Can I drop you somewhere?

CHAPTER 9

My sister, my 'very supportive' sister was standing right across us!

A trail of thoughts and terrors flooded my mind. The most prominent one was, that I won't ever get to meet Pranay again.

And one thing I was pretty sure, that my phone would be definitely SNATCHED.

Thinking all this I got down from his bike and went towards her.

I thought she'd talk to Pranay but she turned back and started heading towards our block.

Meanwhile, my little weak heart was about to have a cardiac arrest when I thought about the aftermath of this incident.

I just hoped maybe this time, this one time she'll support me and she'll hide this from mom.

Why did I expect this from her?

Because she herself had bunked classes when she was about my age.

She had a boyfriend when she was in grade 9th just like me, we used to go to the school together and after school, I had to wait for like half an hour or more for her to return with her boyfriend.

I was just an eight-year-old kid, but I never told mom, being just one reason behind it - my time would also come and I would also enjoy my life like her.

And when it actually came I was told that 'don't make the same mistakes as me' by her.

And it never seemed like a mistake to me then also she enjoyed her life, shared everything to me and I kept quiet and she's doing the same today also.

She's even still committed to that 9th-grade guy.

As we got into the lift she looked at me with anger in her eyes. I don't know what for but still I got terrified.

As soon as mom opened the door for us she shouted: " She was returning home with a boy ! "

" W-What are you saying! " She stuttered while yelling.

" Is it true Divya? " She said making a firm grip on my arm.

I looked at the floor helplessly thinking of an excuse but I couldn't find one.

"Or what? Am I lying to you ?" Sister said.

Mom left my arm and sat on the chair and said " Explain yourself Divya "

When I didn't answer she shouted.            

" NOW ! "

When I still didn't answer my sister again jumped into the conversation.

" What are you expecting her to say, mom? I'll tell you. I was returning from college when I saw both of them on a bike"

" And mom frankly speaking this is all your fault you gave so much freedom to her that she's doing such things at this age! I've always been against giving her phone but dad and you, you never listen to me "

' You've done the same! ' I wanted to scream as loud as I can.

She just stated the point which I was trying to hide, MY PHONE.

Outraged from what she said I decided to speak up. " He was just giving me a lift he's my friend. "

Although they never believed me and that conversation continued where both my mom and my sister questioned and commented on how wrong I have done and I simply cried having no other option.

Eventually, I had to spit out his name,  address and all or else they'd keep on nagging.

...

I couldn't sleep last night, my phone was obviously taken away and was thoroughly investigated by my sister.

But luckily Pranay had the password of my Instagram and he deleted all the chats.

And one thing which I was sure of, Pranay would have definitely talked to my sister and apologized or whatever.

I was hoping that he'd make things better.

Meanwhile, my mom came and said: " How far did you go with him ?"

I almost choked to death. How could she ask this?  That's my private matter!

Though we've not done anything like that but again INDIAN HOUSEHOLD.

You can be hanged,  just for holding a boy's hand.

" I did nothing," I said.

" Oh yeah? " She took out a slip from her pocket as she said.

" I found this in your bag," she said. 

OH GOD! THAT WAS THE MOVIE TICKET!

I couldn't feel my body I didn't know how would I explain that. I cursed Pranay for he had left the slip in my bag if he was in front of me I could've punched off his jaws.

And it was my bag! She has no rights to check it. But yeah the last time I had privacy was when I was in the uterus.

" He was just giving a lift right ?" Again my sister came into the room.

" Show me the slip mom " she held in her hands.

" So you bunked the school "

" Look, mom, the show time was 9:30 am - 12:00 pm "

" But you came home at 2:00 pm " mom shouted.

" What did you do for such a long time," the sister said.

Having no other option I simply said the truth.

" We hung out for a while and then had lunch. "

...

My summer breaks were obviously going VERY GOOD!

I haven't contacted to Pranay or Seher for a week.

Things at home started being a bit stable,  one thing which I was grateful of was mom or sister didn't say anything to dad.

Mom being a simple lady and very lenient after sometime allowed me to use her phone for studying and soon I made a new Instagram account and texted Pranay.

"Hi, Divya here I secretly made this account"

" Ok," he replied.

It felt a bit weird as he just replied with a small ok, that too when we didn't talk for about a week.

" I talked to your sister" he texted again

"Explain everything," I said hurriedly.

" You see yourself I have nothing to explain." " My password is Pranay656 " he texted.

It felt like everything was my fault and he seemed pissed off and I don't know what for. 

I should be angry about putting the fucking slip in my bag and forgetting to take it out.

It was neither my mistake nor his.

Still, I was scared. My hands shivered a bit as I entered his username and password.

I trusted Pranay but not my sister.

And my fear was correct! What I saw was something I never expected from my sister.

I loved her for being my sister and what she did to me, already was not justified and what I saw in the chats was something more painful.

______________________________________

It's not that Divya's sister doesn't have a name! It's just that in India we're not supposed to take names of our elders. So I didn't mention her name.