Did You Get Your Period?

CHAPTER NINETEEN.

The date she had promised Vaibhav was looming near. As she stood in front of the mirror, Shweta marveled at how things had been when she had stood in front of the mirror almost two months ago. How nervous she had been and how it had felt as though her world were going to fall apart any minute and she had no choice but to fall apart along with it. She had been so convinced that it was doomsday and now; her world was intact. Almost as intact as it had been in the first place except for two little fractures; one of which she was terrified to fix and the other she didn't know-how.

Shweta hadn't still apologized to Riddhi despite wanting to know because she knew that the accusations that she had flung on Riddhi had not just been unkind. Those were not the kind of things that friends told each other and any friend who did that was not one. The more she thought about it, the guiltier it made her feel, and thus she had wrapped it up and placed it in the furthest corner of her head.

Shruti would be returning today for college now that her summer break was over. The house was in a frenzy with Seema fussing over every little thing that Shruti left around the house. Their mother had taken a leave knowing full well that if she left Shruti to pack on her own she would end up leaving ninety percent of the things that she was supposed to take. While their mother and Shruti ran around the house looking for purple t-shirts that had magically disappeared and charger cords that seemed to sneak out of the bags on their own, Shweta had been sent upstairs to pack Shruti's sneakers. Normally, when Shruti was leaving she felt a pang of envy and curiosity; wanting desperately to leave for college herself. To explore the whole new world that sat out there; beyond what was allowed in the periphery of her vision right now.

But today, that didn't bother her. Today was the day when the date she had promised Vaibhav would happen. Her mother had returned her phone to her and with some quick calculation, Shweta had managed to fix a good day for it. Seema would be busy with dropping Shruti at the airport, which was quite far since they lived in the outskirts, she wouldn't be home for a good seven hours. This wasn't just because the airport was far but because Seema normally waited for Shruti to board the flight before she commenced on her way home. Today, Shweta selfishly prayed for her sister's flight to be delayed.

Having packed the sneakers and put them in the deepest corner of the suitcase, all of her belongings thrust into those three square-shaped boxes, Shruti was finally ready to leave for college. Her earphones dangling from one end of her pocket while she held her phone in her hand, looking for her ticket one last time at Seema's behest. She had forgotten to carry her Aadhar card and that led the three to scramble into the house one last time. Finally, having found the Aadhar card, the ticket safe and snug; Shruti was truly ready to leave.

"I might be late," Seema warns Shweta as the early afternoon sun falls into their faces.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine," Shweta says, a little too eagerly and Shruti throws her a knowing look.

"Bye, Shweta. Have a good, good day!" She sings as she hugs Shweta and the latter pinches her making her squeal.

"Safe journey." She says, glaring at her sister as she helps their mother load the suitcases.

"Shruti, I hope you've packed everything. I don't want you making me return when we're halfway across the city." Seema says and Shruti nods her head hurriedly.

"Don't open the door to strangers!" Seema warns Shweta, as she revs the car, and Shruti waves her final goodbye.

"Bye!" Shweta exclaims as the car begins moving. "I won't."

Except she had no intention to keep the promise at all. Shweta and Vaibhav's idea of a romantic date wasn't really feasible or practical. What had initially begun as a plan for a nice meal at a café had been discarded hurriedly for the fear of nosy aunts and uncles who always seemed to walk around the area as they 'accidentally bumped' into the neighborhood children who were on dates. Movie halls didn't seem like a very good idea either; two hours of staying silent when all they wanted to do was talk. And kiss. They didn't want to risk being thrown out of the movie hall.