I suppose I hadn't expected to wake up to three faces looming over me. I squinted my eyes open and a slap deposited on my nose. That alerted me and I sat up before I was almost pushed back by a weight on my face.

Shrishti pulled my nose and attempted to climb on my head, making gurgling noises and I tried to disentangle her fingers from my hair without letting my irritation show on my face.

Now, where are my manners?

"Hello pinni.When did you come?"
She didn't even attempt to pull her child away from my head and smiled.

"Today morning, Charminar express. Your father picked us up from there."

My uncle had nothing to say except a small nod with a hint of a smile.

I liked him already.

"Shree was missing you a lot. So much she used to talk about you." She spoke, which was the code sentence for: You're going to be this kid's nanny until I stay here.

"I can see that," I mumbled when she turned away.

"Your other relatives, are they coming from Amrika or no?" She enquired.

"I don't know exactly," I replied honestly, pulling the sheets off from my body.
My mother debuted with some cups of chai for the guests. She must've just come home because her hair was in a disarray and her churdidar was wrinkled.

She gave me a look. "You slept in today! Go, take a bath and come. Fast. You have some work."

So I rerouted back to the room to grab my turkey towel and go past the living room.

"HELLO! HELLO! WHO IS THIS NOW?" My uncle number 2 greeted; or rather bellowed at me in his booming voice that almost made me jump in my place. That's when I noticed two more smiling faces perched on my sofa with little ceramic teacups clutched in their hands.

"N... Namaste." I greeted on autopilot.

He stood up from the sofa and came forward to envelop me in a welcome hug as if I came back alive from a successful two-day hunt in the Amazon forest.

I almost choked.

"How are you?" I managed when he released me.

He laughed in that booming voice that echoed off the walls and I just stood there. "HOW CAN I NOT BE FINE? NOW THAT I SAW ALL OF YOU, EH?"

I tried to smile. I really did.

"COME, COME SIT DOWN. TELL ME? WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? LONG TIME SINCE I SAW YOU!"

His wife I suppose interrupted to agree with him.

"You were this much!" She said, gesturing her palm downwards to the height of her knee, "...When I last saw you. You used to write little storybooks for me. Remember me?"

Of course, I didn't!

"Er..."

"OF COURSE SHE DOES!" The uncle next to me laughed. Remembering him could not be hard. He had such a...Remarkable personality. I'm sure I was attacked by that thunderous voice several times in my childhood.

My mother was back with the tea tray. "One moment. She has some work now. She'll come home in some time." And she gave me a freezing glare.

I immediately retreated to the restroom for a quick shower. I almost forgot that my sister's marriage required a hoard of relatives to migrate here.
And of course, my mother's relatives from the States must be already complaining how sweaty it is, sitting in some gaudy five-star resort.

My father's side of the family had no such qualms. They simply did not care. It had been probably 5 or 6 years since I saw most of them. However, they were duty conscious, gracing us with their presence at Siya's wedding and pretending to invite me to their town.

My mother deposited a sheet of paper in my hand in which there was a list of items for the puja and the Mehendi ceremony and little notes in red instructing where to buy them.

I thought I was going to roam in my cycle when my mother told me that Saloni was going to keep me company.

Absolutely great.

I brushed my shoulder-length hair back and stood before the mirror in a pale cream top and my comfortable Jean skirt. I can't really boast about my fashion sense as a teenager because all my clothes were almost similar and hundred percent cotton. I threw a hissy fit when my clothes were uncomfortable or gaudy that kind of kept me away from most of the pretty stuff.

The persistent honking of a vehicle distracted my attention. I peered out of the balcony with the hairbrush in my hand.

Saloni waved from inside the car with a huge grin. Unmistakably, I could easily make out her companion at the wheel.

Our eyes locked and he gave a little wave.

I walked back to my dresser to collect the list and shove it into my pockets. Then I remembered and slapped my hand on my forehead.

I rushed into the kitchen where my uncle and my two aunts were having a conversation. Their heads snapped in my direction.
A packet of wheat flour sat near the stove, splatters of the powder on the tiles.

My sister was dabbing some cream on her face. She caught my reflection in the mirror. "Hi, Gussi, woke up?"

I slowly inched towards her, roaming my eyes on the shelf for the target. I found the shiny tiffin box on the shelf and reached for it.

