A romantic Christmas

The Past

CHAPTER FOUR

"Jerk!" I yell and follow him out. He hovers near the doorway to the hall.

"What happened? Move na" I tell him. He looks back at me apologetically and lets me go through. I look at him questioningly. 

"Rishu! My baby, how are you? My my, you've grown thin! You don't eat much? Or does Mom starve you?" 

I roll my eyes at Prav, "Sorry!" I whisper. He nods. He is behaving really odd but I can't tend to him now.

"Hi aunty!" I say putting on my best fake smile. She was our neighbour before we moved here. We were relieved to have gotten away but she wasn't. She makes it a point to visit us frequently. 

"I'm fine. This is my friend, Pravith. He lives nearby." I say dutifully receiving an angry glare from Pravith. He seems so uncomfortable. It's so unlike him.

"Pravith! A fine gentleman. Let me introduce you to my niece." She says moving aside and a gorgeous girl comes into view. Her hair is a beautiful shade of brown, perfectly wavy. Her smile is dazzling and her figure-curvy. A complete contrast to my skinny petite self. 

"This is Shainy, my niece. I brought her along thinking you and she could both use some company but looks like you are already occupied" she says eyeing Prav gravely.

" Ermm no! I'm just leaving" Prav says and rushes out of the door calling out a hurried goodbye to my mom.

Both the ladies busy themselves with the Christmas preparation and I head out to give out Christmas sweets. Shainy accompanies me.  It takes ages. I'd have preferred if she would atleast talk but she seems engrossed in her Iphone. We keep Pravith's house for the last. That's where all of us usually meet. But I'm not sure; I'd be staying there long, since she is with me. I don't want her to feel uncomfortable.

"Umm... would you rather we stay here, or spend some time with my friends?" I ask her hoping that she'd choose the latter. She's boring company.

“Your friends," she says a little too fast with a glimmer in her eyes. Looks like she doesn’t fancy my company either. Who cares!

"Let's go then" I say picking up the tray of Christmas sweets and heading out after telling mom that we are leaving. 

All of my friends are already there. The whole atmosphere is festive. Christmas carols play at a loud volume. Christmas hats adorn everyone's head. I'm given one as soon as I enter and so is Shainy. I introduce her to the others and they welcome her pretty well. I leave them to themselves and enter the house to give the sweets to his mum and leave outside to see everyone preparing the court for a game of Badminton. Unfortunately, all the rackets are taken and so I'll have to wait until their game is done. Pravith, Me, Shainy and Shantanu will play the next round. I and Shantanu take our positions as referees and Pravith goes inside to answer his mom's call. Shainy busies herself with her phone. 

The game comes to an end in the favourof Mithi and Nischith against Jellz and Anks. I and Shantanu grab our rackets and look around for the other two both of them missing.

"I'll go check!" I say and venture into the house.

"Aunty, Where's Pravith?" I ask his mum. 

"I saw him entering his room earlier." she replies from the kitchen.

"Okay" I answer and enter the room without knocking. I never do. This is like my second house.

"Hey Prav, our turn to play." I tell him. "come o.." I begin but stop to take in the scene around me. "What's going on?" I ask shocked. Pravith and Shainy are sprawled over each other. They must've been making out. Pravith's hair was disheveled and Shainy was panting, her chest heaving dramatically.