Little Book Of Red Lies | Shubman Gill ✓

Prologue

"How many times have I warned you against loitering around the city? Have you looked at the beautiful, silver watch that you're wearing! What time does it say it is?" Says Sachin Kaka . No matter how hard he tries to look angry, he looks worried more than anything. Patting him on the shoulders I say,

"Offo Kaka, you worry too much! Yes we remember every warning of yours and that is precisely why we are standing at your doorstep, totally safe and sound." 

Anyone would think that it would be way past midnight but it is not. Okay well it is. Only a little. Okay I wouldn't call one thirty six a little. But it's not a lot, when you are twenty three year old adults, right? 

"Come on, Kavya. I am sure you remember the night well?"

I almost roll my eyes and beg Sara to save me but she keeps quiet. Lines of concern form on her forehead. She does not know the details of the night when I had been attacked by a thief who was so novice that he seemed to have panicked as soon as I hit him in the stomach with my elbow. Though I wonder to this day how he had managed to disappear that quick! 

"I do, Kaka. It was my fault, I admit, bas? I shouldn't have wandered off alone in that lane. New adult banne ki excitement hi kuch aur thi ki I wanted to explore and see if an ice cream shop was open at 3 am in the night."

"In a strange, unknown City. How could you forget it was not Mumbai?!" 

"It was Bangalore, which made the whole deal even better, Kaka. Now come on. We are here na, isn't that the most important thing?"

"It is, Bala, it is. But I don't know. Sometimes I can't help wondering...Had Manvir and Kamaldeep been alive...." 

"I still would have turned out the same Kaka. So please stop worrying about me and go to sleep. I have to go check if Rahul has fallen asleep or not." 

He nods and chuckles softly. 

As I tiptoe outside their house and into mine I hear him call out after me, "It's really incredible how you can behave like a child one moment and then become a responsible, overprotective sister the next instant. It's incredible, absolutely incredible." 

"Yeah yeah. Message received, Mr. Sachin, drop the sarcastic act now!" I mock salute him even though he cannot see me. 

When I open the door of the apartment adjacent to the Tendulkar's I heave a sigh of relief to see Rahul sleeping on the bed. 

I walk up to him and caress his cheek. 

"May you grow up to make better choices than your sister." 

And with that I collapse on the bed.