It was November, that time of the year when one’s life slows down as the year comes to an end. It is not December yet, a time that is spent celebrating the end of what is usually, a terrible year while looking forward with hope for a new year. This month, that is November, is when we look back at the year it has been. It doesn’t matter if it was a good year or a bad year, the reaction always seems to be a melancholic sigh. The monsoon is long gone, leaving the land dry and skies clear. Yet the approaching winter slowly begins to show its signs. Even as the sun beats down on the city hard, the weather just gets colder and colder. Every now and then clouds cover the sky, pretending to rain, only for them to disappear just as sudden.

“Work, work, work, I am tired of this bullshit!” she cursed as she typed away on her laptop. It was late night on a Thursday and the girls had retreated into the room. Geetha and Monica found themselves rather relaxed. Their little project assigned by Dinesh (their boss) had just been completed and now were enjoying their peacetime with some chips and soft drinks. Meanwhile, work never stopped for Aarathi who bought it home along with her. Day in and day out, the work seemed to pile up and the pressure never reduces. Life was now revolving around work and there was little time left to herself.

“Why don’t you take a break?” Monica suggested, “you have been working non-stop since we reached home.”

“You are damn right about that,” Aarathi replied as she shut the laptop with slight aggression. She quickly got up on her feet and walked out of the room saying, “I need more than a break…”

“Oh no…” Geetha said in concern.

Monica eyed her and asked, “what happened?”

“She is in that mood again.”

Monica waited for an answer but didn’t get any, “so, are you going to explain?”

“Wait and see.”

Just as she completed her sentence, Aarathi returned with a bottle in her hand. It had a dark green tint and was wrapped in a blue label with what looked like a royal symbol stamped onto it. Monica instantly recognized that it was a bottle of beer. “Where did you get that?” she asked.

“Have a couple of them hidden in the fridge. Thought it would help with late nights. It puts me to sleep faster,” Aarathi replied before taking a shot.

“Give me some,” Geetha asked, stretching her hand out.

“Does it really help?” Monica asked.

Aarathi took another and replied, “nope. Just gives me headaches in the mornings.”

“On second thought, keep it,” Geetha said as she retracted her arm.

“So, why are you still having it?” Monica asked.

“Helps me in the moment and I already paid for it.”

Monica rolled her eyes while Geetha chuckled softly.

“Anyways, let’s do something tomorrow night,” Aarathi proposed.

Every once or twice a month, the girls always make plans to go out on a Friday evening. Most of the time it would be to the latest movie that released in theatres, to which sometimes even the boys tagged along. However, on hearing Aarathi’s phrasing, Monica guessed that might not be what she wanted. “What do you have in mind?”

“What she is thinking is a girl’s night out,” Geetha explained.

Aarathi flopped onto the bed and said, “exactly!”

Monica was not well acquainted with social norms, so she immediately said, “I am guessing this is more than just a movie night.”

“We watch a movie every other weekend! Let’s do something new,” Aarathi said.

“Enough with the guessing games, where is it do you want to go?” Monica asked.

“Let’s go to a pub!” Aarathi said.

‘Of course,’ Monica told herself. She smiled softly, not letting her inner disappointment show while Geetha let out a dull grunt.

“Oh, come on!” Aarathi exclaimed, “we had fun the last time we went!”

“It was…” Geetha admitted, “but doesn’t mean I want to do it again…”

“Why not?” Aarathi asked.

“Because I don’t like it…” Geetha said lowly.

Aarathi frowned as took another shot of the beer. Monica remained expressionless, instead asking curiously, “what exactly are we going to do?”

She swallowed the beer that was in her throat before asking, “you never had a girl’s night out?”

“Well… I have had sleepover with friends…”

“And what did you do then?”

“Mostly chit chat… and watch movies…”

Aarathi rolled her eyes. She knew she was talking to an amateur, so she attempted to make her offer as tempting as possible. “Here is what we will do. We put of some cute clothes, go to the Singing Tree, get drunk, check out cute guys, and possibly get their numbers.”

“And this is supposed to be fun?” Monica asked smiling.

