Arranged Roommates

|6| Kitten With Claws

The meanings of Hindi words are in the comments.

I sat on the edge of the pool, dipping my legs in as I waited for Ria.

I absorbed the happenings of the wild night around me, my thoughts wandering to the day when my dad had sent me the photo of this girl that he had thought would be 'perfect' for me. That felt like it had happened a century ago. It has been more than a year since I lost my dad but the pain of losing him still feels new. I blinked back the tears which were forming in my eyes, in his memory.

I was brought back to the present when my friends shouted for me to come back inside the pool. I signalled them to wait for a few more minutes.

I felt someone sit beside me as a hand slapped my shoulder. "That deep look makes you look constipated."

The only person who had the audacity to talk to me like that was my shithead younger brother, Rohit.

I punched him in his gut and asked as he clutched his stomach, "So, you finally got time from touring for your recent fuck-fest?"

"It's not a fuck-fest. It's a C.O.N.C.E.R.T." He spelt the words individually, "But I don't think a thirty-plus-year-old grandpa like you would understand."

"I know what a concert is," I couldn't help but roll my eyes, "But if I believe the recent news updates...You had exactly three girls in your arms at your last week's Delhi concert. How many times have I told you to stop this kind of behaviour? It is not good for our company's reputation."

"Damn Bhai, I didn't know you would lower yourself to the extent of stalking me." He laughed, "And also, according to the news, you are cheating on Ria and having an affair with a mysterious lady from your office. Is it Nancy from finance? She's sexy, I approve." He smirked, giving me a double thumbs up.

"Those are just rumours. They don't have any proof to back it up. But in your case, they have a clear photo of you checking into the hotel room with those girls."

He pursed his lips, "You need to stop lecturing me like I am a ten-year-old kid. And to be very crude, I don't give a fuck about your company's reputation. I cut ties with that stupid business of yours when I chose my career in music and dad declared me to be his biggest mistake. I would never be able to compare to your unrealistic standards so it is better if you stopped trying. It's my life, let me live it my way." He was nearly yelling at the end of his outburst.

I placed my hand on his shoulder and tried to explain with as much patience as I could muster, "You know dad never meant to say that, right? It was just a moment of anger. And I am so proud that you were able to make such a big name for yourself from scratch in the thing which you love to do. But please think twice before making pulling off such things in the media's presence. It can be extremely harmful to you in long run."

He didn't say anything so I dropped the conversation, knowing that he was not fully ready to talk about his relationship with our dad.

After a few minutes, he asked, pointing towards a girl who was dressed scantily in a red bikini, "Who is that? Me wants."