I MEERA I

As soon as I lock the door, I lean against it, releasing a breath. My heart is beating out of my chest and my hands are shaking. And I don't even need to look at the mirror to know that my face is flushed.

I kissed Vikram. Or Vikram kissed me.

It doesn't matter. We kissed.

Oh my god!

And I liked it, I more than liked it. In fact I wish we never stopped kissing.

But his hand meeting my bare back was the wake up call I needed. Anyone could've walked in. It would've been the biggest scandal for all the neighbours and distant aunties to gossip about for months.

My heart is beating so fast and I don't think it'll slow down any time soon. I take a few calming, deep breaths as I slowly remove my blouse. I wrap a shawl around my body before looking for my mom's sewing kit.

It takes me a minute to get the thread through the needle with all the shaking of my hand. I find some hooks and slowly sew them in. I make sure to sew extra stitches so that it won't come off anytime soon.

It takes me more than five minutes to sew them all. After putting on the blouse, I take a look at my face in the mirror and I notice the hickey.

Oh! I almost forgot.

I look around for some compact powder. I know my mom uses it. I find them in the dresser drawer. After applying some foundation and compact powder, the hickey is all covered up.

I check around my neck and collar for any undiscovered marks that may hint to what happened  in the hallway. I place everything back where it was before slowly opening the door.

I expected Vikram to be standing outside the door, but he's not. Of course, he's not. Are you stupid, Meera? Why would he stand outside the door for fifteen minutes?

I ignore the slight disappointment I feel at not finding him waiting for me and walk downstairs.

As soon as I enter the living room, Vikram lifts his head from where he is sitting on the couch, phone in hand.

He stands up as soon as he sees it's me.

"Hey, sorry I didn't wait outside. I didn't want anyone to walk in and get the wrong idea", he says with an apologetic smile and I can't help but admit that it's so cute that he cares. I will never tell him that though.

"I told you, you didn't have to wait. But, thank you", I tell him. I suddenly feel very aware of him. I can't help but think about the kiss and the air around us turns a little awkward.

I want to fill in the awkward silence, but what should I say? Hey Vikram, remember that kiss a few minutes before? Well, I would like to do it again.

Yeah, no.

Does he go around kissing girls he meets at weddings? Or is this a one time thing? I don't even know what I'm thinking. 

"So... Everyone's outside, huh?", I say and immediately cringe at my lame attempt to make small talk.

I want to slap myself when Vikram bursts out laughing. And it's not funny, because he's laughing at me.

He brings his hand to his mouth to hide his smile, when I glare at him.

"It's alright, Meera. We don't have to talk about it, if you don't want to", he says and I feel stupid. Here I was making a big deal about the kiss and he doesn't even care.

"Yeah, it meant nothing. Let's just forget it happened", I tell him with a fake smile and his amused smile drops to a scowl.

"The fuck, it didn't mean anything. You damn well know it meant something", he says looking at me like I'm out of my mind.

"But you just said you didn't want to talk about it", I tell him, placing my hand on my hips.

"I said we don't have to talk about it if it makes you uncomfortable, not that it meant nothing", he says as though it should be obvious.

"You know what, maybe I should just kiss you again, until it means something, so that you won't be able to "forget" it", he says using finger quotes.

I roll my eyes at him, "In your dreams, Vikram", I tell him but I can't hide small smile peeking from the corner of my mouth.

"In my dreams, we do more than just kiss, Meera", he says and a surprised gasp escapes me.

Did he really just say that to me?

"Did you seriously just say that to me?", I ask him.

"I meant talking, Meera. What did you think I was talking about? You sure visit naughty land often, don't you?", he asks with a teasing smile, waggling his eyebrows.

"I know very well what you meant, Vikram", I tell him. I'm not stupid. Well, I am , considering I'm standing here telling myself I'm not stupid. But you get what I mean.

"You know, huh?", He moves closer to me but I don't back down. No way. Nuh-huh.

I tilt my head up to look at his face. His close proximity reminds me how much taller he is than me. He brings his hand up to my face, keeping eye contact.

I don't know what I'm feeling at this moment, but I only know that I've never felt anything like it. It feels more intimate than that kiss in the hallway. Everything is silent. It's just him and me and the hand that's about to touch me.

His fingers caress my cheeks and my gaze moves to his warm inviting lips. I bring my gaze back to his eyes when he brings his hand under my chin and raises it with his thumb and forefinger. Just as he's about to bring his head down for that much awaited kiss, I hear a voice coming from the back door.

I immediately pull back but before I can move back, Vikram's friend, Varun, comes around the kitchen hallway. He stops in his tracks when he sees Vikram and me standing close to each other. I take a few steps back, but I wasn't fooling anyone.

"Thought I'd find you here, Vikram", Varun states, his gaze on Vikram, who looks anywhere but at him.

I clear my throat and Varun turns to look at me, "Hey Meera, Your family is looking for you", he says with a smile, acting like he didn't see anything, but I can tell that he knows what might've happened somehow.

I look between Vikram and Varun, not knowing what to say. They're having a staring match, neither of them seems to bow down anytime soon. So, I clear my throat and now they turn to look at me. Vikram nods at me and I decide it's time I high-tailed out of there. Too much testosterone.

"Oh hey, Varun. Um... I'll just.. um.. I'll just go. I think my family's looking for me.", I tell him like the moron that I am as if he isn't the one who just told me that. Real smooth, Meera, real smooth. Doesn't seem suspicious at all.

