| ANGAD |

THE NEXT DAY...

We would have done shopping for the stage clothes and serial lights on the previous day, but postponed since everyone was too tired to shop again. It was only Naina, Meeta, Mom, and I who had to do the shopping.

I noticed from the rearview mirror that Naina was glaring at me for no reason. As I looked sideways, I saw Meeta looking elsewhere, which was something strange. She would always gawk at me every time we hang out. But, she looked quite nervous then. At least, she didn't catch me looking at her best friend.

"Naina." It was Mom. "What are you doing in New York?"

"I work at Vogue, Aunty," Naina replied as humbly as an obedient daughter-in-law.

"Vogue? Interesting. Well... How long have you been friends with Meeta?" It was sure that Mom was in her interrogation mode.

"Since childhood, Aunty." Naina shifted her gaze from Mom to the rearview mirror to shoot an uncomfortable gaze.

"Great! I was so glad you were here for your best friend. Angad had told me a lot about you," Mom smiled genuinely, but I knew she had her intentions.

"A lot, as in? Good or bad?" Naina tilted her head to her right and squinted her left eye when I understood the meaning of one of the universal truths: Your girlfriend and your mother can never get along together, especially if they are drama-suckers.

"Not much. He had mentioned you in a few instances. I could hardly remember them." I was on the verge of asking whether Mom was sure about what she was blabbering, but I resisted myself.

"Oh! That's good." Naina nodded her head slowly and looked at me side-eyed.

The car went silent again, not after Naina asked to turn on the radio and I obliged.

"Who says
Who says you're not perfect
Who says you're not worth it
Who says you're the only one that's hurting," Selena Gomez crooned Who Says while I heard Naina humming to it with much passion.

"Angad, could you please change the channel?" Mom commanded, ensuring she didn't sound like she was commanding.

"Mom, but it's a nice song as well," I tried to convince.

"That's not my issue. I asked you to change the channel. Period," she commanded and looked at Naina with a sly grin. Her hunches must be right about us.

"Okay," I obliged and changed the channel.

"Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Me, Khayal Aata Hai
Kabhi Kabhi Mere Dil Me, Khayal Aata Hai
Ke Jaise Tujhko Banaya Gaya Hai Mere Liye
Ke Jaise Tujhko Banaya Gaya Hai Mere Liye," Mukesh crooned to the iconic song from yesteryear while Mom sang along, thus bragging about her singing abilities. As she was done singing, she complained, "I wonder why these kids don't know the worth of those songs. They always follow Ed, Selena, Justin, Weeknd, BTS, and whatnot. There's another singer. I think her name ends with a car's name. What Swift is she, Naina?"

"Taylor Swift, Aunty," replied the Selenator girl with much anger behind her smiley face.

"Ah, yes! Taylor Swift. Nobody would even try to understand her singing. Ugh! I missed my home so much. Thanks to Meeta, I'm back home," Mom rambled in fake nostalgia while I had this urge to stop the car right away and ask her to get down. I am not a Swiftie, but I like Taylor Swift.

"Mom, could you please stop? I changed the channel as you wished. Let's stay quiet for a while," I spat out.

"Okay, fine! I'll stay quiet, Beta," Mom sighed in exasperation and looked outside through the window.

I glanced at the rearview mirror and saw my girl gritting her teeth and muttering cuss words under her breath.

***

"I guess, yellow would do good," Mom suggested while I held a yellow cloth in one hand and a white one in another.

"Yellow?" I scrunched my nose and looked at Naina, who was standing behind Mom. I raised my eyebrows. She pointed her chin at the white dholki. My eyebrows furrowed as I nodded yes. I looked back at Mom and said, "Mom, don't you think white would help?"

"White is too cliche," she commented.

"So is yellow," I countered and shrugged my right shoulder.

Mom groaned and grabbed the white cloth from me, saying, "Do what you like."

She gave it to the salesman, asking him to pack them while I walked towards Naina and said, "Thank you so much."

