Standing there, awkwardly, holding the bathroom door wide open, Duk shook his head. âIt, uh, doesnât really matter. How⊠How are you? Itâs been awhile.â He paused, looking away for a moment. How could he be being so weird about this? Theyâd been friends and foremost. But looking at her now, he couldnât help but think about how she was always so damn beautiful. But heâd missed his shot. âI hear youâre back with Jarrah. Congratulations⊠I think.âÂ
âMatters to me.â she shrugged. âI like knowing what youâre up to.â Yeah, it had been a while since she and Duk had spoken openly and honestly with each other. Sheâd been on the verge of something with him when Jarrah showed up and things turned upside down. She didnât regret what sheâd done because it felt right but she still wasnât sure how to interact with him. âYeah, I am.â she said softly, covering her lipstick and turning to face him head-on. âI think heâs who Iâm meant to be with, Donald. Thatâs weird and not fair, I know, but I think itâs true.â
Duk had been combing through the crowd, looking for the siren whose call he had heeded to even be at this party tonight. He had yet to find her, but he was rather late to the party anyway. He hadnât really been back at Rosewood Academy in awhile, but it felt familiar if a bit strange to be here at these late hours. He had checked the crowded ballroom, filled with the ragtime music that only added to the Alice through the rabbit hole feeling in his gut. Heâd found the bar in the teacherâs lounge, where people were lounging with cigars and cigarettes mounted into the funny-looking long holders. Had the brothers McKibbon & McDonough really found a way back in time? Duk was starting to think so when he swung open the door to the ladiesâ bathroom at random and found a familiar face standing at the mirror, fixing her lipstick.Â
âOh, shit. Hi, Kash. Um, sorry. Was, uhh, looking for someone.âÂ
Kashmira, after a considerable amount f time spent in the classroom from her past, needed a solid fixing up in the bathroom. Sheâd selected the nicest one, the one she was never truly allowed inside as the teachers laid their claim. As she applied a coat of her favorite color to her lips she heard the door open and looked up in the mirror to see Donald standing there. âWell, far be it from me to stand in your way. Who are you looking for?â
It was crazy to see how their relationship worked now, how even some small things had changed. It was entirely a different dynamic from when they were younger. There was way more respect, they seemed to both be focused on what they wanted from each other and in their personal lives; it just made so much sense to be together once again. When Jarrah said he loved her, he always meant it, but now he had a feeling that he knew what love really was now. Like he just couldnât imagine a life without Kashmira Multani in it. They never talked about rules, or about how to deal with their public lives, which had been a huge problem before. Jarrah could admit it, he was a mess and everything had happened because of him, but he felt so at peace after everything now. âI like cheating the system though. But to be fair, she mightâŠkinda have to talk to Penn because thereâs a lot of crap in there, actually. So, we could just hit her up tomorrow.â Jarrah admitted thoughtfully. He had to check up on Penn before the night was over, for sure. For multiple reasons. Jarrah smiled softly into the kiss, his hand cupping the side of her neck as he pulled her closer. âWhat ifâŠwe make it real quick, and then just take our sweet time later tonight, huh? We could even pick a classroom, somewhere you always wanted to do it but we never did, you know?â
The fact that they were back here, still together, but after so much had happened was somewhat unfathomable to her. Kashmira remembered high school fondly with a special glint on her time with him but the difference between where they were at that time and where they were now, while they felt entirely natural, were staggering. She was an entirely new woman and he was an entirely new man. The likelihood of them coming back together in any way was beyond low but it felt like exactly what was supposed to happen all along. They separated, grew in their own ways, and came back to each other when it was right. Even with the trouble in the middle, Kash wouldnât have wanted it any other way. âWhatâs going on with her and Penn? I didnât realize there was a lot of crap in there.â she said, smiling at the way the word crap sounded on her lips. âWe can do as much or as little here as we like. I think you have the right idea about that classroom though.â she purred into his ear. âI know exactly which classroom to use, too.â She smiled, eyes bright, as she led the way to the classroom that started it all, the one where they first met. âPoetic, right?â she smirked. âIâm thinking... teacherâs desk.â
âRight, right, we have to do this the proper way.â Jarrah had met Kashmira when he was so young. They were kids, literally kids sneaking into each otherâs lives and rooms without their parents knowing of their little romance at first. The thing that had always attracted him a lot to Kashmira was that she was a lot like Jarrah, she showed only a part of her to the world, but her real self, it was kept only to those she was close to. Jarrah had always been the same way, everyone knew about his music and about his dating or partying, but they didnât know about his actual life, his likes. When heâd met Kash, she surprised him with their interactions, how wild she could be when she wanted to be, how fierce she was and how hardworking she was. It made sense that as soon as sheâd showed up, his entire world had been turned upside down. âIâm really, really happy thatâŠyou and Penn are okay again. I do wanna hang out with Sage for a little bit though, she was a friend when no one else was, in her own way. I gotta catch up with her. Well, we donât hate each other anymore, so at least we have that going.â He grinned mischievously back at her, leaning closer as she tugged on his tie and resting one of his hands on her hip casually. âHey, Iâm enjoying the hell of a view that I got, babe. That being said, Iâm ready when youâre ready.â He murmured playfully.
