Page 123 of Everything She Wanted

I don’t say anything, though, knowing I’m seconds away from losing it. Instead, I just nod.

“No need to do anything rash. Let things settle,” my Bhua continues, placing her hand on mine.

My insides are quaking. I just told them he’s been cheating on me, and they tell me to be quiet and forget it even happened? What the fuck kind of reality is this?

I want to topple the tables and take a bat to the room and destroy every fucking thing in here.

I had to deal with all this shit for so long, and I thought it was because I was the problem. I wasn’t good enough, and that’s why my mom’s love was so conditional. I did something wrong just by being born a girl and was constantly reminded of my shortcomings.

It wasn’t enough to watch my dad die and know that no one intervened to help stop his alcoholism. They simply watched in silence and did nothing. And after he passed, no one stepped in to help us, even though I was only in high school, and Preeti was in university. My mom only ever worked part-time. Then, I watched as Sunny was put through the ringer after everyone found out he was gay, and then they put me through the same for pretending to date him.

I was made to believe I was bad for wanting to chase my dreams and not a guy. For not being married with kids by now. After all, that was the only goal worth having. And it couldn’t just be a good, decent guy, no, it had to be a South Asian guy from a ‘good’ family.

And now, they say this.

I’m done. I just want the pain and fucked-up situation to end.

I get up from the table. “I’m going home.”

“Putt, there’s still family here. Your sister is at the house waiting to see you.” My mom softens, not wanting to unleash her full venom in front of anyone else.

“Tell them I’m not feeling well.”

She wants me to live a lie? Surely, she’ll have no problem telling this one. I leave the restaurant and don’t even bother to look back.

I don’t go home. I go straight to Shaan’s house and wait outside on the driveway as I text him to come the fuck outside. Now.

Nish?

I reply to let him know I’m outside in the driveway.

Then come in.

I reply with all caps this time:

Out. Now.

He comes out. “Hey, we were just having a late lunch. Want to join?” Without a care in the world.

“Fuck you.”

“Nish, what the heck has come over you?” He tries to appease me, knowing that many of his family members are still hovering inside and outside the house, and some of his younger cousins are playing on the expansive front lawn.

“Let’s go for a drive, asshole.” I walk over to him with a fake smile as his cousins continue to look.

He can sense I’m pissed.

“Okay, okay.”

He pulls out his keys, and I grab them. “This time I’m driving.”

I walk to the driver’s seat just as his little cousins wave at us. I wave back. I’m glad they’re there because I know he won’t make a scene in front of them.

We buckle up, and I don’t care that I’ve never driven his car before or that it’s worth more than a hundred thousand dollars. I drive carelessly, zig-zagging through the streets way too fast before taking the ramp to the highway. I don’t even care if we get pulled over.

Thankfully, since it’s Sunday, it’s not too busy.

“Shit. Slow down.”