I had texted Jaspreet about cancelling the shopping plan in the mall because of the trip and her reply oddly came after a day- Going with Anthony? Have fun.

I immediately responded a yes, slipped the phone in my pocket and kept the trolley bag against the wall, ringing the bell to Lila's apartment. I didn't realise when I had acquired the annoying habit of cracking knuckles from Anthony, but I couldn't refrain from doing that now. I applied pressure on my shoes to stop my feet from bouncing as I waited restlessly for someone to open the door. Maybe, I could just turn back and go home, telling my mother that they had left without me. But that pertinacious woman would probably drag me to Tarkali herself, lecturing all the way about how I slept like Kumbhkaran.

The door opened and loud, frolicsome music blasted- I recognised the song instantly- Ik Junoon from Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara (the only bollywood movie that Lila ever liked). Lila was right in front of me, dressed in grey sweatpants and a taffy pink tank-top. Whenever the lyrics came to "ooh-ah" bit, she lipsynced in an exaggerated way towards the ceiling. She threw her arms and legs out at "ooh" and brought them back in at "ah" as if she was doing some PE exercise. But unlike PE exercises, she was brimming with joy and I didn't feel agitated anymore.

"Sorry, the music is so loud. She just doesn't listen to me," her mother spoke with a smile, not affected by the music at all and I had to stoop down to hear her. She was wearing a blue midi-dress with flowers on the slightly puffed sleeves and had dark red lipstick on (I had never seen her bare lips). When I stooped to her height level, I could see her thick gold hoop earrings with little diamonds dangling from the curvy swing.

Suddenly, Lila's eyes connected to mine and she excitedly did a little wiggle and her mother and I both facepalmed, smiling and chuckling at the floor.

"She's so happy to go somewhere! She has been complaining all the time that she's stuck at home. She makes it sound like living with me is a torture." She laughed good-naturedly at her own joke and before I could contradict her and tell her that Lila loved her the most, she continued, "She wouldn't let go of me till I convinced your mother to send you on this trip. She said something like, if Tulsi isn't going then I'm not. You know how stubborn she can be at times. She really loves you."

"What?"

"The music is too loud, right?" She marched towards the speakers to lower the volume, but mid-way, Lila micheviously caught her hands and spun her around, making her laugh. "You trouble me so much! Go trouble Tulsi, I need to call Manu to pick you both up. Then I can finally be at peace."

Lila's eyes flashed to me and with an impish grin, she crept towards me and I vigorously shook my head. "No, no, no, no. I'm very tired, Lila. I barely slept last night."

She shouted over the music, "Why? Were you excited like me?"

"No, I was helping my mother pack the chaklis and banana chips for my relatives and us---"

"Blah, blah, blah, blah!" And she retreated back on the undesignated dance floor to recommence her PE exercise when suddenly, she stopped shaking her body.

Her father entered like a dark, grey cloud in a warm afternoon sky, the upbeat music now sounding hollow, foolish and devoid of any meaning like honking in a deserted street. Lila nonchalantly walked to the speaker and switched it off, the house turning eerily silent. Even her mother who had stalked off to the bedroom peeped outside, sensing a shift of mood in the atmosphere.

Her father was wearing a grey dress shirt and black trousers, his handsome features resembling Lila's. In spite of his tall and athletic build, there was nervousness in his dark eyes that made him appear meeker than he was, but no less frightening since he had the capability to draw attention to himself and make the onlooker feel uneasy. The presence of the two bubbly women in his life- Lila and her mother further caused him to stand out like a kangaroo in the streets of mumbai. Absurd.

Suddenly, my Samsung ringtone shrieked throughout the house as I fumbled in retrieving my phone. I couldn't fathom why my hands were trembling. It wasn't as if I was in a temple, hospital, library or someone's funeral. It should have been okay for my phone to ring, yet before picking it up, I murmured an apology without meeting anyone's curious gazes.

I heard Pavitra's demanding voice, "Hey! Aai said you took my---"

"I swear to God, Pavitra, I have my own clothes. I didn't take any of yours so stop calling me. You're irritating me." It was only after I had cut the call that I realised Lila's family could hear even my whispers. I again apologised to their peculiar stares. "Sorry, it's just my sister- what?"

Lila had thoughtlessly snatched my phone. "You need a cooler ringtone. I can't believe that's what you have kept."

"Uh-I didn't bother changing it."

"I'm doing it," she declared and proceeded to click something on my phone screen which I couldn't see.

"Manu has arrived. He's waiting downstairs," Lila's mother said, brushing past us and clicking on the elevator button. Her father dutifully carried Lila's two duffle bags which had quirky, colourful sunglasses and hats printed on them. When he followed his wife, I could get a whiff of his woody cologne, what Lila used too.

I was about to enter the elevator after Lila's parents with my trolley bag when I felt a light tap on my shoulder.

"We'll take the stairs, come," Lila urged, leaving my bag inside with her parents and handing my phone to me. I felt her hand absently hold mine and when I took an uncertain glimpse of her, she was grinning at her slightly befuddled parents. "Let's see who reaches downstairs first!"

Before the elevator door closed, Lila dragged me towards the stairs and I could hear her mother , "Be careful!"

"This is stupid. We can't beat them seven floors down." I huffed after Lila and instead of descending the stairs, she entered the fifth floor. "What-what are you doing?"

She was about to press the elevator button. "Remember what I did with you before?"

Recollecting that when Lila had participated in this race some months ago with me in the elevator, she had cheekily pressed the elevator buttons of all the floors so that she could win. "Lila no---"

"Come on!" After having done the imprudent deed in the speed of lightning, she pulled me back towards the stairs.

I saw her wavy hair sway in childish exhilaration before me and when she scampered to the fourth floor, I quickly caught up with her. "No! Your parents will be so mad at you! You can't do this again!" I was breathing heavily as I cornered her near the elevator buttons and pinned her right wrist to the wall. Her wrist felt fragile like a twig as I tightened my hold, feeling the rise of her bluish veins which were like the strings of a guitar. Her face illuminated only by the blue light of the elevator buttons appeared smaller in the darkness and she wasn't grinning anymore. My loud breathing embarrassed me and I tried my hardest to regain my composure by holding my breath. But her passive, almost grave expression made me stammer, "You-you should stop. Manu is waiting too."

"Nu-huh," she whispered with the faintest smile, the 'huh' sounding like a quiet sigh. And with her other free hand that I had forgotten about, she triumphantly slapped the button. In the span of a tiny moment where I was left flabbergasted, she absconded to the stairwell and I followed her helplessly.

To my utmost relief, she was confident that we would win the race so she didn't further harass her parents by pressing the elevator buttons of each floor. And she made it a point to stand right outside the elevator once we arrived downstairs, to flaunt her victory by first doing a "boo" to her unsuspecting parents (her mother humorously acted to be shocked and her father stood awkwardly with his hands in his pockets) then she burst out giggling with her soft head on my shoulder.

Our journey commenced with Manu, Lila and I on our way to pick up the boys and when Manu offered to play music on the radio, Lila astonishingly declined. That had been so unlike her. But I understood why the second I felt my phone ringing in my pocket and sending jolts of electric excitement through my thighs- the lyrics of Ik Junoon causing Lila to explode in a mini dance and wave her phone in front of my face which she used to call me. Lila connecting to Tulsi.

* * *

Glossary :

Kumbhakaran- younger brother of Ravana who slept for six months and when he awoke, he ate everything in the vicinity.

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