*there is only one way you can get regular access to my home,' Ananya said after staring at the horizon for a minute.

*What?'

*IIT tuitions for my brother. They'd accept anything for that,' she said.

I let go of her and sat up straight. *Are you crazy? I prepared for the IIT exam eight years ago. I can't teach him.'

*I'm sure you can revise some notes and help him. My parents have to get comfortable with you. Only then can I ask them to seriously consider you.'

I dipped my idli into coconut chutney and ate it. I missed my mother's hot paranthas at breakfast.

*Do you love me?' She wiped a bit of chutney from my lips.

I kissed her. I was kissing her after two months. I didn't release her for a minute. I'd revise IIT chemistry for this chemistry any day.

*Ai!'a hoarse voice screamed behind us.

I turned around. A pot-bellied Tamilian cop, looking more villain than police, walked fast towards us. *What is this?' he said and slammed his stick on the bench. Both of us sprang up. Ananya hid behind me.

*Oh fuck,' she said. *Get rid of him.'

The cop screamed at me in Tamil. Helpless, I asked Ananya to translate.

*He wants to take us to the police station. He is saying we have some nerve doing all this outside police headquarters.'

*Why do they have police headquarters opposite a beach?' I asked.

*Shut up and pay him off,' she whispered.

I took out my wallet and took out twenty bucks.

*Illa Illa...' the cop continued to shout and grabbed my arms.

I took out a fifty. He looked at me and Ananya. *Warning,' the cop said as he took the note.

Ananya laughed after the cop left us.

*It's not funny,' I said as I wore my shoes again and straightened my pants.

*Can we meet at my chummery, please?'

*In a while. I travel out of Chennai everyday and come back late,' she said.

*Weekend?'

*I'll try,' she said. *You will feed me chicken? I'm dying to have non-veg. and get beer, too.'

*OK,' I promised. My building had vegetarian-only rules, but surely they wouldn't notice if I brought something readymade from outside.

We sat in our respective autos. She spoke to me from her side window. *And I'll speak to my parents about the tuitions. Twice a week at five?'

*Five in the morning?' Why is everyone so eager to wake up in this town!

*That's when everyone goes for tuitions,' she said and sped off.

I had to wait for two miserable weeks in Chennai until Ananya finally decided to visit my chummery for lunch one Saturday. One weekend Ananya's mother fell ill and Ananya had to cook for the family, courtesy a guilt trip from her mother. The food did not come out right, as Ananya's culinary experience is limited to making Maggi in my room and making papads with a clothes iron (yes, it works). This led to another guilt trip from Shobha aunty to Ananya's mother who blamed her for not bringing up her daughter right. The guilt trip percolated down to Ananya, who had to take Shobha aunty jewellery and sari shopping the next weekend.

Meanwhile, I had visited Brilliant Tutorials and bought IIT exam guides. I couldn't believe how tough the course materials were. The only reason I managed *

to study them in the past was because that distracted me from my parents' fights.

I revised chemistry to prepare for my first class.

I also went to my Sardar-ji neighbor to find out the best way to procure chicken and beers.

"Who is coming? Punjabi friends?' he asked.

*Work people,' I said, to stop him from inviting himself.

*Be careful when you take it up in the lift,' he said.

As he told me, I went to the Delhi Dhabha in Nungambakkam, less than a kilometre from my house. I triple-packed the tandoori chicken so no smell came out. I went to the government-approved liquor shop, where they had trouble establishing my age. *Are you over twenty-five?'

*No, but will be soon,' I said.

*Then we can't give you,' the shopkeeper said.

*Even if I pay ten bucks extra a bottle?'

It is amazing how money relaxes rules around the country. The shopkeeper packed the three bottles in brown paper, and I further placed them in a plastic bag, so one couldn't make out the shape.

*What's in it?' the liftman asked me as the bottles touched the ground noisily when I placed the packet on the floor.

*Lemon squash,' I said.

*You should have coconut water instead,' the liftman said.

I nodded and reached my apartment. Ramanujan saw me place the bottles in the fridge. "what's that?' He wore a lungi and nothing on top apart from a white thread around his shoulders.

*Beer,' I said.

*Dude, you can't get alcohol in this building,' he said.

*My girlfriend is visiting me. She likes it,' I said.