“You cannot judge something you haven’t tried!” Aarathi argued.

“Can’t we do something else?” Geetha asked pleading.

“I don’t know why you are complaining. You even managed to get a guy’s number!” Aarathi said.

“I was also an inch close to making out with him!” Geetha replied angrily.

Monica’s eyes widened hearing a humble girl like Geetha do such a thing. Yet, it was easy to understand now why she would be embarrassed to try something like that again. Aarathi, meanwhile, covered her mouth with her palm, trying hard to hold back her laughter. Geetha’s cheeks turned rose-red before she plunged her face into the pillow before her.

“See, if I were you, I would be trying to do that every weekend,” Aarathi said.

Geetha simply screamed into the pillow as a response.

They fell silent for a moment giving Monica to think. But she didn’t really have to think long for an answer. While she cared little for any of the things Aarathi mentioned, she did care about Aarathi enough to agree.

“Alright… let’s… let’s give it a try,” Monica asked.

Aarathi’s face lit up like a child who just got candy while Geetha sprung back out of the pillow, “what!”

“Come on,” Monica said, turning to Geetha, “for Aarathi.”

Geetha rolled her eyes before accepting. “Fine…”

“You guys are the best!” Aarathi exclaimed. She gently swayed from side to side as she tried to drown the entire bottle of beer before choking on the river of frothy beer pouring out of the bottle.

“Okay, you had enough!” Monica replied, trying to snatch the bottle from her.

***

“I don’t know about this…” Geetha said nervously. She kept fidgeting her fingers while biting onto her lower lip which was now painted deep red.

Geetha stood before the only mirror in their house, which was plastered onto a dressing table that was sandwiched between two wardrobes. She looked at herself in the mirror and was pleasantly surprised at the dress Aarathi had picked out of her. It was a pretty peach dress that seemed to fit her suspiciously well. The skirt was just long enough to her knees but the bust split hallway through before continuing up as the strap. The cut was deep enough to make her uncomfortable.

“You will be fine,” Aarathi replied as she adjusted the dress belt to fit Geetha’s waist, “how does that fit?”

“Perfect.”

“Great!” Aarathi exclaimed.

“But why pink?” Geetha asked.

“It’s peach,” Monica replied. She just entered the room with a towel wrapped around her torso and her hair still wet. Her eyes immediately meet the two girls who were already dressed up and ready. Aarathi wore a tube dress that shone in a brilliant range of green and blue. “Looking pretty,” she said complimenting them.

“Thanks!” they replied in unison.

Aarathi looked down on the bed were lied two dresses for Monica to choose from, “I got two for you. Pick anyone.”

She picked up the one that looked most interesting and observed it somewhat resemble what Geetha was wearing but missing a back and the sides. “Is that it?” Monica asked, “there is nothing here.”

Aarathi snorted, “yeah… I just wanted to see your reaction. Go for the other.”

The other was much more comfortable. It showed a lot less skin than either of the girls’ outfits as it wrapped Monica from her arms down to her thighs, though she wished it reached her knees. “Geeth turned down that one. Sorry if you wanted what she is wearing,” Aarathi said.

Geetha’s cheeks flushed red in embarrassment. ‘You don’t say such things!’ she cursed under her breath.

“Nah! It suits her better. How do I look?” Monica asked as she spun around once sporting a big smile. The sky-blue dress was a bit loose, much to Aarathi’s surprise, but Monica preferred it hugging her.

“Fantastic!” Aarathi replied. “Shall we go?”

“Yes, of course,” Monica replied. “But where are your glasses?”

“I am wearing contacts,” Aarathi replied as she walked out of the room.

***

“Why are we walking slowing?” Monica whispered to the girls in front of her as they tiptoed down the stairs.

“We need to make sure we aren’t caught by the owner lady,” Aarathi, who was in front of Monica, explained.

Geetha was the first in line. She stopped before the stairs turned and ran down to the first floor where the owners lived. She slowly, and carefully, peeked around the corner to find an empty balcony. “Coast is clear,” she whispered and proceeded to walk down the stairs.

