Stranger's Deal

🎶 Everything I wanted - Billie Eilish 🎶

I was in the garden when I got a call from my sister. She told me they were expecting us tomorrow for Dar. Hell, I didn't even know Teej was already here. I had no new Sari. They would expect me to wear a Sari. I didn't want to and I only had two saris I wore on our wedding day. My parents would find a way to taunt me again.

(Teej is a festival where Nepali women celebrate by keeping fast for the long age of their husband or young girls keep fast to get a nice husband. Some even keep fast without drinking water.)

I went inside and Rima was there with the devil, talking. My blood started to boil looking at him. Every time I saw him I wanted to start a fight. I wanted to punch him. He got on my nerves just for existing. I was about to go towards my room when Rima called me.

"Hey," she waved.

I stopped and turned to look at her. The devil's eyes were also on me. Our eyes met but I focused my attention on Rima. She walked towards me and then what shocked me was she pulled me into a hug but I didn't hug her back. She hugged me so suddenly. I wasn't expecting that. I meant, I don't expect anything from anyone but that was something I would never think of. Our relationship was all fake so why bother? I was not her sister-in-law and never will be.

"Hey," I said, feeling awkward.

"Would you like to go shopping for Teej?" She asked.

Shopping for Teej? Were they expecting me to fast?

"A.hh. I don't think I need to do any shopping," I told her.

"Come on, it's Teej. At least buy a Sari," she insisted.

I knew she took care of me when I was here but I couldn't forget that she also played with me.

I shook my head "No, umm, thanks for asking," I said forcing a smile.

"Come on," She started to insist but I refused and went to the room without glancing at him.

I prepared dinner. Rima left early and it was quite a relief for me cause I felt like I was acting all smiley and fake around her. I knew I could be rude but I didn't want to. I was tired of being rude. For once, I wanted to be a woman without it. I wanted to stop being a woman with anger. I didn't know where this harshness came from. She seemed good and yeah, she played me but I didn't want to hurt her. She probably did all that because the devil asked her to. I would try to be nice as long as I could.

While eating, my mind was full of thinking about how to tell him about Teej and how my parents were expecting us. I would look at him time and again and open my mouth to speak but nothing came out. Of course, he would say no. Dar at my house with him? Impossible. but I had to tell him that they were expecting us.

"My parents, ah they.. they are expecting us tomorrow if you don't know it's 'Dar khane din' (Feast day)," I mustered up the courage to tell him.

I hated saying this to him. It felt like I was requesting him. My eyes were on the plate. I could feel his eyes on me but he didn't say anything. I was right, why would he want to go to my parent's house? We were not as rich as him. I meant we were not even a cent per cent near him. I waited a few more minutes to hear his decision. When I heard nothing, I left.

( Dar is a feast that happens the day before Teej. )

I went to my room, ready to sleep. I felt like I was already exhausted tomorrow. My energy drained every time I was near my family. I didn't want tomorrow to come but it wasn't up to me to stop that. I wished I could stop tomorrow from coming. I didn't want to face my parents.