All Strings Attached

Chapter Five

Dhushyanth

"Do you know for sure that they have pictures of you?"

"No, Dhruv," I answer frustratedly, "I think they may have pictures of us because of how much it's on the TV. They can't be saying stuff like this without some evidence?"

"It's Vishwanath's channel," Dhruv sighs, "how are we going to deal with this?"

"Sita doesn't like me because I want to be a politician," I tell him, falling backwards onto the bed, "and because I smoke, and she thinks I have multiple girlfriends."

Dhruv only looks at me with a blank countenance. "There are more important things to be concerned with, right now," he reminds me.

"Should I call Naanna?"

"What else are you going to do? He's not going to like it when he knows you've given Vishwanath leverage over him."

"Don't you think I know that?"

"You're going to get daddy to solve your problems?" Dhruv snickers.

I sit up, holding my aching head. "How else will I handle this?"

"This is how politics is going to be," Dhruv says, sitting down next to me. "Everyone's constantly out to get you."

I rub my aching head. "Can you tell them to bring me some coffee? My head is killing me."

"I will ask for some coconut juice so you can hydrate yourself," Dhruv says, "thaagubothu gaada, raathiri antha thaagesi penta petti vachaav." [(Telugu) Fucking alcoholic, you drank all night and brought home shit for all of us to deal with.]

"Fuck off."

"I'm going downstairs," Dhruv says, "call Naanna now."

"Okay, Dhruv Anna," I agree, sarcastically.

"Don't get sarcastic with me," Dhruv says, "I'm trying to sort this out for you."

"Abba," I groan. "Po ra, babu. Rendu glasses theeskoni ra kobbari neellu. Raathri thaagindi digaledu ante, phone chesthe thanu arusthundi, pakkane undi nuvvu dobbunthunaav, vaadevado Vishwanath anta vaadiki naa bathuku lo velu pettaali anipinchindi enduko. Ippudu phone chesthe Naanna em antaado." [(Telugu) Ugh. Please go, dude. Bring two glasses of coconut water. I'm still hungover from last night, I called Sita and she's yelling at me, you're sitting next to me and giving me a headache, and that fucker Vishwanath- I don't know why he's concerned with my life. If I call dad now, I don't know what he'll say.]

"Thikka anigindha, barrister garu?" [(Telugu) Are you enjoying your political career now, Mr Barrister?]

"Po bey, Yadava." [Telugu) Get lost, idiot.]

"Ninnu manushulni pettinchi kottinchaali ra lekapothe thikka theeradhu," Dhruv says, running out of the door and closing it behind him before I can fling my pillow in his face. [(Telugu) I need to hire a few goons to beat you up, otherwise you're never going to learn.]

I take a deep breath in, and call my father, trying not to die. "Hello?" He answers the call.

"Hi, Naanna," I greet, respectfully.

"If you really wanted to marry Sita, I would've liked to hear from you, Dhushyanth," my father jokes, laughing. "Why are you telling the media first?"

"About that," I start speaking, "I have— we have an issue."

"What is it?" He asks, sound serious immediately. "Is everything alright?"

"I got drunk last night, and I think I may have kissed Sita?" I try to narrate a story I can't remember, "I don't remember the details of it, but I think they might have pictures of us together."