Party And Prejudice

Riya, Zoya and I stood inside the cell, staring at each other. It was horrible. I felt like throwing up. What a foolish situation to get ourselves into! I couldn't believe, Riya had trusted the bitches Sanam and Ameesha. I couldn't believe either that those two had been working as dealers for Chameli. If only we hadn't been hanging around them so much.

It didn't help that those two bitches were locked up too, right in the next cell. We didn't even look at them.

"If we get out of this, I promise, I will be more responsible stop taking reckless decisions", Riya said. High time honey, I thought.

"If we get out of this, I will give up mutton forever", Zoya said. Riya and I started at her. Zoya loved her mutton. Especially mutton biriyani.

"It's okay guys, I'll still have chicken and fish", Zoya said with a smile.

Both of them looked at me expectantly.

I cleared my throat, "If we get out of this, I will start believing in God".

•••

It was when Riya's parents finally walked into the police station that I felt a glimmer of hope. I think that's the power of age. You will always feel reassured to see older people taking charge.

Riya's parents seemed to know what to do. Along, with them was a burly man who was apparently their family lawyer. I saw the three negotiate with the police. I had no clue what was going on.

It was then that I realised that it was just my age as a number which was eighteen. I was, by no means an adult. These were the real adults doing real shit, calmly and responsibly. I told myself that I would one day be just like them. Dealing with stuff like a pro instead of chickening out like a kid.

•••

Both of Riya's parents looked frustrated and tired but not shocked. It was almost as if they had expected something like this.

It was in Riya's nature to be where trouble was. It had been the same story everywhere since she was in kindergarten. They would be grilled by every teacher during every PTA meeting every year. They had probably guessed, it would be only a matter of time before something problematic happened when they had sent her by herself halfway across the country.

The moment, Riya's parents were allowed to visit us, Riya's mother, Saba had lashed out at Riya, "Nobody in our family has gone to jail before!", she had stormed.

But Riya? She had been sitting on the chair next to mine, like it was a throne, without an iota of shame. I had always felt Riya really ought to be a little more thrilled about her parents. They gave her unlimited pocket money, allowed her to wear anything she wanted, go anywhere she wanted and hardly ever denied her anything.

Riya's mother had walked off in a huff to join her husband and their lawyer while the three of us continued to wait inside the cell impatiently.

"Release those three", the inspector announced.

As one of the women came and unlocked our cell, we stepped out, feeling like freedom fighters.

I wondered how many years back, in our very country, people had stayed in jail in solitude without food and water for months together. That too not for themselves but for the greater good. Where had they got their resolve from? We had freaked out for just a few hours, that too, when we knew fully well that we had people to come and rescue us.

What's with the dramatic thoughts Mishti? You didn't go to jail fighting for your country. You got busted for holding drugs.

That's when I remembered something else. I smiled automatically.

"What's so funny?", the policewoman who let us out snapped at me.

"Nothing", I said as I ran behind Riya and Zoya.

Thank you God for the miracles you bestow on us.