The next day, being one of those lazy-during-Sunday families, my mom and I have a brunch with my family at grandparents' and I spend time with my brothers when suddenly, the doorbell rings.

My brothers and I race to see who it is. I reach the door first and see a somewhat familiar—but I can't exactly point it out—girl about Ajay's age sporting a huge smile just as she catches sight of me.

"Vicky?" She exclaims, her smile growing wider.

"I'm sorry, I don't remem—" I'm cut off as she tackles me in a bear hug.

Ajay and Shravan reach us and Ajay suddenly exclaims, "Rita!"

Pulling away, I ask her, "Rita? My dame-in-cotton-armor Rita?"

Scowling, she lightly slaps me and we lead her in.

"How many times have I told you not to call me that?"

"That ain't gonna stop me and you know it." I wink and continue, "So, how're you? It's been long."

"I'm good kid, how're you? Any new boy? What happened to Ved?" She wiggles her eyebrows.

We reach our parents and grandparents and they talk for some time about how Rita is and that they missed her while she was away.

Then, Shravan pulls her to us and we talk for some time, catching up with each other and I didn't miss the lovesick puppy glances Ajay would send Rita which sometimes she would catch and blush.

Ugh, why can't these two kiss and marry and have babies?

Because they're considerate enough to not make me an aunt during my teenager days, thank you very much.

"So, any interests? Ved?" Rita bumps her shoulders with mine.

"Yes and No."

"What do you mean?" She asks, confused.

"I mean that I do have a boyfriend but not Ved." I say, earning knowing looks from Shravan and Ajay.

"Uh-huh. And who's this boyfriend of yours? Don't tell me it's Dean Winchester or so help me god—"

"No, no. An actual boyfriend. Nikhil."

"Oh the one who's 'the best best-friend you could ever ask for'? Or at least that's what you said during one of our calls? I thought you guys were like brother and sister or something?" She questions skeptically.

I wrinkle my nose and reply, "Nope. We're official now and Ved and I are good friends too."

I leave out Ved's sexuality because it was not my place to tell anyone about it.

"They've even said the L word." Shravan butts in.

Rita gives me an impressed nod while I mutter in embarrassment, "He hasn't."

Thankfully, no one heard me and Rita commented, "I was rootin' for you and Ved though..."

I wrinkle my nose again and shake my head.

"How's your Pa? Still on board a ship?"

A foggy lump forms in my throat and I swallow hard before replying, "He's no more."

Rita gives a confused look and frowns once realization dawns. She looks at Ajay questioningly and they whisper something as Rita grimaces with glossed eyes.

Giving me a tight hug, she rocks me while I awkwardly pat her back, my mind going back to the funeral.

But I push the grim thoughts away with one thing on my mind.

If at all my dad had seen me like this, he would've slapped my back and said something like "Come on kiddo, get your shit together! And don't you dare tell your Ma that I swore in front of you."

That thought brought a sad smile on my face and I pulled away from Rita and then we started talking about anything and everything but they were cautious to let my dad out of the topics.

Rita went to the restroom and my brothers and I thought of a quick race.

Shravan went first—he wins his race—and then I take his place in front of the computer.

Strings of unheard, untold, unbearable and unpleasant curses come out of my mouth as the computer glitches in between and before I could gain control of the game, the other car zooms past mine, making Shravan to groan in annoyance from beside me.

"Motherfucking dickhead! Son of a bitch that piece of sh—"

"Whoa, whoa, tone it down Vicky, where's Ajay by the way?" Shravan remarks.

That brings me out of my anger and I look around to see that Ajay was nowhere inside this room.

Shravan and I get out of the room and hear some muffled sounds from the direction where there is a small hallway that leads to the bathroom which Shravan and Ajay share.

Both of us stick to the wall and slowly walk to the hallway, trying to make least possible noise.

We turn to the hallway and I immediately place my palms on Shravan's eyes, blocking the sight.

"You guys are not making babies here right?" I hiss at the two figures tangled with each other but they suddenly pull away at my comment.

"And you do know that I saw Jay and Rita kissing like, just before you blinded my eyes right?" Shravan huffs out.

Seeing that there is no use, I pull my hands away muttering, "Sorry Shrav."

I turn back to glare at Ajay and he lifts his hands innocently, exclaiming, "We just made out!"

"Yeah sure, why don't you announce that to the whole wide world? People can't hear you, it seems." I say sarcastically.

Ajay just rubs his neck while Rita still stands there blushing.

"So, you guys are a thing or what?" Shravan asks.

"Uh— um...I—" Rita stutters while Ajay puts a comforting hand around her shoulder.

"We are not. Yet." Ajay replies, stressing the last word that made a shy smile spread on Rita's face as she kept looking at the floor.

