Plain Flamboyance || wlw ✔

3. haunted.

The streets were lit. Apart from the streetlights that Sariya counted without exception, all homes of the neighbourhood were illuminated with diyas. Parapets of all balconies were irradiated with either diyas or fairy lights, some houses even hung up lanterns of different kinds and different shapes. Sariya looked around eyes gleaming in wonder. Lights under the night skies were one of Sariya's favorite things. They offered an inexplicable sense of comfort that sparked feelings of fascination where she would dilate her eyes to an extent that those lights change into blurry dots moving about in the dusky skies of the night.

Sariya had a day off on the occasion of Diwali. To escape the blankness she was feeling, Sariya decided to walk around her neighbourhood. She missed having her mom's hand cooked food for Diwali.

Sariya walked downhill, towards the café on the way to the groceries'. She came to a stop at the café's entrance and glanced at the massive complex erected on the opposite side of the road. She thought of Roopa. Was Roopa alone as well? Was she spending the festival with her family or colleagues? Was she enjoying it by herself, if not with anyone else? Sariya sighed and continued her way.

* * *

The trolley came to a standstill after much efforts of driving it in the right direction and trying not to crash it into the departmental store racks. Sariya's perfect brows wrinkled in displeasure and annoyance, as she tried to move about the trolley.

"That seems tough."

"Yeah."

Sariya shot her head up and she looked at Roopa intermittently. Surely, the universe couldn't have blessed Sariya with lofty luck.

Sariya, on realizing that Roopa isn't a fragment of her imagination and that she isn't experiencing anything astral, replies timidly, a barely audible "Hi."

Roopa beamed at her, content that the girl had talked to her. Roopa reached out and helped Sariya with the irritable trolley.

They paid for their groceries and were out in a few minutes on the pavement, both women carrying shopping bags, as they stood unmoving, each one waiting for the other to dissipate the awkward silence.

Sariya spoke first. "Why are you alone on a holiday?"

"I should ask you the same. You could've spent the holiday with your family. Don't you miss them?"

Sariya shrugged, nonchalance masking the feelings of impeding discomfort.

Sariya asked the first thing that came to her mind, "Do you wanna have dinner with me? At my place?"

"If you don't have any plans, that is." She added unsurely.

Roopa's surprised contortion did not exactly ease Sariya's inhibitions. But then, Roopa grinned widely and nodded eagerly.

Sariya felt relieved, as she lead the older woman to her house. Climbing uphill now. Alongside Roopa.

* * *

Roopa observed the atypical twinkle in Sariya's eyes as they both walked side by side, shoulders occassionally grazing each other. Sariya was deep in thought, or so it seemed. Roopa glanced at Sariya  whose head was tilted up, actively taking in her surroundings, specially the lights. Roopa felt content and comfort settle within her.

Here, she was, walking to the house of a person she barely knew. But that thought didn't bother her at all. Somehow, being around Sariya was liberating. Roopa had been sulking in loneliness the entire day and the sound of the firecrackers only put her on edge. This had turned out  to be a pleasant turn of events and she thanked the universe for having bumped into Sariya at the grocery store. I mean, what are the odds? Or rather, Roopa had an urge to go to the cafe just so she could see Sariya. The cafe was closed and she decided to get some groceries when she was here anyway. And then, the heavens had helped.

Both girls walked in silence, each lost in their own dreaminess.

Soon enough, they arrived at Sariya's residence. The building looked antique, like a colonial remnant of the British rule. Long pillars seemed to hold the three story building that was blessed with a large yard. It did look haunted, and Roopa couldn't handle anything haunted.

Tentatively she walked closer to Sariya and held on to her arm.

And then, Sariya laughed. Roopa was shocked. It wasn't definitely an evil ghost laugh, this sound was sweet and entirely foreign to her ears and yet at the same time so homely, that she didn't know how to feel. She stared at Sariya in amusement and then joined the laughter.

"Did you think that ghosts were around?" Sariya was still laughing and she had to catch her breath in order to talk.

"Ofcourse, have you looked at this place? How old is this? 200 years old?" Roopa scoffed.

Sariya pointing towards an old carved out writing on the nameplate and said, "Actualy 93 years old."

Roopa squinted her eyes in order to make out the worn out writing in the wall. Roopa nodded, "It used to be guest house."

"Well, now it's haunted."

Roopas eyes widen in fear and she clings on to Sariya's arm again.

And Sariya begins to laugh. A smile dangling at Roopa's lips as she continues to hold her arm.

* * *

Sariya's house was the bare minimum and yet looked aesthetic, there was a cane sofa set in the living room, no wall hangings or any shelves were in sight. It was plain. But as Roopa made her way into the kitchen, where Sariya had been, she realized that the kitchen was the heart of the house. It was the only place that had bright lighting and there were all kinds of kitchen equipments and colorful ceramic cutlery. It was an entire contrast to the living room.

"You like to cook, I see."

Sariya shrugged wordlessly.

A few minutes later, Sariya had set the dining table with plates and she brought out the food. Roopa moaned in content as she tasted Sariya's handcooked food, it was so good. And she didn't know how to put it in words that adequately represented her absolute love towards the food Sariya had cooked.

Sariya smiled looking proud at herself. They both ate in silence.

After they were done, Roopa assisted Sariya with the dishes and soon enough, they were out on the balcony, both girls overlooking the colorful view of the city for as far as their vision could reach.

Sariya realized her interactions with Roopa were far from ordinary friendship. She wondered if Roopa saw it the same way.

"Y'know, I never thought I'd be talking to you, let alone, get invited to dinner by you. This has been surprising and so much fun. Thanks a lot."

Sariya smiled in response.

The thought lingered in her mind.

* * *