Song Recommendation: Without You By The Kid Laroi.
****
She almost dropped the fork on the floor. Nobody told her that such questions were going to be asked. They might end up in a mess if the boys had already told the women a different story.
"Are you okay?" Sawarasti asked, looking at her.
"Yes," Priyanka pressed her lips together, dropping the fork on the plate. The food became sour all of a sudden. She wished the boys could help her answer the question "I lost my dad when I was fourteen."
"Oh, mine..." Aunt Jigyasa stopped eating and looked at her with sympathy. "It must be difficult for you and your mom. Where is she now?"
"I left..." She started before he cut her off with his lies.
"Priyanka does not live here. She relocated with her mom to London after the death of her father" Karan explained. "Isn't it?"
She was surprised. Nevertheless, Priyanka nodded. He was a bloody liar with no shame.
It seemed he did not want his family to know that she was from the low class. Of course, they will frown at it. They were not equals and as such, she was not supposed to be sitting here with them.
"I'm so sorry about your father's death, dear" Grandmother Gangaa consoled. "May the Lord be your strength. When I lost my husband, it was as if the whole world stopped right in my face but everything changed when I came to live with my family."
Priyanka let the tears to rolled down her cheeks. She was not sure why she was crying. Was it for the obvious reason or the class difference?
"So where do you two meet?" Aunt Jigyasa continued, with her food. Nobody seemed to notice her cry.
"We met at Cambridge university" Karan replied instead. "You know how it was for us back then."
"What did you study over there?" Grandmother Gangaa was surprised. She relaxed back to the chair "She does not have a British accent like Karan."
Priyanka did not know what to say. She was quiet since it was her, who answered. He clenched his hands under the table.
He frightened her again. Why was he getting angry over little things?
"Grandmother, you know that I lived there all my life without getting to know anything about my country" he replied. "You don't expect our accents to be the same, do you?"
"No, I was just joking" she waved it away, sensing his angry tone.
"Are you not tired?" Karan turned to her and asked. Priyanka swallowed hard as his face was closed to hers. If she dares move, their lips will meet.
But, there was something about his eyes. The once beautiful dark gray eyes were now red and filled with anger. She wondered why he was angry all of a sudden.
If someone needed to be angry then it was her. They did not mention that their Grandmother would ask her questions like Google.
"I'm tired," She told him.
"Let's go" Karan grabbed her by the arm and they left the room. He did not allow her to say goodbye to his family. She wondered if he has lost his mind.
"What is going with you?" Priyanka tries to break away from his hold. His hand was strong and it held firmly.
"Fine" He released her and ran his hand through his hair. There was no one in sight. She thanked her stars and began to walk away. It was obvious that he was sick.
"Wait for me, Priyanka" Karan ran after her but she did not stop. The dinner was a bad idea, she would have thought about it before coming. They remind her about her family and the place she came from. The demarcation between the rich and poor was drawn by his family.
She stopped in front of the elevator and he caught up with her.
"Why didn't you stop when I say you should?" He stood in between her and the door of the elevator. Priyanka's breath was caught as she stared at his broad and wide chest. When she promised to clear her head, he comes from nowhere reminding her that he was damn too cute to be ignored.
"Must I obey you all the time?" She sobbed. More tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke in anger "Why did you treat me that way? You should learn to treat a woman with respect, before inviting her to see your family."
Karan gazed at her for a couple of minutes. He did not know how to calm an angry woman "This is one of the reasons why I don't want to get married...well, I'm sorry."
She crossed her hands in front of her chest, listening to whatever he had to say. It was obvious that something was wrong with him.
She couldn't put them, together but he was not who, he thought he was.
"Shall we?" Karan pressed the button and the elevator opened. He went in after her. She was burning as he stood closed to her.
When they got downstairs, none of them spoke.
There was a suffocating silence on their way home but she did not utter a word. Priyanka looked through the window till the car stopped in front of her house.
The environment was quiet. She got down from the car and headed for the house.
Footsteps pursued her behind, she had no choice but to turn around. He was right in front of her "What?"
"You are still angry with me. I said I'm sorry for treating you that way" Karan asked for forgiveness for the second time. He was being honest with her this time but she was stubborn.
Priyanka rolled her eyes as she looked at him furiously. It was not helping so he had no choice but…
He placed his arms around her shoulders and drew them into their chest, while She froze. His cheeks gently brushed hers as he rested his alluring lips on her neck "Don't be stubborn, dear. It does not suit you."