Michael switched on the radio letting the music fill the silence between them. Eva wondered if this car was opened by Michael or Paul.

“is this Paul’s car?” she inquired curiously.

“No this is my own car. I bought this car from my cousin’s dad three years ago. I built it from scratch” he responded.

“completely from scratch! How did you find the parts? That sounds impressive” Eva answered surprised.

“it took a while but with help from Uncle Roy I was able to get the parts and I built it myself but he helped with some of the lifting don’t tell him about it” Michael replied chuckling from the memory.

“where was Paul when you were building the car?” Eva inquired with a grin.

“Paul was at the time busy with his relatives” Michael answered grimacing as he made another turn into another street. He didn’t bother giving more details.

The cheerful atmosphere vanished once more as silence sunk in between the pair. Eva looked out of the window watching the scenery pass by till she remembered she had not wished Paul goodbye.

“I forget to wish Paul goodbye!” Eva exclaimed breaking the silence.

“don’t worry about Paul. He’ll survive without your goodbye. The guy isn’t that fragile” Michael responded with a light chuckle.

“what about his parents and the drugs? I didn’t expect there to be so much of it” Eva replied eyes still glued to the scenery passing by.

“well the parties are Paul’s way of coping. I’m sorry I can’t tell more he has to tell you in his own time” Michael apologized.

“I understand I did have a good time with you” Eva replied changing the subject.

“after the drinks or when we danced?” Michael teased.

“the dancing Michael!” Eva answered looking back into the car to give him a glare.

“now Eva don’t glare I’m trying to get us both home safely” Michael chided.

The pair continued to banter back and forth as the journey went on till they arrived at Eva’s home. Michael had parked a good distance away from the house.  As he leaned on the front body of the car as they continued to talk inwardly the pair didn’t want the night to end.

“well I’ve dropped you off I’ll see you tomorrow” Michael said in a farewell tone as he pushed himself off the car to start making his way to the driver door.

“wait Michael! Would you like to come into my house?” Eva asked in a shyly.

“I wouldn’t mind dang I wish I had my camera” Michael replied happily before the pair walked together away from his car to stroll to the front door.

Standing in front of the door Michael waited while she fished though her purse to find the house key to open the door. Once the key was found in hand. She opened the door allowing entry for Michael and herself. Michael’s gaze swept around the neat hall way as they walked further into the home following Eva’s lead to the living room where they both sat in separate coaches.

“wow your house is something else” Michael quipped with a grin.

“is that a good thing?” Eva asked with raised eyebrows daring him to say something.

“it’s a good thing I mean no harm” Michael replied with a sly smirk.

“I hope so or your hair gets a yanking” Eva threatened with a mock glare.

“i wouldn’t any harm to come to my hair” Michael replied with his mouth open in horror.

“I’ll show you the kitchen and you can see what it’s like to cook in my home” Eva said as she stood up and Michael followed suit as they walked out of the living room to the kitchen.

Once inside the small kitchen Eva opened the cabinets to Michael’s shock as he saw rows of different jars. It was astounding to him he had never seen anyone else beat his aunt’s hobby of jar collecting.

“I never thought I’d see the day someone would beat my aunt Jay’s collection of spices” Michael marveled.

“you can believe it now Michael but I use this mostly in most of my dishes would you like to smell one of the jars?” Eva said to him.

“I’d love to! I am never allowed to touch my aunt jay’s spices in fear of a smack upside my head. She has a mean hook when she’s annoyed” Michael responded with a grimace.

Eva giggled imagining the scene as she shuffled though the wide selection trying to pick one for Michael to smell. She decided to bring down the ‘spice jar’ palette gently using two hands brought down the medium sized jar holding six spaces for individual spices.

Michael watched her place the jar down on the table from his point of view he expected a glass jar not a metal tin filled with spices.

“this is not what I expected but it’s fascinating” Michael replied with a grin tugging at his lips.

“well I hope this changes your view Michael. Smell this one” Eva hinted with a sly smile pointing to the orange coloured powder.

Michael eyed her warily before he bent lowly to sniff the smell and didn’t expect a strong chili spice to block his airways. He quickly flinched and turned around to cough into his hand. Eva let loose a high-pitched laugh watching Michael’s reaction in full effort.

If only I owned a camera to film d his reaction!

 Eva thought laughing inwardly.

“are you done laughing at me?” Michael asked recovered from his coughing fit to give her a childish glare.