âExactly,â she nodded, âThereâs an order to these things, obviously.â Of course there was no proper way to sneak around school and hook up with you boyfriend but Kashmira was so used to keeping up appearances it was almost her default to consider how it would look before she did anything. It was something she hadnât had to worry about in high school which left her free to do whatever she wanted whenever she wanted to do it and most times that involved Jarrah. âYeah, I am too. It was great being with you again and it made me so happy but I still felt like I was missing a piece, you know? Of course, Iâd love to hang out with her too but sheâs more a part of my present and not my past so Iâm not sure weâre allowed to cheat the system like that tonight.â she smirked. âYeah, we have that going. And the way youâre looking at me. That doesnât hurt.â She leaned into his body and pressed a slow kiss to his lips. âNow youâve got me all distracted. Itâll only get worse the longer we tease each other.â
âHey, I had to make a move though, you know it.â Jarrah was in a good mood despite how stressful his life was at the moment with how bad sales has been for his last album. He was doing something that he loved, and heâd always known that it was a big possibility that his solo career wouldnât last, but it was worse to feel proud of a project and have people not appreciate it at all. âMhm. You know what I was thinking though? Youâre still here, Pennâs still here. My friends are for the most part still here too. In a way, yeah, weâve changed, but I have no one to reconnect with because Iâm incredibly close to you guys still.â It was insane, how much life had changed but at the same time how it still remained so poetically the same in so many different ways. He chuckled a little, eyeing her playfully. âI mean, I take what I can get.â He joked lightly, smirking. âBut truthfully, I think Iâm more of a legs man. Like, seeing you wearing that skirt again got me feeling feelings for real.âÂ
âYou did. And it will be rewarded soon enough. You canât think Iâll actually leave this thing tonight without taking a thorough stroll down memory lane.â she replied smoothly. She would have done it regardless but tonight, especially, she wanted to make sure he was happy and in good spirits. This wasnât exactly the best time for a fun nostalgia party considering how his album was performing. She wouldnât stand for it if anyone started to compare his success now to his success back when they used to wear these uniforms daily. âThatâs true, yeah.â she nodded, thoughtfully. âI already had my big reconciliation with Penn so I canât even do that tonight. I think weâre all just... good? Life struggles aside it seems like weâre all in a decent place, right? Thatâs got to say something about us.â She laughed as she ran her hand up his tie and tugged on it gently once she reached the top. âAre you going to be able to get through this thing with my legs on display like this or do we need to find our spot before we dive all the way in?â
Jarrah smirked a little at the fond memories that came rushing just at the sight of his girlfriend wearing that uniform. He swore, that thing fit her better than anyone else. It was like it was made exclusively for her and J was sure that was probably the case. âOh yeah, maybe we should go ahead and catch up with that, Imagine all the new stuff they got there, it could just take us hours, to figure it all out.â He said teasingly, leaning in to press his lips to hers quickly and offering her some drink heâd just gotten for her. He kept to his flask that only had some energy drink in it, since he had been sober for months now. âIâd say you look as good as you did back in the day, but we both know thatâs a lie, because your ass is like way bigger now.â
âPatience, J. Iâm sure weâll find our way to the supply closet before the partyâs over. We have to at least pretend to be interested in whatâs going on around us to make up for living in a bubble in high school.â She smiled against his lips and thanked him for the drink. âItâs weird being back here, isnât it? Itâs almost like nothingâs changed but we all know so much has.â She had to remind herself that the flask he drank from was no longer filled with his liquor of choice when she saw the familiar sight that used to indicate a fight coming on. Yes, a lot had changed since they were last here. âYou know how I know our high school love was real? Because youâre obviously an ass man and you stuck with me when I had nothing. Thatâs real love.â
âThis is some Twilight Zone shit right here.â Jarrah mumbled as he loosened his tie. Not even an hour had passed into the event and he was already wearing the uniform the same way he did back in the day, a loose tie, sleeves rolled up, failing to tuck his shirt. Heâd never been a fan of uniforms anyway, but he did have good memories of Rosewood. Heâd met Kash there, heâd met Penn and he had even had a good life while he was in school. Disaster came when he left school, so he was smiling as he looked around, trying to see if he could sneak into the music room and act like he was teenager without much of a care in the world. âIâm pretty sure somewhere in one of those classrooms, thereâs a stash of comic books that Penn and I left on the last day of school.âÂ
Kashmira had received the generic uniform like everyone else at the party. She, however, had kept one of her former uniforms from when she attended Rosewood Academy and sheâd opted to wear that one since it was already perfectly tailored to her body and style. Sheâd basically disappeared from high school the last year or two because her career started to take off and she saw no point in going. But she still held fond memories of the place. Looking at Jarrah now, she held most of their happiest memories in these uniforms. He always looked so handsome in an effortless way in that loose tie and disheveled shirt. âTwilight Zone, maybe. But i can only think about those days where weâd meet in the hallway and skip class to...â her brows wiggled subtly, âCatch up in the supply room.â
