Song attached: Just the way you are by Bruno Mars.

Totally unedited. I'm a little sick today so I wrote this with a dizzy head. Bare with me.

                                           s i x t e e n

                                                 [ d o n ' t   l o v e   y o u   t o o]

Kiranya's father didn't utter a single word as he stood there, watching us. I was the first one to get up and greet him. He grunted a response which I decided to translate as 'nice to meet you too, kid' in my mind.

Kiranya didn't look at him, pretending like he didn't exist and I wanted to bang my head on the nearest wall. She was just making things much difficult. Her father's eyes narrowed his eyes at her.

"Kiranya," he called.

Her face remained as passive as ever. His face remained as passive as ever. But both their eyes cringed. Having spent almost all my time with this girl for the past few months made the glaring discomfort hard to not notice. And since it was evident that mastering the art of stoicism was something Kiranya learnt from her father, it wasn't tough to read him too.

"What's this?" he asked with a hiss.

Kiranya gave a lazy shrug and her father's eyebrows twitched a millimeter. I wanted to shout at her.

"Answer me when I'm talking to you."

His jaws clenched and he tightened his fist. A vein popped up above his temple. He wouldn't die of high blood pressure, would he?

Kiranya scoffed. "And when did you start wanting to hear me talk?"

For a second, a millisecond, his eyes lost their scathing intensity and his jaw slacked.

"Kiranya, I'm your father."

She fake applauded, pulling the attention of the few customers from the nearby tables. My face burned.

"Thanks for reminding me that I'm not an orphan."

"Kiranya—"  I started.

"You stay out of this!" She jabbed a finger at me and my words died in my throat.

There was an inferno storming behind her onyx eyes. Redness crept up her face. Her nose flared and for a second, even her eyes seemed red. I staggered a step back. Her eyes flickered for a second but as if that moment of clearance hadn't happened, she took her belongings and stormed out of the room. Few whispers followed her departure.

Kiranya's father simply stood there for a second, his head lowered to a few degrees. My eyes trailed over his clenched fists and slackened shoulders.

"Uncle," I started but with a curt nod thrown my way, he followed his daughter and left the room leaving me as the prey for judgmental eyes ready for juicy gossip.

Not wanting to disturb my parents asking them to pick me again, I called the only other number I've come to trust.

Yuvan picked up at the third ring. "Varun?"

I rubbed the back my neck. "You think you could come to that pizza, cake place right now? And, uh... bring some cash."

*

*

*

I didn't know if Yuvan's eyes drilled holes in the back of my head but I could feel like something evil was fondling me with it's poisoned talons.

"You shouldn't be using those words when I saved your rear there," he grumbled from behind.

"What words?"

"Poisoned talons."

"Oh god, again?"

I could almost see him nod, a smirk playing in his lips. "Again."

I heard mild shuffling and a moment later, Yuvan plopped on the bed, face forward beside me. "Move aside," he mumbled, kicking me and with an eye roll, I scampered up, leaving him plenty of space.

He continued boring his eyes into me and though I squirmed, that guy heeded no attention and continued with his let's-stare-down-Varun-to-death thing.

"Just ask what happened dammit! You're being creepy."

Yuvan gave an unamused look. "But I read this chick help book days back and there, they said, and I quote, 'let your friends open up to you' so that's what I'm doing."

I gave him a concerned look. "You read a help book for girls?"

"Yeah."

"And I'm your friend?"

"Yeah."

"Are you drunk?"

"Not this early in the day."

"Okay."

He yawned before giving me a pointed look. I laughed. "I think the book asked you to wait for your friends to open up. Not force them to spit their darkest secrets by glaring at them."

Yuvan tried to shrug but with his lying posture, it looked more like a shoulder twitch. "This is how my eyes normally look."

A mischievous grin made its way on my face. "You practised it in front of the mirror."

"No."

"Yes."

"No."

"Yes."

He ran a hand through his curly hair, making him look more lanky and boyish. "Maybe?"

I punched the side of his stomach. "Girls dig it!" he said defensively and I punched him again making him hiss in pain. He swatted my fisted hand away and buried his face in the pillow.

"Kiranya would beat you in a creepy staring match any day. Can't impress her with that."

I was expecting him to stick his tongue out and mutter something about how he can simply make her fall for him with a wink since they knew each other from their diaper days. I seriously did. But no sound came from his buried face.

Maybe he died of suffocation?

Nah, he loves his life too much.

The silence dragged. "Yuvan..?"

Some incoherent mumbled response came. I kicked him at the side of his stomach and this time, he snapped at me, with a death glare. But the glare quickly melted into a resigned look.

"I don't like her like that."

I scoffed. "Yeah, yeah, you don't like her like that at all and that's wh..." my voice faltered when his sentence played back in my mind again.

It didn't sound like all those times he told them to me. Defensive, angry, tinged with jealousy, possessive but affectionate. Now it sounded empty. Hollow and sad.

"Yuvan—"

"I never liked her like that, Varun."

His eyes pierced mine and there was silent pleading in them.

I accepted weakly. "Of course you didn't."