*You have a girlfriend?' Ramanujan repeated like I had ten wives. None of my flatmates had a girlfriend. They were all qualified, well-paid Tamil Citibankers who planned to be auctioned off soon by their parents.

*Yes, from college,' I said.

My other roommates came to the living room. None of them wore shirts. I shut the fridge to avoid further conversation on the beverages.

*She is visiting Chennai? Sendil said.

*Will she stay here? She can't stay here,' Appalingam said.

*She lives in Chennai,' I said.

The boys looked at each other as to who would ask the bell-the-cat question.

*Tamilian?' Ramanujan asked.

*Yes,' I said, *Tamil Brahmin.' I added the last two words to let them absorb the shock at once.

*Wow!' all of them said in unison.

*She drinks beer?' Ramanujan said.

*Yes,' I said and upturned the chicken into a bowl.

*And chicken? What kind of Brahmin is this?' Sendil said. *And dude, don't get non-veg in this house.'

*It's my house, too,' I said.

*But rules are rules,' he said.

People in this city loved rules, or rather loved to follow rules. Except if you are a cop or a liquor shop attendant or an auto driver.

*Let it be, Sendil,' Ramanujan said.

*Thanks,' I said and placed the chicken in the fridge. *And guys, please wear shirts when she is here.'

Ananya came to my place at two o'clock. I greeted her politely in the living room. My flatmates exchanged shy glances with each other as she greeted them.

Sendil spoke to her in Tamil. Tamilians love to irritate non-Tamil speakers by speaking only in Tamil in front of them. This is the only silent rebellion in their otherwise repressed, docile personality. When she finally entered my bedroom, I grabbed her from behind.

*Can w eat first? I haven't had chicken for a month.'

*I haven't had sex for four months,' I said, but she went out and opened the fridge.

*You have beer too. Superb!' she praised and she pulled out a bottle. She offered it to my flatmates; they declined. We moved the food and beer to my bedroom. I didn't want my friends outside to witness sin as we finished a full chicken and two beers.

*And now for dessert,' I said and came close to her.

*If I burp, don't stop loving me,' she said as her lips came close to mine.

I burped. She slapped me. We kissed and kissed and kissed some more. Our lovemaking was more intense, not only because we did it after a long time, but also because we were doing it in this stuck-up city for the first time.

*Mr Citibanker, there is no train to catch. Slower, gentler next-time,' Ananya said as we lay back. I sighed as I entered a semi-trance state. Ramanujan played Tamil music outside the room.

*What, say something? Men just want sex,' she said and kicked my leg.

*Yeah, that's why I've agreed to teach your brother at five in the morning. You want to see my chemistry notes?' I sat up, wore my clothes and pulled out tutorials from the drawer. *I read these for four hours last night,' I said.

*So sweet,' she said and came forward to kiss my cheek. *Don't worry. My parents will soon see how wonderful you are. And then they will love you like I do.'

*They'll sleep with me?' I lay down next to her.

She elbowed me in my stomach.

*That hurt,' I said.

*Good.' She looked into my eyes. Her gaze turned soft. *I know the tuitions are hard. My parents are weird people. You'll not give up, right?'

*I won't give up.' I stroked her hair.

*This is so amazing, this intimacy. Isn't it even better than the sex?'

*I'm not so sure,' I said and reached a hand to increase the fan speed.

*We never talk. At home, my mom and dad, they hardly talk. We'll talk about the news, the food, the weather. But we never talk about our feelings. I only do that with you,' she said.

I kept quiet. She sat up to wear her clothes. She picked up the pillows from the floor and placed them back on the bed. I pulled her arm and made her sit down with me again.

*How come you don't ask me to run away with you?' she asked.

*You want me to? What if I did ask you to elope?'

*I wouldn't know what to do. I don't want to hurt them. I already have by choosing a Punjabi mate, but I think we can win them over, I want them to smile on our wedding day. That's how I imagined my marriage since I was a child. What about you?'

I thought for a minute. *I don't want to elope,' I said.

*Why?'

*It's too easy. And that doesn't serve the greater purpose.'

Ananya stepped off the bed and brought back the leftovers. She took the crumbs of chicken and ate them as we talked. *Greater purpose?'

*Yes, these stupid biases and discrimination are the reason our country is so screwed up. It's Tamil first, Indian later. Punjabi first, Indian later. It has to end.'

Ananya looked at me. *Go on,' she coaxed mischievously.