The Best Match

“Will you speak?” I demanded, trying to not sound frustrated but that was all how I was feeling then.

“We can't stand here. Let's go back in.” He breathed out and moved past me to the room. I stood on my spot rooted. I knew he was trying to stall me.

“Is there anything you should be telling me but you are not saying it?” I asked again without turning to face him. I felt him stopping behind me. He must've inhaled a sharp breath which I judged from the way he exhaled after gulping a lump.

I was surprised at the silence around us. I could literally hear his heartbeats in my ear. Turning on my heels, I saw his slumped shoulders, like they were burdened with something.

“Is everything alright?”

“Will you believe me if I tell you?” He countered my question with his own and looked at me over his shoulder. I nodded tentatively, “Yes. I will.”

“Really?” He prompted, turning to face me. His brown eyes assessed me quietly. “Will you trust a man you've known for just a few weeks? Shouldn't you test me first and judge me on my actions?”

I could sense mockery in his weighted words. But, I didn't understand why he was being so acerbic with me. We hardly spent time together and he was already using that tone with me.

“Have I offended you?” I creased my forehead, taking a step forward. “You are behaving differently.”

“Is that so?” He mocked me again, “I thought I was just being…”

“Cut the crap, Abhimanyu! I'm sick of this. We've not been married for a day and you are behaving so rude with me. What's wrong with you?” I scowled.

His eyes turned cold and he fisted his palms too. “Fine! You are wrong. Our marriage is wrong. Happy?”

“What?”

“We have gotten married but that is just for the… world!” He said and I stumbled back in shock. Holding on to the drawer beside me, I looked at him in disbelief.

‘Please tell me you are lying! Please tell me you are lying.’ I chanted in my mind, hoping this nightmare would break. He was still uttering shit with his damned mouth.

*Parties annoy me.

Especially weddings!

I never like the ‘groom and bride’ twisting their legs on the DJ. I never like people so casually spending millions of their savings on tasteless food and decor. I never like the display of power with dangerous gunshots. More than that, I never liked various aunties constantly reminding my mom that I was of age and I should be married.

“God! They are serving tequila. Oh my head!” I rolled my eyes as I identified the irritated voice behind me as my sister's. She came to stand in front of me and rubbed her forehead, looking in pain. “Damn, do I look drunk? Will mom be able to find out? Please say no! Please say no!”

“Why do you drink when you can't handle it?” I narrowed my eyes at her and slid the empty glass on the table, finishing my cold drink in a gulp. “I'm sure you would be feeling naughty.”

She looked up from her hands and gave me a tight smile. “Well, I am glad you know me so well.” She said with a fake sweetness in her voice and glared at me. “But it was to serve a purpose.”

“Must be for the benefit of mankind!” I mocked her, compressing my lips to hide my grin. When she deepened her frown, I shrugged nonchalantly. “I mean you hardly do anything just for fun, right?”

“I am not gonna answer that.” She pointed a snappy finger at me and tottered to the table where our cousins sat. I watched in amusement as she gave a thumbs up to them and downed another glass. The group whooped in glee and I shook my head. They must have been cashing on a bet.

“Shree! Honey, come over here.” Mom called me and I pushed myself off the small bar and made my way to her. I nodded my greetings at the group of ladies ambushing mom. With a searching gaze, they all welcomed me and I stood beside my mom awkwardly.

“This is my daughter. She is an engineer. We are finding…” Oh, okay, I got it. So she was showing me off to her girlfriends. Gah! I should have seen that coming. My mom was treating me as if I was a specimen of the most exquisite species which was either going to be extinct or hadn’t come to the general eyes yet.

“Ah, mom. I gotta see where Siya is. Excuse me.” I smiled at the ladies once before scampering from there and hiding somewhere away from their scrutinizing eyes. Seriously, what was everyone’s obsession with getting me hitched? I was only twenty four and hadn’t been in Europe.

There's no absolutely no need for groom hunting, especially when I hadn't been given a fair chance to date. However, I knew that even if I was given the liberty, I would've still trusted my parents to find a match for me. Generally, because my choice in men sucked and because I had very little time to invest in building a prospective relationship.

“I have got news for you.” Out of nowhere, Siya popped up beside me and slurred in my ear. Muffling a curse on my palm, I jolted straight and veered to face her.