He shot me a small smile before groaning exasperated. "That help book sucks! By now, you should've told me what happened."

My laugh sounded watery and fake but still, we both pretended as if we both were alright, as if he hadn't given up his years of love or me, being as confused as ever.

*

*

*

"Don't screw up," Yuvan said, glancing at the house behind me. A house I knew all too well.

"I won't."

"Don't die of hypothermia."

"I won't, mother."

He hit the back of my head before hopping into his motorcycle.

"I don't love you."

I laughed. "Don't love you too."

With that loving parting message, he drove off, leaving me in from of Kiranya's house. Lights lighted her living room and Kiranya's room, to which, I have never been.

I leaned on the tree, a little away from her house, trying to remain unseen in the darkness. Rubbing my hands together, I tried to cocoon into the little warmth my flimsy sweatshirt provided. My town wasn't one of the best examples for the tropical climate India was known for. It was more on the chilly side. And with the night settling in, my frozen fingers felt like they were about to fall off. Even a visible puff came when I breathed out.

It was a quiet night.

Like nights when families would be having a family night, with dinner in the living room, the T.V. blaring something and though no one pays any attention to it, there's something to talk and laugh about. My mother and father always had work. But they always tried to make me happy, turning every moment we shared a family night. They were the best.

No laughs or T.V. sound came from Kiranya's living room.

I puffed out another breath, rubbing my hands across the sides of my torso, trying to stay warm. My phone beeped, distracting me from the cold.

If you don't reply to this message, I'll assume you've died of hypothermia — Y

                                                     sent 8:47 PM.

I laughed and another puff escaped from my mouth.

Aww look who's worried. Don't worry, love of your life is alive in all his stunning glory, curly octopus ;) — V

                                               Sent 8:48 PM.

A car honked in the distance but when I looked, it wasn't Kiranya's father.

You cocky punk. Hope you die -__- — Y

                                                 Sent 8:49 PM.

Denial is the first signs of acceptance ;) — V

                                                 Sent 8:50 PM.

Who said anything about denying? — Y

                                                Sent 8:51 PM.

So, you accept you've a crush on me, eh? ;) ;) — V

                                                Sent 8:52 PM.

-.- I seriously hope you die. Or better, killed by Kiranya's father — Y

                                                 Sent 8:53 PM.

Another horn sounded and this time, when I glanced up, a familiar car was about to park in front of a familiar house.

If I don't reply by 10, then you can sleep assured that your wish had been granted. See ya — V

                                                Sent 8:54 PM.

Slipping the phone into my pocket, I jogged to the car. Kiranya's father hadn't noticed me as he stepped out of the driver side. He looked more tired than ever. He cast a look at the house, his lips, a tight line. Before I could call out to him, his eyes snapped to mine.

There was no confusion or surprise there when he noticed me. This kind of self control really creeped me out. But swallowing the uneasiness, I cleared my throat.

Well, here goes nothing.

"Good evening," I said as cheerfully as possible.

His game face was on, guarded, that it seemed impossible to penetrate.

He clicked his tongue, no traces of former friendliness in his eyes. "Too late for evening."

I cursed internally, running a hand through my already messed up hair. I coughed, trying to mask off the embarrassment and to drown the growing blush but a steady rosy red painted my face.

"I lost my watch," I said, shuffling my feet, "thought it was six."

Thought it was six? Seriously? You're going to make your company go bankrupt with that mouth of yours!

His face showed no traces of anything, but something cracked in his eyes. A glint. Tiny amusement.

Maybe I can survive this by being myself.

You mean by humiliating yourself?

If you put it like that, then yeah.

Kiranya's father's eyes ran over my whole form, taking in everything as if I was some infected plant that needed to be taken care so that the rest of the plants in the plantation doesn't get infected too. His eyes halted in my red ears.

"Come inside," he said, "you look like you could do with some hot tea." He sounded gruff, but even though it might have been my imagination, inside that gruffiness was a sort of stubborn care.

I smiled.

Not knowing whether Kiranya had informed him about my stays in his house, I tried to keep my reaction as neutral as possible as he led me to the living room.

"Wait here."

He gestured to the huge sofa opposite to the T.V. and started for the kitchen. I looked around, trying to find traces of Kiranya but there was none. Maybe she really was intent in staying at her room.

I heard the clatter of utensils being moved and an exasperated sigh now and then. And hearing that, I don't know why but I felt my lips perking up. I might or might not have tiptoed to the kitchen, to find the older man bent over, searching in the lower cabinets. The stove was on with the kettle on.

"Where the hell is the tea leaves?" he hissed.

"Upper second cabinet."

The words were out of my mouth before I could stop. I bit my tongue, slapping myself mentally. So much for being 'neutral.'

Kiranya's father's shoulders jerked and he snapped around. Almost defensively, he stretched up and opened the cabinet and there, to ruin my life, the container with the tea leaves which I used to make tea for both Kiranya and me was there.

"How do you know?" He clearly sounded accusatory.

Oh well, Yuvan, your wish is going to be granted real soon.

