Challenge 3

“What did you say?”, Tushar asked Diti, eyes narrowed. The sun beat down around them. Under the shade of the only Banyan tree in their campus, they sat with notebooks open. Suchita’s face was buried in a book. Three buntas – the signature local lemon-soda drinks perspired around them.

“I was just sayin’….”

Suchita looked up from her book, “Let it go, Tush. Nothing’s happened.”

“She likes that bastard.” He accused Suchita. She laughed.

“Liking people is not a crime.”

“That’s why you go around sleeping with whoever you like.”

“That’s not fair. And he’s not a bastard.” Diti spat out.

Suchita picked up her drink, took a swig, put it down, “Why is that your problem?”

“You are a bad influence on my sister.” He looked at the shimmering empty asphalt of the afternoon.

“Then why do you let her spend so much time with me?” Suchita wiped off the cold drops of water from the bottle and rubbed her hands together so they cool down.

“Don’t I have a say in this conversation?” Diti shut her notebook. “I like him, is all. There’s nothing more to it. And I can spend as much time as I like with Suchita”

Tushar ignored Diti, looked up from the road into Suchita’s eyes “Because you’re something… else. And I hoped, she’d learn.”

“That is all?” she chuckled. Her hand reached out for Diti’s and she brought it to her lips, planting a cool kiss. “You're discovering how much love you can take. Let her be. It’s too soon to be hurt. ”

“She won’t last like you.”

Diti gasped with indgnantion. “Ok, time out. I know what I’m doing.” She could feel the coolness where Suchita’s lips had brushed.

He ignored her. “She’ll splinter into a thousand pieces and I won’t be able to pick them up.”   

“Oh stop talking like I don’t exist.” She was getting up. “I hate both of you when you do that.” Brushing off the dirt from her pale cotton pants. She was only a couple of years younger, but she felt like a child. She hated how her brother could still do that. Suchita was too nice though.

“And where will you go?” Tushar asked, closing his notebook too.

“I’ll wait for you in the car.” She was abrupt enough.

“Dee, stay here. The car will only be hotter. You’ll fry like a juicy kebab. Then, Jasmeet’ll definitely want to eat you though.” Suchita laughed.

Diti’s face slowly crammed with the colour of a ripe tomato. If she had the notebook in her hand, she’d have thrown it at her smug frame. Instead she picked up her drink and splashed it on Suchita’s face.

Nothing unfazes Suchita. Nothing at all. She quietened but smiled without a grudge at Diti. Tushar scrambled up and led Diti away. He was scolding her out of earshot in the hot sun. A useless thing to do. The pretty little girl didn’t know how she’ll drown if she really fell for Jasmeet.  The show would be good. She was too naïve a catch, too eager to go out into the world. Too happy about love. No matter what Tushar said, how much time he made her spend with Suchita, Diti would only see one side of her; not the one he wants her to see; only the one Suchita decides to show.