“I’m sorry I didn’t think you’d have a strong reaction” Eva apologized breathlessly still in fits from his reaction.

“please don’t tell Paul about my reaction he’d find a way to use this against me” Michael pleaded to her.

“I won’t tell Paul. Want to try another smell but it’s not spicy” Eva told him with a beckoning smile.

“no thanks I don’t want my poor nose to be assaulted once more shall we explore somewhere?” Michael replied rubbing his sore nose.

“you remind me of my baby cousin who had the same reaction a few years ago” Eva responded as she put the small container back inside the palette.

“how old was he at the time?” Michael intrigued to hear more about her family back home.

“he was about two or three years old at the time” She responded gazing at him from her arms still stretched closing the cupboard doors.

“are you comparing my reaction to a kid?” Michael pouted childishly.

“you are kind of proving it by acting childish” Eva pointed out with a laugh.

“let’s leave here you don’t want anything before we leave?” Eva asked him.

“no, I am perfectly fine. let’s go to your room” Michael responded before he realized what he had said might come out wrong.

“not in that way I just want to see if your room is a pink unicorn galore” Michael said backtracking his previous statement.

“oh alright” Eva replied feeling the pool of pink flush her cheeks.

The pair didn’t waste any time leaving the kitchen to walk up the stairs passing by the twins/daadi’s room till they stood in front of Eva’s room.

Michael stood two feet away from Eva giving her space as she twisted the knob of the door handle and she walked in. He followed in after to his disappointment seeing the plainly decorated room.

“I expected some pink or girly stuff Eva” Michael sighed dramatically as he sat down on the bed.

“I’m more tomboyish Michael. I come from a home where I didn’t need too many materials to live” Eva explained with a roll of her eyes.

“well ---“Michael was about to say before he was cut off by a booming voice from downstairs.

“EVA!!!” 

“what is Daadi doing back so early?!” Eva gasped in surprise hearing the sudden voice of Daadi below them.

“who is d-a-ad-i?” Michael questioned trying to pronounce the word.

“EVA IS SOMEONE UP THERE WITH YOU?”

“NO DAADI I’LL BE DOWN IN A FEW MINUTES I HAD A QUICK SHOWER!” Eva yelled.

“look Michael you need to hide!” Eva whispered facing Michael.

“wait why? Can’t I meet your eh grandma I presume that word means??” Michael inquired lost on what was going on.

“I can’t explain what’s going on! Hide in the closet!” Eva replied hastily as she turned around facing his back and began shoving him towards the closet.

“COME DOWNSTAIRS NOW EVA!!” Daadi shouted once more.

“I’m going in!” Michael replied as he felt himself being pushed inside. He was met with darkness closing in as Eva left the door semi wide for him to breath.

He closed his eyes when he noticed though the eye hole that she was changing into something. By the time he opened his eyes. He heard the slam of the door.

Well this is going to be a difficult wait. I wonder what’s going on…

Michael sighed to himself feeling the wooden hangers poke his shoulders waiting for Eva’s return.

Eva rushed down the stairs in a grey tracksuit bottoms and loose green t-shirt with slippers on her feet to meet Daadi in the small hallway waiting with her bags.

Daadi noticed her presence at last once she saw Eva’s body come down the stairs breathless.

“child why is there make up on your face this late of the night?!” Daadi barked at her.

“I was trying a new makeup idea I saw on the tv on the Indian channels Daadi” Eva lied confidently in hopes that she’d sway her from asking any more questions.

Daadi’s eyes narrowed in suspicion but instead of choosing to question her niece any further she chose to let it go. She felt bone tired from the journey returning home.

“get my bags in child where are the boys?” Daadi asked walking straight into the living room while Eva immediately began to drag the bags up the stairs one by one.

“ah Daadi I don’t know where they are …” Eva replied as she dragged the last bag in up to her room as she walked down the stairs. She went to join Daadi in the living room and sat with her feet crossed on one of the chairs.

“you don’t know where they are! Irresponsible I left them in your care – “Daadi nagged.

“I---“she was about to respond when they were interrupted by the sound of jiggling keys and the door opening. The pair of brothers tumbled into the house laughing and talking thinking they’d beat Eva home.

“BOYS!” Daadi roared furiously from the living room.

The brothers felt the colour drain from their faces when they heard that familiar roar from the living room.

“shit bro! Daadi is going to kill us!” Adil hissed at his brother in fear.

“we should have never gone against Eva’s wishes following her to the party!” Aadesh hissed back.