"Uh..." My hand shot up and with zero coordination, my fingers were scratching my forehead, pointing at the cabinets, pinching my nose, jerking it at something behind me, waving the air in front of me and lot more gestures simultaneously as I wracked my brain for an excuse.

Her father followed my every move. "Yes?"

"It's the common place where every homemaker keeps tea leaves?"

Shit. It didn't even sound like a statement!

"You're terrible at lying, kid."

"I'm not ly—"

He shushed me. "It's okay. Just go wait in the living room." His eyes trained on me were sombre, reminding me of a certain person's eyes which used to give me the creeps.

I nodded frantically before returning to my spot on the sofa, this time, not wandering off to any part of the house.

Kiranya's father came back about five minutes later. He placed a steaming cup of tea in front of me and taking his, sat in front of me. I felt his eyes on me and I gulped. It wouldn't take Einstein to figure out that he was studying me.

"The tea will get cold. Drink up."

Poison sounded tasty hearing his comment. I nodded again and took the cup in my hands, it's tip touching my lips. Instead of sipping, the hare brain in me gulped down the hot liquid, effectively burning my tongue.

"Hot. Hot. Hot."

I almost dropped the cup as I fanned my tongue. Kiranya's father's stance didn't change as he continued looking at me. Seriously, was this man the friendly, melancholic dude I met before?

"Careful," he said.

I swallowed back a sarcastic comment (which was a very unlikely thing since I never get sarcastic with anyone, leaving out Kiranya), I continued sipping my tea, feeling nothing other than my burnt tongue.

Like those posh gentlemen in old English movies who looked like there's always a ramrod stuck to their back, we both drank our tea in silence. If there had been cigarette smoke, it would have looked like a 19th century English parlour with those moustached, fat men.

When it got very silent (which was enough to even make me feel uncomfortable), he cleared his throat.

"Don't your parents worry about your whereabouts? It's close to nine thirty."

I answered him truthfully. "They are fully aware of where I am and what I'm doing, and since they know I'll be safe here, they aren't worried."

The man flinched. "Okay."

He swallowed, keeping his cup on the coffee table. "So..." he started, "when did you both started doing... t—this, you know, dating?"

This time, I flinched. I felt that annoying blush grow again and I shook my head. "No, no, nonononono. No. You totally misunderstood, uncle. We're just friends."

"You want me to believe that?"

"Uncle—"

"Yeah, how would you believe if you don't even know me, let alone have trust in me?"

Both our heads snapped to the owner of the interruption. Kiranya stood there in her bad dressing taste, a huge button down covering her torso and sweatpants double her size hanging on her hips.

She slowly walked towards us. I glanced at her father. There were too many emotions there. Shock, shame... something like regret.

"How would you know when you barely come home?" She continued. "Why are you acting like a protective father when you've stopped being one years ago?"

With each question, her father looked worse and worse.

"Kiranya—"

"Don't!" she hissed, "don't you dare use my name when for these past years, all you've ever called me was pest, nuisance and someone who didn't deserve to inherit everything you earned."

Her father slumped back, heaving hard. Sweat beaded down his forehead. I shot up from my seat, running towards him. His heavy breaths continued.

"Get him some water!"

Kiranya remained unmoved.

"Get some!" I shouted and this time, I heard her walk off. A moment later, a glass of water was shoved before me and I made her father drink small gulps.

"Uncle, are you okay?"

He gave a weak nod before burying his face in hands. "How many times should I have to apologise to you, Kiranya?"

"Will apologising bring my mother back?"

Her father let out a moan and I resisted my urge to close my ears. It was too painful. Filled with so much agony, guilt and regret. He gave a resigned sigh, putting his head in his hands. I felt like I was violating something by witnessing this private conversation. I squirmed in discomfort.

"Should we talk about this in front of Varun?"

"You still care about dignity?"

Kiranya's voice was icy, hate lacing every inch of it. I turned to her and said, "I really should get going. It's almost ten after all."

Both father and daughter uttered nothing. I felt empty as I walked myself to the gates.

"Varun?"

I halted and looked over my shoulder. Kiranya's father looked ten years older as he leaned against the front door, trying to balance himself. The lines and laugh marks on his face looked more prominent. The sweat make him look more like a zombie with his pale, blood drained face. The porch light hanging above his head just added to the ghastly effect.

"Uncle?"

He opened his mouth but snapped it shut. He shook his head, a hallow half smile on his face, eyes so dead and lacklustre that I wondered if there was any soul left inside him.

"Good night."

Do you want to fly? he said and I looked back at him wild eyed.

Yes, I said squealing and he laughed before lifting me and spinning me above his head.

I swallowed, looking at the sturdy shoulders that once used to balance both Kiranya and me with ease on each side. It looked slackened.

"Good night, uncle."

I was almost to the gates when I stopped and looked over my shoulders again. He was still there, a lost look on his face.

"And uncle?"

"Yes?"

"If I ever feel like asking Kiranya to be mine, you'll be the first one to know."

~✩~✩✩~✩~

I liked Yuvan and Varun's text session. I don't know about you :P

Thoughts about the chapter? What do you think will happen in the future chapters? I don't think the chapters will be full on light hearted anymore.

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