âYou think if we take shots every time we hear someone say ânew year, new meâ in passing weâll die or just get a decent buzz going on? Because Iâm all about ringing the new year in right but doing that at the hospital seems like the wrong way to go.â
âI think if you take shots every time youâll have a really nice buzz going on. If I do it Iâll probably pass out before eleven oâclock and youâll have to get me to the hospital. So... how about I do every 4th cliche at max?â
Though theyâd rekindled their romance only a few weeks ago, Jarrahâs past experiences with Kashmiraâs family gave him enough information about how things where at the Multani house during the holidays. When they were younger, theyâd both endured it, heâd done his best to be respectful and to set boundaries when it came to her overbearing parents and to try not to let them cross any lines. Some battles were for them to fight separately and Kashmira was trying. He would have went with her, heâd offered but once she turned him down to try to get some sort of respect from her parents when it came to her own life and achievements, heâd settled down for the supportive boyfriend. Heâd saved her a plate of food, figuring that sheâd show up to his parents house sooner or later. Now that they were together, he nodded, figuring itâd been worse than they both expected. âYou know they donât mind, they like having us here now that I live somewhere else.â He told her with a soft smile, his arm resting on her shoulders as he tilted his head to the side. âIâm okay. Trying to focus on you and the family, itâs the holidays, I donât wanna focus on bad news or nothing like that, you know?âÂ
Kashmira snuggled up closer to Jarrah on his bed, the bed theyâd spent many an unapproved night in high school fooling around on, taking in the familiar scents and feeling of being home in his arms in his room again now. It felt like the only right way to end her day with her parents. âWe should remind them of all the times they found us in here together without asking permission in high school,â she smirked, âSee if they remember how much they liked having us here together back then.â Jarrah was an amazing boyfriend in the beginning. He put up with her parents while still somehow defending her honor when things got too heated and he never crossed a line into inappropriate territory with them. But none of that compared to how heâd take care of her after a night with her parents, how heâd make her feel loved and special and worthwhile after her parents depleted all of that from her. âI donât want to focus on the bad, either. But if you need to vent or whatever, Iâm here. You know Iâm here for you. But if you want to ignore everything that sucks right now? I say letâs talk Christmas plans. I donât know about you but I canât spend it at home after tonight.â
âIt was the worst Thanksgiving to-date. I canât thank your parents enough for letting me hang out here so late.â Kashmira, already cuddled up in Jarrahâs arms, sighed a heavy sigh of relief. Sheâd just sat through the worst meal she could remember, thinking that if she didnât bring him they might be satisfied asking her about her life, her job, whatever. But no, it was all sour faces because the assumption was that sheâd screwed up their time with the golden potential son in law. âHow was it here? Lovely, Iâm sure. Your parents are great. But, you know, how are you?â @jarrahimiâ
tagging â kashmira multani, her parents, mentions of @jarrahimi
time frame â thanksgiving 2019
location â multani home
notes â late as per usual just whatever ok
She could hear the hustle and bustle inside from the other side of the front door. It was still early and neither of Kashmiraâs parents were actually born in America but she knew from the noise and experience that preparations for the grand feast were well underway. Last year sheâd booked a show on the other side of the world to avoid this holiday. A few years ago sheâd brought Jarrah an his parents and the entire dinner was spent with everyone fawning over him and ignoring her, a sensation she was only accustomed to when she was in her childhood home. Outside of these four (main) walls Kashmira Multani was the most famous person, the most sought-after model, the one everyone turned their heads to get a closer look upon, you name it. But once she walked through those French doors she was nobody as long as she was alone. Her value came from the man she lured into her traps. Her value was wholly dependent upon who she was dating and what his bank account looked like.Â
This year she talked to Jarrah beforehand, she wanted to do this Thanksgiving on her own because she couldnât remember the last Thanksgiving she celebrated without him or the ghost of him present. It wasnât his fault and he always tried his best to lighten the blow to her self-esteem but he couldnât snap back at her parents too hard without being disrespectful. There was no way to stop her parents from focusing on the man in her life when her entire purpose, in their eyes, was to be a housewife who created and raised children. They knew she and Jarrah were back together thanks to the paparazzi and magazines and a one word text confirmation from her when they kept badgering her for the truth. They would be expecting Jarrah but Kashmira didnât want to deliver. She had to be seen as an individual by her parents.
