Page 32

ANYA

I give the room a quick glance over to make sure everything is in its place, even tidying up a few things that are out of their usual spot. It’s not that I’m a clean freak, but I like to keep my stuff organized, especially in my own space. With everything in order, I shut the cupboard door and turn back to take a quick glance before I answer the video chat.

“Hi.” I wave at my parents as their cheery faces fill the screen. My parents smile back at me, their faces lit up by the glow of their laptop screen.

“Hi, beta ,” my mom exclaims, her voice cheerful as always.

“Where’s your brother?” Papa frowns and leans in closer to the screen.

My mother pushes him back and scowls. “Your eyesight is fine. He hasn’t joined in yet.” I giggle.

“Where is he though?” Papa asks, ignoring my mother. How bold.

“He has a group assignment. He is out with them right now. He will join as soon as it’s over.” I smile softly. It must have been so difficult for them to send both of us here. They are very protective of us, and I don’t think I have ever stepped out of my house for this long alone, even in India. I did my undergrad in Delhi. I pick up my coffee mug, taking a sip.

“So, Anya, how is that project partner we were talking about?” my mother suddenly asks, making me choke, I cough, furiously rubbing my chest. She has no filter at all.

“ Maa!” I yell. My eyes widen as I look between them.

“What? I am just curious.” Maa smirks as she scrutinizes me.

“What partner?” Papa asks, leaning forward again. His eyes narrow, and he looks back and forth, studying me and Maa .

I chuckle forcedly. “I don’t know what she is talking—” I begin, but my mother interrupts me.

“She has been paired with this guy for a project and we were talking once about him, and the way—” Maa laughs.“---her face turned red. She was in such a hurry to see him. I am telling you, something is going on,” Maa explains.

I gasped. Is she mad? I can’t believe my ears. “ Maa! ” I protest, feeling my cheeks heat up.

“A guy?” Papa’s eyebrows furrow. Oh no, I think I want to die right now, please.

“So what?” Maa continues. “She is in college. It is absolutely fine for her to have a boyfriend.” She scoffs. “You should remember. We were in college, too when you asked me out,” she says, dismissing Papa.

“That’s not the point,” he mutters. “We were different.”

“Oh, please.” My mom snorts. “I do not think I have to remind you of our college days.” She smiles slyly. My dad’s face turns red, and he looks at me for help, but I just grin. I won’t interfere in this. I lean back in my chair and take a sip of my coffee, enjoying the show.

“Anyways, you do seem happier.” Maa beams as she turns to face me through the screen. “There has to be a reason.” She cocks her eyebrows.

I feel like a deer caught in headlights. I’m trying to look natural, but my heart is racing a mile a minute. “Happier?” I say, trying my best to sound casual. “I…uh…yeah…I guess I am. But that doesn’t matter—” I blurt out.

“Hello,” my brother says as his face appears on the screen, too.

“Oh, there you are,” my mom grins, a little too enthusiastically. I exhale a sigh of relief as my brother distracts my parents’. I quickly take another sip of my coffee and try to regulate my heartbeat.

“How’s the assignment going?” Papa asks, turning to my brother.

“Fine,” he says. “I am heading home right now.”

“Is it okay for you to talk while walking?” my mom asks, brows furrowed with concern.

“It’s just a short walk,” he says, waving off their concern.

“Papa,” I chime in. “You look tired. Are you okay?”

Papa rubs his brow and lets out a heavy sigh. He chuckles. “You noticed, huh?” His eyes soften. “It’s nothing, beta ,” he says.

“What happened, Papa?” Arnav asks.

“Just a long day at work—business issues,” Papa says, his voice weary.

“You can share with us, Papa,” I exclaim. “We are not kids. Maybe we can help.” I smile softly. I have never known someone as hardworking as Papa. He always tells us the story of how he has seen so many failures. Now that he has everything—a family, and a stable income—he still cannot relax. He simply cannot take anything for granted.

He is my role model. I have always sought my father’s appreciation; even his small praises matter a lot to me. Sometimes, I want to take away all his stress. I wish he would believe in me. I wish he would let me help him in his business.

“Nah, beta .” Papa smiles warmly. “I am fine, really.”

I furrow my brow, not convinced. I can see the tiredness in his eyes. “Papa.” Arnav sighs. “Don’t tire yourself out. Your health is more important. What is it? Please tell us.”

