Rani's First Boyfriend - Part 2 (Patreon)

Nandhini’s apartment was a two-bedroom shared with three other people. Rani didn’t understand why her eldest sister was slumming it with friends, but she figured Didi had her reasons. It was a relatively large apartment in a luxury apartment complex, but it was nothing like what Rani imagined her sister would live in while she attended Princeton Law School. The red brick facade of the conjoined townhouse apartments gave the complex a collegiate atmosphere. The gardens were vibrant and green, with boxes of plants in every courtyard framing the concrete walks from the parking lot. Her front door was exquisite oak, and the polished hardwood floors shone in the noontime sunlight from the two-story windows. Rani followed Nandhini past the fireplace and the stairs, under the second-floor balcony, and into the kitchen. The spacious kitchen was furnished with all the modern appliances. Most of them shone as though new and unused.  “Rani, you know Elaine, of course.” Nandhini gestured to her roommate. “Ellie.” Eliane corrected. The young African-American woman wore a smart business suit, her hair in dreadlocks that rustled as she turned to face Rani. She waved from where she leaned against the counter.“And this is Alexis and Madison.” Nandhini said, continuing the introductions to two women Rani hadn’t met before. “Alex.” Alexis offered her own contraction of her name with a handshake. She was a young, very pretty Caucasian woman with blonde hair and a half-shaved haircut that didn’t seem to fit the law school image Nandhini and Elaine maintained. “Maddie.” Madison winked from where she stood by the refrigerator. She was a slender Caucasian woman who looked more like a model than a law student. Her brown hair was well done, and her high-fashion minidress showed more leg than Rani thought possible. Rani had a moment when her eyes refused to move away, and she almost forgot to breathe. “This is my little sister, Rani.” Nandhini said, making the introductions. “She’s starting Princeton in the fall.” “Oh, welcome!” Maddie said. “What brings you here this weekend? Checking out the school?”  “Not really.” Rani said. “I just wanted to get lunch with Didi.” “Didi?” Maddie asked, confused. Nandhini rolled her eyes and raised her hand. “I’m Didi.” She said. “Is that short for Nandhini somehow?” Alex asked, leaning on the counter and just as confused as Maddie. “Have I been using your full name this entire time and there’s some shorter nickname I could have used?” Maddie asked. “You could have told me!” Nandhini and Rani laughed. “No, it’s…” Rani hesitated, unsure of how to explain it. “It’s a term of endearment for an eldest sister. All of my siblings call Nandhini Didi. Like you might call one of your sisters Sissy or something.” Maddie, Alex, and Ellie shared a look and broke into laughter. “Yeah. Nobody uses Sissy to mean that anymore.” Rani shrugged. “Well, Sis, then?” “We get it.” Alex said, smiling. “I don’t know. I like Didi for you. It fits somehow.” She framed Nandhini’s face with her fingers and laughed as Nandhini clamped her hand over her fingers and pushed her hand below the counter. “Are you staying over?” Maddie asked. She spun to face the Nandhini. “Is she sleeping on the sofa?” “If she stays over, she can crash in our room.” Elaine said, glancing at Nandhini. “How old are you?” Alex asked, staring at Rani and peering closely at her face. “Your makeup is amazing.” “Thanks.” Rani said, smiling slightly. “I uh… I’m eighteen.” “Barely.” Nandhini said, smiling as she said it. “Her birthday was two weeks ago.” “Oh, that’s right. That’s why you went home over spring break.” Maddie said. “Well, welcome to adulthood.” She offered Rani her hand, and Rani froze. Maddie laughed, took Rani’s hand, and shook it. “Don’t be afraid. I’m not going to explode or anything.” Alex looked between Rani and Maddie and then at Nandhini. “Did you tell her?” Nandhini looked surprised, then shook her head ‘no.’ “No, I didn’t say anything. I didn’t want to freak her out.” “Freak me out with what?” Rani asked. “Tell me what?” “Well, I wasn’t sure if it would be a culture shock.” Nandhini confessed. “I know Mummy and Papa are conservative, but…” She glanced at Alex and Maddie. “Your Sissy is trying to tell you we’re gay.” Alex said, reaching for Maddie’s hand. Rani looked surprised but turned to face Nandhini. “Oh.” She said. “That’s no big deal, I have a few friends who are gay.” “You do?” Nandhini asked. “Yeah.” Rani said. “At school.” “Well, good.” Alex said. She turned to smile at Nandhini. “See? And you were worried she’d freak out.”Nandhini rolled her eyes. Elaine walked behind her and patted her back before she filled her glass. “So you two are… together?” Rani asked, gesturing to Maddie and Alex, who were still holding hands. “Why? You want to know if you can ask me out?” Alex asked, laughing at her hilarious joke. Rani’s eyes instinctively tracked to Maddie, then flicked back to Alex. The others watching mistook the fear on Rani’s face and the blush in her cheeks for embarrassment. “No, no, I–” “Calm down.” Alex said, raising her hand and clapping Rani on the shoulder. “I’m just fucking with you.” “Alex.” Nandhini said, sharply. “I thought I told you not to use that kind of language while she’s here.” “It’s just English.” Alex said, shrugging. “I don’t cuss in other languages.” “I know a few in Spanish.” Maddie offered. “You know what I mean.” Nandhini hissed. “It’s fine, Didi. I hear curse words all the time. I’m not some sheltered baby.” Rani said. “I know.” Nandhini threw her arm over Rani’s shoulders. “But you’re my little sister. It’s my job to protect you out here in this big world from bad influences.” She glared at Alex.“I’m a bad influence?” Alex asked, offended. “Bitch, my GPA is higher than yours.” “You’re a Creative Writing Major.” Nandhini said, pointing a manicured finger at her in accusation. “You can’t compare that to a law school GPA.” “Uh oh.” Maddie said, remarking on Alex’s new expression. “Girls, cool your tits. Don’t start another Majors war in front of our guest.” She gestured to Rani, then leaned in and whispered. “They can really go at it sometimes. Last time, we had to spackle the living room wall afterward because of a projectile Loubaton.” Rani stiffened, feeling Maddie’s breath on her ear send shivers down her spine and goosebumps across her arms. “Alex threw a shoe at my sister?” Rani asked when she found her voice. “No.” Maddie shook her head. Rani’s eyes went even wider. She couldn’t remember a time when she’d seen her sister lose her temper that badly. Sure, she’d seen her sister angry before, but with a six-year age difference, she’d been too young to remember the major meltdowns. Nandhini had never lost her temper with Rani, either. She was a rock. The perfect daughter to which all of her sisters were compared and forced to aspire to by their parents. “I already apologized for that.” Nandhini said defensively. “And I fixed it.” “You spackled a wall?” Rani asked, even more surprised. She had no idea her sister had any practical manual labor skills. “Well… I paid someone to fix it.” Nandhini said, deflating somewhat. “It’s okay.” Alex said, raising her hands. “I know she’s just sensitive about that B minus she got once.” “It was a B plus, and you know it.” Nandhini snapped. Alex giggled. “Girl, calm down. You’ll give your sister a complex. Life is more than grades, Rani. Have fun, or life will be over before you know it.” Rani nodded, not really listening. Maddie was still standing too close for her brain to function, and Maddie’s arm around her shoulders made her entire body heat like an oven. “Come on, come on.” Nandhini said, gesturing to Rani and pulling her away from Maddie, who laughed and slipped her arm around Alex’s waist instead. “Let’s go have lunch.” Then, she switched to Tamil. <“She just enjoys making me angry. I think it’s a lesbian thing.”> “You realize it sounds the same in whatever language that was, right? I definitely heard an accented version of Lesbian in there.” Alex said, pointing at Nandhini. