The Big Swap - Part 20

~TWENTY~

"Where were you all this time Vedant?" His Mother launched at him the moment he set foot into his house.

He'd just looked up into her eyes when he felt her pull him in for a tight hug. She then went onto kiss the top of his head lovingly, and despite himself, Vedant found himself relax.

Maybe this won't be so bad.

"I'm sorry. I needed some time to think things through-"

"-what were the results?" His Father cut instantly. His work glasses sat nestled at the bridge of his nose and Vedant noted how he'd still not changed out of his office wear. Cheeks uncannily flushed Vedant realized, Meera was right after all. He had stressed his parents, and that was a very irresponsible move on his part.

"I failed in Tax. I didn't clear group one."

From the corner of his gaze he noticed Vidisha hold her breath, she too hadn't changed out of the clothes she'd worn to college.

"How?"

He'd expected anger and perhaps a lot of shouting, but this how from his Father was a bare whisper. His Father looked....shocked and even more than that, disappointed. And having to see that look in his Father's eyes he'd never thought he'd have to, all because of himself made him want to simply curl into a ball and remain like that forever.

"I don't know." He confessed, for he really didn't know where his hard work had fallen short. He really had worked very hard. And he wasn't any less disappointed in himself than his Father was.

"What will I tell Nanda Uncle?"

Deep breaths, Vedant.

"I don't know." His voice cracked in the end, and he knew if he didn't go to his bedroom soon he would probably create a spectacle out of himself by being a twenty-year-old boy who cries.

"What do you know Vedant?!" his Father snapped.

He took a deep breath in, and with all the courage he had within him replied, "That I need some sleep and time to myself. To decide what I'll be doing next."

And with that, he walked into his bedroom and launched himself onto a chair. Every moment, every second of his conversation with his Father played bit by bit in his head and unconsciously so, he felt a tear slip down his eye.

Even as a child he'd never understood why boys were taught not to cry in public. They were human too weren't they?

He hated himself for having accepted this rule too; for somehow, it had worked into his system. He just couldn't cry in front of anyone. Not his Mother, not Vidisha and certainly not his Father.

So that's what he did, in the comfort and privacy of his room. He cried himself to sleep. Somewhere in the middle of the night he sensed Vidisha come and lay next to him for consolation. He just gave her a tight hug; thankful; courtesy Meera's diary; that he at least had a sister he could confide in.

----------------------------

--------------------------

Namit Mehta rejected me as a prospective bride because his family thinks I'm too progressive in my thinking to be able to adjust in their house. Besides that, all good.

How are you holding up?

~Meera

The message had been sent at four minutes into six in the morning and had come as an alarming surprise. Meera had not only messaged him, she was actually making a joke out of her situation with that Namit person who was dying to marry her.

Am I hallucinating or something?

He read the message again just to check. Upon realizing it very well was a message from Meera for him, he rolled onto his back and instantly replied,

A disappointed father, stressed mother and loving sister.

I'll let you read into the lines.

Vedant walked into the washroom and had just put the brush into his mouth when his phone beeped with a new message.

Good Morning. I never took you for an early riser!

He grinned,

I'm not. Your message woke me up. :p Morning.

Three seconds later,

Oh! I'm so sorry.

Vedant's brows scrunched with surprise, as he typed in,

Why you saying sorry Meera? It's chill.

Vidisha stirred on her side of the bed, and within a couple of seconds yawned,

"Morning, Bhai."

"Good Morning Vi." This line almost came out as a song, and he instantly realized what he'd done.

"Whoa. What was that all about?"

"Nothing." He replied quickly, stuffing the phone into the pockets of his pyjamas.

Vidisha giggled as she sat up on the bed, her curly hair wild over her face, "I know you're messaging her you know?"

"What? How?"

She now hugged her legs to herself as she grinned with pride, "Do you recall where you'd kept your phone when you came back?"

He gasped as he recalled, "My bag."

"I'd woken up to pee and your phone had buzzed so I pulled it out and placed it near your head side table. You're welcome."

