The Summer Of Love

READY FOR THE EXCAPADE?

I wake up before Sonali does and go back to my room for a shower to get ready for the day.

Just when I'm about to text Muskaan if she's up, I hear a knock on the door. I open the door to find Muskaan grinning at me.

“Hey! Are you ready?” she asks. She wouldn't wake up that early on a normal day.

I nod at her and we go to her room. She opens one of the wardrobes- yes she has a door to a room for wardrobes entirely, opposite to her bathroom- and asks me to choose a dress.

Most of the dresses are way more fancier than what normal people would wear, so I pick one that comes closest to a normal wear. It's what I expected. There's a short blouse, with a ghaghra which is a long skirt decorated in colours and small circular mirrors and a shawl to cover. She gave me silver jewellery, too.

“I've been to that temple. It's beautiful, but they'll certainly not allow you in jeans,” she smiles, just a faint one, with a shrug.

“Alright. Anything else I need to know?” I ask her.

“Not really. The city kinda gives you Aladdin vibes, have you watched that movie?” she asks all excited.

“Oh I have. The songs are great!” I exclaim. “So, when did you visit the place last time?” I ask out of nowhere.

“Let me think,” she says squinting her eyes, with her finger under her chin. “About four years ago, before my grandfather's demise.”

“I'm sorry. Why have you never been there since?” I keep the dress and jewels in a bag that I'll take with me.

“I don't know. I never thought of going back there, besides my father was reluctant to go there again, and said that we have temples here, too, when my grandmother wished to go. But we all know it's special there,” she says. “Why did you ask, though?”

“I was just curious. I've never been there,” I reply as we knock on Sonali and Sakshi's rooms each.

All four of us ascend the stairs and reach the dining area for the first meal of the day. I finish my food earlier than the three of them so that I can meet my parents while they eat their breakfast. I rush to their room after having a glance at the three of them eating. I knock on the door and realise it's already open. My mom's sitting on a divan adjacent to the bed, making a beautiful patterns of flowers on a piece of cloth. My father is at the other side reading the newspaper.

“Hey, mom,” I smile at her.

“Guddu! Are you ready to go?” she asks with a pleasant face.

“Yeah! But why didn't you tell me about the dress code of the temple?” I ask her. It isn't like her to forget such a thing.

“I forgot to mention it to you yesterday, but I did text you. Didn't you check your phone?” Yeah. I didn't use my phone at all, yesterday. I was busy with Tanya and Ananya, as I should be. “You didn't. You seem more engrossed in your work than the prime minister, you know that? Have you been reading a book?”

I nod at her and tell her that Muskaan lent me her dress.

“Oh, such a sweet child,” my father chimes in.

“They are all kind and sweet. Tanya and Ananya are going to be so happy after their marriage!” my mother agrees.

“Take care, sweetie. Be careful,” they told me the same words over and over again until I memorised each warning of their's. “Don't trip over the dress and fall down and don't ever talk to strangers. Don't get lost in the crowd. Stay with Akshat. And call me once you reach.”