Home > Love at First Fight

Love at First Fight
Author: Sandhya Menon

Ashish


It was like Cupid had thrown up all over everything. Like the dude had a big night out, spun around on a carousel a few times, and then just… let loose. Ashish stood back and considered the giant tree in the center of the plaza covered with pink and red glittery paper and enormous papier-mâché hearts.

“It feels like a crime against nature.” He stuffed his hands into his jeans pockets. “Right?”

Dimple snorted from beside him, pushing her glasses up on her nose. “And against humanity. Why am I being subjected to this? Why should big corporations be able to say—nay, dictate—when I’m supposed to be feeling amorous?”

Rishi kissed her cheek. “That’s right. Because you can’t help but feel amorous all the time when you’re engaged to the big R-man.”

Dimple turned and gave him a withering look. “Never say that again.”

Ashish laughed as a cool breeze rustled all the gaudy decorations on the tree. “So have the Shah-Patel parents moved in together yet? To plan the big day? They’re on the phone enough that I told Ma to just do it already.”

Suddenly, Dimple looked like a thundercloud. Rishi made a pleading face at Ashish, but it was too late. “It’s ridiculous. I told my mother that although, yes, technically I did propose to Rishi last summer, she’s not to assume this means my brain cells have evacuated my skull. I told both my parents this is a long-term engagement, that I wouldn’t even be willing to talk about actual wedding plans until I’m finished with graduate school—my master’s and my doctorate. But does my mother listen? Oh no. What does she do instead?” Ashish was pretty sure he wasn’t meant to answer any of these questions, so he just listened patiently, as Rishi was doing. “She runs out and buys a subscription to, like, ten different desi wedding magazines and websites. Multiple subscriptions for a wedding that’s years, if not a full decade, away! What is she thinking?”

Apparently she did expect him to answer this one, because there was a long silence, and she was glaring up at him like it was all his fault. “Um…” Ashish tried to rack his brain for something appeasing to say. “Your, uh, I like your top thing. It matches your eyes.”

Rishi put his hand to his forehead and closed his eyes. Dimple looked over her shoulder, darting him a suspicious glance, and he dropped his hand, smiling. “It’s just your mom’s way,” he said in a soothing manner that sounded practiced. “It gives her happiness. So let her do it. You and I know we’re not getting married anytime soon, and that’s all that matters.”

And just like that, the thundercloud had passed. Wow. Rishi was, like, the Dimple Whisperer. She snuggled against his chest and smiled contentedly. Crisis averted. “Oh, there she is,” Dimple said, looking past Ashish. “Sweetie.”

His heart lifted at her words, like a legit helium balloon in his chest. Ashish turned—and there she was, striding across the plaza toward him, a soft smile on her face.

Sweetie Nair.

Was there anything more perfect in this world than that dimple in her cheek? The spiraling curls of her ponytail? The curves of her body, each one made to mold to the planes of his? The way she walked, so sure and graceful, so athletic and perfect? Oh, right. He’d already said perfect. So what? She was.

“Perfect,” he said, gathering her into his arms the moment she was close enough. Her skin was cool in the winter sun, and she smelled like shampoo and spun sugar. She’d probably been baking with her mom.

She kissed him and then smiled up at him, her brown eyes shining like this was the happiest she’d been all day. Man, what an honor. “Hey, you,” she said softly. “Happy Valentine’s Day.”

“Happy day of love.” Ashish rubbed his nose against hers. “But just don’t say that to Dimple; she’ll eat your face right off,” he added in a whisper.

Sweetie rolled her eyes at him and stepped aside to see Rishi and Dimple. “Hey, guys.” She walked over to where they were now sitting under the poor, undignified, festooned tree. “How’s it going?”

“You don’t buy into the whole Hallmark-created notion of love, do you, Sweetie?” Dimple asked severely, and Sweetie glanced over at Ashish.

“I told you so,” he mouthed, out of sight of Dimple.

“Um,” Sweetie said, shrugging. “Most of it seems silly, but I don’t think there’s anything wrong with taking an extra day to be with the one you love.”

“Exactly!” Rishi said, beaming. “That’s what I was trying to say earlier.”

Dimple raised an eyebrow. “That’s what you were trying to say when you gave me a card that said The universe is infinite, as is my love for you; happy Valentine’s Day?”

“You said you liked it!” Rishi said, looking outraged.

Softening, Dimple leaned over and kissed the corner of his mouth. “I did. I do. And I love your love of all things sappy.”

Mollified, Rishi took her hand. “That’s why we make such a great team.”

“Speaking of teams.” Sweetie walked forward to check out a chalk signboard, the hem of her pink sweater-tunic fluttering in the light breeze. “Look at this!”

Ashish went to stand by her and read the sign she was talking about. “An escape room. That sounds like the perfect thing to do on our couples’ date! Especially since we hadn’t figured anything out yet. Nice work.” He kissed Sweetie’s temple, and she flushed a pretty pink.

“Great, let’s do it!” Rishi hopped up and held out a hand for Dimple, who took it and stood too.

“As long as the room’s not called Love’s Lament or something,” she grumbled. “People lose their minds on Valentine’s Day.”

“Look.” Ashish pointed to the flyer. “Not a single heart on there. I think you’re safe.”

“Excuse me!” a girl said, and before anyone could react, a giant poster board was crashing into Ashish and then pushing past him.

“Hey, ow!” he called. “Watch it!” And then he read the poster board.

GOVERNMENT-FUNDED BACK SURGERY FOR THOSE WHO’VE EXPERIENCED ALIEN ABDUCTIONS! it said. LET’S DO THE RIGHT THING, AMERICA!

Ashish narrowed his eyes as the poster board kept plowing through their group. “Pinky? Pinky Kumar!”

The poster board slowed and then lowered, Pinky’s brown face appearing above it, looking surprised. “Oh, hey, Ash. Sweetie. Didn’t see you guys there!”

“How could you when you were using the poster board as a weapon to clear your path?” Ashish deadpanned, just as Sweetie leaned forward and hugged Pinky, who looked a little shocked at such a public display of friendliness.

Pinky set the board down on the ground and propped an elbow on top of it. “Oh, hey, Rishi. Dimple.” She’d met them a few times before and knew them in passing. “What are you guys all up to today? You’re not on a couples’ date, are you?” She sneered as she said the phrase “couples’ date.”

“What’s wrong with a couples’ date?” Ashish asked, frowning.

“Well,” Pinky said, drawing a breath, and Ashish knew one of her patented Pinky lectures was coming. “Not everyone is a couple, Ash. Some people are polyamorous. They have multiple partners. Some people are single by choice. Some people don’t want to go on heteronormative ‘dates’ that corporations decide we need to go on so they can make even more money.”

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