Clean Bowled

Chapter 8

I go to the parking lot and see Pari standing near baby doll.

"Kaha thi tu?" she asks.

"Ground" I answer, getting on my scooty.

"Viraj ko dekhne?" she asks getting behind me and I see her grinning sheepishly from the mirror.

"I'll leave you here and go!" I threaten her and she chuckles.

We are halfway through the road when she says, "Aashi?"

"Hmm?"

"Tujhe part lena chahiye.."

After a moment I say, "I'm not that confident about myself. Stage ki aur meri dushmani toh tujhe pata hi hai" I say.

"Fir bhi Aashi.. I've seen you dancing. Aur tu jab naachti hai na, lagta hai jaise.. jaise koi apsaraa ho" she says and I smile at her words.

"Stage pe with all the lights and costume and stuff... It'll be magical. And I desperately wanna see you and cheer for you. And boast how my best friend is the best dancer in the world" she says and I chuckle.

"I love you meri Paro" I say when we reach her house and she gets down.

"I love you too meri jaan" she says. "Just think about it ok?" I nod.

"Ab bhak yaha se" she says laughing.

"Bitch" I reply. "Bye meri Pari Rani" I shout and see her scowling at my back in the mirror.

Heheheh..

It's almost 7 when I reach home and I go and take a bath. When I'm out I put on some music and start cooking while singing.

I love cooking with music.

But I sing like a dieing duck. I mean why is my voice like a fataa hua speaker.

Whatever.

I'm making baingan ka bharta which is my dad's favorite dish and one of his favorite song starts playing.

Ye Shaam mastaani madhosh kiye jaaye, mujhe dor koi kheeche.. Teri ore liye jaaye.

Old songs were really gold. Kishore Kumar ji.. I really really love you for giving us these songs.

"Door rehti hai tu, mere paas aati nahi. Hothon pe tere, kabhi pyaas aati nahi" my dad enters the house, singing those lines and I giggle.

"Aisa lage jaise ke tu, has ke zeher koi piye jaaye" we both sing together and start laughing.

"Papa jaldi change kar lijiye khaana bass tayyar hi hai" I tell him and he grins and goes to his room.

~•~•~•~•~•~•

"Aashu beta you make the best baingan ka bharta" he says after taking the first bite and I smile.

He tells me about his work and how his boss loved today's presentation. I guess dad is hoping for a promotion. I hope he gets it too.

"Aur tumhara din kaisa raha? Kya chal raha hai college me?" he asks.

"Ab toh sab events ki hawa hai. Inter college festivals aate rehte hai. Bass vohi sab. By the way papa, mai library me volunteer bann gayi" I tell him happily.

"Excellent beta" he says. "Pari kaisi hai? Bahot dino se aayi nahi" he asks.

"Pari hai jaisi ki waisi hi. Debate me part lene wali hai. She was telling me to take part in dance" I tell him and he looks up at me with a small smile.