Q. Tempers Stirred

A person came and started asking how to get to Pune.

Kailash stood up and began walking. Vishwas saw that Divya and Shraddha were talking. At first, he looked around, then he followed them and stood with Kailash. Kailash was giving directions, and Vishwas was listening. I find Kailash a bit strange. I just can't figure out whose side he's on. Is he trying to make Shraddha happy or someone else? He's definitely odd, acting like he's the nicest person around.

Shraddha asked, "There's so much to talk about, this is nothing. What about painting?"

For the first time, I felt like I had opened up to someone. I didn't even know Shraddha that well, but now I could share my ideas with her so happily. With Shraddha, I didn't feel scared that she would judge me because she never does. Our friendship had started.

"Shall we be friends?" I asked excitedly.

"Not at all!" Shraddha replied with attitude.

"Why? We were just talking like friends? Isn't that how friends talk?"

"I had told you before, remember?"

"Yeah, you said we can't be friends. But why? I want to be your friend," I insisted.

"Are you serious? I don't want to," Shraddha teased.

"Why? Why not?"

Shraddha started laughing, and just then Kailash came over and said, "Let's get in the car, we're leaving."

We all got in the car. This time, when Shraddha was planning to talk to Kailash, he sat in the front. Vishwas conversation wasn't stopping.

"Enough with the poetry, I just want some Gajara (garlands), not a Gazal Sabha (poetry session). You two are reading so many sad poems, how do you manage it?"

Vishwas asked, "You didn't remember this when you were talking about the Scary Night?"

"It's STARRY Night, not SCARY Night," I said, annoyed, dying inside.

Kailash stopped and laughed, "Vishwas, you made Starry Night scary. Vishwas, you just turned Van Gogh into Conjuring! " Shraddha was trying to control her laughter but couldn't. I felt bad because he got the painting's name wrong.

Shraddha then asked, "Do you know any poetry? Tell us, Divya."

"No, it's boring."

"Then how can you expect Vishwas to remember the name of a painting correctly?"

I never thought about it like that, but she had a point. She was right, but she always corrects me. I angrily asked, "What's wrong with me? Who rejects a friend?"

Vishwas laughed after hearing this. "How does it feel to be rejected?"

"Shut up, Vish! You're poison!" I teased.

"Not funny! Work on your jokes, I always tell you," he replied.

Shraddha asked, "So, this line is yours, Vishwas?" teasing him Just then, Vishwas did not laugh.

Kailash asked, " Only my jokes seem funny to Vishwas, Vishwas?"

Shraddha said, "I can crack good jokes too!"

"Really? Let's hear one."

"Umm... ummm..."

"What happened?"

"I can't remember right now, I'll tell you later. A joke is like a potty, doesn't come when you want it, but shows up when it's time."

"See?" Kailash said. "You couldn't come up with one." Vishwas was trying not to laugh, but Kailash gave him an angry look, "Why are you laughing? Can't you stay quiet for me?"

It felt like there was a fight between Kailash and Vishwas. Kailash was angry, wondering how Vishwas could laugh at every joke when he knew how sensitive Kailash was. But, they were friends, so they could get angry over anything.

Then I asked Shraddha, "Why did you have to argue and make them fight?"

Vishwas said, "I'm driving. I'll talk to Kailash later. Don't worry, Divya. Kailash is always a little jealous."

Kailash yelled, "Jealous? Me?"

"Yes, you." Vishwas replied.

"I'm not jealous!" Kailash denied. What could I do? I looked at Vishwas. he knew how Kailash was, so why should I stress? Just then, Shraddha...

The car kept driving, and after a while, everything calmed down. No one knew what happened, but after looking out the windows, we got tired. Kailash started driving. Vishwas said something, and even though Kailash was angry, he did it.

Is this friendship? I thought. Now that we're sitting together, we might as well talk. How long can we stay silent? So many thoughts were in my head. It felt like the cold wind was touching my hair, but I was worried I would feel cold because I wasn't wearing a blanket. How would I sleep in the car? Shraddha, while sitting in the car, was still drawing. I don't know how she keeps going, even though her drawings aren't going that great, but she never gives up. She's even erased it many times.

I asked, "You get tired hoiya jaabi. (You'll get tired.)"

Shraddha replied, "Tane puchyu hu? (Did I ask you?)" She was angry, speaking in gujarati and then immediately turned away.

"Jab gaadi rukse, tab karje. (Do it when the car stops.)"

"Ami na, ki jani, kichu bujhte partesi na, kintu ami jani je ami ei jinish ta na korte!" (I don't want to, I don't know, I can't understand anything, but I know I don't want to do this thing!)" Speaking Bengali, Sharddha is so crazy.

she showed her anger again, as if I had said something wrong, as if I had done something inappropriate.

"Kabhi Bengali, kabhi Gujrathi, ek par ruk jao Sharddha, amar brain fat hoye jabe! (Sometimes Bengali, sometimes Gujarati, just stop at one, Sharddha, my brain is gonna explode!)"

Kailash was also tired. A nearby hotel appeared, and we decided to go for dinner. After dinner, we all stayed in that hotel. Thank God we got rooms, but there was a double bed in one room, and the second room had only a single bed. The staff said they would arrange a sofa but couldn't do anything more.

Vishwas said, "We'll adjust."

Shraddha said, "Will you take the single room?"

Kailash said, "Girls won't be able to adjust on the sofa, so Vishwas and I will manage. What do you say, Vishwas?"

Vishwas nodded in agreement.

Shraddha replied angrily, "There's no need. Just because I'm a girl doesn't mean I can't adjust. I don't want to hear that. I'll stay in the single room."

I said, "Shraddha, let it go. What's the problem? We'll die sleeping on the sofa."

" 'We'? Both of us aren't sleeping on the sofa."

"Yeah, I mean, ekjon toh back pain niye hospital e check-in korbei! (Yeah, I mean, even one of us will have back pain.)"

"I've said it re, su karu hu? (I've said it.)" Shraddha said as she grabbed the key and walked toward the room.

What a nutty girl, she's collecting pain like it's a hobby!