Vikram brings his hand to his mouth sneakily to hide his smile but I see it and I want to smack him so hard. Even Varun seems a little amused though he doesn't look like he's trying to control his laughter like that idiot.

"Umm... Bye", I squeak as I run out of there before I further embarass myself.

Just as I turn around the corner, I hear Varun whisper yell,"what the hell, Vikram! You said you were gonna stay away from her. You're lucky it was me who walked in. What if someone from her family walked in?", he asks and I realise how stupid I've been.

He's right. What if someone else walked in? They'll be talking about it for the rest of the wedding. I've been so careless.

"It's not like that. I didn't.. we didn't -", Vikram starts to say but he's interrupted by Varun's scoff.

"Dude, you don't have to lie to me. It's Karthi you should be worried about. She's Karthi's sister now, Vikram. And you know friends' sisters are off limits", he says.

"I know, I know", Vikram says with a resigned tone.

"The only reason Karthi isn't saying anything is because he thinks you're just flirting around with her like you do with every other girl-"

"Hey! I'm not-"

"-but if he knows you crossed a line, he'll kick your ass, Vikram", Varun says ignoring Vikram's protest.

You're just flirting around with her like you do with every other girl.

That's right. He's just flirting with me like he usually does with every one. I can't believe that I almost thought it was any different.

"Don't tell Karthi", I hear Vikram say.

"You know, I won't. Come on, Let's go", he says and I immediately dash out of the back door. I find my mom near the raised podium. Remya is standing behind her.

I make my way towards them and as soon as my mom sees me, she glares at me.

"Where have you been? Everyone was asking where the bride's sister was", she says in a hushed voice while smiling at the woman across from us.

"I couldn't find the needle, mom. You could've helped me, then I wouldn't have taken this long", I tell her. And I wouldn't have kissed that stupid Vikram who was just flirting with me like he does with every other girl, I add in my mind.

I don't know why I'm so bothered by that. And I'm still thinking about it. It was nothing. Just a kiss. I've kissed dozens of times. It's nothing new.

Is it?

"Hmm. Now don't go anywhere. Stand here", she says before turning back to smile some more at some guests.

"Where is Pooja?", I ask Remya as I stand next to her.

"Oh, Raj came a few minutes ago and he said he had something 'urgent' to take care of, and left with little miss Pooja", she says using air quotes and everything.

"Are you are mad because?", I ask her because she sounds like it.

"No, I'm not mad. I'm just annoyed, I guess. She just left me alone to go with her boyfriend and I had to mingle with all these aunties and they kept asking about studies and shit. Vinash left with my dad to go somewhere. So I was all alone. So lonely. With all these vultures trying to tear me apart", she says.

"Oh shut up. Stop with the dramatics. I've enough drama in my life without you adding anything to it", I tell her but immediately shut my lips. If she knows about the kiss, I won't hear the end of it.

Remya narrows her eyes at me but I look away. She keeps staring at me, but I ignore  her. A moment later she says, "Meera, why does your skin around your neck have a different shade. Did you put foundation on?", She asks probing at my neck and I drape my hair over my shoulder to hide it. But it's too late judging from the gasp that leaves her mouth. She might've smudged some of that foundation. Shit.

"Tell me you didn't", she says with wide eyes, " so that's why you took that long. Now that I think about it, I think I did see him follow you into the house."

"Remya-" I start but she interrupts me with another shocked gasp.

"You little slut! While I was slowly dying on the inside here listening to all these people make small talk, you were inside having the time of your life with that prince charming.", She says with mock anger.

"Shut up, Remya. It wasn't like that. Nothing happened", I lie. But she needs to shut up. Right now.

"Nothing happened, my ass. The hickey you covered up says otherwise. Was it good? Hmm?", She asks and I look around to see if anyone heard but lucky for me we're standing last so no one heard us.

"Remya, shut up. Not now, I'll tell you everything later. Someone will hear us", I whisper yell at her.

"Right. But I have one thing left to say", she says.

What more could she have to say?

"What?", I ask.

"I told you so", she says with a smile and I can't help but smile back. She is right. She did tell me this would happen. But not the way it happened.

"So my lip mask did it's work I see. You should thank me. If it wasn't for me, you would've smudged your lipstick and would  have had to redo your make up. This proves that I'm always right, Meera. So always listen to your favourite cousin", she says raising her head high in a proud gesture. I laugh. She's so dramatic, I love her.

"Whatever, Remya", I tell her.

"What are you two girls whispering about?", Mom asks with narrowed eyes.

"Nothing, Rekhamma. I was just telling Meera that she should've come with us in the morning to get her blouse altered. Then this wouldn't have happened", Remya says before I could think of something.

"Oh, that's right. But she'll never listen, that lazy bum", mom says to Remya.

"Mom, I'm right here", I tell her with an eye roll.

She gives me one last mean look before turning back.

Remya laughs and I tell her to shut up.

This day sucks major ass.

All because of my hooks. Stupid hooks. And Vikram. Stupid stupid Vikram.

I hate them both.

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Hope you guys are enjoying the story. And please forgive any mistakes I might've made. Feel free to correct me in the comments.

Hope you have a good day. And if you're not, it'll get better... Usually...

Love,
Gayathry.
🖤