The bike was going on a very high speed, but my mind was blown away with a lot of things. Ranveer is my cousin!
I cannot even say it out loud. Before even I could process my thoughts, we were there.
Ranveer hopped off the bike and was waiting for me to mount down.
"Ishaani?" He asked and I looked at him.
"Huh?" I managed to reply.
"Are you planning to get down anytime soon? It's freezing out here" He stated as a matter of fact and I realized that I was still in his bike.
He must have sensed my momentary dizziness as he came near me helping me get off the bike and offered to carry my bag. I didn't stop him as I was not in a position to frame proper sentences.
"Hey" he stopped me. "Before we get into any of the chaos from our families, I would like to say something"
I tried to focus my attention to his face. Is he talking about what happened last week in college?
"No matter how bizarre this situation is, I am so glad that you are here" he said smiling at me. I managed to crack a smile back.
I took a deep breath before we opened the door to his house. The sight which met us was like the ones from the soap operas of our country. It took me a moment to adjust to the glaring and bright lights around me.
Really! Are we doing a shoot here or what? Pushing aside all those things I focused my attention to the people who were coming forward to meet me.
My parents. All the tension I had built up in my body vanished as soon as I saw them. I ran upto my father and mother hugging them both. Gosh the familiar scent. I missed them both. And after so long, this felt like home.
My father had me in a bone crushing hug, "Look at you, you have become so lean my princess".
My mother stroked my hair, "It would have been nice if you would have worn a salwar, but..." I laughed out at them both. Somethings never change.
After all that showering of love got over my father took me meet the rest of the people in the room.
I forced a big smile that my jaws hurt, "Ishaani. How beautiful you have become! I am so happy to meet you again." Said my uncle Manohar Shankar.
"I am happy that you have asked me to spend this vacation here. Thanks to you I have got more time with dad and mom" I replied squeezing my father's hands.
"It is me who made this happen" I turned around to find aunt Mrinalini inviting me with her open arms.
I moved forward as she hugged me with tears in her eyes. "Your father didn't tell us that you are here. In the same place as us. And when I found out I couldn't spend another minute without having you in our home" She replied patting my head.
I have liked aunt Mrinalini from a long time she used to visit India. Sadly, after that incident I stopped talking with everyone.
"Thank you, aunty." I replied smiling at her.
We all heard someone clearing the throat to find Ranveer standing a few feet away still holding my bags.
"Ranveer, come here. Thank you so much for bringing Ishaani safely" My father called him, giving him a billion-dollar smile. I don't know why but I sensed that something is weird.
"It's alright uncle.", Ranveer moved near us. "It is like an event planned upon in heavens, Ranveer and Ishaani studying together in CLU. Us meeting here. Oh, I cannot contain my excitement." Aunt was squealing. We all couldn't stop but smile with her. So, the fact that Ranveer and me studying together is known to everyone.
And I also noticed Ranveer giving me a known smirk. I raised my eyebrows at him for which he replied that he will tell me later.
"Ranveer why don't you show Ishaani to her room? I am sure she must be tired from travelling all the way." Uncle said as Ranveer stiffened. Then aunt said, "Go and freshen up dear. Let us all have dinner together" I nodded my head and followed him.
We moved upstairs and he took me to a room farthest on the corridor. A musk scent filled the air as we entered the room. It looked similar to my parent's room in India. Everything from the cot to the cupboard was made of oak.
"Bathroom's over there" I looked away from the things to see Ranveer pointing the corner. I nodded my head as he dropped my bags over the counter and moved out of the room. It is only when I left all the breath I had, I realized that I have been holding them for so long.
I discarded the clothes and moved towards the bathroom thinking that a hot shower would help me loosen up the muscles. And it did. I stood there under the shower until I could feel the water burning my skin.
Stepping out the shower, I rummaged through my things to find a decent pair of pajamas. I know mom would not appreciate this but who cares. I am going to sleep after dinner, I don't have be presentable all the time. With a smacking thought I realized that I have to be thinking about all these things for the next two weeks now. And I shuddered about the fact.
I decided to climb down after drying my hair up only to find the rest of my family already seated around the table. My aunt was the first one to notice me, "Oh, we thought to send someone just now".
My mom gave me a raised eyebrow and I decided to pretend that I have not seen it. I noticed that the seat next to Ranveer was the only one that was empty.
As the first course of South Indian delicacies got over the talks turned towards us. "Ishaani knows to cook almost everything in this table. She can whip up a feast in a minute" My mother was giving out unnecessary information as I looked at her pointedly.
She pretended that she did not see my look and continued, "She enjoys cooking and taking care of the house. That was her favourite pastime when she was in India. Even now she cooks her own food" I was looking at her bewildered.
"Mom" I tried to force a smile. "That is not the only thing I did remember. I had to study too" I added pointedly.
"Of course, you did" My father pitched in as my uncle joined in. "She won't be Shiva's daughter if she didn't do that nah. She is going to be a successful career woman."
"And a perfect woman who takes care of her home too" My aunt added as she squeezed my hand and they all smiled.
I noticed that Ranveer had his smirk again in place and I was planning to ambush him for this.
