little voice. I looked down in surprise to see an adorable toddler. As soon as I bent down to pat his cheek, he pulled my hair and ran away.

Kids these days! I took a few deep breaths to realign my chakras once again, failing to notice that all the tea had boiled over and had spilt all over the kitchen floor.

God, could this get any worse?

I started cleaning up the floor hurriedly when a heard someone say, "Let me do it." I glanced up to see the brother standing near the doorway.

"Uh, no thanks I can do it." I replied before continuing with my work.

"I am sorry by the way, that was my little brother. He can be quite mischevious at times."

"That's perfectly ok." I replied, getting slightly irritated, because I had to make a fresh batch of tea and heat up the snacks which was seeming impossible because of him.

He sensed the irritation in my voice and headed out of the kitchen.

I hated working in the kitchen but today was supposed to my sister's day so I agreed to help out in the kitchen.

I finished preparing everything and called my mother. She helped me carry everything out to the guests.

I finally went to my room to change our of my night suit to wear a salwaar kameez. I applied kajal and stepped out of my room, to collide with a black wall. "I don't remember there being a wall in front of my room." I pondered. But it did not remain a mystery for longer as I looked up to see the brother. AGAIN?

I have him a questioning look to which he replied "I was searching for the restroom."

"Down the hallway, to your right." I said before sidestepping him and walking down to my parents.

"Hot." I admitted to myself blushing a little.