Cupid never had a chance in their messy, parental-restricted love story
Karishma Jha, a twenty-one-year-old recent graduate with the world at her feet if only she chose to face it. Plagued with the worries of the future and yet healing from the scar...
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"Wait, please, don't-" My pleadings fell upon deaf ears, as the three hurriedly got up and left us alone. If only my manners had left along with them.
I got up to greet the boy who walked up to me. Boy was the right term to use as he appeared even younger than us. Clean-shaven, lanky, and just as tall as me, he looked like a kid playing grown-up in the brown formal shirt and pants he was wearing. I could not help but compare him to Rishabh. Rishabh in his blank pants and shirt, though appearing fashion blind, and five clock beard.
I shook my head to get out of my mind, not wanting to appear rude. This might have been the start of something new and exciting. He took a seat opposite mine and started congratulating me on a job well done. I was confused at first and then realized he was referring to the party. I smiled, thanking him.
My gaze could not help but drift away and fall on an oncoming Rishabh. He was carrying our drinks in his hands and as my eyes met his he sported a wide grin.
However, the smile soon fell when he noticed that his seat was no longer empty. He looked confused at first, probably wondering who gave this child entry to a nightclub, and then crestfallen. I knew what came next and none of us here wanted jealous Rishabh to make an appearance.
"Rishabh!" I called out to him, exuberantly. He was still a few steps away and covered the remaining distance towards us with long strides. I took my drink from his hand and chugged it down at one shot, hoping it was something alcoholic. Then I took his drink and drank that too.
Liquid courage, as Rishabh had said.
The first one burnt as it went down and the second one went down the wrong pipe. I started coughing violently. Rishabh, bless his soul, started thumping my back so hard that for a moment I was in real danger of cracking my spine.
Rhitesh stared at our antics with furrowed brows. Once I was able to resume breathing, I gave a nervous laugh and apologized. "I am sorry."
"No that is alright," he placated with a hesitant smile.
"Oh, meet my partner in crime, Rishbabh," I said in my best talk show host voice and tried to tug his chair closer to mine, but only succeeded in sliding mine towards him. Whatever, the purpose was met.
After that the conversation stilted. It was clear that he had come over intending to score a date, but now that he could see that the position was filled up, he had nothing more to say. After a few more minutes of awkward talks about our degree, and job perspectives (aargh, was this a job interview), he finally took his leave.
I let out an audible sigh as I placed my head on Rishbah's shoulder. My head felt too heavy to hold it up. The party raged around us with the smell of oily fried foods wafting in the air and speakers blasting indecipherable music. Despite all the chaos surrounding us, I was at peace and happy.
"Why are you the only man I am willing to put up with most of the time? That is when you don't have me tearing my hair apart and then yours." I turned to him with an urgency as if I had just asked the answer to the mystery of the universe.
