It was 8:30, after dinner. Aru glanced at Kara's room. Her sister laughed, and had been laughing for the past hour, and honestly, she was a little concerned.
She knocked and opened the door. "Everything okay?"
"Is that Aru?" The voice from the phone asked. Then she said, "Hi! This is Camilla."
"Oh, hi Camilla!" Aru greeted her. "Sorry, I'll just leave now."
She closed the door and died of embarrassment. Was it just her, or when she said those words, her voice sounded like a toddler's? To her it did.
Gosh, Camilla must think she was weird now. And they hadn't even talked properly!
Her eyes closed from exhaustion and her head fell. "Why is my life so hard?"
Then Aiden texted her. And she was pretty sure her face lit up, and not just from the phone light.
She mentally kicked herself for it.
Aiden 💀
So you're coming over?
Make it quick because me and my mom need to spend time with each other
I haven't seen her in months
bro patience plz
im eavesdropping on my sister
Which wasn't true, but eh, who cares. It was an excuse.
Don't do that
Is she talking to Camilla though
look whos interested
yes
Haha they're pretty close
Anyway come get your book
My mom's interrogating me on it
im coming anyways
my mom told kara and me to drop desserts off remember
at ur house
It's Kara and I, Shah
what are you, a grammar student?!
It's who are you
im aru shah what r u talking abt 🤨
Shah, come get your book.
fine.
Aru knocked on the door again. "Kara, we need to go to Aiden's place, remember?"
The room became silent. Then, Camilla's voice, "You'd better go then."
"I mean, Aru could-" Kara started. "You know what, yeah. I'll talk to you later, Cami."
"Bye, nena." To that, Aru raised an eyebrow. After reading many novels and watching many movies with Hispanic people as main characters, she found that 'nena' meant babe in English, used for females.
And she knew Cami used babe a lot, for many people, but she hadn't heard her use 'nena' once.
She mentally noted that as well.
Kara opened the door. She said, "Let's go."
Aru let her lead the entire way and just walked behind.
Then, as the door opened, Aru's eyes widened.
The girl from the photos.
Now that's where she's seen her before; the auntie who always gossiped with her mom. Malini Acharya.
"Hello," Malini greeted. "I recognize Kara, but...who is this?"
"Arundhati Shah, ma'am," Aru tried to stare at Malini's unflinching gaze. "Kara's sister."
"Oh, I see," Malini nodded. "Kara's said much about you."
Aru almost hid behind her sister. Kara put on a smile and handed the box. "A gift from our family, Malini. Dessert. Bon Appetit."
"Ah," Malini smiled. "Made by Krithika herself?"
"Yes, ma'am," It was Aru who answered, not Kara. "I also forgot a book in your son's car, if you know?"
"Oh, yep. I saw it," Malini smiled at her. The smile was a bit forced though, Aru could see that. Aru's gaze turned toward the ground, not daring to look up again. "Aiden, bring that book."
Her gaze drifted back up, however, at the sound of Aiden's velvety voice. He came down with her book 'Oversimplified Romeo and Juliet' It was sort of them, but if everything wasn't over complicated. And if they didn't die in the end.
"I was reading this, by the way," He told her, giving it back. "It's a good book choice."
"Oh, well," Aru thought about it. Then she held out the book again. "If you like it, you can borrow it. I was rereading it anyway."
Their fingers touched, and while the blush didn't show on her face, it made her insides swirl.
Malini eyed the book, but didn't say anything. Her gaze went to Kara, to Aru, to her son, then back to Aru. She seemed to sum something up in her brain and then said, "Thank you, again. Extend my gratitude to Krithika."
Kara nodded and Aru thanked her for her time. They walked back to their house.
Then, things resumed as they did before. Kara laughed over something Camilla said. Her parents were watching some Bollywood movie, too. And Aru felt left out.
"Hi, Mini," She FaceTimed her best friend and roommate.
"Hi, Aru," Mini said. "Um, I know this isn't why you called, but...if it's okay with you, I have a lot of feelings I want to talk about. I was going to call you, but then I didn't know if you were tired or something-"
"Mini, it's okay," Aru grinned. "I'm really glad you thought to call me, at least."
"And I'm glad you called," Mini smiled back at her. "I know you're tired of crush-talk from your sister, but this is about Rudy."
"Oh?" Aru snuggled under her blankets and smirked. "Do tell."
"It's like..." Mini fumbled to find the words. "I feel so out of control right now, give me a second."
Aru heard her best friend suck in a breath. "We were watching a movie, an hour ago, since we both weren't going home. And then I don't know, but I guess I slept on his shoulder or something. But then, I woke up in my bed, and he wrote a letter and everything, explaining what happened, and I just...it's so sweet."
Aru smiled slowly. She felt happy for her and Rudy, but also retorts bubbled up in her throat which she tried to push down, and she almost said 'FUCKING CONFESS MAN'
"And I just feel so safe when I'm with him, you know?" Mini sighed happily. "Like, really comfortable. Like he can see me. Like really see me. See me past my glasses and all my flaws. I feel so pretty when he's looking at me, Aru. He lets me ramble on and on, then I get embarrassed, right? But he smiles at me and says he's listening.
"And I just like him so much and...Aru? Are you okay?"
Aru sat frozen, listening and watching the screen. She felt frozen because she understood what she was saying.
Everyday, at the shoot, when Aiden saw her, maybe she was overthinking it, but she felt like he saw past all the lies. He saw past the wall she put up between them. He saw her and who she was. And she felt so pretty.
It's how she felt.
"That's so adorable of you, Mini," She laughed. "It's so cute."
Mini's face reddened. "What's that supposed to mean? Am I rambling too much?"
Aru shook her head. "Mini, just confess to him. Worst case scenario, he's not looking for a relationship. Just try. You'll never know until you do."
"Thanks for listening, Aru. You're the best," Mini smiled. "Okay, you're probably tired. Go to sleep."
"Good night, sweetheart," Aru blew a kiss. "My darling child. Don't let the bedbugs bite!"
"Night." Mini smiled and cut the call.
Aru thought about what Mini said that night. It felt strange, liking someone like this.
'Aiden Acharya' She thought wearily, before drifting off to sleep. 'What have you done to me?'
happy (early) new years! its actually the 25th of November rn but im scheduling all the updates and by the time this comes out, it'll be close to new years so yeah!