Finding Love

7

Avinash pulled up his car to the front of Ananya's house and fished out his phone.

She picked up his phone on the ninth ring already inducing full panic into Avinash.

"What took you so long?" Avinash asked, in his favourite pissed off tone.

"Who's speaking?" Ananya asked, in a polite, sugar sweet voice.

"Funny." Avinash deadpanned. "I am waiting for you outside your house. Come quickly."

"For what?" Ananya asked, sounding clueless.

"The Engagement Party," he said, sighing in resignation. Why does she have to be so difficult?

"Oh that," Ananya said, in a very small voice. "I was actually thinking if I should go Avinash you see, I am on my period-"

"Murthy-"

"-and I am nursing a really bad back ache and add to it-"

"Murthy, I swear-"

"-I am feeling so tired from all the work at office-"

"Murthy!" he said raising his voice by a few decibles.

"Say please."

"What? No! What for?" he asked, indignantly.

"Because I am doing you a favour, duh."

"Look! I was saving you from going out with the git and being a really good friend, okay? If anything you should thank me." He finished.

"We are friends? When is that from?"

"Why are you doing this to me?" Avinash asked sounding vexed.

"Oh my god! You are making me sound as if I am wrecking your life!"

"You are a sadist."

"Tell me something I don't know." she smirked.

"Come."

"Say please, Ananya Murthy, I have no where to go. You are my only chance. I would be stranded if you don't go."

"No."

"I am not going until you ask me properly," she chimed.

"Okay." He said and hung up.

If that was what she wanted, he would do it.
________________

Ananya was wondering what happened when she heard the door bell ring.

Wait. No. No. No. No.

Ananya shuffled out of her bedroom into the living room, to confirm her suspicions and found her dad unlatching the front door.

And there stood Avinash Nandu looking absolutely handsome in a blue two piece, smiling at her father warmly like he wasn't the one who was the sworn enemy of his daughter since school.

"Hello, sir. I am Avinash Nanda, Ananya's friend from work," he said, extending his hand for a shake.

"Oh, do come in," Ananya's dad said, shaking his hand, and smiling back kindly.

Ananya, for some reason, ran back to her room, almost closed the door but not totally and peeped in through the crack. She was curious about how this interaction was going to unfold. And for some reason a little excited too.

"Thank you, sir. I am actually here to pick Ananya up for this engagement party of my cousin. Would it be alright if we went? I'll have her home by eleven." Avinash asked, smoothly.

Ananya could see the cogs working in her dad's brain. He was definitely sizing up Avinash and by the looks of it, he did get on his good side.

"Sure. Make sure you stick to your word, young man. Okay?"