A GIRL LIKE YOU

36

"Shit! I'm coming!" Ansh's voice filtered through the doors of my room as I changed into my clothes.
I heard the sound of the door opening and the sound of a female's heels clattering on the floor.
"Where is he?!" Ansh's sister, Aanya shouted.
"What the hell are you doing here?!" Ansh asked.
I'm fully dressed now and I have no idea if I should go out or not.
"First, you tell me where is Aarav?"
"Aarav? Why would Aarav be here?"
"Oh I don't know because the last time I checked you were his best friend!"
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"Oh god! Don't act dumb. I know that you helped him ran out of the wedding. I know that he is hiding out here with you."
"God no! I don't know where the fuck he is. You actually think I would help him do something so hideous!"
"Oh well then why the hell are you hiding out here since the wedding? You gave one call to mom, didn't even come to say bye and then you are hiding here ever since. "
"Because....I just needed a break."
"I don't believe that."
"Why are you here? Why didn't you call?"
"If I'd called then you wouldn't have let me come here!"
"Did you tell mom?"
"What do you think?"
"Aanya!"
The loud clattering of heels now coming close. Oh god! This doesn't look good.
I don't know how she would react. God, I hope she won't think the worst.
"Where the hell you are going?!"I heard Ansh's voice closer to the door as the heels came to an halt.
"I am checking who is hiding in here!"
I saw the door knob turn and then stop. I stood there holding my breath.
"No you're not!" Ansh shouted.
"Leave my hands, Ansh. For someone who is not hiding shit, you're being awfully defensive."
"I have a girl in there. Okay. You don't want to see that."
"Yes I want to see that."
"No you don't."
"Yes I fucking do!"
"Shut up Aanya! What the hell is wrong with you today?!"
I heard her sigh.
"Why did he do that?" Her voice came small and wierd. Wait? She sounds hurt. Why is she hurt? For me?
"Why did he have to go back to Meera?"
She is not hurt for me. She is hurt for....herself? I think there is something here. Wait? Aarav and Aanya?
"I don't know, okay." I heard Ansh say.

Okay I think they are hugging. Does Ansh knows his sister have a thing for his best friend? What a huge fuck up?
"Come lets have some breakfast." I heard Ansh move away from the door.
I sighed in relief and suddenly the door flung open and Aanya stood there wide eyed imitating my expression.
"Shit!" I heard Ansh curse as he came back from the kitchen.
Aanya totally played him.
"You!" She said in disbelief and put her hand on her chest.
"Why the hell you opened the door?!" Ansh said and walked in and looked at my face in concern.
I don't know what to say. Ansh seem to read my expression and turned to his sister.
"I can't believe this? What is going on? Oh my god! I think my head is going to explode!"
"Calm down Aanya."
"Calm down?! Are you kidding me? What is this? Were you betraying Aarav all along? Oh my god! How could you Ansh?"
Oh god. I should say something. But what?
"Shut up! Just shut up okay." Ansh shouted and took her sisters aem and pulled her towards the living room. I followed them slowly.
He sat her on the couch, toom her hands in his and began talking.

***

Two hour later, tons of explanation later by Ansh, tons of questions later, tons of shocked expressions from Aanya later, we sat on the couch drinking coffee.
"I just have one more question?" Aanya said looking at me. For the first time.
I braced myself and spoke up finally.
"Ask away!" I said and gave her a friendly smile.
"What do you use in your hair? They're so pretty."
I burst into laughter along with Ansh. God, I thought she was going to say something regarding Ansh and my relationship.
Ansh told her everything as in everything. And like a great sister she is, she sworn to secrecy. She is exactly like Ansh told me she is. I saw her on engagement and on the wedding day, but she never came up to talk to me.
"What? They're pretty!" She said and we laughed again.
When the laughter died down the real bomb dropped on our heads.
"You should come home." Aanya said and silence prevailed after that.
"Why?" He asked.
"Because, this looks suspicious. Not everyone is going to give you a chance to explain like I did. People assume shit Ansh. If you don't want her reputation getting torn apart, bring her home." Aanya reasoned.
"But her parents...."
"Not her parents. Our parents. You know mom. She'll love her."
OMG.
"Just for a day Ansh. Bring her. We'll have fun. It would be kind of like a picnic. Its been too long." Aanya said.
Ansh looked at me. His expression conveys that he wants to go.
I gulped. Going back in the city? Is it really a good idea?
"We could invite Aaliyah?" Ansh suggested.
"Who is Aaliyah?" Aanya asked.
"Her best friend."
"Oh. Yeah it'll be fun." Aanya said and stood up. "I'm going to the bathroom."

Ansh walked up to me as soon as Aanya left amd sat beside me.
"Do you want to?" He asked.
"I don't know."
I actually know. Its not about confronting my parents anymore. I know they hate me. Its not about everybody else. Its not about peoples reactions. The only things I am afraid of is this nagging feeling inside me, that keeps telling me that as soon as Ansh and I leave this apartment our whole relationship would crumple. I don't know why I have a feeling that we won't survive the world out there. The heaven we created here, the kind of relationship we built here might crash down. I don't want my time to end with Ansh, not just now. I love him.

"Hey, it'll be fine. I promise." Ansh said and hugged me.
I sighed and let him comfort me. Today or tomorrow, I have to go out there and face shit. I can't hide out here forever. I took a deep breath and braced myself for whats to come.

...