Forbibben Love

o get into the Met. Museum?'

rl wearing a Gorilla mask, sai

dical feminist artists after

um of Art. They had found th

n art sections were women,

d gifted me the poster on ou

d loved its outrageous, raunc

of art, I had made Jay prom

r

ight opportunity to start th

as going to spend the whole

ay to forgo his plans of wat

. Not that Neetu would min

that she and her boyfriend we

e to be able t

d on my queen-sized bed, pati

rs of his tall, athletic body

thin line of golden brown hai

ye towards his well-toned a

al features from his Indian

ctable as it gets. I smiled,

eness and focused

to look at?' he said, catchin

smi

nused,' I replied, tr

it?' came his quick

applied a thick dab of paint

s. 'One at a time,' I said te

layer of skin-tone to fi

ck is hurting from staying

ng

h?' I said, as I stepped

aw. We had made good progr

as and gave hi

ound of his strained muscles

ext instant, he was g

reward after two hours of

ce slightly muffled, a

,' I said, wriggling out of h

kitc

tive effect on me, but today

ude model, and you have to b

e from painting fruits on a ta

oking at your irresistibly a

tance for over an hour. Okay

ody's curves and slopes,

, all the while controlling tha

t used to looking at naked hu

ing was a passion and Jay

id, raising a toast with my be

at hung o

the count of female artis

s healthy apple against

nickers, so I opened the wi

its own colours and hues. Si

ring the onset of fall colou

th wooden sloping roofs, off

ashed on the trees around. I

ty centre. Come winter and t

he neighbourhood kids. Th

ts colourful youth for

ere we lived, was about a

e North Campus of Universi

partment, was home to a la

ch of these students, carryin

for the week ahead. A few of

usy in their apartments, sli

di

sy enjoying the moment, soak

ed the sides of my back with

head rest on his bare shoul

f, with Jay lying by my side

s. I quickly picked the handse

ss the Red Sea and the Atlan

My mind quickly calculated

y a fear engulfed me. The we

ngs, their time. A series of

and it took me some time to

beta. Did I wake you up? It

ld be awake,' I

re calling at this hour?' I

Jay tried telling me in sign

e phone, but I

your email?' Da

mails before he went to be

y responded immediately as h

orbed analysing and tracing

Even as my laptop came back

, Pa? Why don't you j

disconnect tone. My fa

-to-me-at-your-own-conven

ted Ja

was like sending an SMS to

the SMS! Yet, I didn't like

lls from his parents doesn't

were only a few hours away

at they ever did, at least not

ns with his family were large

istmas

owser as my default home pa

my FB friends. There was a pi

r boyfriend, his arms tightly

settings on this photo such

funny one-liners caught my

re class had posted, 'Pract

e time.' I clicked on 'Like

next window by now, so I cl

ake or death as the reason fo

had no content. There was on

Must be some new family pi

y opened the attached file,

de grin on his face. I impuls

ptop s

popped the chat message f

nd

sitation. The guy in the pict

ng on a rock, at the top o

tain his balance, as the cold

t had been taken by someone

he was fal

asking if I had asked my

ls. I asked him to keep shut

ble to control his laughter,

imself s

rt! Remember, you took thre

powdere

as six mont

milk powder sachets that com

Very

guitar class. The b

tar class like onl

king the food your mother

rr

t's you

it comes to liking things

once you like somethi

battle of words and the spe

to get a

y a guy whom you just m

ter. Of course, I did the b

junior

n IITian-I typed, erased

arrogant, self-i

ent. I am confident he

still stu

for you to finish your stud

odata. Feel free t

ut, P

er, I realized my father had

Pa, I have found myself an

t doesn't understa

salad bowl and was checki

his eyes wide

r dad trying to find you a lo

the sarcasm

' I said, stressing the word

t ties you to the house,

re very close to your dad.

marriage and are fully ca

d for yo

le me. Initially, Jay had pr

only mispronounced it to tea

would have run behind him,

just sat motionless, hands u

efend my relationship with my

ay came closer and started m

his hands around my neck w

ded to be alone. I told him

as at my sudden change of m

thing that we can surely le

other peop

ony bed, munching my favou

ots of my childhood pasted a

orn. Dad giving me a bear hu

le he still could. Dad and I

of us making a rangoli by

Cup live and clinking glasse

evidence of the special bond

oys and sex that I hadn't told

had begun to despise IIT gu

while, but my dad had never

bout him. As an only child,

est to live up to their expect

hits and leg byes. Having gr

ont, especially the people

suing a master's degree in e

do a course of your parents'

rcourse with you

ll in love with a guy that my

guy I didn't love. This muc

s IIT suitor without

n my mobile. There wer

brains the burden o

of advice

more than ten

ttention from my mind to m

the packet in my hand. Someb

ag looked more like half-emp

tra mile

e in any more alcohol or jun

ay some music. Jeez, that su

ooking IITian with a typical

ust Dad to know how to get o

some rest and put on my favo

hore da's mellow voice fil

was back in our little hous

n-air kitchen as my mom co

forter listening

when I noticed a new mail i

from that smartass suitor.

have to work in

es tightly shut to wipe out

, as I waited for sleep to o

lanet Saturn had entered my

g a tough time