The Arrangement

Introduction: Caught with my Pants Down

His fingers drew an invisible line along my collarbone. 

I leaned into him, smiling, asking for more. Farhan shook his head. "We should wait."

I answered him by planting my mouth on his. He gave a weak protest, then melted into the kiss. After a while, I leaned back. "I'm done waiting."

"You really want to do it here?" Farahan raised his eyebrows. Without his glasses, his face looked bare and his eyes smaller. "In your bedroom, with you parents asleep in the next room?"

The mention of my parents killed off my mood instantly. I crawled off his lap and slumped onto the pillows next to him with a sigh. Farhan eyed me for a beat, then reached out to run his hands through my hair. "You need to talk to your parents, Aditi. We can't keep doing this. I want to marry you, have a home with you."

I folded my arms and shook my head. "They'll never agree to it. You know that."

The hand in my hair paused. "Because I'm a Muslim?"

I looked at him. "You know I don't care. I love you for who you are, but my parents... they don't think the way I do."

Farhan sighed and leaned back. "Then how long should we keep this up for?"

I paused, then swung my leg over him and went back into his lap. "Just a few more years at that vet, and then I can get my own place. You can move in. We can marry. We'll have our own home." I trailed kisses down the side of his face, down to his neck. My hands reached up to undo the buttons of his shirt. "But why should we wait for this? Does the place matter, or the person?"

Farhan groaned. "You're impossible, you know that?"

When I kissed him again, he didn't bother resisting. His hands scrambled to take my own clothes off. This was it. This was the day I was waiting for. I was left in only my underwear. Farhan's mouth explored every inch of my skin. His hands went to the waistaband of my underwear, ready to take it off. 

That was when the door opened.

I screamed as Farhan and I sprang apart. Light from the hallway outside came through the doorway, framing my mother's silhouette, and illuminating us in the act. She reached inside and switched the light on. I grabbed my blanket and covered myself while Farhan searched for his clothes in a panic. 

I met my mothers eyes. She was as still as a statue, rage boiling beneath her eyes. She wore her nightgown, her salt and pepper hair in a bun. Her bindi was still on her forehead and her gold bangles were still around her wrist, which meant she hadn't gone to bed yet, and that I had make a mistake.

"What is this?" she hissed, glancing between us. "What is this, Aditi?"

My face burned. Tears stung the back of my eyes. I didn't know how to answer that question. "Please," I whispered instead. "Don't tell Dad."

Mom's eyes darted to Farhan. "Who are you?"

He glanced at me, then stuttered, "M-my name is Farhan Malik."

Mom inhaled sharply, her eyes widening even more then I thought possible. She glared at me accusingly. "A Muslim? You brought a Muslim into our house!?"

"Please!" I cried. Don't tell him. Don't tell Dad. Please.

"Leave." Mom said to Farhan. "Get out. Now! And don't ever come back."

Farhan did as she said, rushing out of my room as fast possible with a final glance at me. Once he was gone, I cowered under my blanket and looked at my Mom. "He's a good man, Ma." Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to tell her the truth. "I love him. We want to marry each other."

Her face paled with each sentence. She didn't say anything for a long moment. I heard the door open and close downstairs as Farhan left. Mom seemed to be thinking, deciding, and for a moment, I felt hope take root inside me. Would she actually allow this?

Finally, she looked at me with disgust. "Put your clothes on. Go to sleep. I'll deal with this tomorrow."

I opened my mouth to ask her what she meant, but she slammed the door shut before that. What did she mean by that? Was she going to tell Dad what happened or not?

Without putting my clothes back on, I buried myself under the blanket, too anxious to fall asleep. Whatever it was, I would find out tomorrow. And I would have to face it alone.

My name is Aditi Sharma.

And this is the story of what happened after I fucked up my life.

I hope you enjoy my suffering.