"Dressed and all, where are you going this early?" Siya asked.

I stepped closer to my sister to hide from the view of my aunts and peek opened the box with a smirk at her, "Your marriage. Getting all the necessaries. Who'll go, tell me? You have only one sibling."

Siya chuckled, "Mumma gave you the miscellaneous work again, it seems. Shoo, shoo. Get everything properly."

I reached out and pinched her cheek where a layer of goo was already drying, earning a cry of dismay from her. "Of course darling, always the best for you."

I ducked when her hand came up to swat my head and hurried outside, stuffing everything in my bag.

David reached out to unlock the door behind him when I walked down the last flight of stairs towards the car.

Mrs D'Souza turned back to give me a smile which I replicated.

"Did your mother tell you we're going clothes shopping too?" She asked, passing a Coke bottle to Saloni.

"No!" I replied, horrified.

"Then what were you planning to wear for your sister's wedding?"

"I don't know, the ghagra I wore for her engagement maybe?"

"Come on, Shyla. You need nice clothes now. And so do we. So we will buy all the miscellaneous stuff in the bazaar."

I liked new clothes. I truly did. It was just that I couldn't stand those horrific crowded places.

Saloni was more excited about the prospect of shopping in a sweaty crowd... We entered Lakshya and 3 women in bright green saris bombarded us. I felt a  rush of cool air hit us from the centralised air conditioning and I relaxed.

This is probably not so bad.

We were led to a flight of stairs for the women's ethnic wear and I followed, defeated.

David stood behind me, noisily chewing some gum and giving his unwelcome opinions every now and then.

"Show me that one!" Saloni piped in and the sales lady pulled the dupatta out with a flourish and held it open, revealing silver and pink flowers in an extremely gaudy ghagra.
I didn't know much about fashion but I certainly knew to an extent if something looked abominably strange.

"Isn't it beautiful, isn't it?" Saloni said, placing the dupatta on her shoulder.

I caught Mrs.Dsouza's eyes while Saloni admired the ghagra with pride as if she stitched it herself.

"It's such a nice colour, it'll look good on anyone!" She said, "In fact, let's see it on you..."

Before I could protest, I felt some fancy beads poke my shoulder.

"It suits you so well! See, see!"

"Uh..."

David was smiling, full-on. "Wow, you look like a Dulhan. Perhaps you should invest in the future and buy it now itself."

Saloni looked admirably self-satisfied while I shot a glare at David.

However, to my relief, she left the dreaded piece of clothing and decided to hunt for something more haute couture.

"What do you want to buy? Do you have anything in mind?" Mrs Dsouza asked me and I hesitated. My sister picked my clothes for me and sometimes I didn't even accompany her for shopping.

And now, she would have more important responsibilities to give her attention to. It was indeed a sad day.

"I want, maybe a..." I looked around all the glitter and glam for inspiration. A mannequin in deep blue caught my eye, "Maybe something like that?"

"You mean, a lehenga?"

"Er, yes."

The excitement on Mrs Dsouza's face was reminiscent of my sister's. "Come let's pick one for you."

I gave a vague answer when she asked me if I like something and I wasn't helpful at all. So it was decided that I should go through the trial of trying everything we selected.

I pulled the top down my abdomen and something uncomfortable poked my back. My fingers travelled back to catch some maroon pom poms attached to the end of the dori.

Now to pull the bloody zip up...

Something hit me right on the face.

"Try this next." Mrs Dsouza's voice hollered from outside.

I creak opened the door with a half stuck zip and Mrs D'Souza looked pleased.
"This looks very good on you! Very, very good. Do you like it?"

"Yes, of course!" I replied immediately with a big smile. How would I not like it? I tried ten pieces of uncomfortable clothing already.

Also, I knew I could trust her sense of fashion.

"Done, all the shopping?" David asked, hands in his pockets.
The lady at the counter handed me an oversized glossy bag.

"You tell me. Back so fast! You got all the things from the bazaar?" Mrs D'Souza asked suspiciously.

David rolled his eyes and dangled some paper bags in the air as evidence. "Yeah.Almost. I checked off some stuff that wasn't in stock. Anyway, now hurry up all of you. I'll drop you home soon."

