Chapter 53: Older, But Not Wiser

“What’s with that over-the-top reaction?” Aanya lifted her palms up at an angle, in an amused confusion and let out a wide yawn that very moment.

Hurriedly covering her wide-open mouth, she blinked quickly twice after a short while then asked again, “Why such exaggeration?”

“Why not? What are you even talking about? There’s no way anyone cannot know what ‘Fuck off’ means by Class 9. Ask anyone, that’s how we talk!” Aakash looked perplexed.

“Weird we’re having this conversation.” Aanya rolled her eyes at him. “The fact is that people already use slangs by that age. That’s exactly why it’s such a surprising thing that you didn’t know the meaning.”

“When did this happen?” A quick retort snapped out. “Well, I don’t really consider cursing as an ability to be proud of or anything but I’m pretty sure I wasn’t a black sheep and not up to date with how we all behaved.”

“Note to self: Aakash conforms to herd-like mentality.” A monotonous voice rang.

“Seriously?” Aakash fixed his wife with a baleful stare.

“Just saying.”

“Anyway, when did this happen?”

“Wait, you really don’t remember?” Aanya half-sat up, a disbelieving look in her eyes.

“I really don’t!”

“That’s surprising. And impressive.” She laughed at his accusatory glare.

“I can’t remember every teeny-meeny detail from such a long time ago! And I still think you’re remembering something wrongly.”

“So, in your opinion, it might be Cabir or Harshil?”

“Ah, no, no. That’s impossible.” Aakash waved his hand. “Those two rascals were the initiators of cussing in our class. No, actually, maybe the batch, considering Harshil.”

“A bit far-fetched.” Aanya grinned. “But not entirely unbelievable.”

“Anyway, it could be Jatin with whom this happened. Or even Jeet.”

“Nope. Definitely you.”

“Story time then.” Aakash turned around and plopped onto the bed.

“What happened to letting me sleep?”

“Desperate times call for desperate measures.”

“Neither the situation nor the action call for those adjectives.”

“It’s a way of expression.”

“Incorrectly used.”

“I’m the professor, you know?”

“I pity your students.”

“Are you gonna tell me or not?” Aakash pursed his lips, flipping around so that he was lying face-to-face with Aanya.

Flinching back in surprise, Aanya knocked on his forehead.

“Okay, okay. Just move a bit away. Invasion of personal space.”

Intending to annoy her, Aakash pushed forward a bit more, so that their noses were almost touching, “What if I do this instea-oof!”

And got socked in the gut! Grunting in pain, he rolled backwards, “Violent woman.”

“I can’t talk like that and you were asking for it.”

Aakash just rolled around without replying, groaning intermittently.

“Stop acting, I didn’t hit you that hard.” Aanya pulled his arm, getting him to face her again, sighing in fond exasperation. “You haven’t changed a bit, you know? Older, but not wiser.”

Giving her a toothy grin, Aakash flicked her forehead lightly, making her frown momentarily. “But…you wish I stay like this forever.”

“Now don’t make it cheesy.”

“Wasn’t so. I call it romantic.”

“Then that attempt was even more pathetic.”

Considering it briefly, Aakash nodded sagely, “You’re right. I’ll come up with something better next time.”

“Fuck…”

“Yeah, let’s get right to it.”

“What?!”

“What?”