Poles Apart

Chapter Nineteen

I shrug on a cotton tee before going downstairs. We had arrived this morning, and I'd gone to sleep only to wake up a half-hour ago. I went to sleep without taking a shower, so as soon as I woke up; I took one.

True to what I said, I'd started packing an hour before we had to leave for the flight. After we came back from our final tour of the city, I went into my room and started reading. I went from reading about International Politics to Indian Politics to The British Royals to Indian Royal families and then I read some history and then some geography— I mean travel plans. When I saw the time it was three forty-five in the morning. Typical Arvi things.

I put my laptop aside and tossed in my bed for quite some time before I finally slept. The next morning, I woke up at 8:00 because I had some papers to sign before I left.

Needless to say, I rushed through my morning. Hope dropped by to spend some time with me before I returned to Hyderabad and helped with my packing, all the while grilling me about my fiancé that even I knew practically nothing about.

I had told her about my betrothal, if that's what it is, two days after landing in London. First, she was shocked, and then surprised and then not pleased.

It took a lot of cajoling and mollifying to get her around again. She was offended that I hadn't told her. Pfft. Even I didn't know, girl.

I'm making a joke out of my life.

I try to tame my thick hair into a bun that I know will come off anyway. My mom hates it when I wear my hair in a bun. I don't like leaving it down, so I usually braid it, but right now it is too hot for even a braid. I could get my grandmother to braid my hair and keep it out of my face.

As I walk down the stairs, wrestling with my hair, I can hear sounds from the living room. What else are they planning without me?

When I walk closer to the living room, I hear loud laughter and chatter.

As I enter the living room, the sounds stop. All eyes turn to look at me, and I freeze momentarily, my hands fall to my side making my hair tumble down.

My cheeks start to warm up from all the attention, making me aware of the stains on my sweatpants and my faded tee.

"Hi, Arvi," my to-be mother-in-law greets cheerily with a charming smile. I see where Arjun gets his from.

I try to hold the nervousness from seeping onto my face when I smile at her, but I know it's not working when the ladies start to chuckle.

To Gayatri Aunty's right is Savitri, wearing a wide teasing grin on her face and on her left, Pranathi Vadina's mom: Jyothi Aunty.

Opposite them are my mother and Pranathi Vadina herself. What's happening here?

My mom wears an amused smile on her face as she looks at me. "Arvi madam?" I hear someone say apologetically from behind me.

Embarrassment washes over me, and I move aside to let the maid into the living room. "You were sleeping, so we didn't wake you," Pranathi Vadina says apologetically.

I push my hair away from my face, "Oh, that's alright," I assure her, my British accent comes out thick and noticeable.

My eyes sweep around the room to find the particularly annoying guy who takes extreme pleasure in teasing me over my accent. He's not here.

I meet Savi's eyes, the glint of a tease in her eyes as if she knows what's running in my mind makes me look down, trying not to be easily decipherable.

I eye the stains on my sweat pants, stains I didn't even know existed. "I'm going to go change my clothes and come," I try to excuse myself.

My mom nods, "That would be a great idea." She was wearing her victorious smile. I know she doesn't like my at-home clothes. I mean, I'm trying to be comfortable not a runway model. This might sound very stupid, but worn-out clothes with stains are the most comfortable ones.