"What's the urgency now, that you want to get rid of us?" His mother asked hands on her hips.

"I'm just going to YCLA. Captain sir has a match today. I have to give him his supplies."

"Whatever. I was thinking of some strawberry ice cream." Saloni muttered.

I followed closely behind David. "Even I want to come," I told him quietly.

He raised his brows in amusement while his mother undoubtedly heard and spoke behind me.

"Why, I thought you didn't like Cricket? And what are we all going to do there? Let him go, we'll go get some ice cream."

I looked from her to her son, feeling trapped.
"My uh, friend lives somewhere there. I thought I'll go see her. She's..."

"She's not well. Her friend." David interrupted. "I mean, she was telling me today morning."

He was leaning on the door of the car with a smug smile and I caught on desperately.

"Yes, actually. Uh, she's having a really bad..."

"Oh, that poor thing!Your friend...You go." She said looking almost proud of me. "This is how you give your friend moral support. Get some malt and some fruits for that poor girl." She stuffed something in my hand and patted my cheek.

I nodded vigorously with a smile while Saloni dragged her away for the ice cream while I glanced down at the half- crumpled thousand rupee note in my hand.

David let out a sound that as sounded like a crossover between a grunt and a cool drink fizz.

I looked back at him, "What?" I snapped, carefully squeezing the rupee note into the drawer.

"No, nothing. It's just interesting... To thine own self be true, and it must follow... Thou canst not then be false to any man." he drawled in a falsetto tone, making me roll my eyes.

"Seriously? I'm just going to visit my friend. You don't need to go all Shakespeare on me."

David pulled up his wrinkled sleeves before turning on the ignition.

"Friend? Who, he's your friend? Is this the first time you're going out with someone, O' Virgin Mary?"

He chuckled before I could think of shooting back, "Match made in Heaven, yaar. But he's not an innocent cherub himself.I'm so glad you'll get to see that stud angle today."

He noticed my expression and turned to the road. "You want some gum?"

I turned away to face the road, without replying and digesting his former statement.
But David was not one to shut up.

"Then, St. Xavier's college, with Kabir?" He waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

I gave him a tight smile, "St.Xavier is not even an arts college. I took the third group for Senior high."

"So what?" David asked and I rolled my eyes. He had a one-track mind which he refused to deflect.

While I was trying to make David shut up, the car halted.

I observed the little tea party in the garden where some lilting light music was being played for the benefit of some 40 ish sort of ladies who were gossiping in titters.

I watched the crowd of young people moving towards the ground and I got out.

David dangled his car keys in front of me. He had his shades on to impress the girls and was noisily chewing a wad of gum.

"Just get Kabir's supplies from the car, sweety." He tossed the car keys at me and I caught it midair.

I wish I could shoot arrows with my eyes but there wasn't much a girl can do.
He didn't need to spell it for me. The underlying blackmail was quite obvious.

Painstakingly, I pulled out a dirty black bag from the back of the car and slung the other backpack on my shoulder.

"This is Kabir's lucky bat. Only uses it for the club matches." He explained cheerfully pointing to the luggage which I was dragging behind me as if I was supposed to jump in joy.

Strange. Kabir had faith in horoscopes and lucky charms. He just didn't seem like that kind of guy.

"Was my grandmother's lucky charm when she used to play."

I remember how the little glossy pick felt under my hand. Though I panicked in between my performance and almost lost a few notes, making my band mates hastily cover up with a brand new interlude- I felt like I had something important in my hands.

It was weighing down on me the entire week, while I dusted it and stored it away in a little peppermint box. It had some emotional value attached to it.

Now, again I was feeling emotional alright. Just that it wasn't the same set of emotions this time.
I followed David into the field, lugging the dirty bag with me.
I noticed Kabir with his teammates, looking positively exhausted and his face was almost a shade of crimson indicating that he might have been practising in the sun for a while.

He beckoned one of his teammates and placed his hand over his shoulder while bending down to give him some express last-minute advice using his long fingers to elucidate his statement with some gestures.

Which I probably wouldn't know head or tail of, anyway because it was bound to be something about how he should whack the ball before it hits those stumps. 

Hitting on stumps,bad. Perfectly sure.

"Um, you'll go give this to your friend?" David asked and I stared at him silently, folding my arms over my chest.

