Riya

The blue color spread slowly as I moved my brush carefully across the paper. I waited for it to dry a bit and sipped my tea. The clock on the wall read 12:30. It was too late. But I loved painting at night. The inviting silence begged me to pour everything on the paper. The search for the meaning of aesthetics led me down the rabbit hole of Greek and I had an urge to paint the beauty that was Santorini.

I was at my Aunt's as all of them were out. I had the task of opening the gate when Dhruv came home and lying to his parents about when he did. I picked up the brush again adding the last bit of details with slow hands, dabbing the pink to give life to the bougainvillea flowers. The silence of the house was broken by the doorbell and I flinched. The pink bled onto the blue. I tried cleaning it up while cursing Dhruv and his antics.

Opening the door I was ready to give him a piece of my mind. But Dhruv was too sloshed to even know who opened the door.

"Riyaaaaa" Or maybe he did know who opened the door.

His one hand was on Abhay's shoulder which held Dhruv from falling. I stepped aside, not looking at Abhay. I expected he knew where Dhruv's room was. But the problem remained. He reeked.

I followed them both to their room.

"You smell," I said entering the room.

"He passed out." It was Abhay.

Realization dawned on me. I was alone in the room with an unknown guy in the middle of the night and my dumb cousin was sprawled on his bed drunk. I clenched my teeth and walked towards the bathroom. Opening the tap, I filled the bucket with cold water and carried it to his room in a rage.

If he was drunk, I was also drunk. On anger.

I dumped it all over him.

"What the fuck!" He woke up with a jolt, ready to murder someone. "Ah! It's you." Then went back to sleep?

My anger evaporated at his absurdity and I stood like a duck with a bucket in my hand contemplating my life.

"I don't think water will work on him." Abhay drawled in his husky voice and I flinched. I immediately wished to go back to a time when I forgot he existed. Now he was going to tell me what worked on my brother. Who did he think he was? 

"His parents will get angry." I kept the bucket down, not turning around.

"And?" He raised his eyebrows and it pissed me off.

He turned around when I didn't respond.

Don't say it. Don't say it.

"He wasn't like this." he stopped, the implication clear in my voice. "Any parent will be angry and hurt seeing their kid in this sorry state."

"What are you trying to say?" he said, his hand in his pockets.

"That you are a bad influence." What was I doing?

"Is he a kid? Did I force him to drink? Did I dunk his head in the booze?" he titled his head. The whole facade of calmness became unsettling.

"No, you didn't. But you also know you're the reason he's doing all this." Why was I bickering with a person in the middle of the night? Stop talking.

"Am I? Fine, I guess I am the reason. What are you gonna do about it?" His clenched jaw vanished as soon as it came. Or was I imagining it?

"Not me. You're the one who's going to stop all the-"

"No, I won't." He smiled which didn't reach his eyes. "Let's see how many times you'll jump in between fights." Then he turned around and walked out before I could say something.

"Close the door." He called out.

My anger started vanishing and I looked at the culprit of it all whose light snoring was the only thing audible. I just hoped that I didn't start something that I would regret later. His threats held no tightness. It felt as if he had mentioned tomorrow's weather. But I wasn't going to take it lightly. Maybe I really should've stayed away.

I looked at the snoring face of Dhruv, my resolve strengthening. We all did stupid stuff for our families. Because we cared.

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"Wow, what a bitch!" Exclaimed Ruhi munching on the pizza that we ordered for us.

I was sprawled over Sia's bed. It was our mandatory weekend meetup and she was telling them about the things that happened during the week. My eyes fell on the curtain wrapped around her bed with fairy lights. Sia was a fashion student and an assistant to a renowned designer. She had been into sewing and fashion since she was a kid.

"I know, right? What kind of demon-esque person does that? I made everything from scratch. I sewed so many beads on that dress that I have nightmares that I'm drowning in it. And now she doesn't want it? What the fuck, dude!" Sia rambled on as I got up and picked up another slice of cheese and corn.

"Did your boss take your side?" I asked.

"No, she fucking didn't. She scolded me in front of that demon. Then she had the audacity to say that things like this happen. We have to learn how to deal with it. Take my side for fuck's sake. It was clearly the customer's fault that she changed her mind last minute. I'm never going back to work again."

"She's one of the best. You'll have to go back. Her connections have given you so much opportunity." Ruhi stated, the voice of reason in our group.

Sia groaned and screamed into her pillow. "Leave it. What's happening in your life? Did you at least go on a date?" she asked Ruhi who continued eating her pizza.

"No one's datable." was her curt reply. Ruhi was studying economics and according to her, no one was interesting enough to date ....or even talk. Or maybe she was still hung up on him, who shall not be named.

I looked at Sia, hoping she would drop it but she narrowed her eyes instead.

"You promised you would at least go on some dates."

"As I said, no one caught my eye. Riya is also single. Why don't you think about her?" I glared at Ruhi for bringing me into this.

Sia was in a happy relationship and she wanted us to be in one too.

"I'm not done with you," she glared at Ruhi and turned towards me. "What's going on in your college? Any poets or writers?" The twinkle in her eyes scared me.

"Uhh...no. There's no poet or writer. I'm perfectly fine single."

"You guys are so boring."

"Are you and Dhruv talking?" Ruhi asked. It made me remember the night he came home drunk and the fight that happened the next day between him and his parents.

"Yeah...we're fine." I narrated the whole scenario and the fight.

"Wait. So the guy doubled down? I'm not liking his attitude. What the fuck!" Sia exclaimed.

"Did he do anything?" Ruhi asked and I shook my head.

"It's been a few days. Everything's been quiet. I didn't even see him around."

"I hope he was bluffing or something. I have decided not to interact with him. I'll talk to Dhruv if he gets into something."

"When are you going to leave him be?" Ruhi asked.

"I can not leave him if he's spiraling down. You don't abandon your family."

They were quiet for a while. Sia sighed, "Let her be roo. We can not stop her once she makes up her mind."

It seemed Ruhi wanted to continue but she chose otherwise. "Fine. But if the guy says something, call us."

"Yes ma'am. I will."

"Good. It's movie time." Sia screamed and jumped from her bed, probably looking for a laptop. The topic was forgotten, for now.