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say that was hate speech.” Elaine put her hand on Alex’s shoulder and pulled her away from Maddie. “Come on.” Ellie said. “Let’s let them have lunch. They don’t need to go anywhere.” “No, it’s okay.” Nandhini said. “Rani said she wanted to have wraps from that falafel place, right?” She asked, looking at Rani. “We can do that for lunch instead of dinner.” “Oh, I love that place!” Maddie said. “They have the best falafel, and if you ask, the guy behind the counter can slip you a few extra.” “That might just be a you thing.” Elaine said to Maddie. Maddie dismissed her opinion on the subject with a wave. She was hot and knew it but didn’t seem to want to flaunt her beauty’s ability to win her free falafel. Rani wondered where that kind of beauty ranked in life. “Do you want to come?” Rani asked, then looked surprised at her own question. She looked between Nandhini and Maddie to make sure it was okay. So did Maddie. “Oh, it’s okay.” Maddie immediately withdrew. “I don’t want to interrupt your sister-lunch. I know Nandhini had something she–” She hesitated, and Rani turned her gaze from Maddie to Nandhini, who flattened her skirt and looked as though she hadn’t just been glaring at Maddie. “What?” Rani asked. “What’s going on?” “Nothing is going on.” Nandhini said, raising her hands defensively. “I just wanted to have a nice lunch with my sister.” She looked at Maddie. “Of course you can come.” “No, I–” Maddie looked between Rani and Nandhini and shook her head. “Just bring me back one?” “Sure.” Nandhini said, nodding. “Do you want to come, Elaine?” Elaine looked surprised. “Do you want me to?” “It’s okay if you don’t want to.” Nandhini assured her. “No, I–” Elaine glanced at Rani, then Nandhini. “I’d love to.” Rani shrugged. She felt like she was missing something, but whatever it was, she had no concept or clue. She liked Elaine. They’d met a few years ago when Nandhini was still in her undergraduate courses. She, like Nandhini, was a law student. She was from Philadelphia, so almost a local girl, and she and Nandhini were close friends. “Come on.” Nandhini took Rani’s hand, and they left as they came. The air outside was cooler than typical for the season, but the humidity was low, which made the day enjoyable. Nandhini wore a light jacket blazer over her suit. Rani dressed more typically in jeans and a cropped t-shirt that showed a very narrow strip of her midsection with her high-waisted jeans. Their nails were meticulously done, and Rani admired herself as she passed the mirror in the hallway. Her makeup and hair were on point today. She looked like someone out of a magazine and felt like she was on top of the world. Away from home and Mummy, she felt as though she were a strong, independent woman as free as a sparrow. She stopped at the bottom of the steps to wait for her sister and turned toward the parking lot. Once there, Rani stopped, grabbing Nandhini’s arm. “Look!” She said, pointing. “What?” Nandhini asked, looking around and spotting the young man of Rani’s alarm. “Is everything okay?” She asked. “That’s Amir!” Rani said. The excitement in her voice contrasted with the whisper in which she spoke. “Oh, right. How did that go at your party?” Nandhini asked. “Well, I think. We’ve texted a bunch, but he doesn’t know I’m here. Can I go surprise him?” Rani asked. “Sure.” Nandhini said. “We’ll wait by the car.” “Thanks.” Rani said, hugging her sister, who hugged her in return. Rani trotted across the parking lot, walking behind Amir as he walked toward his car with his eyes on his phone. He was oblivious to Rani’s presence until she called out to him, only a few paces away. “Amir!”Amir spun, and for a moment, he didn’t appear to recognize Rani, then her face clicked into place in his memory, and he smiled. “Hey! What are you doing here?” “I came to visit my sister!” Rani exclaimed. “I’m so glad I ran into you!” “Yeah…” Amir said, offering Rani a hug, which she took. He looked around, spotting Nandhini and Elaine leaning against their car. He waved. They waved in return. “You should come to lunch with us.” Rani said. “I’m so glad I ran into you. I didn’t know you lived here!” “Oh, uh…” Amir looked around again, then shook his head at Rani. “I don’t. I have a uh… friend who does, though. A lot of people from Princeton live here.” “Right.” Rani said. “Well, can you join us for lunch?” “Oh, I can’t, sorry. I have a group project meeting, but maybe dinner?” He asked. “Perfect.” Rani said, smiling. She kissed him, and Amir stiffened in surprise, then returned the kiss. “And after dinner, maybe you can give me a tour of where you do live?” “Sure.” Amir said, breathless from the kiss. “I’ll call you?” “Call me.” Rani said. “Okay.” Amir said. “See you tonight.” Rani waved as Amir went to his car, then rejoined her sister and Elaine. She slid into the car, sitting in the backseat. Nandhini glanced at her in the rearview as she started the car and the backup camera turned on. “You two seemed friendly.” Nandhini said. “Are you official?” “Mummy set us up.” Rani said. “And his parents like me, I think, so yeah… it’s going well.” “Is he your boyfriend?” Elaine asked, glancing between them from her spot in the passenger seat and fastening her seatbelt. “Yeah.” Rani said. “Well, kind of. We’re not like… officially official, but hopefully, by the end of tonight, we will be.” “Well…” Elaine said, hesitating. “Cool. Just be safe.” “Ellie!” Nandhini protested. “What?” Ellie asked. “I’m just saying.” “My sister is not that kind of woman. She’s not going to sleep with anyone.” Nandhini declared. “Right, Rani?” “I mean…” Rani looked behind her at the parking lot as they pulled away. “He’s so hot, right? And Mummy and Papa approve. Would it really be the worst thing if–” “Ada kadavule!” Nandhini groaned. “Your little sister is all grown up.” Ellie said, laughing. Nandhini shook her head. “Oh, come on.” Rani said, leaning around the chair to look at Nandhini. “Like you haven’t had your share of dates?” “I’ve never had sex with a guy.” Nandhini said. Elaine laughed. “Really?” Rani asked. “I mean, I know Mummy and Papa say to wait until marriage, but they’re old. They have to say that. Nobody waits until marriage anymore. And better some guy I like than some rando at a party, right?” Nandhini sighed. Elaine continued to laugh but did her best to shake it off and restrain her amusement at Nandhini’s embarrassment. “You trust this guy?” Nandhini asked. “Like, with your life?” “Yeah.” Rani said. “We’ve… we’ve already done some stuff. I trust him.” Nandhini and Elaine shared a look. Rani couldn’t see the disgusted face Nandhini made or the slight smile it put on Elaine’s face. “Okay.” Nandhini said as if spitting something disgusting out of her mouth. “He’s going to call me so we can have dinner together. Are you okay if I hang out with him tonight?” Rani asked. “Got a special night planned?” Elaine asked, still teasing Nandhini with how uncomfortable she was. “Maybe.” Rani said, joining the teasing. “I think I’m ready.” “Just be safe.” Elaine said, now completely serious. “You know what I mean?” “Yeah. I’ve had the condoms talk, thanks.” Rani said, rolling her eyes. “It’s not just about pregnancy.” Nandhini said. “You have to be careful with some guys. Make sure he’s worth it.” “Don’t worry. Amir is special. He’d never do anything to hurt me.” Rani said, rolling her eyes at her sister’s overprotectiveness. Elaine and Nandhini shared a look, but Nandhini didn’t argue further. Rani appreciated her trusting Rani to make her own decisions. She was an adult now, eighteen and everything. Knowing someone in her family trusted her to make good decisions was nice. The remainder of the drive was quiet, but it wasn’t long before they pulled onto the street where the falafel restaurant resided. The street was a narrow two-lane road. The cars parked on either side narrowed the street further and prevented Nandhini from finding a decent spot for another block. Once she parked, they had a block and a half to walk to Mahmoud’s Falafel, passing many small restaurants as they strolled along the sun-dappled tree-covered sidewalk. The small restaurant was a long, narrow shop with an atmosphere halfway between a pizzeria and a cafe. The owner decorated the dark brick pillars and industrial interior with artistic photographs of local landmarks and people. Four-seater tables lined the half-wall bordering the aisle from the front door to the counter, with the menu behind the workers on giant placards. “You know what you want?” Nandhini asked. “Of course.” Rani said. “She gets the same thing every time.” Nandhini told Elaine, who looked surprised to see the amount of choices on the board. “It saves time.” Rani protested. “Once I find something I like, why bother messing with success?” “That’s Rani.” Nandhini said, rolling her eyes. Rani rolled her eyes in return but confidently stepped to the counter and ordered. “One Princeton Special, please, with a side of falafel and a side of fries.” Elaine checked the board, then made a face. The Princeton Special bore its ingredients below the name: Falafel, hummus, baba ganouj, tabbouleh, pickles, pickled turnips, and olives. “What is Baba Ganouj?” Elaine asked Nandhini. Nandhini smiled. “It’s an eggplant dip, kind of creamy, I don’t think you’d like it.” “Eh, it’s okay. They lost me at pickled turnips anyway.” Elaine made a face. Nandhini giggled. “I’ll take the falafel plate with a side of fries.” She told the young man working behind the counter. “And I’ll take… uh… the shawarma plate with a side of fries.” Elaine said. “That’s lamb.” Rani said, then flinched. “Sorry, never mind.” “It’s okay.” Nandhini assured Rani. “She knows.” “I didn’t, actually, but that sounds good.” Elaine said, shrugging. “I just remembered them talking about in Avengers.” Rani smiled somewhat apologetically and pulled her wallet out of her purse. “No, it’s my treat, Sis.” Nandhini said, pulling her wallet out. “It was my idea, Didi. Lunch is on me.” Rani said, getting her credit card into the man’s hand before Nandhini could. Nandhini sighed. “Thanks.” Rani shrugged. “Don’t worry about it. It’s Papa’s money anyway.” Nandhini laughed. “Well, in that case, we’re definitely getting coffee after this.” Rani laughed, remembering the coffee place they passed on the street. They moved to the waiting station and took their food to the tables when it arrived. They had their choice of three tables, and Nandhini picked one by the shop window, looking out onto the street. It was picturesque, and Rani wished she had her camera. She settled on using the camera on her phone and took a selfie of the three of them. They ate in good cheer, and after Rani finished her sandwich, the other two were still working on their plates. She started on her extra falafel, and Elaine gave Nandhini a significant look and then nodded toward Rani.