One by one, they passed the first floor with no other human in sight. The clicking of the shoe heels echoed dully much to their annoyance, but they prayed that it didn’t alert their presence. Just as Monica, the last one, took her first step off the floor, a voice spoke from behind.

“Where are you going?” a lady asked.

They stopped mid-motion and turned back to see the owner of their apartment standing before the door of her house. Monica’s heart began to beat against the rib cage.

“Did you even hear her open the door?” Geetha whispered.

“All girls there?” the lady asked.

They remained dead silent as they tried to come up with an answer.

Just then, an elderly man exited the house and saw Monica at the exit. “What is going on?” he asked.

“Hi uncle... aunty…” Monica greeted with an awkward smile.

“These girls are planning something,” the lady replied.

“Looks like they are just going out,” he said in response. The husband’s English appeared to be much better than his wife’s.

“Yes, yes. Girls these days only drink and party. I don’t allow them to get it home, so they go out and drink,” she said.

“Relax. They are going to have fun,” he replied.

The lady immediately turned around to face her husband, her face was fuming red. Monica seeing this pushed the girls ahead. The lady reacted quick to the sound of the heels but by then they had disappeared into the shadows.

“Keep encouraging them. One day, even our daughter will start doing it,” the lady said fuming.

“Right…” he leaned against the railing to see a car appear before their home. “We shouldn’t be so strict with children, just protective.”

She snorted but did not say anything. She watched the girl hoping on to the taxi before shouting, “you girls better come back before ten!”

“Sure aunty!” Monica shouted back as she got into the car.

They were going to miss the curfew but a big margin.

***

Monica remembered the culture shock she felt when she first arrived in the city. The culture of the city was very different from the one she grew up in. Giant skyscrapers touched the skies while large complexes littered the city. Everything looked and felt modern in a way she couldn’t explain. All she had ever seen were four-story buildings made of brick and mortar but now these goliaths were around every corner. Men dressed in jackets and t-shirts while women wore short dresses and jeans. Such display of fashion was something she wasn’t preview to every day. Malls were everywhere and so were pubs. On every street was a neon-lit bar where she could see women walking in and out in bright daylight. Every now and then she would pass through a block of the city that seemed to be left behind in time. Small blocks of the city where houses built twenty years ago would be crammed into. It felt like a piece of history stuck in time, refusing to grow up.

The closer you moved to the heart of the city, the more you see how the old traditional lifestyle has been urbanized. What is left behind are thin roads where barely two vehicles can ride on either side, crammed roadsides, and pockets of houses where people try to live a normal life. Somewhere in this urban jungle lies pockets of well-maintained areas, entering which makes you feel that you have been transported to a completely different city. One such place was the Night Street. Not very creative as the names go but the name comes from being the origin of nightlife within the city. Back in the old days, nights were never considered as a safe time to chillout in the streets and bars. Yet this street, which back then was just another street, saw rising number of bars and pubs line its roadsides. Everyone from youngsters who were attending college to bachelors working at their first jobs began to hang around these pubs more often. It eventually got to the point of becoming a fad and that fad is now a normalcy.

The taxi dropped them at the entrance of the street for no public vehicles were allowed on it. The Singing Tree, however, sat towards the other end. Monica was more than happy to walk over for she fell in love with the atmosphere of the place at first sight. The street was only two lanes wide but devoid of any vehicles, every now and then a privately owned car would pass by, but it stayed empty for the most part. The footpath on each side of the road was almost as wide as the street itself. Pedestrians were littered all over them, but it wasn’t as busy as she expected it to be. Buildings lined the streets on either side which housed a wide variety of shops and places to eat. Each one had a colourfully decorated storefront to attract its customers and they seem to be working for Monica felt the urge to visit every single shop she saw. The streetlights lit the street beneath in silky white light while each store-bought its own shade of colour to the party.

Aarathi and Geeta walked in front of her, talking about something while Monica was left to admire the ambience for the moment. They came to a sudden stopped before a tiny café nestled between shops on either side. “So, what do you want to do first?” Aarathi asked.

“Thought we were going to the pub?” Monica replied.

