Q- How many languages can you speak?
A- Three fluently and four a little.
Started Typing On – 19/04/2020
Chapter 4: Friend Request
Aditi had helped Dhruv buy everything he needed at a good price. He once tried to persuade her by saying, 'I can pay. I think the price is fair.' To which she surprisingly told him to shut up and let her talk. In the end he saved quite a lot of money.
"He was fooling you around. They always do that to guys." She snorts heading in her cars directions.
Dhruv just hums in return but his brain was trying to come up with something to spend more time with her. She definitely spoke much more than he did to her, even though it was about the food but he was still happy. "Y-yeah. T-thank."
Aditi notices the stutter coming out in shyness. This was her last night with Jay. Only difference was she wasn't stuttering out of sheepishness but discomfort. Wow. A shy guy. So cool. "Your—um, you want me to drop you?"
"No—oh," he looks around to find himself standing by her car. He mutters something unpleasant and perhaps embarrassing underneath his breath and looks around everywhere but her. "So-sorry. I-I did—did—"
A tiny—tinniest—smile marries her face. Dhruv could take it as an insult so Aditi tries to hide it with by chewing on her lip. She unlocks her car, looking away him and shoves her wallet inside. When she looks back at him again she's not smiling. She succeeded to hide it from him.
"I can drop you, if you want?"
She never stuttered or tripped on her sentences. Either she wasn't shy like him—from his judgment—or she wasn't shy at all. That's a stupid question he wants the answer to. "N—no. My car is perfect and I'll get it towed."
"Huh?" Her brows dive-in together. "Your cars fine but you'll get it towed? Why?"
God. He wanted to hit himself on the head and face palm too. He grits his teeth. He's done it again—got nervous, exchanged his perfectly alright word with something stupid out of anxiety.
He licks his lips before speaking as if to gain some confidence, "My bad. I meant I'll drive it—are you free? W-would you want to grab some coffee? With me."
Wow. With me. Of course with me. I didn't have to add that. And then he realises what he's just said—asked. Her face changes colour into the deepest shade of rose and eyes look away from him. She looks exactly like his version of a female from her uneasy and reluctant stance. I shouldn't have.
But he did. Shocking his own-self, actually. He just really liked her. He was interested in her. And since he's said his cars perfectly fine—a stupid information she didn't need to know—Dhruv can't take her offer of dropping him home so he chose coffee. Now that seems like the wrong idea judging by her averted eyes.
"I—I can't. I'm so—" he doesn't even hear her explanation because he's too humiliated on being turned down for whatever reasons. He tries to ask her out for coffee—only Dhruv knows how much strength and will-power it took from him to ask her—and she turns the offer down.
He momently and self-consciously shakes his head. Eyes on the dirty floor with chunks of rocks around her car. "I—it's alright. I—I understand." He says in a quick breath with a few pauses in between. He stuffs his hands inside his hoodie pockets and fidgets with them in shame and uneasiness. "I'll get going."
Aditi's face falls. She didn't want to hurt him but she has to drop everything to the café first and then head to her masi's (mother's sister) house for a family dinner. She can't miss that for a mere coffee. She immediately feels guilty for coming across so brutally honest and straight-forward. "Bye." She chokes out. Dhruv nods—eyes down—and heads off. He doesn't reply to her bye.
"Damnit" She curses sitting inside her car. She can't even tell her best friend this because Jaanvi is busy and already stressed beside this was her soon-to-be brother-in-law. Aditi can't bring herself to dump her friend in even more stress of awkwardness with her new family member.
Dhruv's ride back home was unpleasant which was so unlike him. He calls for his brother to come out of the house and give him a hand with everything. Kiaan rushes down the stairs just outside their big house and throws Dhruv a concerning look.
"What's wrong?"
Dhruv shrugs holding the 20kg wheat sack in his arms. "Close the boot when you're done." Is all he says. He hurries inside the house and into the kitchen to find him mother making something sweet.