“What?” Rani asked, looking between the two of them. “Do I have something on my face?” She wiped her mouth with the napkin. “No.” Nandhini said, shaking her head. “You’re beautiful as always, Rani.” Her sister reached across the table and took her hand. “But… I wanted to talk to you about something, and since you’re coming to Princeton in the fall, I didn’t want you to hear it from someone else or be surprised.” “Okay…” Rani said, waiting to hear whatever this was. She could have tried to guess what her sister might say, but she had no clues to determine whether it was good, bad, or different. “You know how not everyone lives the same way our parents do, right? Some people get married and live that life, but that’s not necessarily how everyone lives.” Nandhini said. “Like Ellie, with the lamb, for instance?” “I know.” Rani said. “I’m so sorry, Elaine. It was pure reflex on my part. Uthra and Yoshita, our younger sisters, don’t always know what they’re ordering, and I just said what I was thinking. I usually try so hard to keep my mouth shut, but I’m sure Nandhini’s told you sometimes I can just say whatever I’m thinking, like I don’t have a filter, and it can be a real problem. Mummy is constantly on my case about it. I know it’s not polite, and I’m really sorry. I really didn’t mean to sound judgy about your eating lamb.” Rani’s speech became faster the more she talked until her final apology was nearly a blur of words, ending with a deep inhale, finally allowing someone else to speak. “Calm down, girl.” Elaine said, raising her hands. “It’s honestly okay. I didn’t feel judged. And you’re perfectly welcome to speak your mind. That kind of honesty is rare.” Rani smiled softly, eating a french fry. “And that’s not quite where I was going with that.” Nandhini said after Elaine nudged her. “So… where was I?” “Not everyone lives the way we do.” Rani said. “Right.” Nandhini nodded. “So not everybody lives the way we do. Not everyone loves the way we do.” “Like your housemates.” Rani said. “Yes.” Nandhini said. “Like our housemates.” “I already told you I’m okay with them.” Rani said, confused. “I know there are gay people at Princeton. I’m friends with some at school. It’s not a big deal.” Nandhini glanced at Elaine. “What is it you’re trying to say, Didi?” Rani asked. “I’m not a bigot or anything. It’s fine. Did I do or say something wrong in front of Maddie and Alex? Did I offend them? I didn’t mean to be weird around Maddie. She just intimidated me a little. She’s gorgeous. Like, supermodel pretty. Does she model? I’d love to photograph her sometime if she’d be into that. I can pay her, though I’m unsure what the going rate is for a model. I just need practice with taking portraits. My photography is really coming along, actually. Nani said I have a real eye for it, which is high praise from her. I mean, you’ve seen the photographs in her albums.” Rani gestured to Nandhini as she popped another falafel in her mouth. “Have you ever been tested for ADHD?” Elaine asked. “What?” Rani asked, confused. “Not the time.” Nandhini nudged Elaine. “Rani, you didn’t do or say anything wrong. I’m… I’m trying to tell you I’m gay.” Rani blinked. “I… yeah.” Nandhini sighed. She reached for Elaine’s hand without looking for it, and Elaine slid her hand into Nandhini’s and squeezed it. “Elaine and I are dating. We have been, for a little over a year, and obviously, we’re living together.” Rani hadn’t moved. She stared at Nandhini. “Obviously, Mummy and Papa don’t know.” Nandhini said. “Navya and Sanjana know, but I swore them to secrecy. No one else in the family is aware. Or, if they are, they haven’t asked, and I haven’t told them.” Elaine cleared her throat. “Not the time.” Nandhini said. Elaine nodded and squeezed Nandhini’s hand. “Is it… a secret?” Rani asked. “Well… yes.” Nandhini said. “At least from Mummy and Papa. Until I graduate from law school.” Rani looked confused, and her brow furrowed. “Why?” Nandhini frowned and looked out the window. “I’m worried Papa will disown me if he finds out, and I can’t afford Law School without his support.”Rani’s eyes widened. “Papa wouldn’t disown you.” “Rani.” Nandhini said, frowning. “Papa is a very conservative man, politically, and besides that, he and I had a sort of arrangement when I started school. I would get my law degree and then find a husband, you know the expectations.”Rani frowned. “I know, but–” “No buts.” Nandhini said. “Rani, you can’t tell Papa about this.”Rani looked even more surprised if that were possible. “But–” “Please, Rani.” Nandhini said. “I promise to tell them after I graduate. But I can’t risk Papa knowing until then.” Elaine’s frown was deep, but she didn’t contradict Nandhini. Rani could tell she wanted to, but both knew the situation was complex. Still, Rani didn’t think her Papa would disown Didi in a million years. So she wouldn’t marry some guy or give him grandchildren of his own flesh and blood. So what? She was still his eldest daughter. He would still love her. Rani was sure of that. “How long have you known?” Rani asked, changing the topic slightly. “You said you two have been dating for over a year?” Nandhini nodded. “Almost two years now.” Elaine smiled. “How did you know you were gay?” Rani asked. “I guess I’ve always known?” Nandhini said, obviously thinking through how to phrase it. “You know how you feel when you look at guys? Like Amir? That warmth you feel when you look at him? That electricity when you touch? The butterflies in your stomach when he looks at you and smiles so genuinely it reaches his eyes?” Rani nodded. “I’ve never had that with a guy or for any guy. Even the ones who asked me out or were objectively hot.” Nandhini explained. “I’ve only ever experienced that with girls, especially Elaine.” Elaine’s smile widened. “I thought that was just a thing people felt for objectively attractive people.” Rani said, shrugging. “I feel that way with Amir, sure, but I felt that way with Maddie too. That doesn’t make me gay.” “You felt that way with Maddie?” Elaine asked, confused. “Yeah.” Rani said. Her voice turned sheepish as she poked at her fries. “I mean, just a few butterflies or whatever you want to call it.” “Aw. Your sister has a crush on Maddie.” Elaine teased. “No!” Rani said a little too loudly. “I mean, no. It’s not like that. It’s just… I thought that was something everyone feels for attractive people.” “Like Maddie.” Elaine said. “And Amir.” Rani added. “Well, neither of us felt that for Amir.” Elaine said. “But I’m not gay.” Rani said. “Mmm… I think you might be a little bi.” Elaine said. “Elaine!” Nandhini elbowed her girlfriend in the rib, causing the larger girl to wince. “Damnit Nandi! Would you knock that off? Your elbows are pointy.” Elaine rubbed her side. Rani giggled. “Well…” Rani looked between the two of them. “I’m happy for you.” She said. “And… thank you for trusting me, I guess. I’m slightly insulted that you trusted Sanjana and Navya before me, but what’s done is done.” “I told them more or less the same time I’m telling you.” Nandhini said. “I didn’t want them to slip up once they started attending the same school and be surprised.” “So you’re out at school but in the closet at home?” Rani asked. “Isn’t that backward? Isn’t home where you’re supposed to be yourself?” “Oh, please.” Nandhini scoffed. “Are you your most unrestrained at home with Mummy running everything like clockwork and Papa watching Fox News? Or do you do your best to keep quiet so you don’t annoy Mummy?” “That’s not–” Rani wanted to tell her sister she wasn’t being fair, but she stopped herself. Her sister had a point. Rani did her best at home to stay in her room or work in her father’s workshop. Those were the places where she could be herself. Otherwise, she did her best to keep her mouth shut and smile. Presentation was everything to their mother, and presenting the ‘perfect’ family to anyone who looked their way was essential. “Okay.” Rani relented. “That’s fair. I understand why you haven’t told Mummy and Papa. But for the record, I think you should. I think they would love you and accept you no matter what.” “I hope they do.” Nandhini said. “But that’s a risk I’ll take after Law School. And that’s my risk to take. Do you understand that?” Rani nodded. “Of course, Didi.” She reached across the table and squeezed her sister’s other hand. The squeeze turned into a pull, and Rani and Nandhini slid from their seats to embrace beside the table. Elaine sat in the booth and smiled, picking at her fries and giving the sisters their moment in limited privacy. “What about your parents?” Rani asked as they retook their seats. “Do they know?” “Oh, yeah.” Elaine