He just shook his head as he gave a playful ruffle to her wild and curly hair he absolutely loved. His phone buzzed again,

Um...I'm not very good at this.

"You carry on I'll go get you some breakfast. I don't see you stepping out of the room anytime soon."

"You're the best Vi!"

"I know."

At what? Vedant typed.

You know....Texting!

Neither am I.

The next reply came after one whole minute.

Oh.

She was still online, then the screen showed typing, and again went back to online. This went on for a while, and Vedant wondered what it was that she was struggling to tell him.

All okay Meera?

She stopped typing whatever she was instantly.

Yeah.

Are you sure? Vedant pried.

Yes.

He sighed, recalling that prying with Meera had never worked in the past, so he resorted to typing,

Okay.

He waited for a reply patiently, almost sure that in a minute she'd be out with whatever she was trying to hide.

Urgh no wait Vedant!

Vedant grinned,

Waiting.

I told you I got into JSK nah?

He nodded, but then realizing she couldn't see him typed,

Yes.

Soooo I obviously wanted to join it.

Even though she'd not completed the text, Vedant could sense a big 'but' somewhere in the picture. But my family won't let me go to that big a firm.

WHAT

I tried to convince them Vedant but they're not agreeing at all.

He could tell there was more to the situation than she told and that there was something more she wanted to share. So instead of waiting for her to type a reply, he rang her up.

She picked up on the very second ring.

"Hi." There was a gruffness in her morning voice Vedant noticed. How utterly cute is that?

"Hey." He cleared his thoughts, "So tell me now."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone as though she were trying to collect her thoughts,

"Vedant I...I feel so terrible even asking you this when you obviously have your own shit to deal with-"

"-Meera. Please, I hate it when you sound like this. Tell me what's up."

She sighed, as she started softly, "My family won't let me join JSK because it's a big firm. You know, too many guys and too much freedom for a girl and all that jazz." She paused as if wanting to know his reaction.

"I'm listening. Go on."

She sighed with relief for some reason and continued, "And they're not cool with any mid-sized firms either. But I don't know about any small firms I could apply to for Articleship. And I honestly don't know why I'm telling you all this but you'd always looked quite calm about Articleship so I thought maybe you knew some people and maybe you could help me find some small firms that need articles and-"

"-Okay."

Meera gasped quite audibly, "What?"

"Okay. I can help. My Father knows a couple of people and some of my friends have family firms. I'll give you their details."

"I...you...I mean, thank you so much Vedant!"

"It's really not that big of a deal Meera." He shrugged, which it seriously wasn't. Vedant had actually expected something far more serious, but at having a problem that he could help her deal with, he found this really unfair and masculine part of him take over. This crazy sense of responsibility he'd felt for her from the moment he'd read her diary. He'd wanted to help her; almost as if he owed it to her.

And maybe this help of his wasn't so major, but it was a start.

"You don't know how big a deal this is for me."

Vedant just smiled, "Well then, you're welcome."

Silence ensued for the next couple of moments, until Meera filled in,

"So...how are you?"

"Trick question." Vedant joked, "I don't recall having felt this depressed in quite a while." But talking to you helps.

"Oh. And what are plans? I mean, if you have any."

"I'll obviously take the next attempt. But I just want some time to let this thing sink in, you know?"

She knew. She'd almost mentally prepared herself for failing, considering how bad some of her papers had been. But to her utter surprise, she'd scored the highest in those subjects!

"I think I do."

"Meera, can I ask you something?"

Meera drew in a breath, unsure of what he'd ask next. "Of course."

"You're definitely not marrying that Mehta right?"

She didn't even try to control the laugh that escaped her lips, and he could only join. "Of course not!"

"Are you sure, Meera?" Vedant pulled the joke further.

"I'm absolutely sure Vedant!" she exclaimed exasperatedly.

"Good." he grinned, "Because it would be such a shame."

She paused, answering almost inaudibly, "Why?"

"You deserve better than that."

... continued The Big Swap - Part 21