RAVI (formerly Indie-America)

26

(((Edited•)))

"Mum Luca's coming for dinner!" I announce the moment I come out if my bedroom. Mum pauses and raises a brow,

"Luca as in, your boyfriend?" She's looking skeptical and I nod.
I follow her downstairs where Grandma and Uncle Jeevan are playing Ayo, the game his Nigerian friend taught him back in India.

"Who's coming for dinner?" Grandma asks and mum replies before I can,

"Ravi's boyfriend."

"Oh really? What a nice idea," She beams.

"He's her boyfriend but has also been her personal driver for months and still counting," Mara adds from the couch where she's trying hard to watch omnibuses of SNL by ignoring the noise. She gives up and turns to face us.

"It's about time you invited him home," She smiles at me and I chuckle.

"Don't make this such a big deal, it's not a marriage," I remind them.

"Ok so what are we cooking?" Grandma asks

"He's allergic to margarine," I input quickly and Aunt SanJ raises both brows,

"Well we usually use butter dear so no problems there. I was going to cook lasagna for dinner but-"

"No continental food for this dinner. He's lived here his whole life, let's show him how it's done in India," Simmi declares.

I smile but it's masked with fear. Not even I know how it's done in India, God be with Luca.

*******************

By the time we're done setting the table it's almost 7 and Luca will be here any minute. I leave the remainder of the work for Mara and Simmi and run upstairs to change.

I'm busy brushing my hair into a ponytail when Kendall appears in my room. For the first time she's looking unkept.

"It's dinner in your own house Ravi don't be so obvious," She says and I frown.

"What's got you so blue?" I ask her as I drop the brush and sit beside her,

"Nothing much. I'm just tired, dad keeps on reminding me that my gap year will soon be over. I'll need to start opening dem books again," She rests her head on my shoulder and suddenly I wish Luca wasn't coming for dinner. It's only rare times this happens with Kendall and I.

"It's ok dear. I know that you'll get into whatever college you choose."

She nods into my shoulder. "And so will you, I hope you do remember that your senior year is next year," she gives me a look.

"I do Ken, I do," The doorbell rings before she can respond and she sits up.

"That must be Luca, go, we'll talk later," She rubs her eyes and I give her a skeptical look.

"You sure?"

"I'm not contemplating suicide Ravi, get out!" She screams between laughs.

I rush downstairs in my flowing off shoulder night gown. It's pretty fluffy and wasn't actually designed for sleep but I improvised.

There's nobody in the living room when I come downstairs, I can already feel the smile spreading as I walk towards it but when I open the door it immediately falls.

Luca's Audi is no where in sight, the only thing that is in sight is Teddy. My best friend.

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I am soo excited😈! Why is Teddy here instead of Luca? Will Luca still come?? Keep reading to find out!