Not You

Chapter 4

"So how long have you been in Mumbai?"

She watched him stride next to her with his hands in his pockets. He had on his black sweatshirt again. The one that had the foreign scent. It was still there.

She answered, "I've been here my whole life."

He asked, "So how come you don't live with your parents? Are they in the city too?"

She counter questioned, "Your parents are in the city as well. What are you doing camping on my couch?"

He nodded and said with a smile, "Touché. But in my defence, they don't really live in the city. It's a farmhouse. All secluded and away from everything. So not a fan of that."

She looked at him and said, "You have to go there sometime though."

He made a face and said, "Of course. I have to go live there."

"Calm down boy!"

He let out a sudden laugh and said, "Hey! I think I could get used to a ninja turtle/cousin itt flatmate."

She shook her head and looked up as though asking for more patience.

As the train stopped in front of them, she gestured for him to follow her and climbed into the general compartment. She went and found a relatively vacant spot to stand next to a railing near the door. When she looked back, she found him looking around with slight apprehension.

As he neared her, he asked, "Why have you climbed the general compartment? I am not a child, you know. I can manage to get down at the right station. My sister just wanted you to get me on the right train."

She smirked and replied, "You could have fooled me."

He frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

"That you're a child. You've been doing a pretty good imitation. Maybe that's your thing. A kid trapped in a big guy's body what with all your constant cartoon references."

He opened his mouth to shoot a retort when a wave of people came in at the stop. He looked around and noticed that she was the only girl in the whole compartment. And it was getting more crowded by the minute. He moved closer to her and put each arm on both sides of her holding on to the railing that she was leaning on, blocking the others out.

She looked at his hand tightly grasping the railing and said, "Relax. Really. It's just rush hour."

She then saw something poking out of his pocket. Without thinking twice, she plucked it out and saw what it was.

He grabbed it out of her grasp and said, "Hey!"

She widened her eyes up at him and said, "Why do you have pictures of yourself in your pocket? I mean I got the feeling you were narcissistic and all but this is a bit much, don't you think?"

He rolled his eyes and said, "This is for my mother."

"Your mother wants a picture of you? Such a good son! Coming all the way from the States to give her a picture."

He scowled at her jibe. He then locked eyes with her and said, "She wants me to get married."

Author's Note: Happy Weekend! :)