I was enjoying my dream where I was flying in the space without an astronaut suit, when I heard a loud banging on my door. I stirred in my slip and ignored it. The banging became more fierce and I opened my eyes grudgingly. I didn't want to end my dream like that. I had just began lucid dreaming and was going to conquer another planet with the help of my alien army.
I dragged myself out of the bed and opened the door. My mom hit me on the head with the spatula and told me that she had been calling me for half an hour now. Why? What was so important that she had to disturb my sleep?
"What's up mom?"
"Get ready ASAP. Your dad will be returning soon with the guests. I need some help around the house."
"What?!"
"Yes. Now just don't stand here and move your butt already. I don't have time to explain everything. Can't believe they would drop here at such an early hour without informing us first. Atleast I would have time to prepare breakfast properly. But then again, your father's relatives are all like that."
"Mom, you said you don't have time." I laughed at her rambling and she smacked me on the shoulder playfully. She told me to get ready and start cleaning the house before our guests arrived.
Just, why can't they alert us beforehand? That way we could make some excuses to avoid them. Don't get me wrong, but my relatives were annoying as hell. I guess, God was in a mood to have fun. He made a bunch of idiots and dropped them on earth for others to suffer.
And unfortunately, they were my dad's family. I am telling you, before marrying someone, whether love marriage or arranged, check their family background too. Mom's bad luck, even if she had arranged one, they failed to notice how crazy dad's side was.
I won't let it happen to me. I went through all the points I would check before marrying a guy as I took a quick shower and threw a pair of old salwar kameez on afterwards. I was not a fan of that attire but since Dadi was coming too, I had to follow some traditions to avoid scolding from her and others.
I quickly got in action and started cleaning the house. My mom kept shouting orders from the kitchen and I was following her every command, sometimes getting baffled by the onslaught of multiple orders at the same time. I almost fell down the stairs while running from the bathroom to the terrace to dry out the clothes.
After completing my part of chores at a ninja speed, I believed I was qualified to become a Chunin now. Or maybe a Genin. Ok, ok. You don't have to force me now. I will settle with Hokage.
"Stop daydreaming! Come and knead the dough. Your father just called and told me two more have joined the troop. Let your dad come, I will give him a big lecture about this," Mom fumed as she cut the onions and made rotis simultaneously. I would never reach her level of multitasking.
I groaned when I saw the amount of atta (dough) I had to knead. But when I saw her exhausted face, I charged myself up and butchered the dough. I emptied all of my anger on it and amazingly, finished it before time and took on cooking rice later.
Ting tong!
The devils were here. Mom went out of the kitchen to welcome our guests and all the scenes from 'Atithi kab jaaoge' started playing in my mind, as I stirred the vegetables in the pan. Maybe I could apply some of the tricks from the movie and they would flee from the house.
"Sandhya!" I heard Dadi's voice.
To be honest, I hated my relatives but I could never hate my grandma. She was the sweetest old person I knew since the day I was born. I turned off the gas and rushed out of the kitchen. As soon as my eyes landed on her, I hugged her and asked her how she was.
I pulled away and she took a good look at my face. She gave me the brightest smile and peppered my face with kisses. I hugged her once again. I was seeing her after whole two years. She had come back from America after her operations. Her condition was getting worse and her doctor suggested to take her abroad for further treatments. One of my uncle was already living there so we didn't have much problem with the process.
"We are here too. Won't we get a hug?" my aunt complained and I turned towards her. I gave her a quick hug and touched her feet. She patted my head and motioned for me to do the same with other elders present. Damn, my back started aching with all the bending and the smacks I recieved from uncles.
I noticed my cousin, Jahnvi sitting on the sofa, busy in her phone. She was wearing a black striped white t-shirt with a short denim jumpsuit over it.
Her silky long dark brown hair were tied in a loose pony while some strands fell around her face. Her white skin was flawless like always and her dark brown eyes were fixed on the phone in her hand.
( Jahnvi's outfit👆)
I would just ignore her. I didn't like her. She was on my hitlist, after Ved. If we were the last three persons alive on the earth, and I had to choose between her and Ved, I would kill both of them and live alone.
She was just that much annoying. Maybe even more than my arch nemesis. Mom nudged me to go and talk to her. I groaned and she gave me the 'mom' look. I dragged my feet towards Jahnvi and sat beside her. She didn't acknowledge me. I also didn't say anything. We sat like that in silence for some minutes, when she spoke up.
"Where is my room?"
Mom and dad exchanged a look and I gave them a challenging one. If they said I had to share my room with her, I would pack my bags and leave.
"You will stay in Sandhya's room, Jahnvi. Right, Sandhu? Why don't you take your sister upstairs so that she can freshen up?" Mom said in a sweet voice.
I narrowed my eyes at her and she motioned with her head to get going. I huffed and picked up Jahnvi's bags and took those to my room. I heard her following me and when I entered the room, she shrieked loudly, making me drop the bags suddenly.
"What the hell is your problem?" I shouted.
"Ew. You want me to stay here? Like really? Ya must be kiddin' me," she said in her fake American accent and scrunched up her nose.
"You ain't got any other option. So you can either stay here or on the footpath. The decision is yours." I threw her bags at a corner and faced her.