Papa’s eyes grow distant as he starts to speak. “Well, there’s this issue with one of our suppliers for the resort. They’ve been inconsistent with their deliveries and it’s causing delays in our operations. It’s a real mess trying to get it sorted out.”

Arnav frowns. “Have you considered negotiating with them for better terms or even looking into other suppliers?”

Papa nods. “Already tried. Bringing in a new supplier right now is a risky move.”

“Papa, what if you try ordering from different suppliers on a trial basis? It could help you manage the risk better. You could start with a smaller order to test their reliability and quality,” I suggest, looking at him intently.

“Hmm, that’s a good idea, Anya. But I’m worried about the initial investment and how it will affect our cash flow,” he says, rubbing his forehead.

“Maybe you could explore alternative payment terms with the new suppliers,” Arnav suggests. “Instead of requiring upfront payments, you might be able to work out payment plans that are more manageable for your cash flow.”

Papa nods, contemplating his idea. “That’s a good point, Arnav. It could help alleviate the immediate pressure on our finances,” he says.

“It can put you in an uncertain position in the long run if you don’t crunch the numbers,” I point out.

Arnav hums. “She’s right. I think Anya’s idea is better in that case.”

Papa shakes his head. “No, I will go ahead with your idea and see how that works.”

A pang of disappointment hits me, I do not think it’s a wise thing to do. Obviously, he is more experienced than me, but I hate it. I almost scoff. Every time I put out a suggestion, it’s turned down by Papa. So, it's nothing new.

I try to mask my feelings with a smile. “Well, it’s good that we have options now,” I say, though my voice feels thin and unconvincing.

Papa looks visibly relieved. “Thanks for your help, both of you. I’ll look into the payment plan idea.”

I can’t shake the feeling of dismay and feeling ignored. Deep down, I know I can’t control how Papa feels about my ideas, but the sting of rejection still hurts.

“Okay, enough business talk now,” Maa says. “You guys should have your dinner now, okay?” She narrows her eyes, and both Arnav and I nod. “Okay, we will hang up then.” She ends the call.

I take another sip of my coffee, a frown etched on my face. Arnav glances at me with a knowing look, sensing my disappointment. “As a matter of fact, Anya…” He brings his phone closer to his face. “Your idea was better,” he says.

I look at him carefully. “I know. Get home safely,” I say and end the call.

I scroll through my phone to distract myself. Two missed calls and a text from Daniel. I don’t want to talk to anyone right now, so I decide to just message him.

Daniel:

Hi, call me back when you’re done! ????

I feel a pang of guilt because he is always so caring and I don’t want to fake being okay because I’m really not. Plus, he doesn’t like it when I lie. I wouldn’t either, so I take a deep breath and message back.

Will call you later. ????

Almost immediately after I hit send, my phone pings again. Guess he was waiting for my reply.

Daniel:

You alright?

Even if I wanted to, I can’t hide anything from him. He can read me well and he will pester me until I tell him what is going on. And honestly, I just feel I am making a big deal out of this. I will feel better soon, I am sure.

Just family stuff.

Daniel:

You want to talk? Should I come over?

No, there’s no need for that!

I reply quickly, not wanting him to come all the way here for me to complain about something so trivial. I can feel myself being irritable again. I just need some time alone to calm down.

I throw my phone on the bed and take out the clothes I had kept aside to wash from the cupboard. I take another sip of my coffee.

Why is it that every time I offer a suggestion, it’s met with hesitation or outright dismissal? I can’t help but feel that no matter how valid my ideas are, they’re always overshadowed by Arnav’s, even if his suggestions aren’t necessarily better. I put all the clothes in a basket and walk toward the washing machine, picking up my phone on the way.

Arnav has always been the golden child, the one who’s naturally good at everything. I know he’s smart and talented, but sometimes it feels like my efforts are dismissed just because he’s a little better at something or because he’s more experienced. It’s not that my parents ever compare us directly, but I can see it in their behavior. They trust his judgment more and assume his ideas are more sound. And that hurts.

My phone pings again, jolting me from my thoughts. It’s Daniel.

Daniel:

I was just being polite.

I am standing outside your door.

Open up, baby!

“What?” I exclaim out loud, my jaw dropping in disbelief. I quickly run to the door and look through the peephole to see Daniel standing outside. He’s looking at his phone.

I swing open the door. “What the hell are you doing here? I told you not to come over.”