"Oh, got it all?" Dhruv nods. Without saying much he heads into his bedroom and falls on the bed. He regrets being so straight-forward. He wonders if she thinks he's a low-class guy wanting to pick girls up randomly. His mouth turns sour just by thinking of it.
"What is seriously wrong with you?" His brother injuries with a tired and pissed voice. "You're awfully quiet."
"I literally just stepped inside the house two minutes ago and you think I'm quiet?" Dhruv snarls hugging his pillow.
"Stop being such a whiny baby." Kiaan mutters in a grossed out voice. He lays on his stomach beside his brother and looks at him weirdly. "What got inside your head?"
Rejection. "Nothing. I'm just tired." He lies looking away from Kiaan. "These blaring horns have me doubting my decision of coming to India."
Kiaan rolls his eyes. "You had no option anyways."
"Yeah, right." Dhruv grits his teeth. "You could have stayed still on your ground and told mum and dad you're happing staying single." As soon as he says it both of them know this isn't Dhruv.
"Hey, bro." Kiaan touches his arm. "Why'd you say that? What's wrong?" Kiaan knows Dhruv was the happiest with this proposal, then why'd he say such a thing.
"I—I'm just exhausted. I'm sorry. She's amazing." He's talking about Jaanvi. Eyes closed. "Close the door on your way out."
Kiaan looks at the back of Dhruv's hair in shock and shakes his head. "Who said I'm going, brother." He theatrically says in a high-pitch voice empathizing their relation.
"UGH. Go away." Dhruv mutters kicking Kiaan on the thigh. Yet again not looking at him.
"Now I'm definitely not going." He declares hitting Dhruv on the spine with his foot. "I bet mum delivered you in the wrong time and wrong gender. You're such a girl—all teary and fragile—" He gets a hit on his face by the pillow.
Kiaan looked scandalous with that wide—offensive and ignorant eyes—and open wide mouth which could fit a whole watermelon in—no literal—and ears open attentively. "Well, good luck with marrying a women—who cries way more than a new-born baby does. This reminds me, I'm sure your children would instantly want to leave earth realizing they're going to carry your gene—and perhaps having one or two or billions to by the personality you have. Asshole." Dhruv mutters truthfully. His anger bursts out and he feels better.
"Done?" Kiaan asks.
Dhruv nods, coughing a little from the outburst and then clears his throat as if preparing himself for another debate. "Yes. That went quite well actually. Wish I used this aggression during my senior speech—would have gotten an A for eye contact—I feel better, thanks." He says casually—almost too casual and little playfulness—unaware of an aggrieved Kiaan.
"Good. Cause you'll feel the exact opposite after I'm done with you." He mutters fisting his hands, the veins pop out in his arms declaring war. Dhruv chuckles awkwardly before shifting on the bed, eyes zooming around the bedroom to find the exit door.
"You won't do that. I can't possibly look beaten up at your wedding," Dhruv points out, delighted with his fast thinking brain.
Kiaan throws a bitter smirk. "Everyone's going to watch me—the groom—not you. Besides, I'm sure Kajal can lend you her makeup." One sinister smirk and he pounds on his brother who holds a tough fight. Dhruv pushes his chest and blocks Kiaan's hand from connecting it to his jawline.
"Bro, my jawline is my favourite feature. Have mercy." Dhruv mumbles breathlessly and hits Kiaan on the ribcage making him groan. He pushes his brother off of him and stands up out of breath. "Jaanvi really is marrying an animal. Someone call animal care, urgently need—"
He trails off meeting familiar pair of eyes on the brothers. "Reya—"
Before Dhruv could greet him Reyansha shouts on top of his lungs for their mother, Roshini, "You're sons were in an intimate position aunty! CALL FOR HELP!" And runs off.
Dhruv grumbles things underneath his breath. "You sure he's twenty-seven and not seven?" Reyansha was both the brothers' friend but if you have to explain who he's close to then it'll be Kiaan since they were high school classmates.