She glared at me and began spitting curses she must have picked up from her NRI friends. I showed her the bathroom and she tiptoed towards it. I shook my head and let out a huge breath.
Control Sandhya, control.
"Get ready fast and come downstairs for breakfast," I told her.
"Don't order me," she said from the bathroom.
I ignored her and got down in the hall to join everyone else. Our small home was looking crowded now with so many people in it. Jahnvi was sharing the room with me but what about the rest? How were we supposed to accommodate them?
"Don't worry. I have arranged everything," Mom said, reading my mind.
I nodded and took my seat on the dining table. Since we didn't have enough space on it, all of us were spread out in the hall. Jahnvi made her royal entry when all of us were already halfway through our breakfast. She was wearing black shorts and an oversized t-shirt. That t-shirt. That was mine! I gripped my spoon in my hand.
"You don't have anything good to wear?" she asked me annoyingly and stretched the hem of the shirt. Why was she wearing my clothes? She always did that. Whenever she would come over to our house, she would steal some shirts and tops from me. And when I complained about it to mom, she would wave me off by saying that I should be considerate towards my sister.
Yes, I wanted a sibling but not someone like her. After breakfast, I cleaned the dishes and made myself comfortable in my room. Dadi (grandmother) never said anything about Jahnvi wearing such clothes. Why? Jahnvi was roaming around the house in comfortable shorts while I was tired of adjusting the dupatta again and again. Bloody hell.
(Dupatta:- a length of material worn arranged in two folds over the chest and thrown back around the shoulders, typically with a salwar kameez.)
Once in my room, I changed into full length pyjamas. A lot of time was wasted already, so I got down to work quickly.
I began making notes for Nikhil while doing my revision side by side. For safety purposes, I locked my room from inside. After one hour, Jahnvi began shouting to let her in. If it wasn't for mom, I would have left her outside for the whole day. I opened the door and she pushed past me.
I got back to my study table and continued my work. In the background, I could hear her talking on her phone and complaining about how she wished she had stayed at home instead of coming here. Same here sis, same here.
"Wacha doing?" She poked my shoulder.
"Can't you see? I am studying."
"That's all you know how to do. No wonder you are still single."
What the fuck?! Where did that come from?
"What's that got to do with studying?" I retorted.
"It does. Do you have a boyfriend?"
"Nope."
"Exactly. You never will."
"If you won't shut up right now, I will rip your head off, you skunk."
"Bitch!"
"That's you. Now shut up, I have to make notes."
I turned around in my seat and she grabbed the notebook from me.
"Who's Nikhil?"
"None of your business."
"Are you having a secret affair?" She faked surprise and widened her eyes.
Just now she said that I won't ever have a boyfriend and now she was accusing me of having an affair? See, that's what I was talking about. Crazy relative.
I snatched the notebook from her hand and she went back to the bed, laying on it while mumbling something under her breath. She picked up my phone and I frowned.
"What's the password?" she asked while trying to unlock it.
Really? Is this how it was going to be for the time they were going to stay here? Man, just kill me already.
"Tell me. If you don't have anything to hide, that is," she provoked.
I unlocked the phone and threw it back at her. She caught it before it hit her and made a weird face at me. For the rest of the time, I ignored her while she did-God knows what- on my phone. She said my phone's camera was better than hers and now my phone was filled with her selfies.
After the study session, it was time for lunch. I was really thankful to my aunt for helping mom in cooking. Since I was preparing for exams, she didn't disturb me to prepare lunch. Rest of the day went by, as me and Jahnvi argued over little things while elders watched us in amusement. I missed her younger brother. He was far better than her.
After dinner, I retired to my room and packed my bag for college beforehand. With all the guests in the house, I wouldn't be getting much time now. I quickly ironed the clothes I wanted to wear tomorrow and got in bed. My cousin sauntered in the room and laid beside me.
"I am coming to your college tomorrow," she announced.
I turned around abruptly making her jump. What did she say? Why did she want to come to my school? She wouldn't be allowed entry. She wasn't a student there.
"You can't come," I told her.
"Why?"
"Our college doesn't allow entry to those who aren't enrolled there."
"Oh, that won't be much of a problem."
"What do you mean?"
"Leave it upto me."
"You are not coming. That's final."
"I am! I have talked to Chachi (aunt). She said I could go."
I groaned and turned away from her. There was no way I was getting in an argument with mom over this. There would be no use. I just wished the guards would check for identity cards and she would not be able to torture me.
"Sandhya?"
"What is it now?"
"You are a dumbhead."
I inhaled sharply and turned around to hit her. She dodged in time and sprang up from the bed. I wasn't letting her get away with that. I was the elder one. I threw a pillow at her and it her on the face. That's how we spent most of the night, pillow fighting while our parents shouted for us to keep quiet.
I won the fight and dropped on the floor in exhaustion. Jahnvi quickly moved and crawled on the bed.
"Finally!" she shouted and spread herself freely. I didn't have enough strength now to move even a single muscle. So, I just made myself comfortable on the floor while my sister enjoyed her victory.
I closed my eyes and started drifting off to sleep. Well, I guess that's what her plan was from the beginning. Making me sleep on the floor. Just before I lost myself completely in the darkness, I felt a soft fabric over me. I snuggled in it and commanded my alien army to attack. We got the power!