"Thank you...that should be all" Jp smiled as she walked away from the guest house manager who seemed fatigued after the conversation. She walked through the corridor admiring the serenity of the surrounding.
Pushing the door open she was greeted by the image of four people standing on one bed.
"Fallen on hard times Aarav?" She asked making his cheeks turn pink. Rudra flung a pillow at her, "look at this bouncy bed!" He exclaimed.
They got back to playing around while she waved them off and sat in the corner.
"Did you see the venue yet?" Nagma sat beside her
"Whose ?" Her eyes narrowed.
"Where we're supposed to play tonight?"
"What...ohh! Oh ..that venue" realization hit her as she sheepishly smiled.
"Yeah I mean ....you're supposed to go check it out...you know as ...a manager. But you knew that" the unsubtle hint did not go unheard.
"Of course" Jp lied through pearly white teeth. "I know managering okay" she got up, narrowly missing a flying pillow and scurrying off toward the door.
"Where are you going?" Aarav asked
"I have managering to do" she grinned. Managering was a word right?...sure it is. Honestly she was really sleepy but she needed the money too so she pushed herself and went to the venue.
The band spent the day practicing and chattering excitedly. The evening brought on nervousness as they traveled towards the venue. Jp had spent the whole day at the venue, she greeted them at the gate resembling a zombie. Her eyes were sunk in and she looked like she was one step away form death.
"Okay guys. Go set up. we start in two hours." she signaled them to follow her and quickly began to walk across the ground toward the backstage rooms.
"If you guys need to change and shit, You can. There's water in the rooms I've arranged for drinks. And um...yeah go do the soundcheck shit..." She pushed the door open and let them all walk in before plopping down on the chair in the corner. Nagma crouched down beside her as everyone chattered away.
"You look tired" she said with a hint of evident sympathy, an oddity for her.
"I worked so hard" Jp pouted making her chuckle.
"Good job" she patted her head "you rest now..." she got up to go onstage.
All giggly and ready Jp watched them go on stage and set up. She couldn't care less what would happen now; she was hungry. She began to pack her purse, she didn't have much money but she had a little- enough to eat
"Hey, you Going somewhere ?" a voice made her jump. She turned to find Aarav standing by the door.
"Don't scare me! Aren't you doing the Sound check?"
"Yeah it's done. " Aarav shoved his hands into his pockets, finding them a bit tight and wondering whether he had gained weight or had the pant shrunk?
"okay...? I'm going to eat something. I'm tired" looking up at the boy for a second she noticed a strange look as if there was something he wanted to tell.
"Are you okay?" She asked.
"Yeah....I just was hungry too? Can I come?" He asked " we will be back soon right?"
With a small nod from her they began walking toward the door. As they walked out Aarav waved at the band signalling that he would be back, he noticed Madhav roll his eyes and sighed dejectedly.
"There's a place right there" she pointed as they reached the main
road. Aarav nodded, he was holding her to bright pink purse, which garnered very strange looks, but Jp was tired and he knew her bag was heavy ( no idea what was in it though, definitely wasn't money).
He followed her into the fastfood shop which was thankfully nearly empty. They ordered and sat in a secluded corner. She watched Aarav place the bag in a corner and asked if he was okay
"I'm fine...just a little tired?" He was his only reply which reminded her of her own fatigue.
"so drums? how are your eardrums intact?" She asked, delicate hands grabbing a burger and shoving it in her mouth with absolutely no delicacy.
He grinned " hey I-"
"Jayapriya?" A voice called making her eyes go wide as she noticed the man walking closer.
"Papa?" she muttered in a baby voice, a smile graced his face before he remembered he wasn't supposed to smile and he reverted to a frown.
"You're...here?" He asked, noticing Aarav, "with...."
"Oh...this is Aarav. He is the drummer of the band I'm touring with. We are going to Mumbai."
Aarav smiled very awkwardly, The fact that her father looked like a bigger male version of her didn't escape him.
"touring" he repeated. So she had found a way to reach Mumbai, girl was too stubborn for her own good.
"Why are you here?" she asked," they don't serve rice here "
"don't remind me ...I had a business meet closeby... And I needed to eat" He hadn't wanted to stay at home as much... It didn't feel like home anyway but of course he wasn't going to tell her that!
Jp noticed the tired features he wore and had this immense urge to hug the man but pushing it aside with a bitter smile she simply said " I have work..."
He nodded, reminded that after all she was his daughter and passive aggressiveness ran common between them much to the chagrin of his wife.
"Yes, I too must leave... Your mother misses you...if not me, call her" he said " goodbye "
Aarav bid goodbye and then looked at Jp who's small face was sullen, "your dad seems nice" he said cheerfully.
"He is"
"what actually happened?" He asked.
"Just a fight" she waved him off "eat soon... We need to go"
deciding to drop the topic, he simply shoved half the burger in his mouth - as one does when they don't know what to talk- this elicited a laugh from the girl who shook her head and did the same.
------------------------------
"Where is he?" Madhav asked pacing around the room.
"there's still an hour left" Nagma reminded, adjusting the bindi she had on her forehead.
"I've said it before and I'll say it again... Your style is weird" Darshan commented. she had a whole leather jacket and pants but had a bindi on along with earrings that were definitely Indian.
"Its alternative " she rolled her eyes.
"Guys! Our drummer is out skipping with our manager!" Madhav interrupted ignoring the glare that Nagma threw at him.
"there's time Madhav." Aditya smacked his shoulder as he walked past him.
"Don't you dare touch me!" Madhav pushed him, "I'm being concerned for this band! Some of you can't afford to care" his voice much louder and rasher.
"Dude...you're over reacting and stop pushing the kid" Darshan stood up while Aditya donned a pout and retreated to a corner. forced to break his silence, Rudra spoke up, "whats your problem dude" he asked with an exasperated tone.
"My problem ... is that you coddle a grown man and he barely does shit when he's supposed to, he-"
"Whats going on" Jp stood at the door with her arms crossed
"Where the fu-"
"Shut up" she snapped "you have a show in twenty minutes...instead of fighting like a little girl, go on stage. Aarav is all set up" she glared, "and don't you dare curse at me again"
Darshan fought the urge to smile while pushing Aditya out of the room. Jp walked out as well and watched them all silently set up.
Madhav on the other hand was fuming, his hand trembled with anger as he adjusted his glasses.
"Calm down" Nagma whispered as Aditya began talking to the crowd. He glared in response, before flipping Aarav off who simply looked hurt.
Jp watched it all. Idiots, the lot of them.