Prologue

Author's Note: Huge thanks to Emily Head for making available the coolest writing prompts that helped me with the story.

There are certain Hindi/Urdu words in there, and also mentions of various rituals of an Indian wedding. If I don’t provide an explanation for the words in the story itself, you can consult this dictionary. The words are in Italics in the story too.

Bachcha: child

Ladies Sangeet: A function before an Indian wedding in which the family dances, sings and has fun.

Bindi: A round dot, usually red, on the forehead, between the eyebrows of Indian (usually married) women which is considered to be an accessory.

The journey to Big Alex would be long.

And I hope my patience would be worth it.

I see my mother packing like she was a machine out of control. The heaviest of jewellery, the most sparkling saris, superfluous amount of make-up and mind-boggling number of gifts, what is not there in the two bags my mother possesses?

I wonder, if she is this excited about her least favourite niece getting married, how would she react during my marriage? But then I had not planned on getting married any time soon. Or later.

“Shazia, bachcha, get packing! What are you staring at? We have to start off early. The dance rehearsal for the Ladies Sangeet will start tomorrow. And we might have to go shopping in case the matching bindi…”

I tune out as she rants about matching bindi and sari and jewelry and the different rituals that are going to occur. A big fat Indian wedding �" crazy, colourful, hectic and immensely exhausting.

I look at my bag. A total of five sets of clothes, John Green’s two novels, my laptop, earphones, cell charger, a pair of sneakers and a pair of converse.

All packed.

I am about to close the bag when I hear my mother clearing her throat.

“Let me see what you have packed there.” She orders suspiciously.

I still. If my mother approves of my packing, pigs would definitely begin to tango in the air.

The next thing I hear is my mother’s shriek and her yelling that I just can’t be her daughter. Things go flying out of my bag and more number of clothes �" fancy traditional ones �" is thrown in. After a long argument, after a long argument, we settle on a pair of converse and two flat sandals.

Even my mother cannot argue with the fact that high heels and I are sworn enemies.

I let my mother pack for me �" something she loves to do �" and throw in my things of necessity at the last. The bag has now gained way too much weight for me to handle.

“Have you decided on any song?” she inquires.

“What song?” I carelessly reply.

The annoyed look on my mother’s face tells me I wasn't supposed to forget. It suddenly hits me that she is asking what song I am going to dance to in Ladies Sangeet.

“Oh, I haven’t decided yet.” I quietly confess.

The fact that I can’t dance and my family wouldn't let off the hook without dancing deeply worries me. It was never a necessity before, but apparently my mother wants to prove to my extended family that I can be as loud and crazy as they are.

But the thing is; I am not.

My mother was quite happy when I first showed interest in visiting the loud Big Alex. I loved my town. I live in a small town somewhere in between “Where are you from?” and “where you headed?”
Population “I didn't know towns came that small.” On the shores of Lake “say that again in English.”

It is my little Eros. It is green, tranquil, and basically deserted. And that’s the beauty of it.

And my mother wondered with glee why her too-quite-for-her-own-good daughter got excited on the mention of going to Big Alex.

See, no one would believe me when I say that my college life is absolutely, pathetically, boring.
But it is the truth. It is a small college in a small town. There are hardly things to do. There are hardly any college parties, there is rarely any drama. And as much as I enjoy peace, we all need a dose of adventure.

Big Alex is the big city; loud, hectic, hustling-bustling all the time, just the perfect place to live up my dreams.

 

Author's Note

This is just the preamble, and hopefully I will update soon. Constructive criticism is welcome.