nodded. “My dads love Nandi.” “Oh.” Rani said, slightly surprised. “I take it your family supports your… lifestyle, then?” “Yeah.” Elaine said, almost laughing. “They’re terrible at giving me dating advice, though. They have zero experience with women.” Rani, Elaine, and Nandhini shared a laugh. With their stomachs full and their food reduced to pickings, they emptied their table of its trash and left the restaurant behind. The coffee from the cafe down the street was delicious, and Rani appreciated supporting a small local business rather than a chain. There was something innately satisfying about hot coffee after a filling lunch, and any chill left in the spring day breezed away with a hot beverage in hand. “Want to walk the shops for a bit?” Nandhini asked. “Of course.” Rani said. “You know I love a good shopping trip.” She winked at Nandhini. “Care to help me pick out something special for Amir?” Nandhini made a face. “I’ll help you pick out something to wear for Elaine. My treat.” Rani offered. “We’re in.” Elaine said immediately, causing Rani and Nandhini to laugh as they strolled along the shops. They shopped for another hour through several shops that offered an arrangement of goods. Rani checked her phone every few minutes but had no new messages or missed calls. Elaine and Nandhini noticed her checking but didn’t comment on it. Instead, they distracted her with the antiques they spotted or the clothes they found. After an hour, they had a few bags to put in the car, and Nandhini put them in the trunk and refilled the meter. Half an hour later, they came across the lingerie boutique with its scantily clad mannequins in the side window between two buildings. The Cherry Blossoms Lingerie Boutique made the three giggle as they stepped through the door, and the bell chimed above them. “Perfect.” Rani said, surveying the stringy underthings beyond the entrance. “Hot.” Elaine said, pointing to a mannequin wearing something that could have been underwear or patches of mesh with strategically placed strings. “No.” Nandhini said flatly. “Aw.” Elaine said. “You’d look so hot in this!” “You wear it then. It’d look just as hot on you.” Nandhini said. “Hotter, even.” Elaine tilted her head, considering the proposal and accepting it. “You have a point. Dibs.” “Can I help you ladies?” A young woman came out from the back room. Her long, dirty blonde hair fell over her back in waves, and she smiled widely to see three potential customers. She was very pretty, and the jewelry she wore on her nose, eyebrows, lips, and ears suggested a certain level of worldliness. Her jeans hugged every curve of her hips and butt, and her top was a sleeveless t-shirt tucked into her jeans tight enough to show three peaks at the end of her breasts. One from her nipple and one on either side from the barbel piercing each nipple. “Yes, actually. My friend here is looking for something special for her boyfriend.” Elaine gestured to Rani. “But I suspect she doesn’t know her sizes.” Rani nodded, having trouble lifting her eyes from the woman’s chest and choosing to look at the floor instead. She didn’t think there was any validity to what Elaine had said earlier, but at the same time, she knew butterflies were currently fluttering along her aptly named nervous system. “And I’m looking for something special for my girlfriend.” Ellie said and put her arm around Nandhini. “And she’s looking for something special for me, but she’s a bit of a prude.” “I’m not a prude.” Nandhini argued. “I’m just not into thongs, and I need bras that offer support instead of hope.” The shop worker smiled at Elaine. “I’m sure I can find you something.” She said to Nandhini. “Why don’t you two browse, and I’ll take you back to get some measurements?” She asked Rani. “Oh, sure.” Rani said, looking over her shoulder at Nandhini as the attendant held the curtain open for the fitting room. “Take off your top, and we’ll get you measured.” The attendant said. “I’m Joy, by the way.” “Nice to meet you.” Rani said as she took off her cropped t-shirt, leaving her in her white bra. “I’m Rani. Should I take off the bra, too? I’ve never gotten measured for something like this before.” “It’s up to you.” The attendant said. “If there’s any padding in the bra, I would suggest removing it, but only if you’re comfortable with it.” “Oh. Uh… okay.” Rani said, taking off her bra, but she hesitated before letting it fall. “You don’t have to if you’re not comfortable.” The attendant said, holding up her hand. “It’s okay.” Rani said. “I’m just a little nervous.” “Big night planned with the boyfriend?” Joy asked. “Yeah.” Rani said, seizing on a topic that wasn’t tits. “You don’t have to be shy.” Joy said, smiling as she pulled out her measuring tape. “This is what people come in here for. I can’t tell you how many women we’ve helped have a happy anniversary, wedding night, or even a fun surprise for their partners.” She distracted Rani with her talking as she wrapped the measuring taste around her ribs, then over the peak of her breasts. She jotted the measurements down on a pad between each one. A few more measurements, and she had Rani’s breasts on paper, ready for shopping. “Hm…” The attendant mulled over the measurements and took a step back to look at Rani. Rani flushed with self-consciousness, realizing she was topless with this stranger. “Have you ever considered getting a piercing or two?” The attendant asked. “You’ve got the perfect nipples for them.” “Oh.” Rani said, flushing with a blush that darkened her face. “No. I… I’ve already got my belly button pierced. That’s enough for now.” “Okay. Well, if you change your mind, we do them here in the store and sell a variety of nipple jewelry, too. Including non-piercing, if that’s your preference.” Joy said, smiling sweetly. “Would that be better than lingerie?” Rani asked. “Well, that depends.” Joy said, offering Rani a bra from the rack to try on. “What does this boyfriend of yours like? What is he into? Anything weird?” “Weird?” Rani asked, confused. “No. I guess I don’t really know. It’s our uh… We haven’t really…” “Oh, I gotcha.” Joy winked. “Normally, for the first time with a partner, I’d suggest something white or black. The classics, you know? But with your particular body shape and complexion, you should really try something with a bright color. Something that pops. You know?” “My body shape?” Rani asked. “Yeah.” Joy said. “I’m jealous of your booty, girl.” She laughed. “You’ve got that pear shape going for you, and your breasts aren’t half bad either.” “Thank you?” Rani said, unsure of how to take the compliment. Her sisters and family were the only people to comment on her body before, and usually, those comments weren’t so much complimentary as comparative. Joy winked at her. “Wait here. I’ll be right back with some things for you to try on.” Rani nodded, trying on the bra she’d been handed already and admiring it in the mirror. It was cute, but it didn’t pop. She snapped a photo of her reflection with her phone. Then she took off the bra and snapped another, still in her jeans, of course, but she looked pretty hot with her arm across her forward-facing athletic breasts, They were close together on her chest, her line of cleavage shallow with a slight connection between the two that made the cleft seem deeper because of the shadow. The heaviest part of her breasts was at the bottom, where they rounded into handfuls of squishy flesh. Her midnight nipples against her dark brown skin were sometimes tough to make out if they weren’t well-lit, but the light above her made them contrast sharply when uncovered. “Here you go.” Joy’s voice snapped Rani’s attention to the curtain, where Joy was holding an emerald green teddy made almost entirely of mesh and embroidered with lace in small triangles where her nipples and lower lips would rest. Rani took the hanger tentatively, and Joy’s hand withdrew. “Am I supposed to just… try this on?” Rani asked. “I recommend wearing it over your current underwear.” Joy said from the other side of the curtain. “Got it.” Rani unbuckled her pants and shifted her stance so they fell to the floor. She removed her shoes and socks but left her socks and white panties on. She slipped into the teddy like a bathing suit, pulling its straps over her shoulders and admiring herself in the mirror. The back of it covered a much smaller portion of her cheeks than her panties did, but she could imagine how it would look with its bright green against her dark skin there and loved it. The top required less imagination, and she admired herself in the mirror. It scooped her breasts and held them in presentation while flattening some of her stomach and making her look good as she stood straight and stuck her leg forward. She took another picture. “I like it.” Rani said. “I’ll take it.” “Great!” Joy said. “Do you want to try another one?” “Do you have something that could show off my belly button piercing?” Rani asked. “Of course.” Joy said. “Give me one minute.” “Okay.” Rani said and stripped out of her teddy, standing in the changing room in her panties. “How did it look?” Nandhini asked, sticking her head through the curtain. Rani covered her breasts with her arms but relaxed when