"No."

"No?"

I remained stoic.

He sighed. "Fine then. There are a lot of volunteers to do this anyways."
He peered behind me and whistled lowly. "Tanya, babes--Just give this to our captain, will you?"

I watched a girl in a pencil skirt smile like she was in a toothpaste commercial and hook one of her fingers on the bag.

I watched in disbelief, listening to the slow stalking of her block heels as she reached her destination, dropping the satchel on the bench beside Kabir.

Kabir who was supposedly engaged in a hot conversation turned around and offered the brightest smile in the world before giving the girl a side-hug.

She clutched one of her perfectly manicured hands to her chest and let out a hearty laugh for no bloody reason. But maybe there was a reason.It just wasn't audible to me across the field.

David stood behind me, "So... What do you think of your friend's friend? Isn't she interesting?"

Well, damn him she actually was. She was one of the prettiest girls I'd seen.
Something else also was happening. I squinted and shielded my eyes from the evening Sun.

Damn, I should have got my emergency binoculars.

"Yes, she is. I mean, it's the twentieth century, There's..." I cleared my throat. "There's nothing wrong with having a female friend, is there?" I even let out a little dismissive sound that sounded artificial even to my ears.

"Of course. Twentieth-century and all."

"It's nice to see our friends socialising and everything, once in a while."

"Oh?"

I decidedly ignored the six-foot piece of shit and slumped down in a nearby plastic chair.

David handed me a little styrofoam cup to probably hold for emotional support. I looked down at the orangish cool drink and downed it in one go.

I watched the proceedings of the match in silence, ignoring the war cries from behind me. I didn't even have the tiniest idea which team was having the upper hand while David sat next to me looking absorbed in the game.

"What's happening?" I hollered over the noise.

"We need ten runs in three overs," David hollered back.

After a pause, I murmured, "Is that bad?"

"Uh, sort of. You don't get cricket?"

"Nope. It's Greek to me."

"Then why did you insist on coming with me?" David asked, still looking at the field.

I sighed. Yes, why? Mrs D'Souza was chill, but God knows what my mother will have to say when she hears that I went with a boy to the sports club to watch another boy playing cricket.

I unzipped my tote bag and gave David my steel tiffin box.

"Ooh, what have you got?" David was going to open the box.

".... For Kabir." I said and he stilled.

"Okkaay.What's in this?"

"I just got him some khakras and sweets. Because he's playing today."

David pursed his lips and leaned back in his chair.

"What?" I demanded.

He shook his head and smiled.

Sometime later, you could not be unaware to the ruckus in the field. The umpire was trying to keep the boys from the two teams from chewing off each other's heads.

David removed his shades, "He's unbelievable. That was bloody cheating!"

"What was?"

He ignored me and tucked his glasses in the collar of his shirt.

Kabir also looked pissed. A guy from the other team came forward and pushed him back and Kabir threw his bat on the ground. I watched as the boys were arguing and the other guy pushed Kabir back again.

I watched shell-shocked as Kabir held his collar and his fist came up and looked like it was going to connect with his face.

But Kabir's friends held him back and David was also calling out to him.

David was pushing past the benches in the gallery and I stalked behind him as well.
Kabir gestured to his teammates that he had calmed down and they let him go.

"Fucking pussy lost and now he wants to cry,"  The guy jeered.

Kabir just shook his head and turned away from him.
I was standing with David and Kabir wiped his face on his sleeve and turned to face us.

He noticed me and I didn't know how to react.

David patted Kabir's bicep. "You did well, man. We'll get back at those dogs in the championship."

Kabir broke his eye contact with me and looked at David, and his features hardened.

"What championship? I quit!" He unstrapped his glove hastily and tossed it away. "Let's go home."

"Kabir, yaar c' mon--"

"Please, I don't want to talk now," He mumbled under his breath.

His teammates were frozen in place, not knowing if he was emotionally compromised or he actually meant it.

He just pushed past the others towards the parking.

Some of the guys were still calling for him and I wondered if he would come back but his determined strides made me think otherwise.

I hesitated and then picked up Kabir's glove and backpack from the ground.

One of the guys grinned at me,
"So you're that girl in his colony?"

My eyebrows furrowed and his friend guffawed. "Don't make his girl mad bro. You won't get to see captain saab in the club again!"