Probably looking at an interesting molecule and thinking about naming it, just like you did too.

Not my finest moment.

Shravan rolls his eyes while muttering something about 'it's pointless' and 'propose already' but then our parents call us so we go out to see that they had set up a movie and they tell us to join if we want to watch.

Like we'll miss that chance.

Ajay and Rita snuggle as much as they can without looking suspicious and I sit in the other side of Rita so that even if they looked suspicious, it would appear as if I was the one crushing them together and Shravan sits beside me, laying his head on my lap.

In between, Ajay leaves for a snack refill and I take my chance.

Leaning in towards Rita, I whisper in a cold voice, "Don't you dare think of hurting my brother, or so help me god if I gut you with a rusted, hot hacksaw!"

She looks horrified for a second before bursting into silent chuckles.

"And here I thought you were gonna gush about your brother and I getting together like all the sisters!"

"Am I happy? Yes. But I'm just protective too; guess I got that from these two dumbasses..." I shrug.

"Well, then I'd like to assure you that I'd help you with 'gutting me with a rusted, hot hacksaw' if I ever hurt your brother." She smiles while air-quoting my statement.

"Good, because I don't want blood on my hands." I joke with a grin and we both share a laugh while she mutters something like 'never change'.

Ajay returns to his place and raises his eyebrows at our exchange to which we just shake our heads innocently and get back to the movie.

After the movie ends, my mom reminds me to call my music teacher and inform her that I won't be attending music class till my finals end so I bid farewell to the others and go to my house for my phone and call her.

I inform her and she replies with an 'okay' and wishes me luck for my finals before hanging up.

Suddenly the doorbell rings and I go to the front door and open it

"Hello ma'am! May I speak to—"

Finally looking up and noticing that it's me and not my mom, DQ lets down her good-girl façade before muttering—or more like sneering, "Oh, it's you."

Ugh, what does she want now?

"What do you want D— Shaina?" I cut to chase right away.

"Aww, can't I visit my friend?" She asks with a too innocent looking innocent look.

"Okay, A, you aren't my friend and B, you never come to me without a purpose." I state calmly, folding my hands over my chest.

Not totally true 'cause...she saved you from that football once...y'know.

One time ain't gonna mean anything.

Um...the funeral...

Shut up! Just shut the fuck up!

Letting herself in as if she owns the place, DQ sits on the couch and gestures me to sit on the one opposite to hers.

Clenching my fists at how she was ordering me in my house I keep my anger in check and seat myself.

She looks around the house and I take the opportunity to observe her.

She has that crazed calm look, the calm face all those psychotic killers would have when they explain the reason they were killing you before they kill you.

SUPERNATURAL sure has taught a thing or two.

Suddenly, her eyes fixate on a very recent picture of Nikhil and me in one of our dates and her eyes cloud with a mixture of hurt and anger.

She gulps loudly before continuing her silent assessment.

"What do you want Shaina?" I snap, frustrated with how she kept stalling whatever crap she was gonna spout.

"That's the question isn't it? What do I want?" She hums as she pretends to think before continuing, "What do you want Vicky?"

A happy future where I have a good family and a '67 Impala.

How about we pass tenth grade first?

Not waiting for my answer she continues, "Well, you do need—and want—that loan my family's giving you..."

Sighing exasperatedly at her dumb dramatics, I ask her again, "What. Do. You. Want?"

"Have you ever thought that maybe, maybe, you can meet everyone's expectations and yet, every single time you try to do so, you end up getting hurt and discriminated?" She asks with a glazed look, as if she was physically present here but mentally, she was far away from here.

"Uh...what?" I question with a confused look, not knowing where she is leading to.

Completely ignoring my question, she continues, "Maybe for once you'll be chosen, but not as the second option, maybe you would be noticed for who you are instead of who you are painted to be?"

Her statement brings me back those memories of when DQ and I were good friends and those times when her parents used to discriminate her and compare her with me.

I never cared about them though, all I cared about was having a good friend and all her opinions after what had happened to me and I had admired her—flaws and all, even though her parents had scolded her so much—but all she did was repeat the infamous history.

Why's she telling this shit to you?

"Whoa, whoa, hold on Shaina. You're not making any sense."

Lie. I know that she was ranting.

She snaps out of her reverie and looks at me with clear eyes and that psychotic-calm look back on her face.

Tilting her head she assesses me while I sit their completely frustrated out of my mind at how she keeps dragging on whatever shit she's here for.

My patience wears away and I explode.

"Oh for fuck's sake! What the fucking hell do you wa—"

"Leave Nikhil."

A/N: Mwahahahaha *evil smirk*

Thoughts? Vote and comment, please and thank you!