“COME HERE THIS INSTANT DO NOT MAKE ME REPEAT MYSELF” Daadi yelled once more sounding angrier.

The boys gulped in union before they briskly walked to the open door to face their Grandma’s wrath. They walked into the room to see Eva sitting cross-legged on the coach and Daadi sat in the arm studied chair.

Daadi’s face was a shadow of anger as they saw veins popping visibly on her neck and forehead.

“Daadi we can explain – “Aadesh spoke up nervously to try and cool her down before she raised her fury them on both but Daadi Riya wasn’t having it cut his speech off.

“I am disappointed in the pair of you! I trusted you both to be home and where do you run off to leaving your cousin on her own to a party! PARTY!” she said continuing to scold and rebuke them.

Eva couldn’t help but feel a mix of emotions seeing their saddened and gloomy expressions from abuse Daadi Riya was inflecting on them. But at the same time, she felt a twang of pity and happiness that they were getting punished for disobeying her, still she had done the same thing but was luckily to have been home in time.

She didn’t think she was needed any further rose from her seat briefly holding eye contact with the boys before they looked back at Daadi. She left them facing their fate and went back to her room to get Michael out of her room and back to his car.

She hurried to her closet where Michael wiggled out of the closet slowly.  He stretched his strained muscles flexing his sore neck and arms to get the blood flowing back in them from staying in the tightly packed closet.

“I’m sorry you were in there for so long Michael” Eva apologized with a sheepish grin.

“it’s fine I hope I don’t find myself in your closet again it was too small for a guy my frame” Michael replied with a shrug of his shoulders.

“how about a surprise treat? In exchange for your effort but you have to go now” Eva replied.

“I’ll look forward to it” Michael replied giving her a grin as he looked down at her.

The pair gazed into each other eyes before Eva broke the spell stepping aside for him to walk to the window.

Michael looked down from the open window seeing the distance from her window to the grassy ground was slightly too high for his liking but he spotted a long pipe one feet away from the window.

“um Michael I don’t think this is safe for you to go down” Eva said wary eyeing the distance standing next to him.

“it’s fine I’ve climbed trees taller than this I’ll tell you some of my adventures someday” he responded grinning. He turned his body half way, sticking one leg out of the window and other leg positioned in the room.

Eva still standing by him bravely chose to lay a feathery kiss on his cheek before pulling away to say sweetly “thank you for dropping me off today Michael”

Michael froze feeling her small lips against his cheek. He couldn’t help inhaling the flowery perfume as she drew away leaving him stunned.

“uh yeah your welcome Eva” He responded smiling bashfully before he continued his journey down the window latching onto the pipe and slowly climbing down it till he dropped to the ground.

Eva watched him trek down the pipe till he was walking back to his car. whereas Eva heard Daadi calling her downstairs.

Eva sighed before she chose to quickly grab a wet cloth and began to rub the makeup from her face to as she left the room and went down the stairs.

.

.

.

Ten minutes to midnight Michael closed the door behind him quietly as he made his way to the kitchen to hopefully find Uncle Roy’s hangover remedy.

Alcohol always left him feeling buzzed till the next day when it all returned tenfold in a massive hangover.

One of these days I’ll quit drinking.

Michael thought tiredly.

He switched the kitchen light on to see his little sister Janet standing with a glass of warm milk. She wore her baggy neon coloured tiger stripped night gown and a black bonnet sitting comfortably on her head.

“hey dunk why are you up?” Michael questioned moving towards her and flopped down beside her.

“why are you back so late” Janet fired back as she sipped from the glass.

“I am not in the mood for your sass this late Janet. Have you seen where uncle Roy keeps the juice? He keeps changing the hiding place!” Michael grunted.

“He hid it in the mini fridge in the living room with the rest of alcohol” J####anet responded.

“was Paul’s parties’ spectacular like always?” Janet asked cheekily.

Michael gave her a tired glare but shrugged his shoulders.

“Paul out did himself like he does each year but I did have fun with my model there” Michael responded.

“the pretty girl you showed to me? I want to know the details~” Janet sung sweetly to him.

Michael groaned in reply. He stood up from his seat leaving Janet alone in the kitchen. He went to the living room going behind the mini bar. He opened the mini fridge and grabbed a red container containing the hangover juice. Janet annoyed by the lack of response from Michael thought it was best to leave it till the next day when he was in a better mood.

She gulped the remainder of her drink in hand before washing it and leaving it on the drying rack to go get sleep for another busy of homework the next day.