"He's a girl." Kiaan randomly says wiping his lips on his t-shirt and stands up dusting his clothes. "So dramatic."
Dhruv gives him a look. The one that says, 'I really pity you.' "Please explain who isn't a girl to you? I'm sure you're afraid of competition which is why you'r—"
"Shut up," he growls.
"Everything that you're saying—about girls—would come back to you with full force. Mark my words." Dhruv smirks, arms folded across his chest.
Kiaan took it as an insult and glares at his brother. "Likewise. May god grant you with the most amount of girls in your life." He brushes his shoulder with his younger brother as if to look tough.
"Hey," Dhruv mutters behind a walking Kiaan. "Girls are nice."
"I know," Kiaan whistles with a twitching lip walking off.
____
"So what'll you wear didi?" (Elder sister) Meera asks.
Aditi was sitting in her masi's (mother's sister's) house with her cousin Meera on the couch beside her. Aditi was thinking to deeply about today's incident when Meera pinches her. "Ouch, what is it?" she glares at her younger cousin.
"What'll you wear to Jaanvi didi's wedding?" Meera asks with joyful eyes. "I can't wait to shop."
Aditi forces a small smile shrugging her shoulders. "Right now I'm busy selecting songs for the haldi and wedding." She has written a few upbeats songs for everyone to dance to but other than that her brains blank.
She still remembers Dhruv's falling face. "Can I help?" The seventeen year old Meera asks. Aditi was too tired to speak so she silently hands her cousin the notebook and pencil.
"I'll be back." She lifts her coffee mug, telling everyone she'll put it inside the sink. Her uncle and aunty were too busy talking to her parents that none of them replied. She heads inside the kitchen and fills the mug with water so it wouldn't be too dry for them to wash.
She turns to leave but then sees a lot of dishes in the sink. She parts her pursed lips—what she does when she's thinking—having a discussion with herself whether to head out and be forced—by her self—to join into a conversation or wash these dishes and be alone.
So she began washing them. Her phone buzzes a few times inside her tight jeans pocket but Aditi ignores it and continues with her work. She rinses out the dishwashing soap and turn the tap on before putting the plate on the rack.
Aditi dries her hands with the tea-towel and grabs her phone out. It was a message from an unknown number. She slides her phone open and sees the profile picture was of Jay outside some club. Instant turn off.
He texted her asking if she's come up with any songs. 'Yes. A few.' She replies and saves his number. Hearing the standard click sound from her phone she places it on the dining table and drops on the couch beside Meera. "How many songs did you come up with so far?"
"Five. See." She grins handing the notebook back to Aditi.
She scans through the songs. "Wow. Thanks." Meera sees the lack of vocalization from Aditi's side so she asks her what's wrong when their parents left the living room and headed into the dining hall. Aditi thinks hard to tell Meera or not because she was a teenager only. "It's nothing."
Meera pouts. "Remember the last time you hid things from me and it ended up bad." She reminds her sister's cockily with her eyes side glancing Aditi.
Aditi huffs. "Fine." So she tells her everything. From meeting Dhruv outside Jaanvi's house to today. Meera listens dreamily. "I feel bad. He's shy an—"
"HOT! H O T." Meera spells the word out dramatically. Eyes beaming in naughtiness. "I've always had a thing for shy guys."
"—and I turned him down probably breaking his self-esteem." Aditi says loudly in a stern voice giving Meera a glare. "Should I tell your parents you don't care about your exams but boys?"
Meera smiles slyly. "Should I tell your parents you're thinking about this guy?"
Aditi flaps her mouth open. "You." She inserts her finger on Meera's temple. "Don't you blackmail me."
The girl laughs. "Tell Jaanvi didi. I'm sure she can help."
"That's the problem." Aditi mutters annoyingly. "I can't involve her in this. Whether good or bad."
"Why not?"
Aditi replies in a duh tone. "Because he's her fiancé's brother."
"So?" The girl presses.
Aditi hits her on the head. "So you won't get it. You're a teenager after all."