She swayed slightly, forcing me to grab her arm. “Idiot, did you really drink that much? Mom's gonna kill you if she finds out. You are aware that you are underage, right?”

“The waiter said nothing about it. He just swagged in, dropped a few shots and left like a dart.” She giggled at her ill humor, making me roll my eyes.

“Come with me!” I dragged her up the stairs to the booked rooms for the guests and pushed her inside one. She fell on the bed, giggling. I huffed, locking the door behind me. “I swear to God, this is going to be in mom's knowledge tomorrow.”

“You are a killjoy.” She groaned into the mattress. I shook my head and took the keys. “I am going downstairs and I'm locking the door from the outside. If you want me, just call, alright?”

She didn't reply which meant she had passed out. I huffed once again and sprinted downstairs after locking the room safely. Apparently, none of my cousins were around which made me conclude that they were as stumped as Siya.

I walked over to mom and asked her if I could leave. I wanted to take Siya home before she got in my parents' eyes. As expected, mom gave me a disgusted look as if I did a crime by suggesting to leave early.

“It's your cousin's wedding, Butu. You wanna leave now? How bad will she feel?”

I looked up to see Trisha laughing with her husband's friends. Honestly, she wouldn't even notice me even if I stood in the ceremony. She was too engrossed in her circle. On stage, they looked like a group unmindful to the crowd around them.

“Mom, it's fine. Okay? She won't even notice me. Besides, you are here.” I tried to argue and she shook her head. “No. How can you forget that she's your closest cousin?”

It had my eyes roll. “Just because we played dollhouse once doesn't mean we are close. I didn't even know her real name until I saw the invite. I thought her name was Bulbul. Seriously, it won't matter and I have to be at the office early tomorrow, so can I go now?”

She twisted her lips, deciding to not make a scene in front of the women who were watching us keenly from the other side of the table.

“Fine. Do as you want.”

It clearly meant 'no' but I took the question at its face value and grinned. “Okay, thank you. I'll inform dad on my way.”

Before she could stop me, I whizzed from there and informed dad before hauling a very stable Siya down and helping her in the passenger seat. For someone who got drunk a while ago, she was handling it quite well.

I drove home, followed her in the room and threw myself on the bed, not bothering to clean the makeup. I sagged against the mattress and closed my eyes. “I am so tired. Why do they guys have to get married on weekdays?”

“I have a very important thing to tell you but I'll wait for the morning. Keep the money ready.” I fluttered my eyes open when I heard Siya murmuring in a sleepy voice. I raised my head from the pillow and peeked at her, “What?”

She angled her head to me with seeming difficulty and repeated. “Keep the money ready.”

“For what?”

“For the news's worth. Come on, I took a risk for you.”

“And you don't look so drunk right now, so spill it. What's the news?” I invited her. She gave me a teeth baring grin and shook her head, then winced when the motion caused pain.

“No. Not right now. I'll tell you after we have discussed the fees.”

I scowled, “You are fleecing me.”

“Don't tell me the news isn't worth the money every time.” She said confidentially, and I cocked my head to the side. Well, it was.

“Don't put too much pressure on yourself. I'll tell you tomorrow.” She waved a hand and flopped on the other side, facing the wall. I also nodded to myself and fell on the pillow, still wearing the same clothes.

I was so tired that I didn't even put the phone on charging which beeped with a 'battery low' notification. Soon, I was in the dark place, enjoying the rollercoaster ride and at the end of that bridge stood a man in his typical grim reaper costume.

With a high-pitched song, I woke up from my numbing slumber. I blinked into the ceiling for a couple of seconds, my ears getting used to the indipop tune and I sat up, cracking my neck side by side to work the knots out.

Siya's speakers were blaring off the music but I didn't object, only because it played a track I was also fond of. She had this bizarre habit of bathing with music on. I had no idea what she did under the shower; whether she danced or sang along, or just did anything freaky like she was.

I wore my flip-flops and padded to the window. Humming the tune, I dragged the blinds apart and inhaled a sharp breath of morning whiff. Filled with lavender and mist, it chilled the lethargy in me, making me feel relaxed and content.

I walked back to retrieve my yoga mat from under the bed and pulled off the suit over my head, peeling it all the way out. I breathed a deep drag of air as my torso felt free and my lungs expanded, giving a bounce to my chest despite