As the dinner got over with me being served as a topic for dessert all the adults went into separate rooms leaving me an Ranveer alone.
But the next moment I was standing alone in that big room. Where did he go? I was scanning the room only to notice the house's structure. They had a big house with everything made from wood and looked as if they would break if you stare at them longer. Everything screamed money here. My eyes went up the stairs where I found a place with glowing light.
Automatically my legs to me up there. I walked further to find that it was the balcony of their house and the glowing light was the light from the moon. I am sure their house must be on top of a hill, because the cold air made me shiver.
"I thought I might find you here" my head jerked up to find Shiva leaning over the rail just like me.
"Yeah. Its beautiful" I replied now turning towards him. But shuddered again as the wind hit me mercilessly. He noticed this and went off again.
As I saw his darting back, I noticed the photos hung on the wall near the balcony. My aunt and uncle's photos were there. There was a picture of a girl whom I have seen before, during my sister's wedding. I distinctly remember her as Ranjana. We bonded a lot during that time, she was one of my sister's bridesmaids. So her brother whom she talked about at that time was Ranveer huh?
I shook my head smiling. What a small world we live in!
I was surprised when I saw a jacket hung over my shoulders. Ranveer had got me and now he was standing next to me looking at the photos.
I turned to say my thanks but stopped when I saw his pained expression. I have seen this only once. When I said I cannot mirror his feelings for me!
Then I noticed that he was looking at one particular photo where he was standing next to Ranjana wearing a school uniform.
"You miss her huh?" I asked now turning towards the balcony.
He followed me talking his eyes of the photo. "That would be an understatement." He replied.
"That bad?" I asked moving closer.
"She was the only one who understood me. She believed in me. She was there for me whenever I had a problem. But after she left it seemed like I had no one. And maybe I think because of that I became a jerk"
"You are though" I laughed as he joined me.
"She was my best friend", He said now looking at the skies. Ranveer's elder sister Ranjana got married two years before my sister and she is also living in Australia.
"I am your best friend too" I told him patting his head. His expression pained once more but he gathered himself up. We both turned to look at the scenery around us. Moonlight glistening over the pool, the scent of the flowers.
"It all feels surreal, isn't it?", he asked and I am sure my head would have been jerked up.
"What?" I spoke unable to control myself. "You being here. Us being related" Ranveer said as I nodded my head with a relief.
Since it was the second time, I heard this today. It surely was surreal for me. "Yeah. I am happy that I met your parents again. I like your mother"
"Oh. She likes you more than me." He smirked again and I took this opportunity.
"What are you implying? I know you know something" I asked him keeping my face straight.
"I am not sure whether you really don't know or whether you are pretending. But since I know you well, you cannot pretend something like this", He said as my eyebrows furrowed.
He was looking at me carefully as he said the next words, "I think they want us to get married". He said as I stopped dead in my tracks.
My mind went numb and moved to the events that happened three years back.
It was the time of my sister's wedding. The whole hall was filled with guests from all the place. I was welcoming a few of them, helping out my sister with her mehndi function.
That is when I got involved with the group of aunties whose only job was to find unmarried girls and take it their life's duty to matchmake them.
I was helping out our photographer to get good candid shots when one of the aunt's who is also our neighbor called me. Ranveer's sister Ranjana was also there.
"Look at you gleaming in this lehenga Ishaani. I am sure you will also get married by the end of this year" She spoke as I tried hard to keep my face from giving her the puking look.
"She is so young to get married now aunty" Ranjana said on my behalf as I threw her a thank you.
"Not at all. A girl is never too young to get married" She pressed as I let out a big sigh. I was hating my decision to come here. This is why I hate my relatives. Is marriage the only thing my life should go towards?
"You may be right Shylaja but look at her. She is only in her twenties now" My mom pitched in as I was astonished by her response.
"At least find her a groom and finish her betrothal before she goes off to study more", neighbor aunty continued as I was thinking of escapes from this place.
"There will be no need for that. It was destined when she was born that she will marry my son. I believe that God will bring my brother's daughter as my daughter one day to my home" My aunt said now tears streaming down her face. Everyone became emotional as I rolled my eyes.
Hello! Don't I have a say in this? The sooner I leave this place, the sooner I can be free from this drama. I will never ever accept for this kind of non-sense.
And that is when I stopped talking to any of my relatives. I have avoided them all after my sister's wedding completely. My mom knew the reason behind it so she understood.
The cold breeze brought me back to California. "What are you talking about Ranveer?" I asked him now trying to phrase my doubts.
"You heard me" He replied his face straight. I couldn't find whether he is happy or sad about this.
"But..But..." I couldn't comprehend. "This is absurd" I finished.
"Sooner or later, we will be in such situation Ishaani. I hope you can handle it well" he said and started to move as I stopped him by holding his hands.
"What about you?" I asked him as he thought for a moment before answering.
"Me? How will I miss another chance of having you in my arms again Ish? Another chance of loving you" He replied as my eyes got teary again.
I dropped his hand and moved towards the railing again. I heard him leave probably thinking of giving me space.
This is so unfair...