At the dinner table, Mom and Dad are discussing our summer trip to Manali when I get a call from Mrs. Khanna. I ask them to be quiet before picking up the phone.
“Hello, Ma’am,” I say.
“Mishti, is this too late to call?”
“No not at all, Ma’am.”
“Listen, do you still want to go to Bangalore? One of the students has withdrawn since he will not be able to make it next weekend.”
He? What the hell!
“Yes, Ma’am, I can go. But why did he say he can’t go?”
“He says he has an important basketball match at it his club. He can’t miss it.”
“But, Ma’am, Vikram is the best. Don’t you think if he goes we have a better chance of winning?”
“Mishti Ahuja, are you scared to go?” Mrs. Khanna says in a stern tone.
“Yes. No. I don’t know. This is sudden. I was completely relaxed and eating my dinner a