"Hey. Don't insult my age." Meera defensively says fixing her glasses. "If you still feel terrible after two days just have coffee with him, what's the problem? I mean, he's paying so—" Aditi raises a bro. Meera fixes her upcoming response, "I mean, just have coffee and yeah. If he's cool, then cool, if no then he can fuc—"
"No swearing!"
Meera rolls her eyes. "Everyone swears." Then she adds just to irk Aditi, "I bet this Dhruv guy does to." Aditi it's her on the arm. Meera giggles, "And if he doesn't he's seriously messed up."
"But seriously." Aditi says after a couple of minutes. "Sh—should I have cof—coffee with him?" Meera gives a hard look. One that says 'isn't this what I just said?' "He'll be my best friend's brother-in-law and I don't want any pro—"
"You can either think about your best friend or that guy—who I'm hundred percent sure is stuck in your head." Meera says so swiftly as if it's that easy. "Ask him for coffee."
"I don't have his number."
"I'm sure theirs is a thing called 'social media' where you can text people. Rings a bell?"
"You mocking gir—" Aditi runs behind a giggling Meera and just then her phone rings. "Wait up." She tells her cousin before answering her phone. "Hello, Aditi here."
"Hey, Jay." He says.
She stifles a sigh. "Oh, yes. Anything wrong?"
He sounded jolly today. "No. I just called to ask about the music."
She frowns. "I texted you that I've got few in mind."
The line goes silent for god awkward seconds. "Yes. I mean, I'm thinking of making a remix or mashup of a few songs. Why don't we meet up an—"
"I can't." She curtly says. "I've got things." She presses her tongue shut.
Jay's voice comes louder and higher in pitch. "Things?"
"Yes. Things." She firmly replies.
She hears a sigh. "Can't you find a free slot?"
"Why don't you make the mashup and email it to me? I'll hear it and send you my thoughts?" She really couldn't deal with another awkward and tensed encounter with him nor did she have the time.
"Okay. Alright."
The call was disconnected by an angry Jay. Aditi finger hovers over the Instagram app before she opens it up without thinking twice. She chews her lips, crosses her free finger and searches 'Dhruv Rajput' unlike his brother he had a private account.
"Ugh." She sighs madly. Kiaan has a public profile with one thousand or close to a thousand followers but Dhruv has three hundred and fifty. Be follows over five hundred people though. His bio says 'NYC' with a location emoji beside it and that's about it. His profile picture is of—from what she can see—the back of his head in the water. He was swimming.
He likes swimming.
From everything she's seen and noticed he's not as outgoing as his elder brother. He's got selective close group of friends who follow him—he's a private person—and a bio that leaves so much to imagination. Nothing gives away his personality.
She stalks Kiaan again—to see Dhruv's pictures—when she, for the first time, reads Kiaan's bio and laughs covering her mouth. "Oh my god. Jaanvi, are you marrying a typical arrogant guy?" She giggles reading his bio out-loud. "You were my cup of tea. But I drink champagne now."
Oh my poor, poor Jaanvi. She scrolled down to a photo of Kiaan. It was an actually candid and looked amazing with the black coat her wore. She went into the comment section and nearly screamed in laughter seeing one of Kiaan's friend commented, "Could have captioned it, 'I like my coffee how I like myself: Dark, bitter and too hot for you.'"
Kiaan had liked his friends comment but his caption stayed to a simple 'candid hashtag' but what caught her eyes was Dhruv's reply to some guy named Reyansha's comment. It read, "Eww. #WTF." With a throwing up emoji.
One thing was clear; Dhruv was simple but classy. Not that Kiaan wasn't but he is her friend's man. Not hers. She requests Dhruv's account first and then send a message, "Hey. Sorry about today I had a family dinner to catch up as I told you so. Does Sunday sound okay to you?" Before she could rethink and give up from the building nervousness she hits send and deletes the app in fear and locks her phone.
"I hope I didn't make a mistake."
Mr Shy And Miss Shy