“We got time. The place opens at nine-thirty. We still got an hour to spare.”

Monica nodded and said, “so basically my promise to return by ten is going to be shot out the window, huh?”

“Darling, that was never going to happen,” Aarathi said. She did a quick one-eighty before saying, “we could go window shopping but how about we quite down for some time before the party,” Aarathi said pointing at the café. They had been riding in a cramped cab for over an hour.

“That will work,” Monica replied.

The inside of the café was a little more spacious than expected. The café was split in two with the kitchen occupying the right while a row of booths was placed on the left. There were about six of them, extending deep into the back.

“Never been to this place before,” Aarathi whispered. She stopped before the counter and asked, “what do you gals want?”

They quickly glanced at the menu stuck on a board that hung from the roof above the counter. It covered most of the basics but also included a plethora of alcoholic drinks. Aarathi turned back and asked, “you guys want to get started with the drink right away?”

Geetha quietly shook her head while Monica replied, “save it for the pub, let’s get something light.”

Aarathi scoffed at their response. In the end, they ordered two cafe lattes and a mocha for Geetha’s sweet tooth. They occupied the second booth from the door. The aroma of the coffee filled the booth bringing their spirits to life.

“So, how is the Night Street?” Aarathi asked as she stirred her coffee. The question was aimed at Monica who was sitting across the table from her. It was Monica’s first time here, after all.

“Feels like I have travelled to some foreign land. The place is just different.”

“That pretty much sums up everyone’s first experience. Ages ago this place was occupied by a couple of westerners. Their way of life is way different from ours. Over the years, they slowly left the place, what remains is a relic that we now visit to party all night.”

“Why did they leave?” asked Monica.

“Like I would know,” she replied, “but you know about us and how we tolerate others.”

Geetha’s lips twist hearing her comment. Monica quickly changed the subject, “but I am rather disappointed. I expected more people. The place looks so empty.”

“It’s barely eight-thirty. People will start flocking here after nine or sometimes even later than that. The whole place looks barren now. But just wait and watch, by ten the street outside will be overflowing with people.”

Just as Aarathi completes her sentence, the door behind her opened and a gang of five young men entered the café laughing at something one of them had said. The one in front immediately takes note of the girls but doesn’t say anything. They suddenly drop their chatter as they pass the girls, their eyes fixed on the three girls. Meanwhile, the girls too quietly observe the boys as they walk by, though they look more concerned than interested. The boys occupied the table behind and began to chatter amongst themselves again.

“They look like trouble,” Aarathi whispered.

“What do we do?” Geetha asked.

“Let’s us have our coffee and leave,” Aarathi said. The others simply nodded before they tried drowning their hot drinks.

Monica, meanwhile, had one ear on the girls in front of her and another ear on the boys behind her. Her face wore no expression as she observed both the groups. The girls were anxious and tried to cover it with small talk while the boys seemed to be minding their own business. They spoke about things that didn’t make sense to Monica, which was a good thing. But it wasn’t long before the conversation took a turn. Soon enough, they began to speak about the girls. One commented about their “cute” dresses and the other about the thin one’s figure. Monica was growing anxious, but she knew she had to stay calm. They started talking about her. About her dress, about her legs, about her curves, and even about her scars. But she still remained expressionless.

She looked at Aarathi, whose expression changed. Her eyes widened as she looked back at Monica. Monica knew what was coming.

A hand, sturdy and thick, fell onto Monica’s left shoulder. She didn’t react immediately, instead, she slowly looked up to see a tall man looking down at her with a broad smile. “Hello girls,” he began, “are you looking for some company?”

“Fuck off light pole!” Aarathi blurted out with little regard.

“Oh oh! Sassy, are you? We could use them,” he replied.

“Girls. Let’s just go,” Monica said calmly.

He began to squeeze her shoulder as she pushed it further down. Aarathi’s nerves shivered seeing him but calmed down almost immediately when she looked at Monica’s almost peaceful expression. She quickly hopped out of the booth and Geetha followed suit.

“Going so quickly? We just got here,” the man said. The boys behind him rose up as well and gathered behind him.

