Read Becoming Her - A New Life :: Chapter 10 part 1

Kiran got down from the college bus at the stop near his home, juggling a bundle of exam papers assigned for correction and his handbag. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows as he made the short walk toward the gate.

"Aunty, shall I help you?" a small voice piped up.

Kiran looked down to see a boy of around ten, eager eyes and a familiar smile.

The word 'Aunty' didn't sting as much as it used to. He was slowly growing accustomed to the gendered greetings, the pronouns, the looks. They just felt like signs of a new reality he was learning to inhabit.

"Okay," Kiran smiled, handing over the lighter stack. A flash of memory surfaced-Kiran remembered the boy helping the female version of himself once or twice, in exchange for a chocolate bar. What was his name again? Ah-Anwar.

As they reached the front door, Kiran ruffled the boy's hair.

"Let me see if I have something for you," he said, digging into his handbag. He pulled out a milk chocolate bar. "Here."

"Thank you, Aunty!" Anwar beamed. "You are very beautiful. And very nice."

Kiran chuckled and waved him off.

He stepped into his house, placing the exam papers on the table. Need to hurry, he thought. Priya will be here any moment. And Roshni too.

Roshni hadn't hesitated a moment when Kiran mentioned Priya's plan for a mall visit while they bade goodbye to each other at the end of college.

"Count me in!" she'd said, eyes lighting up. "Let's have some fun tonight. I'll drop Priya home on my scooter after. Maybe we can grab something from the food court too."

It had been a packed day-no free lectures to catch a breather. Kiran had slept fitfully again in the night. He had felt sluggish in the morning when he reached school. But Roshni and Sameer had livened up his mood. Kiran had spent the morning and lunch break with them, and they had been on fire with their one-liners. They had been like a comedy duo-quick, outrageous, and relentless. Kiran had felt self-conscious at first, noticing the stares of fellow lecturers when their laughter rang out, but he eventually stopped caring. The joy was worth it.

Raj had been messaging him periodically through the day.

Around noon, a ping had arrived: "What should I buy you from here?"

The instinctive answer that popped into his mind-fed by memories not originally his-was sarees.

He paused, shook off the thought, and typed back: Puchkas.(A popular street snack from Eastern India, especially Bengal)

Raj replied with a flabbergasted emoji.
That had brought a smile to his lips, this friendly banter.
It was a banter between two friends, he had told himself.

Now, stepping out of the shower, Kiran towel-dried his hair and hurried to get dressed. He chose a simple but elegant kurti(a long tunic) and salwar( loose pants), and just as he reached for his dupatta(long, lightweight scarf), the doorbell rang.

He rushed to open it. Roshni and Priya stood at the door.

"I decided to pick her up from your father's place," Roshni said. "Saved her the bus ride."

"And time!" Priya added with a wide grin.

She wore a bohemian short kurti over jeans, looking effortlessly chic. Roshni, on the other hand, sported a navy blue sleeveless top and matching pants, a confident flash of cleavage completing her look.

"You both look awesome," Kiran said sincerely.

Roshni raised an eyebrow. "And you look like my mother. What is this, a religious visit?"

"What's wrong with it?" Kiran protested. "It's decent."

"Decent? This is a mall outing, girl!" Roshni groaned. "You've aged a century overnight."

Priya nodded. "Yeah, Didi. Change. Right now."

She stormed to the wardrobe and pulled out a bright flared top and jeans.

"No way," Kiran said. "That will show my stomach and back if I bend even a little."
"Ugh, so what,lady", Roshni sounded exasperated.
" People....men will stare". He said flatly.
" So what, madam? Men have been staring at us since we were 12 and started growing tits. You either lower your eyes or stare them down. Don't talk like you were born yesterday ".
"I was .. six days ago ", he thought.

Priya gave him a pleading look. "Come on, Di. Wear it."

"Nope. I'm in the mood for traditional," he lied.

"Fine. But not that one." She rummaged again and pulled out a ruffled, short-sleeved printed kurti and a pair of jeans.

"It's sleeveless," Kiran objected.

"It has sleeves! Short, ruffled ones!" Roshni threw her hands up. "What has gotten into you?"

"We're getting late," Priya said, frowning. "Don't be a spoilsport, please."

Kiran sighed. "Okay, fine."

They waited for him to change. Damn, I have to change in front of them. Well, it's not like they haven't seen everything I have now, he thought with a shrug.

He checked himself in the mirror. Not bad. In fact... pretty.

"Now stop admiring yourself and slap on some lipstick," Roshni called from behind.