she realized who it was. “It looked good.” Rani said. “I think Amir will like it.” Nandhini sighed. “Rani, don’t buy lingerie for what someone else will like. Buy lingerie for you. Whatever makes you feel sexy and powerful.” “Considering your partner’s tastes isn’t the worst thing!” Elaine piped up from the other side of the curtain. “Shush.” Nandhini said, withdrawing her head from the curtain gap. Rani laughed. “I take it you found something you like that Ellie wishes was a little sluttier?” Nandhini laughed. “See?” Ellie asked, laughing. “Rani gets it.” “Try this.” Joy said, pushing a hangar and its lingerie through the curtain. Rani eyed the fabric tentatively but said, “Thank you.” She took her time dressing, but only because there were so many different pieces to the set, it required some time. The top was the simplest. A black mesh bra with dark violet trim in intricate patterns around its edges hid nothing but enhanced everything. It drew the eye to her nipples, which weren’t pale enough to stand out behind the mesh. The bra straps were unnecessarily complicated and connected to a collar that fastened behind her neck, then attached to the bra with a strap that ran down the line between her breasts to the base of the bra, separating them out slightly in a way Rani appreciated. Joy had a good eye. Her stomach was entirely bare, showing off the belly button piercing. This time, Rani took off her plain panties to get the full effect. Her wild bushy hair above her pussy was constrained by the same black mesh as the bra, trimmed with dark violet along the waistband and sides. The transparency continued between her legs, then increased as the panties stretched over her heavy ass cheeks. The garter belt fastened over her wide hips and stretched low on the front and back of her thighs to the stockings with a matching trim at their tops at her mid-thighs. She turned and twisted, showing and hiding parts of her reflection as she moved and admired the enhancements the lines of her lingerie added to her natural curves. She took photos of herself in the mirror, chose the best one, and texted it to Amir. Rani: What do you think? Should I wear this on our date tonight?Amir liked the photo immediately and then typed a response. Amir: Absolutely. Can you meet me at the restaurant Pancha Bhuta? I have a reservation for us at 8. Rani: Sure! Amir: And maybe wear something pretty over that for dinner. Rani: Naturally. I’ll see you then, and you can see this in person after dinner. She sent a winky face, and Amir returned the emoji with a flame. Smiling, Rani returned her phone to her purse and stripped out of her lingerie. With her clothes on, she stepped out of the dressing room with a smile and held the hangar aloft. “I’m buying this one too.” Rani said to Joy. “Nice.” Ellie said, causing Nandhini to elbow her. “What did you get?” Rani asked, looking over to Nandhini and Elaine. Elaine held up a very skimpy two-piece set that was primarily dental floss. Nandhini held up a much more opaque and conservative two-piece of powder blue embroidered with gold patterns along the cups and booty shorts, with its matching robe. “I don’t suppose you sell dresses here?” Rani asked. Joy smiled. “No, but I can recommend a shop if you like.” “You need to do more shopping?” Nandhini asked. “Is that okay?” Rani asked. “I just need a dress for tonight. Amir said we’re going to someplace nice.” “Did he tell you where?” Elaine asked. “Pancha Bhuta.” Rani repeated the name of the restaurant. She didn’t know why the restaurant was called Five Elements, but she supposed it had something to do with the owner and five particular dishes or courses. “Oh, yeah, you’ll need a dress. A nice dress. Something… chic.” Elaine said, nodding. “You’re sure he said, Pancha Bhuta?” Nandhini asked. “Yeah, why?” Rani asked. “Nothing, it’s just you need reservations to go there. It’s not a spur-of-the-moment restaurant, and you said before you would surprise him, so…” Nandhini trailed off.Rani wasn’t sure why it struck her sister as odd. “Maybe he knows somebody?” Rani asked. She didn’t know who all of Amir’s family was or what his connections were in the area other than he had friends who lived in the same apartment complex as Nandhini and Elaine. “He must.” Nandhini said, frowning. Rani shrugged and pulled her credit card from her wallet to pay for their lingerie. “Oh, and can I get one of those robes?” Rani said, pointing to the wall. She needed something to explain the purchase in case Mummy or Papa saw the shop on her credit card statement. With one silk robe and two sets of lingerie in her bags and Elaine and Nandhini’s purchases, the three made their way to the dress shop Joy recommended and returned to Nandhini’s apartment with the haul from their shopping. Rani left her bags in Nandhini’s room and Elaine’s, noticing their single queen-sized bed. Their bathroom was large but shared with the other bedroom. Rani occupied it for several hours as she prepared for her date with Amir. Several hours later, Rani stepped out of the car as though she were stepping onto a red carpet event. Her hair and makeup were professional-level, accenting her natural beauty with emerald green eyeshadow that matched her dress. The asymmetrical skirt showed her leg as she stepped forward, from the pointed foot of her high heels to her lower thighs. The lace at the top of her stockings showed when she moved in the right way, but when she stood still, the stockings looked as though they went the entire way up. Behind her, the skirt fanned out and framed her legs, accentuating their shapely nature as she walked. The fabric hugged her curvy hips and narrowed to her waist, where her dress cinched and spread over her ribs, supporting her breasts. The deep V-neck showed the black strap separating her breasts that ran from her bra to the choker collar about her throat. The sleeves were tight against her arms and turned transparent as the gold embroidery snaked its way from her wrists over her shoulders to her breasts. The black collar of her bra was highlighted with a gold choker she borrowed from her sister. The dangling earrings she wore were gold-encased emerald stones. She waved to Nandhini and Elaine in the car as she saw Amir and smiled as she turned to face him. Amir looked up from his phone, and his eyes widened. He wore a suit without a vest or tie, his shirt collar open to show a hint of dark chest hair at the tip of the V his shirt formed. His bright, dark eyes found hers after several satisfying moments as he struggled to raise them. When he found Rani’s face, she had a devilish smile. “I don’t suppose you want to skip dinner?” Amir asked as he stepped forward. “I’m hungry.” Rani said. “And Nandhini said this place is fancy.” “Yeah.” Amir said. “But we can hit a Burger King on the way to my place if you want.” Rani laughed, putting her hand on Amir’s chest. “Come on. Be a good boy through dinner, and I’ll make it worth the wait.” Amir smiled and took her hand in his. “Come on.” He said, pulling her toward the restaurant. Rani followed, smiling all the while as Amir gave his name to the host. They took their seats at the two-seater table in the dining room beneath an impressionist painting of two lovers, clothed but reclining in each other’s arms. The host pulled Rani’s chair for her and left them. Within moments, their waiter arrived, and Amir ordered for them. “I didn’t even see a menu.” Rani said. “Oh, it’s a tasting menu.” Amir said. “They bring out five courses, all vegan, don’t worry, but it changes based on the chef and the season. I also ordered us a bottle of champagne.” “Oh.” Rani said, raising an eyebrow. It wouldn’t be her first taste of champagne, but she was surprised by the thoughtfulness. “I’m spoiling you tonight.” Amir said. “I hope you don’t mind.” “Of course not.” Rani said, brushing his worry aside. “Do you know the chef?” She asked. “My sister mentioned it was hard to get reservations here.” Amir shook his head. “Don’t worry about it. They’ll bump anyone for the right price.” Rani smiled, flattered by the effort and expense he’d gone to for her. The atmosphere was magical, an elegant and refined atmosphere that mingled American and Indian decor tastefully and emphasized the five elements surrounding a central bar. The opening course of a stuffed tomato surrounded by cherry tomatoes on a humongous plate started the theme of the evening. Every course was a small dish of food on a comically large plate. By the fifth course, desert, Rani couldn’t restrain the laughter at the dichotomy. The champagne had opened her mouth for her, and she couldn’t keep herself as restrained as she always did in front of others. Their meal started in silence after the initial small talk of school and courses. Amir didn’t talk about himself much, and Rani appreciated that. He complained about a professor or two, and Rani remembered their names to avoid their classes when she came to Princeton. The conversation shifted to Rani, and she opened up as the champagne opened her lips. It wasn’t her first taste of the stuff, but it was definitely her first bottle. Amir listened patiently as she talked almost non-stop about her friends at school, their