Monica shrugged his hand before getting out of the booth. She quietly walked past the girls towards the door.

“Oh, come on now,” the man said as he lunged forward and grabbed onto Geetha’s hand pulling her towards him. Geetha froze and her expression turned to shock. Aarathi was the first to react as she grabbed onto Geetha’s arm.

“Let her go asshole,” she cursed.

He tightened his grip while his lips twist into a grin. Monica’s stomach churned at the sight of his smug face. Bile reached her throat as she gritted her teeth to contain her anger. Just as she lunged forward to act, Geetha broke free from his grip. Aarathi pulled Geetha and pushed Monica out through the door.

They scurried away from the café as the laughter of the boys echoed in their ears. They walked and walked until they had put a good distance between them and the café. By the time they came to a stop, Aarathi and Geetha found themselves panting while Monica had a deep frown on her face.

“What a disastrous start,” Aarathi exclaimed as she leaned against the wall that stood adjacent to the footpath.

“Yeah… it is fine. Let’s just hope not to run into them again,” Monica replied.

Geetha remained silently. She kept shuffling her palm while looking very anxious. It caught the attention of Monica quickly. “It is fine. We are far from them,” she said.

“It is not just that… he flicked my ring,” Geetha said.

“You got to be kidding me,” Aarathi exclaimed.

Monica’s chest grew cold. She bent over and let out a dull sigh.

“It’s fine. There is nothing we can do about it,” Geetha replied.

“No way. We need to go and get it back,” Aarathi protested.

“I am not going back,” Geetha replied.

“Just stay here. I will take care of it,” Aarathi said before pushing herself off the wall.

“Where do you think you are going, miss?” Monica said putting her arm before Aarathi.

“We can’t let them get away like that.”

“And what are you planning to do? Ask them menacingly?” Monica replied.

“Yeah Aarathi. It’s a lost cause. Just let it go. It wasn’t that valuable away,” Geetha lied.

Aarathi bit on her lower lip in frustration before scoffing. She shook her head as she turned around and began to walk in the direction of the pub, “let’s go.”

Monica, in no way, wanted the girls to face those boys again, nor did she want to let the boys get away with the ring. She took a deep breath and quickly began to draw up a scheme. All she needed was a window and she needed to create one quickly.

“Where are we heading to?” Monica asked.

“The pub,” Aarathi replied. Her voice was sharp, and it was clear that she was irritable even though she didn’t try to show. “We will just wait outside.”

“Oh, come now. It was just one place. There are plenty of places out here to hang out,” Geetha said.

Aarathi, whose eyes had been wandering as they walked, finally found something that turned her frown upside down. She came to a sudden stop before spinning around to face the girls. “You know where we definitely won’t run into any boys?” she said with a big smile.

They turn to see that they had stopped next a store with a board saying, “Glow Up”. They couldn’t help but smile looking at the beauty store. A true kryptonite for all boys. “Fair enough,” Geetha said, “we can find some way to waste away our time.”

“Waste? What nonsense are you speaking?” Aarthi said as she pushed through the door.

The inside of the store was much busier than they expected. The small area of the shop had been utilized to the fullest, making sure no inch of the space went to waste. The walls were covered from floor to roof with all kinds of accessories while the middle was split into four lanes, separated by wooden walls housing products of various sorts. The billing and customer counter sat right beside the door which had two female employees who greeted them with big smiles. The gang dispersed temporarily to explore the product range; each one had their eye on something they wished to check. Aarathi was the first to find her product sitting just beside the counter, an array of various facial makeup items. Her stock of daily makeup was running low, and it was an opportune moment to restock them. Geetha, meanwhile, wanted to check out some more scarves. Winter was approaching fast, and a good-looking scarf was always money spent well. She was, however, quickly pulled away from the collection by Aarathi who needed someone to test the products on.

Monica slowly crept around the near-empty lanes of the shop, looking for an opening to get back to the café. On reaching the corner of the shop, she found a glass door. Peering through it, she was able to see that it led to small common area behind that housed a washroom. She had found herself an easy escape.