Priya handed him some lipstick and a bunch of bangles.

"Wow, girl," Roshni grinned. "You just transformed from grandma to glam in under five minutes."

"Oh no, maybe I should change back," Kiran joked.

"Shut up or we're dragging you now!" Roshni declared. "Priya, grab her hand!"

"Yes, Roshi Di!" Priya laughed, taking his arm.

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They had a blast.

Priya had made Kiran wear stiletto-heeled sandals. He'd worried he'd trip-but to his surprise, he managed just fine. Gracefully, actually.

Yes, there were stares. Men turned their heads openly. At one point, Kiran muttered a complaint to Roshni.
"Enjoy the attention, babe," Roshni said with a wink.

After shopping, they headed to the food court for burgers. Kiran stood in line to place their orders while the others found a table. Ahead of him, a young couple stood chatting. The guy turned briefly, blinked, and gave Kiran a longer look.

His girlfriend noticed. "Stop checking out every pretty girl—even when I'm right next to you," she hissed, smacking his arm lightly.

The guy stammered. Kiran almost laughed out loud.

As they were preparing to leave, he heard Roshni calling out, "Sameer!"

Kiran turned. Roshni was waving at a nearby table.

Sameer was seated there-with a slightly chubby woman in a pink floral dress.

"Hey Roshi, hey Kiran!" Sameer called. "And this is ...Priya?"

"Yes, Sameer Bhaiya!" Priya smiled. "How are you?"

"I am good. Meet my wife, Sonali." He turned to the woman. "Sonali, this is Roshni and Kiran-my college besties. Remember I told you about them... that we are teaching at the same college now?"

Sonali smiled politely, looking at everyone though her eyes flicked over Kiran a little too long. "He's told me so much about you both. I always wanted to meet you. Please join us?"

"Yes, yes," Sameer echoed.

"It's okay, Sam," Roshni said. "We just had burgers. If we'd known you were here, we'd have made you pay."

They all laughed.

"What were you girls doing?" Sameer asked.

"Priya wanted to shop. We thought we would have just a little ladies' night out," Roshni replied.

Sameer turned to Kiran. "So, when is Raj coming back?"

"Late tonight," Kiran replied, then turned to Roshni. "Come on, let's go. We need to drop Priya home ."

As they rode back in a taxi, Roshni crossed her arms. "Sameer's wife didn't give me good vibes."

"You picked that up in two minutes?" Kiran laughed.

"I did. Her eyes said: 'Please leave soon - before the food comes.'"

Priya giggled. "Maybe she was just afraid we'd steal her fries."

"She did look like she eats a lot," Roshni smirked.

"Stop it," Kiran said, trying not to laugh.

But they laughed anyway, the night air filled with their giggles, the city lights blurring outside the window.

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Glossary of Indian Terms

1. Puchkas – A popular street snack from Eastern India, especially Bengal (also known as golgappas or panipuri in other regions). They are crispy, hollow balls filled with spicy potato mash and tangy flavored water.

2. Rosogollas– Soft, spongy balls made of chhena (Indian cottage cheese) soaked in sugar syrup. A famous Bengali dessert.

3. Queen of Jhansi– A reference to Rani Lakshmibai, the historic queen who fought against British rule in 1857. In modern slang, calling someone "Queen of Jhansi" humorously implies they're acting bold or ready for battle.

4. Chutney– A condiment made from fruits, vegetables, or herbs, often spicy or tangy, and served as a side dish with Indian meals.

5. Chapati – A type of Indian flatbread made from whole wheat flour, usually cooked on a skillet and eaten with curries or vegetables.

6. Kurti: A tunic-like upper garment worn by women in South Asia. It is usually worn with leggings, jeans, or salwars and is known for being both comfortable and stylish.

7. Salwar: A pair of loose-fitting trousers that taper at the ankles, traditionally worn with a kameez (long shirt) or kurti. It's part of the salwar kameez outfit.

8. Saree: A traditional Indian garment for women, consisting of a long piece of cloth (typically around six to nine yards) that is draped around the body and over one shoulder, usually worn with a blouse and petticoat

9. Chicken Biryani – A richly spiced and aromatic rice dish made by layering marinated chicken with basmati rice, saffron, and a blend of spices.

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That's the end of Chapter 10 part 1. Do let me know your thoughts on the chapter. Comment freely.

Thankyou

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This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and events are either the product of the author's imagination or used fictitiously. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

No part of this story may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the author, except in the case of brief quotations used for review purposes.