relationship drama, the upcoming plans for prom and her lack of date to the event, the horses at the stables, and how they were preparing for the dressage season. Her horses hadn’t done as well last year as she’d hoped, but this year was different. If she could keep it up, she might be competing in the National competition during her first semester at Princeton. Amir smiled. “Girls and horses.” He chuckled. She didn’t know what he meant by that, but she didn’t care. She liked his smile. “You look as delicious as this desert.” Rani said, admiring Amir’s reclined form on his chair. “I’ll bet you taste better than these peaches.” Amir said, scooping some vanilla ice cream onto his spoon with a portion of the peaches, and the sauce drizzled over the dish. Rani didn’t know if that was true. She hoped, though. The peaches and vanilla were delicious, and the sauce was terrific. A delightful end to a lovely five-course meal that was, when cumulated, a filling meal. “So…” Rani said after finishing her ice cream. “So.” Amir said, smiling. “Have I wined and dined you enough?” Rani giggled. “You promised me a tour of your place?” “Of course.” Amir said. He signed the check from the waiter and put his card away. “Let’s go.” He stood and gestured for Rani to follow him. She pushed her chair back and followed, catching up to Amir and linking her arm through his. They left, and Amir guided her to his car. He left her in front of it and moved to the driver’s side. He slid in and waited as Rani slid into her seat more carefully. Her dress rode up slightly, showing him the top of her stockings and the garter clips. She moved to fix it. “No.” Amir said, grabbing her hand. “Leave it.” Rani blushed. “If anything…” He pulled her hand back toward her waist, dragging the dress with her enough to show the sheer fabric covering a cleanly-shaven pussy in the shadows of her skirt between her closed legs. Amir’s fingers brushed her pussy, and Rani startled, pushing his hand away on instinct. “Don’t be a tease.” Amir said, dragging his fingers back along her thigh. “Right here in the parking lot?” Rani asked, glancing around. “Take me to your place. You can see it all there.” Amir sighed, grunting. He pulled his hand away and buckled in. Rani did the same, hoping he wasn’t angry. He was quiet on the drive for a while, but his mood lifted when she reached across the center divide and put her hand in his lap. She found his balls first, caressing them until she found his dick, which she rubbed from outside his pants. The drive wasn’t far, but there was a wet spot on his pants when they arrived at the apartment complex. Amir didn’t seem to mind as he parked in the parking garage and led Rani to the elevator bay. They took the elevator to his penthouse apartment, which opened into a small foyer into his living room. Amir’s tastes seemed simple in some ways. The brick interior had a chic industrial feel framed in dark wooden cross beams and supports. The large windows overlooking the complex and the nearby park were lovely but tinted, making it difficult to make anything out at night. The pinball machine and the video game center by the TV were fun, and the living room, with its lovely furniture, seemed clean enough for a bachelor. It was by no means spotless, but he’d at least thrown the dirty magazines under the coffee table rather than leave them on top. Amir took her by the hand and led her through without giving her much of a tour. The kitchen was nice enough but dirtier than the rest by far. Amir didn’t seem to wash many dishes on his own. Take-out containers and, hopefully, empty cartons littered the counter by the trash can. The bedroom was the most surprising. The large king-sized bed was covered in multiple blankets in disarray. The picture frames on his dresser had been knocked over, and he threw his watches and jewelry onto it without putting them away or taking care of them. Rani watched as he stripped to nothing in seconds and then stood, staring at her to do the same. Rani hugged her arm. “Do you uh… mind if I use your bathroom? I just want to freshen up before we get going.” Amir sighed and gestured to the door just outside the bedroom. Rani slipped into the bathroom and took a deep breath. She stared at herself in the mirror and smiled. She looked beautiful. She was beautiful. Amir hadn’t said as much in words, sure, but he obviously thought she was, or they wouldn’t be here. Tonight was a special night for the two of them, and his eagerness proved that. She unzipped her dress, peeling it off and leaving it on the bedroom floor. She took off her jewelry, leaving it in her purse. She stood in her heels and lingerie, admiring herself for a moment. This was it. She was ready. This was the start of a long and loving relationship between her and Amir. Together, they’d be happy and go on dates like this all the time, living an urban sophisticated lifestyle as they attended school, built their careers, and, one day, their family. Rani smiled at the thought and blushed a little. Ready, she stepped from the bathroom and walked into the bedroom once more. Amir had darkened the lights, turning them off to replace them with candles he’d lit around the room. The flames filled the room with a waxy, perfumed smell of scented candles. The lights danced, casting shadows on the wall and hiding any imperfections while illuminating the room well enough to see faces and body parts. The ceiling mirror above the bed was well-lit enough by the candles that Rani could see Amir’s reflection as clearly as she could see him, reclining on the bed with his hands behind his head, the blankets covering his muscled, hairy body from the waist down. Amir hadn’t taken his eyes off her body since she entered the room. “Do you like my lingerie?” Rani asked. “It’s hot.” Amir said, still not looking away or blinking. “But I think you should take it off.” “You don’t like it?” Rani asked, concerned. “Take it off.” Amir said, his voice more stern now than before. Rani giggled slightly, easing the tension from the command, but she reached behind her and unclasped the bra and the black choker. She let her bra fall to the floor, and Amir smiled. “Strip for me.” Amir said. “Make it sexy.” “Like a dance?” Rani asked, confused. “I’m… not really a stripper.” “Yes, you are.” Amir said. “You’re my Veshya, and you’ll do as you’re told.” “Excuse me?” Rani asked. She yanked herself away from the bed with a sharp step. “I am not a whore.” “Calm down.” Amir said, raising his hands. “It’s roleplay. Just… a bit of fun.” “Oh.” Rani said, confused. She’d heard of that, obviously, and she’d seen porn before, so sure, it didn’t sound out of the question, even if it wasn’t really what she had in mind for tonight. Tonight was supposed to be a special night. Their first time together, her first time with anyone. At the same time, she didn’t want to disappoint Amir. He was more experienced than she was; it made sense he’d know what he wanted, and she wanted to be what he wanted. She danced. It wasn’t a perfect dance, but Amir didn’t seem to care. With her ass, twerking was all it took to make any man drool. Amir was no exception. Rani danced and twerked, then unbuckled her garters. She removed her heels, rolled off her stockings, and discarded the rest, leaving an expensive pile of mesh and lace on Amir’s floor. Rani stood totally nude at the foot of his bed, and Amir sat up, beckoning her toward him. She crawled over his legs to him, and he rolled her over to her back. He kissed her neck and slid down her body but stopped at her breasts, to her disappointment. She’d spread her legs for him, but his stomach rested against her core, and his lips played with her nipples. She cried out when he bit down on one, crushing it with his teeth. “Ah!” Rani said, bucking in pain. “Stop! That hurt!” Amir lifted his face from her, laughing. “You didn’t like that, Veshya?” “No!” Rani said, emphasizing the pain even as it faded. “Okay.” Amir said, kissing where he’d bitten. He returned to kissing her breasts, tonguing them, sucking on them, and playing with them to the neglect of all else. Rani lay in his bed, watching herself in the ceiling mirror. Her hair splayed out behind her in beautiful ebony waves. Her dark brown skin looked exotic against his white sheets and gray pillowcases. Amir’s hairy back and lighter brown skin rippled as he shifted between her breasts, exposing one while playing with the other despite their close-set proximity. Rani waited and waited, but Amir never shifted lower than her nipples. Eventually, however, he shifted to kissing her neck, then her lips. Then he rolled over again and pulled Rani with him so she was on top of him now. She moved to return the gesture, kissing his chest and running her fingers through his manly chest hair. He smelled… not particularly good, but not awful either. Kissing his chest, however, wasn’t what Amir had in mind. He pushed her down by her shoulders, and she slid until she understood what he wanted. She kissed his groin, then his thigh. Her lips found his cock, and she sucked on the head, keeping a firm grip in her fist around the base to keep him from pushing her head down. He tried, but her fist prevented him from