The month went by in a pretty hectic way.

This was the first time I had come to America and I wanted to sightsee too. Almost every day, Maya and co., mom, Mr and Mrs Silva went out. The energy that they possessed, it scared me.

Andrew and I were mostly busy working on our second album, rushing between home and studio. We stayed up late at night writing songs and working on them while the rest of the house slept. We sometimes went out too, with hoodies and masks covering our faces. We passed our days doing interviews and making songs.

The house would always be filled with sounds of laughter and conversation. It had become a pretty noisy place, but I loved it. I wondered how silent and empty it would feel when everybody returned back to India.

My mother had to go back after two weeks. Her work needed her back in Goa. I almost cried. I didn't want her to leave, feeling like a broken fifteen year old inside. But she had to go.

Life went on as usual.

And suddenly, a month was over.

Time went fast when things were mundane.

Their flight would be leaving at 12:30am in the night. We all were very busy packing, and everyone were hustling. Andrew and I helped fold the clothes and stuff them in the suitcases. Maya and Sid were checking off things to see if they left anything. Anton and Anita were making food for the flight and Ben was. . .he was somewhere in the house doing something.

I kept wondering how empty the house was going to feel.

It was 10:30pm and we all huddled into our car with all the suitcases and bags. Thank God our car was big enough.

I was feeling oddly sad.

Throughout the car ride, conversation flowed normally. We reached the airport by 11pm. It was late in the night but the airport was pretty busy. Andrew and I couldn't get out of the car for a final see off for obvious reasons. We just stayed in the car wearing low caps as everyone started to pile out.

"Oh my baby, I'm gonna miss you," Maya looked like she was going to cry when she hugged me through the window. Even I didn't know when I was going to meet her again. I hugged her back. Sid and Anton took turns hugging me and Andrew. "Don't do anything naughty with each other, I'ma be watching," Siddharth suddenly said, and I turned red, giving him a slap. Andrew, that boy, he was laughing.

"Don't be a stranger," Anton said, and the three of them started to move towards the terminal gates. Ben and Anita then came in, saying goodbye.

"I'm proud of you, son," Ben was saying, "and you too, Koko. You both have made me really proud. I wish you two the very best for your future." He kissed our foreheads.

"Jeete raho, beta," Anita told. I smiled at them. Before going away, she suddenly said, "Koko, beta, I know what is happening with your father."

I tried hard not to frown.

"Don't worry, he is going to come around. He is your father, and he loves you. I know it. And one day, he'll be proud of her beautiful daughter and how much she has achieved," she said. A stray tear left my eye, and I hugged her through the window.

"Thank you, Anita aunty," I somehow squeezed the words out of my throat. She patted my head, kissed her son's forehead and turned away. Andrew and I watched for a while as our friends and family disappeared into the crowd of people, then started driving away.

I was looking out of the window with a frown on my face. The sky was pitch black. I was having obsessive thoughts about how much of a disappointment I probably am to my father, and Anita's words kept revolving in my head. Yes, I loved him. But sometimes, he was so damn stubborn. Why couldn't he just be happy for me and be like Ben, a good, supportive father. I put a hand on my forehead and sighed. Just then, Andrew's hand dropped on mine, the one that was on my thigh. I looked at him with raised eyebrows.

He was looking at the road, straight front. "Believe me Koko, it's going to get better," he said, and squeezed my hand, giving me smile.

I deflated in my seat with a sigh. "I wish, Andy. I bloody wish."

We reached home, and just like I had predicted, it felt so empty.

We walked through the doorway after parking the car. Andrew slammed the door shut, and the noise felt too loud to my ears. I winced.

"A little loud, huh?" Andrew said, and placed the keys on the key stand. I hummed back.

Must get adjusted to the quiet.

"You arrange the house, I'll get something to eat," Andrew announced and vanished into the kitchen.

I started arranging the house, from the bedrooms to the dining room. Mine and Andrew's beds were a mess.

While on the job, I heard Andrew exclaim loudly, "Keighlah, hah! Look what I found."

I walked down the staircase and entered the kitchen. "What?"

He turned towards me with a megawatt smile. Then he produced a glass bottle from behind him and held it in front me. "Sangria!"

I raised my eyebrows at him in the most disinterested way.

"Someone had brought it during the party probably. Either I hadn't noticed it or I had completely forgotten about it," he continued.

"If you're thinking of getting drunk now, then I highly disapprove. I'm outta here," I waved my hand and started walking out.

"No, no, no, wait, wait," Andrew quickly placed the bottle on the kitchen top and grabbed me by my shoulders. "Koko, Koko, come on. Just a harmless drink," he shrugged. "Also, I've never had Sangria before. I really want to try."

I gave him a deadpanned look. "How about you drink Sangria the next time we have a party? Or just drink it when we go to a club or something?"

"Keighlah. . .," he tsked. "You need to be a little more adventurous. You need to be a little more impul-"

"Hup!" I stopped him. "We have an interview tomorrow morning, then we have to go to the studio."

"Please?"

"No."

"Please, with cherry on top."

"What are you in, high school?"

"Oh, come on!"

I sighed in irritation. He wouldn't stop until he drank it. "Fine. But just one glass."

"Aye, aye!"

Such a child.

We sat down in front of the fireplace. Andrew poured each of us a glass. We drank the Sangria and observed a moment of silence for the magnificent sweet taste. Ah, so this is why people were crazy about this drink.

We talked casually as as we drank and appreciated the drink. It was pretty good. When we finished it, I realised Andrew hadn't made anything to eat. He had found the Sangria and abandoned all previous plans of fetching something. I almost slapped him.

We had dinner earlier, but I was rooting for some supper.

I settled for bananas.

We could both handle our alcohol pretty well in my opinion. But today, I felt a little light headed. Carefree laughter left me each time Andrew said something funny. Maybe it was the Sangria.

"Hey, Andy?"

"Yes?" He replied.

"I don't know if I ever told you this but," oh no, my liquid bravery was speaking, "I'm really glad you asked me to sing with you that day. I'd always wanted to be a singer. If you hadn't asked me that day," I shrugged, "I don't know what I'd be doing with my life right now."

"Maybe you'd be an engineer, just like your father wanted," he snickered, and I laughed along.

Wow. I was laughing at a joke about my dad.

Stop talking, Keighlah, you're drunk.

"No, but seriously," I said once our laughter died. Goodness, how I ignored my inner voice. "Thank you. Really." I gave him a soft smile.

Andrew was looking back at me, and his expression grew serious. He was staring. I stared back in confusion as his brown eyes grew a darker shade as they gazed into my copper ones more intensely by the second.

And suddenly, he was kissing me.

•••

Author's note: Big oof.

Please don't kill me for the cliffhanger.

Isn't Anita the sweetest?

How are you liking the story so far? Please leave comments. :)

Translation (Hindi > English): Jeete raho beta - long live, my son.

Next chapter - next Saturday at 10pm IST.

~Indrayani.