So she opened the door, not shocked that no one heard it over the hubbub. She walked through the foyer, through the sitting room, and finally into the kitchen where a chef was working with her mother to put together the feast. Her mom was criticizing the chef for not putting enough pepper in the mashed potatoes, even though they only had mashed potatoes once a year and no one ever ate much of them because honestly, without all the butter, sour cream, and cheese, what was the point? She stood for a second in the doorway, still steeling herself for what was to come when she was noticed.Â
Almost on queue, her mother looked up and met eyes with Kashmira. Her entire face lit up and for a moment Kash was sure she was in safe water, that her mother was actually excited just to see her. But it was gone as soon as it came because her eyes immediately started to scan the space around her. She was looking past Kashmira like there had to be something better than just her. âJarrahâs with his family, mom.â she deadpanned, annoyed but not surprised. âWha-- How did-- No, what happened? Did you screw it up again?â her mother questioned with a new intensity.Â
âNo, mother.â She drawled slowly, exhaustion already clear in her tone, âI just let him take a night off from all the doting and crazy obsession. He gets it enough from his fans he doesnât need it from his current pseudo-in-laws.â she rolled her eyes. Her mother, somehow, was more exhausted than Kashmira was when she responded, saying something that didnât matter or make a difference about her and her father not being just fans and they could only hope to be the in-laws of Jarrah Rahimi. Kashmira asked if she needed help in the kitchen to be polite but her mother already considered her a screw up for not convincing Jarrah to come to dinner so she wasnât going to let Kashmira attempt to make anything they would ingest later.Â
She made her way to her fatherâs study. Sheâd had a better relationship with her dad than she did with her mom but that wasnât saying much. He was more quiet but somehow more deadly with the disapproval. She was sure it was a bad idea as her hand touched the doorknob into the study. She knew she should just leave well enough alone, but she couldnât stop herself. She walked in and smiled at her father. âHi Daddy, happy thanksgiving.â she said in her sweetest tone. He barely looked up from his book but when he took a second to register that there wasnât another body next to hers he certainly started to pay attention. âWhere is Jarrah? I thought you fixed everything with him.â he said. It was so clear he was waiting to be disappointed with her tales of losing him again it hurt.Â
âDaddy,â she said tentatively, âWe only just got back together. Heâs going to spend this Thanksgiving with his family and Iâm going to spend it with you. Arenât you glad Iâm here?â she asked, hoping for the best but expecting the worst. He went into some long tirade about how she should have been by Jarrahâs side wherever he went and, yes, he would have preferred not seeing her at all if it meant she was making Jarrah happy at his side. There was no arguing with him and Kashmira didnât have the energy to try anymore so she apologized to her father and left the study.Â
She knew all that awaited her in the coming hours was judgement and disdain from her parents and no other guests because, yes, they did do all of this for Jarrah and Jarrah alone. None of it was excitement to see their daughter. It was wrong, Kashmira knew they were the ones who were wrong. And still, she felt like the cause of the problem. She picked up her phone and dialed the one person she could trust with this; the one person she knew would understand what she was feeling because heâd been through it with her for years. Jarrah. She just needed to hear his voice, vent a little, and hear him calm her down. After that sheâd be fine.Â
And sheâd never spend Thanksgiving at home again.Â
Penn wasnât sure how to react to the news that he was partially responsible for driving her to see a therapist, so he smiled, but it was a confused one. âYouâre welcome? I think?â Despite being unsure about his role in the whole thing, he was glad sheâd sought real help rather than following Jarrahâs route and drowning everything in alcohol and partying. Even if it hadnât been a great time for him, he much preferred an angry Kash to the possibility of finding her in any of the states heâd ever found Jarrah in. It had been a scary time, one he had no desire to relive. âHey,â he opened his arms wide, and grinned even wider, âBring it in Kash Money. I missed you, girl.â
Kashmira laughed, âItâs a youâre welcome moment, yes. Therapy has been good for me. I havenât thrown any shoes, phones, or drinks since I started going so I think itâs best for everyone.â Something she was able to work on in her sessions was how she treated herself and not killing herself over every minor slip. Not that throwing a shoe or drink was minor but still, she was able to laugh and forgive herself for her past behavior. She eyed him and pretended to think about it for a few seconds before she caved and started to grin as she hugged him tightly. âYouâre so lame and I hate you.â she said, the joke evident in her tone as she held onto him. âOkay, so whatever, whatâs up? Youâre dating the minor Rosewood legend Chanel Horowitz? How the hell did you land a goddess like her?â
