Extremely Slow love

26

Meera arrives home, and Naina's mom is also there.

"Hello aunty," Meera greets.

"Meera, you're Naina's friend. I don't know what's going on with Naina; she's always studying. It's her birthday today. Please ask Aahan to organize a party for her too," Naina's mom requests.

"Let Naina study, aunty. Birthdays will come, but how will she build her career if she doesn't focus on her studies?" Meera replies.

Naina comes out of her room.

"Mom, where are you?"

Naina's mom says, "Alright, let her study. But do you remember when Naina used to be sick, you would come running home? Now, it's her birthday, and you're here. What happened? Aren't you friends anymore?"

Naina sees Meera, who has come to her house after finally a year. Upon seeing Meera, Naina immediately says, "Sit down, Meera. I'll bring some tea."

Meera sits down, and Naina sits on the other sofa.

Meera asks, "How's Lalita?"

"I'm fine, I don't know about Lalita."

"Are you not going to become a girlfriend now?"

"No, she doesn't love me."

"Are you sad about this? Why are you studying so much? Look at yourself, you look like a ghost. Where's your smile?"

"You had stopped talking. What could I do? I know I was wrong, but who stops talking first?"

"Okay, let it go. Get ready, let's go get a cake."

"No, there's no need. I'm fine like this."

Naina's mom brings tea and sits down.

"My house lacks a daughter-in-law, but Naina doesn't listen," Naina's mom says.

Meera, surprised, asks, "Naina? Daughter-in-law?"

Naina replies, "Mom, you've started again. I'm going to my room."

And she leaves.

"Have some tea, my dear daughter-in-law," Meera's mom says with a smile.

Meera smiles in astonishment, "Daughter-in-law? Aunty, do you even have a son?"

Naina's mom takes a sip thoughtfully, "I like you. I've told Naina too. I know she likes you. I'm her mother, I understand a bit. Naina never listens. She says you and she are friends. Now, you tell me, can two girls ever be friends?"

Meera starts laughing, "That was a good joke, aunty, but I'm not your daughter-in-law. Naina herself told me she likes someone else."

Naina's mom, coughing, says, "My dear daughter-in-law, convincing Naina is not that easy. She loves you, I'm telling you. Just tell me, do you or don't you?"

Meera takes a sip of her tea and says, "You're pretty cool, but that's a weird question for me. Naina and I are just friends."

Naina's mom remarks, "If it continues like this, it will be the slowest love story in the world, 'extremely slow love.'"

Meera feels very embarrassed. Naina receives a call from Teena.

"Where are you, Naina? It's your birthday. Come, let's cut the cake."

"I don't feel like it."

"Come on, stop being so sad. I've had something like a breakup too. Let's forget about it now."

Naina agreed to Teena's suggestion, and when she came out after getting ready, Meera was standing with a car. Teena called again, "Say thanks to Meera for me."

Meera was standing with her car in front of Teena's building. When Naina was going to meet Teena, she found Meera standing on the way, leaning on her car.

Naina asked in surprise, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm here as a bride, bringing the wedding procession," Meera replied.

"Bride? Meera, what's happened? Are you feeling okay?"

"Your mother is calling me 'daughter-in-law.' Your mother has accepted me as her daughter-in-law."

"So what? You don't love him anyway."

Naina is angry, but still gets into Meera's car. Meera takes her to buy ice cream, picks up some from a stall, and hands it to Naina in the car.

"Grab it before it melts."

"Meera, are you going to eat ice cream?"

"Yes! Eat."

Both are eating ice cream. Naina has finished her ice cream, and some ice cream has stuck to Meera's blouse, near her breasts.

"There's ice cream on you. Are you a child?"

"Clean it off; my hands are sticky."

"Let it be; it's just a stain."

Naina remembers the old Meera, whom she used to admire. Meera's lips were like eating ice cream. Naina couldn't control herself.

Naina approaches Meera and unbuttons her shirt to remove the ice cream stain.

Meera was initially shocked. "Naina, what are you doing? It's 12 clock and we're in car" she said as Naina slowly traces her fingers over Meera's face, gently moving down to the buttons of Meera's shirt, where she pauses. Naina delicately traced circles around the side of Meera's heart, so light and gentle, as if Naina's face mirrored the tense calm before the storm, a silent anticipation of what was to come. Naina was doing all this while sitting on Meera's lap. She just had a devilish smile on her face.

"AHH! Are you not interested in talking? don't u have any questions?" Meera asked. (Meera was just looking at Naina. Naina was trying to vent her anger, her hair was open, and her eyes showed both kajal and anger.)

"No! You just need to be punished."

Naina realized she had made a too bold move. Meera felt embarrassed, but Naina hid her face. Both were in shock for about 10 minutes. Meera was frozen like ice, unable to move even the slightest. Meera grabbed Naina's face as if it hadn't rained in the desert for years, her eyes fixed on Naina's lips and then Naina abruptly wakes up, it's 2:08 in the morning, and she notices the pakoras are still there.

What kind of joke is this in my life? Is this some kind of dream? Why do dreams feel so real? Has my brain become a good writer? Did it decide to turn the story of my life into a movie? Is this the only story you found, brain? The more I try to keep my distance from you, the closer I get, why Meera? Why did you leave me alone? It's been 8 months, and I hadn't even thought about her until this dream. I really want to meet Meera now, but she hates me, she will never meet me. (Tears start streaming down Naina's left eye. She eats the pakoras, drinks water, then puts on loud music with headphones.)