His Lotus

5

Deva

That night, Iniya and I continued to chat away through the mobile. Initially, she came as a bit awful person but now that I'm actually getting to know her, she seems pretty nice. Entertaining to converse with.

And I also came to know about her family background. Her father had died in an accident when she was fifteen years old. She further told that she doesn't have a good relationship with her mom either as her mom got married to another man after a couple of years post her dad's death.

She explained that she had moved out of her house once she completed her school studies and pursued her college while doing some part-time business to pay the fees herself! She didn't mention what that particular job is and I didn't bother to inquire about it either. Anyways, now I have an admirable impression of her after I listened to her life story.

I might really consider dating her. Heeding her sad tale, I couldn't help but want to introduce her to my dense family where they would treat her as one of their own daughters.

'...'

On the subsequent day, Iniya arrived at the office with reserved clothes. Her otherwise revealing assets are neatly tugged underneath the churidar and dupatta. She was beautiful in that attire! And it didn't take me much time before I tell her the same. She just smiled timidly.

As usual, at the canteen, we met up that day. "Any reason behind this change of style?" I query expectantly. "Hm...thought you would like this. Harsh said that you like traditional girls," I chuckle at her words. "Have you already sought out the conflict with Harsh?" I ask dubiously. "Yea...he is a very easygoing guy," I nod, approving her statement.

"And tell me, why are you so desperate to date me?" She sighs before muttering, "You are rich and handsome," I blink my eyes at her and burst out laughing, caught off-guard by her extreme bluntness.

"I admire your honesty Iniya," she smiles sweetly and places her hand over mine. "So will you date me?" I shake my head.

"There are many guys who are richer and more handsome than me in this office," she clicks her tongue. "Maybe richer...but not handsome than you. Which is why, I choose you," partly startled by her confession, I gaze at her uncertainly.

"You are...I don't know what to say," she chuckles slightly before gripping my hands tight. "I really like you," she pours out in her honeyed tone again and I confusedly look at her.

"Just give me a try," she winks and I pull my hands away before sinking into the chair and thinking deeply as I articulate a reasonable response.

"I'm visiting my native place on the weekend and when I come back, I will let you know my answer," she grins widely. "Hope you take a good decision," she adduces and tips her chair closer to mine...

"So, tell me about your family!" She eagerly perches her elbow on the table and stares intently at me. "Fine," I smile as I begin to utter about my lengthy family tree.

While speaking so, I elucidate about my cousins as well who were trying so hard to get me in their hands. "The competition is heavy huh," she quirks her eyebrows playfully. "It is," I agree with a slight smile.

"But seriously though, don't you have a crush on any one of your cousins? It's unbelievable If you don't..." At her query, my mind wheels back to Thamarai's cute smile. It's not that I have a crush on her but the way she doesn't try to persuade me like my other cousins renders me have a special interest in her. But I know it's just my male ego and nothing more.

"That's what it is then. Let's just say it's unbelievable," she pouts in surprise. "Well, it's beneficial to me anyways," she shrugs with a teasing smile while I slightly chuckle at her enthusiasm.

Maybe I should really give her a shot. She seems cool. "And Iniya, would you like to accompany me to that fancy restaurant down the street today?" Her lips part open in shock and she just gazes at me, astonished. "Are you asking me out already?" I shake my head at her. "No. It's just a trail. If you're okay with that, you can come by. We will officially start dating only after I talk with my family about it," her expression becomes dull as she regards me.

"I would love to come with you but I have to do my part-time job today," I perplexedly gaze at her. "What's your job exactly?" She wavers a bit before uttering, "I do every job that earns me money Deva. That's how I paid my college fees," she smiles and I nod my head, still confused. "You aren't a drug dealer or anything, right?" She laughs out loud at my question. That was certainly a sincere query...

"No, I'm not. I actually am working as a waitress in a hotel." I give her a small smile. "That's nice...but you already have a good-paying job right? Why do you still work as a waitress then?" She sighs.

"It's adequate enough to look after my daily needs but I want to secure money for my future. I want to be wealthy...I would do anything for that."
The last sentence comes out as a whisper and it wasn't audible much to be comprehensible.

"Oh..." I drag, finding her craving for money a bit odd. "Yeah," she blurts out nonchalantly.

Afterward, at the end of the office hour, Harsh tags along with me to my apartment. We both usually have a drunken night once or twice per week and it kind of became a norm for us, without which, our weekdays turn out incomplete.

As I freshen up and plop on the couch, Harsh has already spread out the alcohol bottles and the side dishes he must have ordered through online.

"Did she catch you yet?" Harsh asks as he opens a bottle and takes a long sip from it. "Not yet. I am planning to talk with my parents first. I need their permission to date her. Moreover, she isn't entirely my type but it doesn't hurt to give her a chance, yeah?" I grab a bottle and remove the lid as I speak out my mind.

"Of course, you need your parent's permission! You are not ten Deva..." I gulp down the contents in the bottle to the half. My parents aren't aware of my drinking trait. They would be saddened If they ever get to know about it. However, it's not like I'm addicted or something, hence it's fine I guess.

"Sure I'm not ten but my parents mean a lot to me, Harsh. You knew it, don't you?" He rolls his eyes and grabs a chicken wings in his hold. "I know," I pick a similar one and bite into it.

"Are you going to your hometown this weekend?" I nod at his question. "Shall I join you too? I sort of miss your cousins." I give him a disgusted look.

"Stay away from them," I mutter, pointing my middle finger at him. I did the grave mistake of bringing him to my hometown once and from then on, he continuously visits our village just to flirt with my cousins. Though I'm definite that they wouldn't fall into his trap, I didn't want anyone to be associated with him. He isn't great with girls.

"But Maithili is hot," I flick his head with my thumb and he hisses yet dares to blabber again as the alcohol influences his brain. "And Gayu is fine as hell too...not to mention those curves of Rahini.." irritated by his words, I kick his legs and he falls to the floor but manages to not smash and injure himself.

"Let's leave out Riddhima...for she is a minor but then there's Thamarai...wooo, I would love to fuc--"

"Shut your filthy mouth, Harsh!" I kick his balls as I stand up with a sickened look on my face. "Ahh, you idiot! how dare you attempt to damage my balls," he grabs between his legs and groans in pain.

"I told you a million times to not talk about my cousins," He continues to whine in agony. "You are not coming with me to the village this time," I state conclusively.

Though he is my best friend, sometimes he annoys me beyond limit.

_________________________