I rolled my eyes at the cheeky faces and headed towards the parking.

The darkness of the evening had descended and I could make out the two lone figures near the car.

Kabir was leaning on the hood of the car, looking irritated and muttering something under his breath.

David held his shoulders, "Listen, you need to calm down, I knew that guy is a sick freak since last year. But I've never seen you like this. What on earth happened to you?"

Kabir combed his wavy hair back,"Listen, I don't want to talk now. Just drive me home."

"What about the season's match? Ritwik took you seriously! Don't tell me you're dropping out. If your team drops out, you know the consequences." David said.

Kabir sighed. "That ass made the deal. Not me. You know what, I don't want to be captain even. It doesn't matter."

"That is what he wants, that is what Javed wanted from the beginning. He knows it's getting to you! Come on man, just let it be. Now the situation is not favouring us. Let it go."

I opened the back of the car and deposited Kabir bag into it, listening to the conversation. I could grasp the fact that Javed was a rich brat playing opposite to Kabir who got his way almost all the time because his dad was apparently a big shot. But then, knowing Kabir, he would've got the knack of dealing with him two years back, when they made him captain. Why did he suddenly lose his cool then?

"Guys," I spoke softly and Kabir looked up at me as if he was seeing me for the first time, "All of them are looking over here and speculating at us, its better you have this conversation on the way home."

David sighed and looked from Kabir to me.

"Okay fine. You're right. Let's just get away from here."

Kabir opened the passenger door and slammed it behind him.

I was taken aback for a moment and then reached for the handle near the driver's seat.

David swatted my hand off and I looked at him questioningly.

"At the back!" He stage whispered.

"Why?"

"Just, please."

I hesitated. It has been a long time since I'd seen Kabir this upset and David was willingly letting me into the lion's den.

When we were kids, I knew that when Kabir got angry I have to hide behind mumma's pallu until it was a safe zone for my mortality. Even then I was bestowed with a bruised eye once.

Which for some weird reason I didn't mind also.Then.

Before I could protest, David ushered me into the back row. He pulled the handle and opened the door wide enough for an elephant to squeeze itself in.

Kabir was resting his elbow on the window and his head snapped up at me. He didn't have any semblance of emotion on his face.

I tucked my hair behind my ear and adjusted myself into the car.

David, looking self-pleased went over to the driver's seat.

I brought my tote bag forward into in my lap and straightened the crinkles on my skirt.

David's mobile which was lying on the holder began buzzing and broke the uncomfortable silence in the car.

He picked it up. "What, ma?----Oh, hi aunty,---Mom only sent us. ---No, we're near Choudhary Nagar---Yah, one sec--"

David passed the phone back.
"Your mum," He mouthed to me and I took the phone apprehensively.

I was screwed big time.

"Ma?"

" Whom did you ask and go with David?" -Came the not-so-friendly greeting. "What did I send you for today?"

I could hear a voice in the background. Mrs.D'Souza.Probably trying to prevent my mum from going bananas over the matter.

"I--just visited Nishika because she lives around here. Sanya told me she was sick--I told aunty and went--"

I could feel my companion's gazes in the car resting on me while my smooth lies layered one by one.

I was just praying that my mother wouldn't call up Sanya or Nishika. I muttered a little mantra in my head while my mother's voice lowered from a threatening tone to a more mediocre conversational one.

"What did she say?" My mother asked.

"W-who ma?"

"Your friend.About college admissions. Where is she going to join?"

"I didn't um, I don't remember."

"This is the important thing you should have discussed. That also you couldn't do. I don't know what world you're living in Shyla!"

I felt as if Kabir and David could hear my mother's voice in the dead silence of the car.

"I'll ask her, ma. I'll ask my friends. We applied together only."

"Okay, okay. Come fast home. Saloni is with you right?"

Bloody hell, didn't she know?

Before I could reply, Mrs D'Souza covered up for me, "Haan, let them come home first. We'll talk aaram se."

"Okay, come home." My mother said crisply and Mrs.D'Souza's calm voice hovered near the phone. "Give Dave the phone for a moment, will you? " My saviour said and I happily obliged.

"Hello? ----Yeah mom.Please!--Yeah, I'll bring your precious Shyla back home. Don't you worry.---Okay, fine bye."

