The Summer Of Love

THE PARTY

"Are you serious?" I ask, puzzled.

"Yeah, I mean that's what I bought us matching dresses for. Come on, Mishti, its not as bad an idea as you make it ought to be!" Muskaan pleads. I look at Sonali to find her rather excited.

"No, its not that I don't like your idea. Its just.." I fumble for words. "She's never been to a club, Muski," Sonali drops the truth. I sigh.

"And I'm not interested in going, either," I shake my head. Crowds, gatherings, parties- not my thing at all. To think that Muskaan was waiting to come here just so she can go to parties without getting caught just changes my perception of her being the little girl at home. Though she's the same age as I, she did not have many friends growing up which led me into thinking that she wouldn't enjoy such things. How wrong can I be? But it kind of makes sense, you tend to want the things you're most deprived of.

"And what about the boys, do they know of it?" Sakshi hisses. She doesn't look as exhilarated as her sister. Probably thinking about how Kairav will react to this. Just because he's a year elder to her, it seems like he gets the free pass to boss around her.

"Um- I don't think my brothers will find out about it until we return home. Its not something they'd be happy about, you know?" Muskaan replies hesitantly.

"Fine, but I'm only 16. Do you think its a good idea for me to come with you?" Sakshi asks.

"Absolutely," Muskaan and Sonali say in unison.

"Not," I add.

After debating for a couple more minutes, we come to a mutual decision. Since Sakshi really wants to go, so the three of them would go tonight and I'd stay back. In peace.

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Ahaan and I hang out after dinner. "I don't know, sometimes lying seems to be the right option. But then again, it depends on the situation," I explain to him when he asks me what I'd do if I were in a position where lying was the only option to protect my loved ones. Yeah, I know, sounds cliché as hell but it was a different experience putting myself in rhetorical situations.

"Oh, that reminds me- why are you not going to the party with them?" he asks, all of a sudden.

"Um, WHAT?" I stop in my tracks, wide-eyed. "I don't think you were supposed to know that."

"Yeah well, how do you expect me to not know? I've more friends than her, moreover, he had studied with Akshat so I knew him well. And she didn't even realise that," he shakes his head.

"And you're okay with that?" I ask. "Yeah, why not? Its the age to have fun, isn't it?" his lips gently tug up. I nod at him.

"To answer your question- I'd stay at home and read a novel anytime over partying. Yeah, you don't need to point out how monotonous I sound right now," I say chuckling.

"No, don't say that! You are not boring, Mishti. A monotonous person wouldn't be so cool," he winks at me, his eyes gleaming in honesty. Well, that surely made my night. I smile at him in gratitude. For listening to all my shit. "I'm actually disappointed that you all didn't invite me." He looks at me and frowns for exactly ten seconds and says, "Hey, I just got the most amazing idea in the world-"

"I'm listening," I say interested, not knowing what follows. "So, we can go there together and catch them off gaurd. It'd be fun plus you wouldn't have to worry about them as well," he waits for my approval hopefully. I'm about to disappoint those puppy eyes, because there's no freaking way I'm going there. But before I open my mouth to say no, he interrupts.

"Look, please don't say no. You know it's not that bad of an idea. And you should to have fun, too! You can read after you come back!!" he tries to manipulate me into assenting with him. It's starting to sound fun but.. alright, fax it. I'm going. I nod at him.