When they finally returned to Meenakshi's room, Meenakshi broke into a fit of giggles. Such was her disbelief with the turn of events that even after a few minutes had passed, her laughter didn't die.
"You know, Axe. It's a little sad."
"What is?"
"This. Us right now. We're twenty five years old and yet that felt like asking permission for a school trip."
"School trip? What school trip? Be sensible. My parents would have never gone for it."
Vi's jaw dropped. "You've never been on a school trip?"
"Nope."
Tanvi looked at Meenakshi with such pity that it almost made the latter uncomfortable.
"Stop that."
Vi promptly reached forward and engulfed Meenakshi in a bear hug. "You poor baby. No wonder you're the way you are."
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"
After some scowls (Meenakshi) and guffaws (Tanvi), the girls decided that they had to start planning for the trip. The first essential decision to be made was the destination.
"How about going to the Maldives?"
Meenakshi, who had just begun to sip some water, almost spat it out. "Are you for real?"
"What? Your father gave you the permission, didn't he? I think you make your parents out to be far more evil than they really are."
"I never said they are evil!"
"Was it not you that once called them the Adam's family?"
"And you will note that it's a fun children's cartoon show!"
Vi rolled her eyes and before she could reply, her phone began to buzz.
"Ugh. I'm getting a call from my naalayak (useless) boss."
"What does he want?"
"Probably wants to badger me about taking the day off. Honestly, that company just can't work without me."
Meenakshi frowned. "That's not fair. Doesn't he remember you're on leave?"
"I must have forgotten to tell him."
"You.. you what?"
"It's fine. I'll talk to him later. So, where do you want to go?"
Meenakshi felt ill at ease when Vi turned her phone off and looked back unabashed at Meenakshi.
"You're something else, aren't you, Vi?"
"Don't you know it."
---
After exchanging at least fifty different locations (and not coming to any agreement), the girls were frustrated.
"I didn't think this would take so long!" Vi exclaimed.
"Well, in all honesty, I didn't expect to reach this step. I had absolute trust in my father's strict parenting."
"Meenakshi Sundaram! Since when have you been this pessimistic?"
She grinned. "What optimist would choose to be friends with you?"
"Hey!"
Smack.
"Ow! That hurt."
"Well, your words hurt more."
"Ok. Let's circle back to the destination later. I think we missed something more basic."
"Really? What?"
"Who is coming with us? I think Parth can get some time off. Shalini.. well, she's a little whiny sometimes, isn't she? So, maybe not her. Bhushan?"
"I thought it's just going to be you and me. Do we need to invite others?"
"Axe, I can't inflate the balloons all by myself. We need a platoon."
"What is I'm ok to skip the balloons?"
"I don't think the two of us can finish half a kilo of cake, Axe and they don't make cake for two either. In fact, given it's your first time away.. we should really be going for a two tiered cake - at the very least!"
"I'll have a cupcake."
Vi looked forlorn. "It'd be sad if it's just me singing you the happy birthday song."
"I don't need the song."
Both of them looked resolute and it felt like they just couldn't agree on anything today. They glared at each other and after a beat, Tanvi began to smile. It wasn't a smile that said she was willing to change her mind. No, no, this was a more sinister one and Meenakshi had enough experience with Tanvi to know that she was not gonna enjoy what came next.
"I applaud you, Axe. I didn't think this is where we'd disagree."
"We already disagreed on the holiday destination."
Tanvi waved her off. "Eh, that I anticipated. What I didn't anticipate was you being ok with me inviting boys to the trip."
Shit.
That part of the information seemed to finally sink into Meenakshi who now looked pissed - not just because she had missed that but also because her friend was insufferable.
"Are you determined to not let this trip happen?"
"Axe, you really need to let loose a little. You're way too uptight."
"I am not going to jeopardize this when for the first time in my life-"
Vi was suddenly off the bed. "Hold that thought, Axe. Nature calls."
"No! You listen to me when I'm in the middle of an important discussion!"
Vi, who was now standing cross legged, looked torn but she slowly nodded.
"Go on, then."
"You made me lose my train of thoughts."
"You were telling me off for trying to ruin the first ever time something was going your way."
"I don't think I was saying that!"
"Are we now disagreeing on my verbatim of what you said few seconds ago?"
"Well, yeah - since it's not accurate."
"Axe.." Tanvi's face was slightly flushed.
"What I was trying to say is that this is the first time my parents are on board with a crazy idea you suggested and I'm not going to do anything to ruin that."
"I think that was what I said too."
"No! What you said was-"
"AXE!" Vi was now bouncing on the balls of her feet.
Vi missed it but Meenakshi was holding back her grin. It was just a matter of time before Vi would explode. "You keep interrupting me."
"Man, I liked you better when you were a pushover."
"I was never!"
"Ok, Axe.. please. I just need couple mins. I am happy for you to continue your shouting while I pee."
It was so hard just then to not smile. Meenakshi held strong.
"But, this is important." A whiny tone.
"Fine. I'll defile your brand new bed, then."
Meenakshi shot up even before Tanvi could think about sitting back down."No!"
"Are you ok to shout while I'm inside then?"
"You know I'm doing this to torment you."
Vi scowled.
"Go. We can continue once you're back."
"Very kind of you."
And she was gone. Their arguments were getting ridiculous day by day, though Meenakshi did wonder about what she had said.
"Vi?"
A muffled response from inside the bathroom.
"You really think I'm a pushover?"
