My family and I - Chapter 10

So that was how my first day went, as far as important updates go.
The next day we were informed of an informal fresher’s party which was being secretly organized by the seniors. We were asked to keep our mouths shut lest the faculty got wind of it. Needless to say, there was only one question in all the girls’ minds..
WHAT TO WEAR!
Neeta was least perturbed, she could afford to be complacent like that. She’d look good in a rag. Me on the other hand, I didn’t have anything to wear! As usual, I decided to sneak into my sister’s wardrobe and steal some stuff. Once upon a time, Sona used to be feminine to the hilt. Funny, I never bothered finding out what why she had drastically transformed her clothing habits. Anyway, every once in a while, when Sona wasn’t around, I used to try on her stuff, her make up and parade around in her heels. Somehow, her clothes always looked much more glamorous than the things I used to buy.
Of course, there was a possibility that Sona would come for the party but, knowing Sona and her anti- social tendencies, the probability of her actually showing up, looked pretty bleak.
One thing that wasn’t really clear was how I was going to get out the house without getting a deadline enforced on me. Knowing my parents, it would be set at ten o clock and my dad would chauffer me to and fro. Plus Sona knew! There was no way in hell that she would let me go to a party without completely ruining it for me. I don’t know, it just seemed like we took some kind of twisted pleasure in making life just a little bit difficult for each other.
So the plan was, tell everyone at home, I wasn’t going. Sneak out once everyone has gone to bed. Thankfully Sona and I had separate rooms. After years of sharing a room, I had rebelled and moved into the microscopic study, but hey, at least it was mine right?

I put my plan into action as soon as I got home. Sona was playing her guitar in her room and mum and I were sitting outside.
“There’s a fresher’s party today, but I don’t think I want to go.” In the back ground the strumming of the guitar stopped.
“Oh really?” my mum tried to add hint of casualness to it.
“Yeah, I think it’s going to be boring..” I said with an exaggerated accent.
My mum ruffled my hair lovingly, “Well, if you don’t want to go.”
My sister snuck her head out and scoffed loudly, “As if!”
“Stay out of it!” I screamed at her.
My mum threw up her hands in frustration! “Can’t you two ever get along?”
“If she stops interfering, maybe we would!” I said, passing a snide remark.
“I have no interest in your sad, pathetic life! I’m out of here!” my sister declared as she walked out of the house.
Bingo!

I waited for a reasonable amount of time before I entered her room. I was forbidden from entering her room, which made it all the more enchanting for me.
There it was, her collection of clothes and shoes. For someone like me, it was no less than a treasure trove! I worked swiftly and deftly, segregating “maybe I’ll wears” and “absolutely nots”.
I was looking under her bed for a pair of shoes when I heard Sona clear her throat loudly.
“May I ask what you are doing in my room?” She asked, tapping her foot menancingly.
“I.. was.. just.. here.. to..” I paused, trying to think up of a plausible excuse.
Sona eyed the pile of clothes I had dumped on her bed, “You little liar! You are going to that damn party! Maaa!!” She half stepped out of my room and called my mum.
“Sona please!! It’s my fresher’s party! I have to go!” I begged.
“Maaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!” my sister shrieked again.
“I have a message from Samrat!” I blurted out, in an effort to divert her attention.
My mum screamed from her room, “What?! What is it?”
Sona hesitated, “What message?”
I shook my head, “You don’t tell ma!”
“Sona?” my mum called again, “What happened?”
“Nothing..” Sona shut the door behind her, “Now what’s all this about?”
I picked up the shoe, for which I had crawled under the bed and held it out.
“And what should I so with it?” Sona asked, arching her brows.
I shrugged, “Samrat asked me to tell you he likes these shoes.” I cringed at the lameness at my excuse. No way in hell would she buy that!
She put up her hands, “What should I do with that piece of information?”
“How should I know, I’m just the lowly messenger..” I parroted the dialog I had used on Samrat earlier.
Sona took the shoe from me slowly and turned it around as though she was looking at it for the first time and then as she suddenly became aware of my presence, “Get out of my room!”
“Fine!” I was relieved, that was a close shave! I stopped as I got to the door, “Sona?” I asked.
“Hmmm?” she was still holding the shoe, a little color had appeared on her cheeks.
“Can I take that?” I said pointing to the clothes pile.“ I don’t have anything to wear! Pleeeeeease! I’ll do anything!” I begged.
She thought for a while, “Do my laundry for a month.”