Street Food of ‘Galli’ (Flash Fiction)
“You are a jerk”
I retorted but I was too infused with emotions to do anything except storm out of his home ignoring his mother calling “Why are you leaving so early, Roshni?”
I went to my home and crashed on my bed, blinking back tears which soon turned into a tantrum. The pillow was wet, sticky with tears and nose snot .I raised my head a few times just to get a gulp of fresh air in order to avoid choking myself on the pillow, but my dream had already been choked by that-that creature. Soon the sun dipped and so did my anger, almost.
I flipped my pillow just to avoid laying my head on that later (and yes I speak from experience).I glanced at the clock: 7:30 PM, not much time before dinner. At least that was good, crying and silent cursing did take a great deal of energy.
“I had spent 2 weeks working on that report” I spoke to no one in particular “and that creature didn’t even think twice before submitting my ‘The street food of Galli’.” I went downstairs to the dining room and slid into my chair. My elder brother came downstairs and grinned at me “Hey Rosh, what about your article?”
“No word right now” I lied as I wolfed down my food .I kept silent for the whole dinner, some things you just couldn’t share with your family. Some things you just have to solve on your own.
The next morning I headed over to Param’s house. His mother opened the door. “Oh! Wait here I am calling Param.” He joined me outside and he was skipping, “It worked” he said. His eyes glittered with excitement. “Uh…what?” “We are in the top 50 shortlisted.” He looked at me. “Can you believe it?” “What about credit to me?” I asked my voice steely. “Don’t worry you’ll get the-” “I don’t want the prize money!!!”I screeched at him. “Credit is a big deal to me. I had gone to holiday for a few weeks and you did not reconsider your decisions before sending the report.” “But we would have to wait for a whole year-” “I could have waited a whole year. You knew it.” I screamed my lungs out. “But the truth is-” My voice descended to a whisper “You are just a narcissist lizard.”
Everybody at school was talking about ‘our’ article. The more disturbing fact was that people were talking more about the ‘faults’ in me and Param’s friendship than the actual competition itself.
But soon karma acted, one week later the competition got cancelled. Yes, turns out the organizer of the event were in a huge debt to his ex-business partner, organizing a national-wide competition was the last straw.
Param gloomily shared the news and I started guffawing .I know you shouldn’t even smirk in situations like these, but I had the clearest laugh I had in ages.
Param hated my guts after that but I knew I just couldn’t end it this way.
Six months later, I rang Param’s door bell, just like I had done every other day before the fight .He opened the door and his bored face changed into somewhat horror.
It was awkward for a few seconds before I said “Um- well we won a competition.” He stared at me as if I might be losing my marbles. “Eh?” I explained the process to him, how I had tweaked a few words and the title of our report to avoid the ‘original entry only’ in the T&C and sent it to another contest. “Their competition is not as big as the previous one but still…” “Well congratulations” He said regretting his acts. “Oh dummy” I smiled. “You are coming with me too.” “You what-” “Yes I mentioned your name too because that’s what friendship is about”. He suddenly smiled his thin wide lips making him look like a lizard. I punched him playfully, at least I tried playfully.
I went home on cloud nine but Param was a different story. Param felt guilty “Is this really fair, I mean I don’t wanna complain but I can’t hold this burden.” He continued pondering “I just can’t rely like this on Roshni, I-I just can’t. Six months ago, that man’s business fell because of too many debts to his partner, could my friend’s kindness cause my destruction.”
It was a Saturday night ,a time when I am usually passed out on the bed after a whole weekend but tonight I was in a huge hall with a vaulted ceiling ,a huge crystal chandelier in the middle, the white walls of the hall hazed warm yellow by the lighting. I was dressed in a cream coloured silk sari with zari lacing, Param in blue Chikan kurta-pyjama. It was awkward walking in them and not tripping over but we managed to get to the stage and claimed the prize .Param smiled once again in his lizard manner.
I tapped the mic nervously as if it was an alien object. “I, Roshni Singh and Param Gujjar worked on a research paper together ‘The Street Food of Galli’ and we are blessed enough to be nominated by Teedsy ‘Best Dual Gastronomy’-” “I had been an Idiot” I jerked my head towards him staring rather murderously, this had not been part of our speech for all I knew he could be making this out of thin air. “I had backstabbed Roshni and put all of this-” He gestured towards the plaque we both were holding. “-to my name but Roshni being a great friend still didn’t give up on me, to be a great friend is one thing ,to be this it’s just .”He lowered his head as audience started applauding.
“Don’t worry” I whispered to him we started getting down from the stage.
“You still owe me much.”
(re-uploaded)