hitting her uvula again, and she didn’t throw up this time. “That’s it.” Amir gasped. “That’s what I pay for, Veshya.” Rani sucked; not entirely thrilled with this roleplay. At the start of the night, she’d felt like a queen. Beautiful, gorgeous, and the amount of effort that went into her appearance felt well-spent. Not to mention the money. The pet name Amir insisted on using made her feel cheap, as if she wasn’t important to him. It bothered her, but she understood it was just for fun, a fantasy he was playing out in his head. She couldn’t begrudge him that, she only wished his fantasy didn’t conflict so harshly with her fantasy of making love to her loving, doting boyfriend for the first time. Amir’s breathing changed, and he started thrusting his hips. Rani could tell he was close by how tense the muscles in his legs became, and she stopped sucking. “Oh, don’t stop now, Veshya.” Amir said. “Don’t you want to fuck me?” Rani asked. “Because I want to fuck you.” Amir grinned and nodded. “Do you have any condoms?” Rani asked. “Are you not on the pill?” Amir asked. “I’m too big for condoms. They’re really uncomfortable for me.” “I’m not on the pill, and I don’t have an IUD or anything. I can get one, though, but for now…” Rani frowned, pulling away from him. “Calm down. I have some.” Amir stretched and reached into his bedside drawer. He pulled out a sleeve of condoms and tossed them to Rani. Not expecting him to throw them, Rani caught them with her face, making Amir chuckle. She opened the package and had to remember how to apply them. She pinched the end and rolled the rest down his cock. For all his talk of being too big, the condom didn’t have to stretch to accommodate him, but Rani knew better than to mention it. Rani climbed up. She moved to kiss him, but Amir turned his face, so she kissed his neck instead. She pressed her lower body against his and ground her lips against his cock. It slipped in without much effort on either of their parts and disappeared into her, finding her hole without any trouble. Rani rocked her hips, doing the work as Amir lay there, groaning. She wasn’t totally sure what she was doing, but instinct took over, and she moved with the flow. She’d expected some pain or discomfort, but she seemed wet enough and ready, and he was smaller than the dildo she had at home. All in all, the experience seemed more mental than physical. Still, she enjoyed herself, crushing her clit against him as she rode him. She was just about to get there when he spasmed, and his head fell back. She hadn’t felt anything particularly explosive, so she kept going, but he shook his head and pushed her off him, rolling her to her side beside him. “That was amazing.” Amir said, rolling onto his back and breathing heavily. “You’re worth every penny, Veshya.” Rani’s smile twitched into a frown, but she did her best to ignore the term again, replacing her smile before Amir noticed. He stared at the ceiling the entire time, admiring his reflection with Rani’s arm draped across his chest and her leg hooked over his. They fell asleep like that, though it took Rani longer than Amir to drift off. She fell asleep thinking of their future together and how much it meant to her to be with him, even if they had a way to go before the sex reached porn levels. This was their first time; of course, there were going to be bumps in the road. They’d do better next time and only get better with practice. They had their entire lives to practice, and Rani intended to ride Amir every chance she got. She woke to an empty bed and the sound of a standing man emptying himself into a toilet bowl in the early hours of Sunday morning. Rani covered herself with the sheet and waited for Amir to return to the room. She heard him flush and then listened to his footsteps, but he didn’t re-enter the room. She heard the TV on low from the living room and smiled. It was sweet of him to let her sleep. She swept from the bed and checked herself in the ceiling mirror. Her hair was a mess, but a hot mess. She eyed the lingerie on the floor. It probably wasn’t worth putting on again. Nandhini would want to know how last night went and what the plans for today were. She’d need to leave eventually, but they could practice again before she left if Amir was up to it. She felt something awkward as she moved and reached down. With a disgusted face, she pulled the condom from her and threw it beside the bed. She hadn’t realized it had stayed with her after he came last night. With that taken care of and naked as the day she was born, she stepped out of his room and entered the living room. “Good morning.” Rani purred. Amir laughed. “You look like hell, Veshya.” Rani frowned. She’d tolerated the pet name last night during roleplay but didn’t prefer it as an out-of-the-bedroom name. And besides, she thought she looked good. “Well, you really gave it to me last night. So it’s your fault.” Rani said, smirking. “I thought maybe I could shower here?” She asked. “Would you care to join me?” “Oh.” Amir said, surprised. “Don’t you need to get back to your sisters?” “Well, yeah, but not right away.” Rani said, shrugging. “I was surprised you stayed the night, honestly.” Amir said, getting up. “But sure, we can shower together.” He winked. “Unless you’re hungry?” Rani glanced toward the kitchen. The disorderly state of it didn’t inspire hunger or faith that the fridge would contain good food, but she could eat, and she could certainly do with some coffee. “Do you have coffee?” Rani asked. “Nah, I usually just grab a Starbucks on my way to wherever.” Amir said, shrugging. “But if you want to make breakfast, there’s some food in the fridge.” “Oh.” Rani said, looking at the kitchen. “No, that’s okay, I don’t want to intrude in your kitchen.” “Nonsense.” Amir said, gesturing. “Go ahead and make some eggs for us.” “Oh, you eat eggs?” Rani asked. “Don’t you?” Amir asked. “No.” Rani said as if that should be obvious. “I’m vegan, like my family.” “Oh, right.” Amir said as if he knew that already. “I just thought that was like… part of your good girl routine in front of your parents. Eating eggs isn’t any worse than having sex, you know.” “Yeah, I guess.” Rani said, shrugging and crossing her arms over her chest to hide her nipples. “I just don’t really like that kind of food, I guess. Do you have any cereal or pop tarts?” “You want to make pastries?” Amir asked. The hope in his voice annoyed Rani for some reason. “No.” Rani said. “Oh.” Amir frowned. “What’s the point of staying for breakfast if you can’t cook?” Rani frowned. “I’m going to get a shower.” She said. “I’ll leave the door unlocked if you want to join me.” She turned away, and Amir watched her ass as she slipped into the bedroom. She turned on the water, and Amir must have turned the TV up because she heard loud Hindi music, like a Bollywood film, coming from the living room. A second later, the door opened, and Amir flung Rani’s lingerie through the bathroom door and closed it again. Her bra hit her calf and slid to the floor to join her dress from last night. “Thanks?” Rani said, guessing it was an attempt to be helpful combined with a hint of what he wanted her to wear when she was out of the shower. He didn’t join her, though, so Rani pulled out her phone and sent a quick text to her sister. Rani: Things went amazing last night! The restaurant was excellent, and the food was good! And last night was so special! Amir lit candles and everything. Didi: Good! I’m glad. Do you need me to come and pick you up, or is Amir bringing you back here? Could we have lunch together before I take you home? I wouldn’t mind meeting this special man of yours. Rani: I’ll ask. Rani opened the bathroom door and stepped into the living room, only to realize she was standing there, completely naked, phone in hand, staring at a young white woman she didn’t know. The woman looked at her and blinked. She was cute and petite, shorter and smaller than Rani in every way, but skinny and pretty in a way Rani wished she could be. The sun dress she wore looked breezy and fun with its daisy pattern on white cotton, but the woman’s expression violently contradicted that impression. She scowled at Rani. “Who the hell are you?” The woman snapped. Rani covered herself with her hands and stepped back toward the bedroom. “Oh, uh… I’m Rani?” She said. “Are you a friend of Amir’s? He didn’t mention anyone was coming over.” “AMIR!!!!!!!” The woman screamed the name as if cursing, and Amir rushed out of the bedroom as though it were on fire. “WHO THE FUCK IS THIS?” Amir’s silence was damning as he looked between the two women with panic on his face. Rani’s body caught up to the truth before her mind. Tears welled behind her eyes and washed away the future she’d imagined. “Alice, honey, please! It didn’t mean anything!” Amir said immediately. “It was just sex!” “Are you kidding me?” Alice screamed. Rani felt the same way. She wanted to say the same thing but couldn’t say anything. She couldn’t do anything. She was frozen to the spot, watching the melodrama play out before her as Alice fumed and Amir begged. “You said you had the flu!” Alice screamed. “And this what I find when I come over to take care of you? Some homewrecker