Snapshots

Chapter Eleven - Podcasts are Great

Aru didn't know that Aiden lived opposite to her house until she saw that he didn't drive further, instead parking on the other side of the road, and entering the opposite house.

Suyodhana narrowed his eyes at Aiden's retreating frame. "Is he the boy, Aru?"

Kara's eyebrows joined in the middle. "Nah, dad. He just said he'd drive us home because he lives here too. And Aru," she continued, hitting her elbow with Aru's side, "has no boy."

Her dad shifted his gaze to Aru's, and disbelief was etched on his face.

"Why are all of you still standing here? Planning on camping out?"

Suyodhana laughed, hugging his wife. "We can camp in the museum theatre tonight."

"I don't think I gave you permission to use my museum's theatre, darling." Krithika said, dragging her husband inside the house, and beckoning her daughters inside.

"C'mon, love."

Aru heard her mother's tinkling laugh, and knew that that was the type of love she wanted.

Easy to joke around with, easy to stay in love with, having cheesy names for each other, falling in love again and again and again and never growing tired of it.

Her mind whispered a name, one that Aru tried to throw out of her mind as soon as the voice whispered it.

'He's off limits,' she told herself, 'off limits, get it?'

When they all sat down for dinner, waiting for the surprise Krithika had, quite literally, cooked up her father folding paper napkins into small songbirds to give Krithika, Aru felt this scene was one she wanted to capture with a camera and hang on her wall.

Kara sat beside her, with her phone on and fingers rushing across the keyboard, with the biggest smile on her face.

Aru thought she was texting Aiden until she saw the contact name.

Cami.

Her sister was texting Camilla?

Aru's phone rang, and she checked her phone.

'You forgot your notebook in my car. I could give it tomorrow if we meet.'

Aru felt her own grin spread on her face.

'just come ovr lmao.'

'Hell no. Your dad looked at me like he wanted to murder me.'
'And he'd place my head on a pitchfork.'

Aru snorted, and her dad gave her a weird look over the sixteenth songbird he was folding, with his eyebrow raised.

'nah he won't'
'trust me.'

'Trusting you would be my biggest mistake, Shah.'

Was it weird that Aru could hear his voice in her head?

She sent him a text telling him that she'd just come over the next day to collect her book, and silenced her phone, placing it beside her.

What was weird was that Kara'd seen that she was texting Aiden, and hadn't shot her an angry text at all, instead continuing to type messages on messages to Camilla.

Her mom exited the kitchen, entering the dining room. "Tiramisu for six, made by myself. I baked the shortbread myself too." She said, the proudest look on her face.

Suyodhana kissed her as soon as she sat next to him.

"Wait, six?" Aru asked, confused.

"Yup. After dinner, you and Kara can go give a little to Malini and her son. I heard her ex husband was such an asshole, and I saw him once, too. He bossed her around like he owned her." Krithika said, sour look twisting her features.

"And then, my beautiful wife went and gave him a piece of her mind. I've never been prouder of her." Suyodhana continued, looking as smug as ever.

Kara'd put her phone down on the table, and she didn't look too excited at the prospect of seeing Aiden again.

'Something is suspicious', her mind told her.

She told it to shut the 'eff up.

Aru knew her feelings towards Aiden were changing, but all she felt was guilt, not exhilaration that she was starting to like someone.

Because her sister liked the guy she liked, and that hurt her heart.

—

(disclaimer: this is a one-time special bonus in this chapter, and it'll not be appearing again.)

Krithika: Welcome to the Shah Family Podcast! Well, most of the Shah family. Kara escaped to her room even before we started watching a movie.

Suyodhana: I don't know why we're doing this, but Aru insisted that it helped get her feelings in order, and even though I despise the idea of her having feelings for anyone, I won't deny that I was just as in love at her age–

Aru: I'm not in love, dad. It's called an attraction.

Suyodhana: The way you talk about him, it's like you've been in love for like, thousands of years.

Aru, indignant: No, I don't.

Krithika: You actually do. Anyway, Aru, darling, what was your... uh...

Aru, helpfully: Guilt.

Krithika: Yes, what was your guilt about?

Aru, clearing her throat: Basically, I like Aiden, I'm not planning on denying it, but the thing is, Kara likes him, she's liked him way before I even met him, and I feel so guilty liking him when Kara, my own sister, has been gushing about him from day one.

Suyodhana: I don't like thi– wait. What do you mean, Kara likes him too??

Krithika: Not the time, love. And Aru, honey, it's okay to feel like that. I've never felt like that before, I'll admit, but it's okay.

Aru: Wow, thanks mom. That made my guilt fly away faster than a pigeon flying away as soon as you take a step towards it. Spoiler, the pigeon bites.

Suyodhana: That's... oddly specific, Aru.

Aru: I'm speaking from experience.

Krithika, sighing: We're not here to talk about pigeons, we're talking about Aru's feelings.

Suyodhana: What if I don't want to talk about my daughter's feelings towards a boy.

Krithika: Boys aren't disgusting, Suyodhana. Imagine I ran away from you each time you asked me out.

Suyodhana: My heart would've broken.

Krithika: Exactly.

Suyodhana: But still.

Krithika, tired: What do I do with you, love?

Suyodhana: You love me, that's what you should do.

Aru: I thought we were talking about me?

Krithika: Yes, right. So, Aru, it's okay to like Aiden more than a friend, it's okay even if Kara likes him too, and even though you feel guilty, it's okay. You don't have to stop liking him.

Suyodhana: And knowing Kara, she'll find a new crush in a few days from now. She's never been able to hold on to one crush for longer than a few months.

Krithika: That's true.

Aru: That didn't make my guilt go away–

Kara, bursting in: Are you guys having a meeting without me? Oh my god, so insensitive! I'm part of this family too–

Krithika: We're wrapping up the Podcast here, and uh, thanks for listening to the rambles–

Kara, crying out: You guys made a fucking podcast?

Krithika: Language, Kara, and goodbye, audience!

merry (early) Christmas to everyone! even if you don't celebrate, I hope you have a great day today!