My family and I - Chapter 1

I wasn’t the smartest kid growing up. I used to think my dad was the coolest person in the world. I used to worship the ground my elder sibling, Sonam, walked on and I was fairly certain that my mum had a pair of eyes and ears wherever I went. She just seemed to know everything!

By the time I became a teenager I realized that my father and his antics were anything but cool, my sisters’ only aim in life seemed to torment me and my mum’s “know it all” radar worked overtime when there were any boys involved.

Today was my first day in college and I was being cajoled into wearing a salwaar kameez. Somehow my mom was convinced that if I wore a salwaar kameez, through some twisted logic, I wouldn’t be targeted by seniors looking to rag freshers.

“If you won’t listen to me, at least listen to your sister!” My mum said throwing her hands up in exasperation.

“I think you should Pinku! Besides you look very pretty in it.” My sister chimed in from the sides, an evil smirk on her face.

 Oh, by the way, my name isn’t really Pinku. I actually, have a very respectable one. Supriya. Don’t ask me how that name got distorted into pinku of all things!

Apparently, I used to have a pink blanket I was very attached to when I was a kid, but seriously, if anybody should be called Pinku, it should be my dad. It was he who picked out the blanket in the first place!

 Anyway, moving on, I was still desperately trying to convince my mom that I couldn’t possibly be seen in one on my first day of college. After all, first appearances are everything!

Alas! I may have been smart enough to sweet talk one of them, but both of them together! It was indeed, Mission Impossible.

I turned to my last probable ally, “Dad please!”  

My dad just shrugged and went back to reading the newspaper. He was, I guess, used to the constant commotion in the house and today was no different.

He looked at his watch and calmly informed that if I wasn’t ready in exactly five minutes, he would drag me to college regardless of my state of readiness.

The thought of spending first day of college in my red and blue checkered pajamas was far more horrifying than the salwaar kameez so, much to my sister’s amusement, I was ready to go in less than three minutes.

“Don’t you look nice.” My mum exclaimed, clipping the strand of hair I’d deliberately let loose on my forehead.

I rolled my eyes. Tomorrow! My day to be cool would definitely be tomorrow.