Her Splash of Color | ✓

✤ 1.37 - left of us ✤

Posted: December 2nd, 2019

✤ Rihaan: 1.37 - Left of Us ✤

As we're sitting in the car driving to a restaurant for dinner, I bump my shoulder with Sanya's, "Who are you texting?"

Everyone she would usually text for anything is here, and by here, I mean on their way to the restaurant. So, even if she did need something from them, she could just wait till we got to the restaurant.

She shields her phone away from my prying eyes when I try to lean over, "I have friends."

"Name one."

Falling for the trap, she states, "Girish."

I grin in victory, "So, that's who you're texting."

She scowls at me on realizing I used her excuse against her. "I hate you."

Kriana pipes in sitting on her other side, "I hate you both."

I sigh as I lean ahead so I can look at her. "What did we do now?" Being a third-wheel, she does get irritated by us sometimes, but hey, we didn't force her to ride with us. She could have chosen one of the other 5 cars going in the same direction.

Aarav bhai, who is driving, instructs, "Kriana, stop being grumpy."

She complaints, "What, bhai? Why don't you tell these two to stop?"

He points out, "They were only having a casual conversation."

She grumbles, "Any conversation involving that dumbass isn't a casual conversation."

I raise my voice a little in defense, "Hey, don't call me a dumbass."

Sanya nudges my arm to catch my attention, "She means Girish."

I tone down my defense at once, "Oh." Then, turning to Kriana again, I ask, "Why, what'd he do now?"

"He didn't even text me to ask how my summer went! Or if I made it back."

Sanya calmly probes, "Well, did you inform him when you were going to be back?"

That's when Kriana looks away, admitting, "No. But that's not the point."

Annie and Aarav chuckle sitting ahead while Sanya makes a point, "Exactly, because he is still under the impression that you're still at your grandparents. And, who was the one who suggested to take a break over the summer?"

"So?" She challenges for the sake of her dignity, "Summer is over."

Aarav says, "Technically, sis, three more days left."

"Oh, zip it." She snaps at him.

Annie suggests turning to look back at us, "If you want to talk to him, why not just message him? Let him know you're back in town. See if he wants to catch up before school starts."

"Eh. Too much effort."

We all look at her - Aarav through the rear-view mirror - before expressing our disappointment in our own individual ways. This girl. She wants to waste her energy by whining and getting upset over not receiving attention. And, when we give her a way, she wants to be lazy.

After a moment of silence, Sanya voices, "I pity him."

I second that, "I know right? So hard to please."

Annie comments, "How is any guy supposed to keep up?"

Kriana interjects in a passive-aggressive voice staring at Aarav's head given she is seated directly behind the driving seat, "Anything else to add against me?"