His head snaps up from the phone and he beams at me. “Now, is that any way to greet your boyfriend, Firecracker?” he says, sliding his hand around my waist. He pulls me closer to him. I want to protest—I’m not in the mood for this—but his warmth and familiar scent engulf me, and immediately, I feel a sense of comfort. He’s wearing that stupid charming smile, and I feel a tug at the corner of my lips, too.

“Ugh, fine.” I grumble, though my resistance is waning as I lean into him. I close the door behind him and let out a heavy sigh. “You just had to come all the way here, didn’t you?”

“Wouldn’t be much of a boyfriend if I didn’t, would I?” he says softly, brushing a stray hair from my face. “You sounded down, so I had to check in on you.”

I push him away and walk to the washing machine. I can hear him follow me. I start sorting through the clothes. He leans against the doorframe, watching me with a concerned expression. I feel the weight of his gaze and the warmth of his presence, and it’s oddly comforting, even if I’m trying to push him away.

“It was nothing. I am fine. I don’t want to talk about it,” I say, trying to sound casual as I load the clothes into the machine.

“Okay, we don’t have to talk,” he says and hugs me from behind. I huff. Why does he have to be like this?

“You’re clingy, you know that?” I mutter, but I don’t protest when his arms wrap around me. I lean into him. He smells nice.

“I know I am,” he whispers, his lips near my ear. “I can’t help it.”

He has this effect on me. He’s like a drug, and I know I’m too weak to resist him. He kisses my neck softly. It almost has me melting, but I resist the urge. I fumble with the button of the washing machine. I dump the clothes in, but all I can focus on is the warm pressure of his body against my back, his chin resting on my shoulder. I can feel his heartbeat through his chest, and it’s strangely calming.

“I am just overthinking,” I comment, breaking the silence. The only sounds audible are that of the washing machine and his soft breaths falling on my neck. “I just don’t feel…” I pause. Finding the right words to describe how I feel is difficult. “I don’t know how to say it.” I sigh.

“Well, how about you throw out some words, and I will put it together and make sense of it?” he whispers in my ear. I chuckle and turn around to face him.

“I had a video call with my parents today. We do that once every week,” I say. He already knows that; I told him before, I think. “Papa looked a little tired so I asked him what’s wrong.” I pause and look down. “He had some business issue and—” I chuckle humorlessly—“I guess I am too eager to help him out that I offered a solution and so did Arnav.” I sigh. “I do not want to sound like a bitter person at all, but I hate it that I am not taken seriously at all.”

I look up at him, wanting to see his expression. “Like today, Arnav joined late. When I was talking with my parents, Maa talked about my love life.” I snigger. “By the way, she thinks there is something going on between you and me. I guess mothers do know the best.” He smiles softly and kisses my hair. “When Arnav joined in, he was asked about his studies.” I frown. “I mean he is a reserved person and doesn’t really talk much, so I guess I understand why they stick to the point with him, but since I have come here, I have never been asked how my studies are going,” I whisper. “They did not even ask me for my first semester’s results. It's as if they just sent me here to have fun or something,” I huff. “It feels like I am invisible to them, My efforts are invisible,” I mutter. Daniel watches me silently. I feel my heart tug. What if he thinks I am being whiny?

“I just hate this side of me.” I let out a dry laugh. “I sound so jealous,” I say, feeling a lump forming in my throat. God, I hate this. I am not used to speaking my mind to everyone. And now, this person just won’t let me suffer in silence. He needs to know what is going on inside me.

I let out a shaky breath. “I am so pathetic.” I blink furiously to not let tears fall from my eyes.

He holds me tighter and presses a soft kiss to my temple. “Then let’s be pathetic together, Firecracker,” He says, “You are not jealous. And even if you are, all your feelings matter to me okay?” He looks into my eyes. His words make my chest tighten in a way that’s both painful and comforting.

I blink back the sting of tears. “You always know what to say, don’t you?”

“I just tell the truth,” he says simply, pressing a kiss to my temple. “You’re amazing, Anya. And I’m proud of you. Always.”

I turn in his arms, facing him fully now. His expression is so earnest that it makes my heart ache. “Thank you,” I whisper, my voice barely audible.

He cups my face gently, his thumb brushing against my cheek. “You don’t have to thank me. I’ll remind you every day if I have to.” For now, I let myself bask in his comfort, deciding to let the weight of the day melt away in his arms. Maybe tomorrow, I’ll tackle the world again. But tonight, I’ll let him be my anchor.

∞∞∞