Exclusively Mine

12. Why Can't You Come?

♪पल, एक पल, में ही थम सा गया,
तू इश्क के सारे रंग दे गया।।♪

Kunal

I enter my house after dropping Sirisha at hers on time. I close the door behind me go in and yell "Mom! I'm back."

I walk inside and see her watching a series. She looks at me and exclaims surprised "Oh Dear! So early you are today, how in the world did this happen?"

"Sirisha's mom had asked her to return by 9 pm, so." I say sitting beside her.

"Hey Bhagwaan! Thank you! Kam se kam mera beta ek ladki ka dhyaan rakhne jitna toh zimmedar ho gya." She says dramatically, joining both her palms and acting to thank God.

(Oh God! Thank You! At least my boy has become responsible enough to take care of a girl.)

"Oh my dear mom, kindly stop with your drama and give me the dinner." I join my palms and request her.

"Okay!" She nods happily and goes to the kitchen.

I finish the dinner and go back to my room. I take off my shirt and throw it in some corner.

I feel way more comfortable sleeping with no clothes on.

Today was good. But, I am more than happy for Sirisha. Happy that she came out of her shell.

• • • • •

Third Person

"Good Morning Aunty!" Karan shouts as he enters Kunal's house.

"Good Morning Dear!" Advika replies back.

"Where is Kunal?" He asks looking around, expecting Kunal to be awake by now.

"In his bedroom, sleeping, as usual," Advika says, looking down, lowly.

"Why is he sleeping yet? Didn't he return yesterday by 9 pm?" Karan asks confused.

"Yes he did, but he was playing games on his PC till 3 am. I am fed up with this boy." She shakes her head and huffs.

"Oh God! I am going to wake him up." Karan says pointing up at Kunal's room.

Karan enters Kunal's room, pulls on his blanket, and yells "Wake up Buddy!"

Kunal throws a pillow at him aimlessly from his right hand and pulls his blanket from the other hand yelling "No!"

Karan quietly nods and goes into the bathroom. He comes back with a mug of water and splashes the water on Kunal's face.

Kunal sits up straight scared and yells shaking his head removing the water droplets "Why the hell did you splash water on me?"

"To take you to the park." Karan laughs walking to the bathroom to keep the mug back "Get ready."

Kunal gets out of his bed, brushes his teeth, and wears a lavender-coloured hoodie.

They both go to the park and join Sirisha and Ruhi who were already there, talking.

Karan asks Kunal and Sirisha "So, how was yesterday?"

They both say at the same time but with different enthusiasm,

Sirisha says "Amazing!"