waiting for you in the shower!?” Rani expected Amir to defend her. She wasn’t a homewrecker. She was his girlfriend. This woman was… this woman was… This woman was his girlfriend. “Alice…” Amir said. “We never said we were exclusive! I thought you understood–” Rani was actually impressed by the velocity achieved as the woman threw a video game controller from the coffee table. It arced end over end, flying directly for Amir, who stood between the two women. Amir ducked, and too late, Rani realized that meant the controller only had one target remaining. She tried to block it with her hands and succeeded, but it still hurt her palms. It fell to the floor with a crunch and the sound of breaking plastic. “Are you crazy?” Amir yelled. “You could have hit me!” “You pig!” Alice screamed, storming over to him. “We never said we were exclusive!” Amir repeated as if it were the foundation of his defense, and Alice should see reason. “I know we mean a lot to each other, and we were leaning toward being exclusive, so I thought I’d have some fun before we locked things down!” Rani realized with horror that Amir was talking about her. Sex with her was ‘the fun’ he intended to have before committing to his actual girlfriend. What they’d done last night hadn’t meant anything to Amir. Not only had it not meant as much to him as it meant to her, but it meant literally nothing to him. Sex meant nothing. It was just sex. Just fun. Just a thing people do. “You fucked her so you could convince yourself to commit to me?” Alice asked, incredulous. “Fuck you!” “It was just sex!” Amir said. “It didn’t mean anything!” Alice didn’t say anything. She stomped to the kitchen and returned a moment later. “No!” Amir said, distraught, as Alice took the soup she had brought for him and dumped it over the pinball machine he obviously cared about by his reaction. “You!” Alice said, turning her attention to Rani. “Did you know he had a girlfriend?” Rani shook her head. “I–” She tried to say something, but her voice caught in her throat. “I–” She tried again, but the words choked into a sob. Amir fretted over his pinball machine, trying to mop up the soup with whatever was at hand, including sofa pillows. “Spit it out!” Alice screamed into Rani’s face. “I thought I was his girlfriend.” Rani said, the tears flowing freely from her eyes now. Alice’s demeanor completely changed, flipping like a switch as she watched Rani break down. She hugged the younger woman, making Rani flinch, but Rani realized she wasn’t trying to strangle or break Rani’s ribs. She sobbed into the hug, and Alice suddenly realized that Rani was naked. “Get your clothes.” Alice said, much softer than before. “And anything else you might need to take with you.” Rani nodded and ran to the bathroom. She didn’t bother putting the underwear on. She threw the dress on and pulled her hair back instead of trying to fix it. She turned the shower water off. She emerged, and Alice was there, waiting. “You have your purse, your phone?” Alice asked. Rani nodded. “Alice, please. Rani–” Amir started, trying to step between them and the door. “Amir, so help me god, if you try to stop either of us from leaving, I will cut your fucking balls off and nail them to the door as a warning to any other douches in this complex.” Alice said all the words low and with a heat that didn’t invite any doubt to her conviction. What she might have on her person capable of performing such surgery didn’t seem to matter. Her nails seemed long enough. Amir stepped aside from the door. Alice took Rani’s hand and pulled her along, storming more than walking until they reached the elevator. They didn’t have to wait for it, and Rani stepped inside, still crying but rallying. “Rani…” Amir said from the other side. “Go fuck yourself.” Rani said, pushing through her tears. “Chutiya.” Alice glanced at her, then Amir as the doors slid shut. “Yeah. What she said.” The doors closed, and the elevator dropped to the garage. They rode in silence, and Rani sniffled. Alice offered her a tissue from her purse, and Rani took it. “I’m…” Rani started to say. “I’m sorry.” Alice looked at her for a moment, frowning. “Girl, you didn’t do anything wrong. This was done to you. That limp-dick mother fucker played you. Played us. But fuck him. We’re not going to let him get to us.” Rani sniffled. “We’re not?” “No.” Alice said, determined. “He’s a worthless sack of shit and not worth crying over.” “But…” Rani sniffled. “But what?” Alice asked. “But we…” She sniffled. Alice hugged her with one arm as the elevator doors opened, and they strode away. Rani didn’t know where they were going but let Alice lead her as they stopped at a car. “I know.” Alice said, sighing. “But what you and Amir did only has as much meaning as you give it. Don’t give that asshole any importance in your life. He’s not important. He’s a stone on your path. That’s it.” Rani sniffled. It sounded like good advice, but she didn’t know what to think. Less than twelve hours ago, Amir meant so much to her. Now, the floor was yanked from under her. She meant nothing to Amir. Amir meant nothing to her. Sex, this big important thing she’d built up in her head over the last few years to mean so much, meant nothing. It was just a thing. “If what we did didn’t mean anything…” Rani said. “Why are you upset at him? Why aren’t you upset at me?” “I’m upset at him because he lied to me.” Alice said. “He called me yesterday and canceled our date because he said he was sick. I offered to come over, but he said no, and he’d let me know how he was feeling this morning. Well, I decided to come over regardless and brought some soup and get well food for him this morning because he can’t cook for shit. That’s when you stepped out of the bathroom, and now I’m double pissed at him for what I can only imagine he did to you.”Rani sniffled. “You thought you were his girlfriend?” Alice asked. Rani nodded. “Our parents set it up.” She said. “I met him at my birthday party last month.” “Your parents?” Alice asked. “How old are you?” “Eighteen.” Rani said quickly. “Jesus.” Alice said, sighing. “Goddamnit, Amir. What an asshole. Preying on a freshman.” Rani sniffled. “You need a ride?” Alice asked, looking around the parking lot. “Or did you drive here?” “I… I’ll call my sister. She’ll come pick me up.” Rani said. “I can give you a ride if she’s nearby?” Alice asked. “Oh, sure.” Rani said. “She lives in an apartment at the Princeton Garden Estates.” “Hey, you’re in luck.” Alice laughed. “I live there, too.” Rani’s face fell. “What’s the matter?” Alice asked, clicking the key fob and unlocking the car beside them. “I mean, besides the obvious.” “Did Amir visit you yesterday?” Rani asked. “Yeah.” Alice said, nodding. “He spent the night Friday and left for a study group thing. That's why I was so surprised when he bailed on our date.” Rani sniffled. “Come on.” Alice put her arm around Rani. “Let’s get you home.” Rani cried for most of the drive but pulled herself together as time passed. Alice distracted her with the conversation, bashing Amir until they were laughing about his flaws. “I never met his parents, but we’ve been going out for four months now.” Alice said, explaining her side of the situation. “I thought we were pretty serious, but it turns out he’s just another asshole.” “Men are pigs.” Rani said.“Eh.” Alice shrugged. Then she laughed at herself. “I can't believe I'm sitting here trying to cheer up the girl my boyfriend cheated on me with. Ex-boyfriend. Amir is definitely a pig, but we’ll meet nice guys eventually. We have our whole future ahead of us.” “Nah.” Rani shook her head. “We will.” Alice said, laughing. “But you’ve got years of college before you need to find a nice guy and settle down, and now you know what to look out for to avoid any traps. If you’re looking for a bright side.” Rani scoffed. “Maybe I’ll stick to women.” “That’s an option.” Alice said. “Like I said, you’ve got a few years. You should use the time to experiment and have as much fun as you can. Play the field. Maybe just verify that they’re single next time.” Rani frowned. “Yeah.” She said, shaking her head. “I’m sorry. Again, I had no idea.” “It’s okay.” Alice said, assuring her. “Well, it’s not, but it’s not your fault. He didn’t want to put it on socials until I met his parents, and he didn’t want me to meet his parents until the summer because they’re always so busy and…” She sighed. “Man, that guy is an asshole.” “Chutiya.” Rani said. “Yeah, whatever that means.” Alice said, laughing as she turned into the apartment complex. “Fucker.” Rani said, explaining the term. “Well, now I know a very culturally specific insult to hurl at him next time I see him.” Alice said. “Which, for his sake, had better be a long time from now.” Alice pulled the car into a parking spot, and Rani glanced over at the walk, knowing she had to go and face her sister. She’d have to relive this story a few times before leaving it behind her, but Alice was right. Amir only had as much importance as Rani gave him in her story. Sure, he was her first boyfriend and first time, but that didn’t mean he had to matter. She mattered, her story mattered, but Amir? Amir wouldn’t even be worth mentioning one day soon.