"Thank your fiancee. It was her suggestion," she snapped and walked away from me.

I was far enough from Mom and Naina, took my mobile, and texted Naina.

Me: We need to talk.

"Naina!" I called her loudly. She glared at me and pointed her chin while I folded all my fingers except my thumb and little finger, and had it close to my ear.

She opened her handbag and took her mobile. It took a few seconds for her to read my message and reply.

Naina: No.

Me: Now?

Naina: I said, no. And, it was NOT a typo.

Me: I knew it wasn't. But, I'm fine if we even text.

Naina: Wait.

I looked up from my mobile and saw her walking towards the entrance. She leaned on the jamb and texted me.

Naina: I need to tell you something.

Me: Go on. You're more than welcome.

Naina: When are you planning to tell everyone about us?

I couldn't help but roll my wide eyes.

Me: I will.

Naina: When?

Me: I said, I will.

Naina: I can't wait for longer. Meeta sensed it.

Me: Sensed, what? Our affair?

Naina: No. She sensed you were not interested in marrying her.

Naina: She said it yesterday. Please, please, and pretty please tell her about what the fuck is going on between us. I don't want to prolong it.

Me: Okay, let me think.

Naina: Yes, please! Think until you're on the verge of putting the wedding chain on her neck.

Me: Oh, please. I will do the talking for sure, Naina.

A few seconds of thinking made me decide to bring up this topic to Mom.

Me: I am ready.

Naina: Good. Do you want me to be with you?

Me: No, I can manage. Thank you!

I was already walking towards Mom while texting Naina. I stopped in the midway as I felt like hitting on someone. I looked up and saw Mom standing in front of me. Great timing, isn't it?

"Can't you see what's going on here? What if you hit on someone else?" Mom yelled.

"Sorry, Mom. I was texting with a friend," I muttered. "Ummm... Mom, we need to talk."

"About?"

"Ummm... Something important," I stammered and looked back. She threw her hands up in the air.

"Come on. Tell me, Angad." I looked at the front and Mom was crossing her arms.

"Well, Mom... I need to talk about something very important. This might even cause problems. So, please listen to me patiently. Okay?" I pleaded like a homeless beggar while she hummed a yes. "Fine. It's about--"

As if waiting for the right opportunity to barge in our conversation, Meeta walked towards us and called, "Aunty."

Mom smiled at Meeta while I had a mild glare fixed.

"If you don't mind, can I borrow Angad for a while?" She requested while I frowned my eyebrows. So did Mom.

Yet, Mom plastered a smile and asked, "Ummm... Can't it wait?"

"I'm afraid it can't," Meeta plastered a smile exactly like Mom's fake one. Soon, she held my hand and walked away from Mom, pulling me.

We were far away from Mom, yet closer to Naina when I asked, "I thought you were going to tell me something."

"Yeah. There are a few things I want to clarify from my side and want you to clarify for me. Shall we?" She tilted her head to her right. She didn't look like the feisty, happy-go-lucky Meeta I was tired of. She looked like her confrontational and serious version.

"Sure." I brushed the thought off my mind and nodded a yes.

"Do you want me to beat around the bush or get it straight?" Was she trying to create a suspense?

"Get it straight, please," I snapped.

Her face went straight as she analysed my tone. She nodded her head, probably to steady herself, and asked, "Look, Angad. For these eight months, it was always me who expressed everything. Initially, I thought you were meek. But, I'm afraid it would be a red flag for our relationship. And, I never heard a clear confession from you. So, if you feel like telling something to me, you can. I'm ready for everything."

***

If you guys find Angad dead somewhere, don't worry, it would be me to kill him. Like, why is he such an outright red flag (and I know that I wrote this character)?

By the way, how was the chapter? I hope the drama ascends in the future chapters.

See you soon!

GLOSSARY:

1. Beta: Son.

Song Courtesy: Le Monde by Richard Carter.