پریا - قسمت پنجم

I had a strange feeling. Before we got to the club, I was arguing with myself about why I did this. By the time we got to the club, I’d made thousands of scenarios and fictional stories in my head.

But then I felt good. I was looking into the distance when Amirhosein said: “Can I tell you something?”

I nodded yes.

“Never mind… You’ll find out when you get home”.

After saying this, he laughed and I got curious.

“Tell me!”

“Nothing… I wanted to say that your outfit is so beautiful”.

I looked at him in surprise. I felt that he shouldn’t have said that and he should have waited for such a compliment. I said a dry thank you and looked away again.

Beeeeeep! When I heard the car’s deafening horn, I came to myself! I was so drowned in thoughts that I didn’t realise how close we were to our house.

I didn’t know what to say to Amirhosein before leaving. With every passing moment while we were getting closer to our house, the atmosphere was getting heavier between us.

Finally, the driver stopped the car. I looked at Amirhosein and said: “Thank you for today. I don’t know…. what would I do without.”

He interrupted me.

“No need to thank me”.

We said goodbye to each other without saying another word. I opened the door with the key, took a deep breath and entered the house. When I opened the door, a warm wave touched my cheeks, which had gotten frozen in the club.

As usual, my mom was arguing with my dad on the phone when she noticed my luminous presence: «Hold on! Your princess has arrived!”

Every time my mom called me princess, I knew that she was angry with me, and that every time she called me a donkey, she was happy.

This time, she put a lot of emphasis on the word princess and so I greeted her calmly and in a state of surrender and peace.

Mom hung up the phone and, like a lion waiting to hunt, attacked me with her words: “Where has your honour been?”

I lowered my head.

“Nothing, I just walked and thought a little”.

I was very tired and didn’t want a new fight. That’s why I pushed away my temper and the thought of talking back for a short while. Mom’s appearance also showed that she’d gotten a bit calmer but still had a bit frown line on her face.

“Why didn’t you answer your phone every time I called? Did you ever think that I might get worried?”

“Mom, did you see how hurried I was? … I didn’t take my phone”.

Mom looked at me sarcastically.

“Yeah and I’m supposed to believe you! You don’t separate the damn thing from yourself for a moment.”

I clenched my teeth and repeated to myself several times, “Be calm, Pariya! Be calm, Pariya!”

When I calmed down a bit, I put my bag on the table and went to get my phone from my room.

“Here… I didn’t take it.”

“How do I know you didn’t take it out of your pocket in the room?”

Clenching my teeth was no longer the solution. A strange anger pervaded my whole body. I shouted: “Oh My God!”

Mom looked at me and laughed.

“why are you laughing? “You love to frustrate me, don’t you?”

“I was kidding”.

“Mom, it’s not the time!”

My mom’s expression became serious again.

“I swear to God, if your final grades are low or you ever want to do such things again and drive me mad, I know what to do with you! Understood?!”

I answered quietly:

“Got it, mom!”

“Go get to your studies…I back down for now, but don’t think I’ve forgiven you.”

“Okay, mom”.

I picked up my bag and wanted to go to my room when mum said with a laugh: “Didn’t anyone laugh at you when you were out today?”

I answered impatiently:

“Why?”

“You wore your outfit inside out!”

For a moment, it was as if a bullet had hit my heart.

“Are you kidding mom?”

“Go and look in the mirror”.

I went to my room, closed the door, and dashed to the mirror in the corner of the room. I couldn’t believe it! I wore my outfit like a crazy person all day long. I just found out why there were so many unusual glances at the café. I remembered what Amirhosein said, “you’ll find out when you get home”. My face turned red with embarrassment.

For half an hour, I just banged my head against the pillow on the bed to get rid of the embarrassment.