Flushing sound followed by sound of running water. Vi opened the door and peered out. "Couldn't hear you. What?"
Meenakshi took a deep breath. "Do you really think I'm a pushover?"
"Didn't I use it in the past tense?"
"Are you going to get off on a technicality?"
Tanvi grinned. "Fair point, well made." She held her finger up to indicate she needed a minute and Meenakshi nodded. When Tanvi came out, there was a thoughtful look on her face. "I really did think that about you when we first met. You were always so paranoid about things and stickler for rules. But you know what? Now that I've known you long enough, I don't think you're a pushover."
"Don't sugarcoat it to make me happy."
"I'm not. Yes, you're way too uptight. But, your moral compass has always pointed due north and you've always held on to your principles. I might not say it, but I admire that grit. I, on the other hand, not so much on principles." She gave a serious, self deprecating shrug and Meenakshi laughed.
"You're not so bad yourself, Vi. You've held on strong to be friends with me even though we don't see eye to eye on a lot of topics."
"I like that about you. You never tell me things just because I would want to hear them."
"Keep it interesting, do I?"
"Absolutely. If I were into girls, I'd be into you."
Meenakshi blushed slightly. "Fine fine. Keep it clean."
"See? Uptight." Tanvi placed both her hands on Meenakshi's shoulder and shook her, as if doing so would magically change her. She then leaned over and gave Meenakshi a sloppy kiss on the cheeks.
"Vi!"
Meenakshi rubbed her face off and glared.
"Anyways. Let's get back to the plan. Are you not ok with boys, then?"
"Absolutely not and I don't think girls like you too much so that's out of the question."
"Whose being harsh now?"
"It's a fact, Vi. You aren't quiet about your opinions and the fact that you attract a lot of male attention bothers us females."
Brows raised now. "Us females?"
"You know what I mean."
"So just the two of us?"
"Yes."
"Don't you think that sort of feels too romantic?"
Whack.
"Don't spoil the one time where we seem to get along."
"Only reason we seem to is because I agreed with what you said."
"And you agreed since you saw that I was right."
"Don't gloat. I will just change my mind."
Meenakshi gave a sheepish grin. "Sorry, I'll stop."
Tanvi sighed as she walked past Meenakshi towards the bed. "I really think it would be more fun if there were more people. You know the guys - they are harmless."
"I don't know, Tanvi."
"Woah. You full named me! That means real serious discussion ahead."
"Vi, be serious for five seconds."
"Ok. Look, if you're worried about your parents finding out - you can relax. There's no way they would know. We don't necessarily need to declare that there will be boys on the trip."
"Boys?! What boys? Yeennaa (a way women address their husband in Tampil)!"
There stood Meenakshi's mother by the bedroom door, her face was flushed with anger. The sight of her made Meenakshi's insides implode. How had they not noticed her walk in? And why oh why did God allow a tiny woman to look that intimidating. Her mother's shout had not yet attracted Mr. Sundaram's attention and Meenakshi swiftly got off the bed to do some damage control.
"No, Amma (mother)! That's not what-"
"I knew it! I knew this was a bad idea. We give you freedom and this is what you do with it? Shame on you!"
Meenakshi's heart was beating fast. Any minute now, her raised voice was going to attract her father's attention. Meenakshi hoped he was somewhere outside and not in hearing distance. All Meenakshi needed was a quick fix to calm her mother and then they might be able to salvage the situation. If she failed...
"It's my brother, aunty!"
Meenakshi did a 180° and looked back at her friend, eyes wide and mouth agape. Tanvi, however, looked calm and collected. What are you doing? Meenakshi mouthed but Tanvi ignored her.
"It was my idea, aunty. I thought it might be safer for both of us if my brother came along." Tanvi continued, her eyes locked earnestly with Meenakshi's mother's.
No, no, no! What was she thinking? Her parents didn't know her brother that well and they had only met him once on their graduation day.
"Why did you say 'boys', then? And why didn't you want Meenakshi to tell us about this?" Meenakshi's mother was watching Tanvi like a hawk watching its prey. Any slip up and she would eat her whole. She was clearly very suspicious.
"I think you might have not heard the whole conversation , aunty." Meenakshi could almost hear Tanvi's mind whirring. "I meant to say that my brother wouldn't be interested in hanging around with the two of us. So we were discussing if it could mean he brings his friends. But, aunty, if you are not ok.. I don't think it's worth ruining this plan. I just thought it might be safer for us since this is the first time we are going away..." Her voice trailed off and her face was a mask of such innocence, uncertainty and worry that even Meenakshi wanted to believe her. Was this going to work?
Meenakshi turned back to study her mother who looked a little unsure. If Tanvi's act failed and her mother pressed, everything would crumble. Of course, the fact that her mother was no longer yelling looked promising. Maybe.. just maybe Meenakshi would survive the day?
"Ok. Maybe that makes sense. I'll speak to Meenakshi's father. But, here on out, you run any idea past us before deciding. I'd like to get the details of this trip sooner rather than later." And without another word, Meenakshi's mother left. The only evidence of her mother's visit was the steaming cup of tea and plate of biscuits.
It seemed like for the second time that day, things had gone quite differently from how Meenakshi had envisaged - in a good way.
"You.. how did you come up with that! It was a stroke of brilliance!"
"My, Axe. That almost sounded like a compliment."
Relieved laughter escaped Meenakshi. "So, what do we do now?"
"Convince my brother. Man, I hate you, Axe."
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