Wow, Mrs D'Souza didn't even speak for a minute with her son. My mom took a minimum of fifteen minutes in general just to instruct me to keep the rest of the food in the fridge.

David tossed his phone on the nearby seat.

I turned to gaze at the beaming city lights coming in purview as the car sped over the bridge.

The tall brick-red building for Menaka Marriage cards flew past us and I wondered whether we had printed my sister's wedding cards yet.

"Accha, Shyla, give Kabir those snacks you brought specially for him," David's voice broke me out of my reverie.

I shot him a murderous look through the rearview and he gave me a dazzling Colgate audition smile.

He couldn't have picked a better moment.
My hands rigidly took my dabba out from my bag.

Kabir didn't even say anything. He probably would be internally wishing he could toss my stupid snacks into the Indian Ocean, going by his current mood.

Kabir looked at me blankly, clearly expecting me to say something.

I cleared my throat and fiddled with my bag strap. "Um, ya. I just got this because I remembered... You liked them last year when we visited the fair so, ..."

"Oh, the paper sweet, even I liked it, where's my share?" The smug voice from the driver's seat returned.

Seriously, what was he even trying?

"It's homemade, come home and try some when you can," I replied kindly.

"Why didn't you get me now, I'm asking. You got only for him."

My kindness vaporised.

David and Siya enjoyed life just poking me once in a while, just because I snap back at them and they found it amusing.

I turned away to the window.I'm going to be unresponsive for a change. 

"Why?" Kabir half-whispered but I heard it anyway and I turned to face him. "Why did you come for the match today?"

"Er, Siya told me to tell her how your match went."

"Siya, is it?"

"Yeah."

"Tell Siya I thanked her for taking the pain to know about the match then. Without aunty knowing and all.."

"Er, yes."

The familiar cream and brown building came into view.
The guard saluted at us and the vehicle zoomed in.

I was waiting for David to stop so that I can burst out of the car before my mother sees us or vice versa.

David slowed the car in the shadows of the flat association and I descended out.

"Okay,I have my commitments now. Have a house party to give my attendance in...Kabir?"

"No, you go ahead. Enjoy yourself," Kabir said, "Just don't get too tipsy to drive back."

David waved his hand in a dismissive gesture. "Yeahhh, okay bro. Take care," He looked at me, "Shyla,I want my paper sweet next time, and take care...Of everything," He spoke with a sardonic tilt of his lips.

I smiled, "Shut up. Have fun at the party."

The red taillights of his car awoke as he zoomed off into the dark.

I noticed that Kabir and I were standing at the same place as yesterday.

"I don't want to make you uncomfortable but it looks like I do that often anyway. I can be... Friends as we are.It's okay."

He just looked into the distance as if he was lost and I observed him spacing out.

Unthinkingly, I placed my hand on his arm, "Kabir, is everything okay? You can tell me."

He looked down at my hand on his arm and then at me.

My hand released his arm and was hanging gingerly in the air, but then I saw his expression, contrasting to how he was in the car, he looked genuinely troubled.

I slowly placed my hand on his back in a soothing gesture.

"Tell me, it looks like this is not your problem. It's something else, isn't it?" The words tumbled out instinctively.

Kabir looked taken aback for a moment.

"What?"

He sighed and looked away. "It's just...." He paused and combed his hair through his fingers and his mouth moved as if he was going to say something. Then he hesitated, "Not now. Aunty is waiting for you. Don't get scoldings unnecessarily. Go home."

And he turned his back to me and was walking away.

I watched him walk back to his block and I slung my bag on my shoulder and headed towards mine.

Maybe, I was overthinking it. Could be he was just pissed with Javed and on top of that, there was myself and my mother's wonderful drama in the car to irritate him further...

"Shyla!" I heard my name and squinted my eyes above me and focused on our balcony where my mother was standing with a grim expression.

I squinted because my building was already decorated with strings of bright yellow fairy lights.

I managed a bright smile, "I'm coming, mumma."

She gave a brisk nod and glanced down at her wristwatch. It was probably past my curfew time.

Still, with artificial enthusiasm, I ventured up the stairs, skipping two at a time.

My relatives were at home and my mom's disciplinary nature had to be more simmered down around them.

 That is consolation enough for me.