Dark Summer Nights

Summer gets in the back looking slightly tearful. Sumi kisses her on the cheek, Summer looks away as not to show them that she has been sobbing. Kamila also gets in the back and puts her arms around Summer and shuts the back door. Lankan yells at them left behind ”behave yourselves!” and gets in the passenger seat in a few minutes the cab driver pulls away. They arrive at the airport not so far away about two hours before their flight. They go through the customs and get their bags checked; the lady at the check-in goes through the usual questions asking if they packed the suitcase themselves, Kamila shrugs hoping that this might delay them all. Lankan cuts in unfortunately “yes we did check them ourselves, we always do” Kamila looks at Summer who has no idea what measures her mum would go through to stop her from getting on the plane. Summer stares at her mum and for a slight second gets anxious but is distracted immediately by some people running past her.

They banter as they see Tommy and Henry in the front walkway “oooh girls, you both look lovely”, the girls blush as they stare at their cool looking boys “you don’t look bad yourselves, if we must say”. Henry interlinks his arm with Summer and walks ahead, Tommy and Rachel follow behind at a distance. Lankan drives by Rachel’s house spying to see if he can spot Summer in the window but instead he spots Henry and Summer with interlinked arms walking together “right that’s it, I’m not having this”. He decides to let them have their enjoyment that night. He gets home in a rage but doesn’t show it to Kamila who has cooked Lankan’s favourite dish.

She kisses him on the lips passionately “do you really want me?” he nods and strokes her back, she in turn strokes his. She finds her tongue touching his and they both get lost in their own little world “I want to be your girlfriend Hen; I just don’t know how to tell my folks!”   Henry looks sympathetically at Summers problem “don’t worry, it will be ok, I’m sure about it”. She looks down and her smile has disappeared “uh Henry, I don’t think you quite get it, my parents are the strict kind!”

Hi to my readers, I am pleased to see that my first blog is being well received... This novel is about a story of survival in a foreign country for a an Indian girl born and bred in UK, I have focused this story on forced marriages abroad as I would like to bring awareness to girls no matter how young or old that have had no choice in marrying a suitor picked by their family. I like to say that I have been lucky in that my parents were liberated and allowed me to pick my own choice of suitor which is why I have thanked my parents in the beginning of the book... however it would be interesting to hear your views on arranged/forced marriages. Do you think they will ever have a chance of working in the future? Or is it a complete no-no?

Summer, slightly tearful comes through the corridor and gets grabbed by Henry and they both sneak off to a secluded place “Hi Sum, don’t cry, she’s only telling you off a bit, she won’t tell your parents, "don’t worry”, "it’s alright for you, you don’t get told off at all” she snaps back. He looks at her lovingly “oh Hun, I do all the time, I just take it with a pinch of salt” He brings her closer and kisses her on the lips”. “oi oi, cut that out you two” a stern voice shouts back “oh shit! “ Henry laughs as he spots Tommy staring at them in hysterics. The bell rings and the lessons after her kiss from Henry are a blur. For the whole afternoon they constantly stare at each other occasionally winking at each other. Fortunately for them the teacher doesn’t catch them. The last bell rings and they all walk out of the classroom. They stroll down the corridor looking at their phones bumping into each other. Tommy grabs Henry aside as Sumi pulls up near the school gates. “Hey lady”

Summer rushes in front of Nikesh " see ya later loser!”. He rolls his eyes and keeps behind. “Yeah we will see who the loser is later on!” he replies. Summer looks behind, sticks two fingers at him and walks on. She meets Rachel and Emily her best friends near the entrance. “Hi girls”. Rachel smiles at Summer and hugs her “oh hiya Sum”. Emily stares at Summer too and gives her a hug. Henry, a blond blue-eyed lad who she has a crush on and his mate Tommy, a dark haired Casanova walk by greeting them “hiya, alright?”, "yeah were good” Summer smiles at Henry “Cool”. They all follow each other into class. They take their seats, the teacher seats them girl-boy so they don’t end up chatting during their lesson. Henry sits next to Rachel and Tommy next to Summer. Emily who is unfortunately left out sits next to a shy boy. She smiles at him hoping to strike up a conversation but it backfires on her.

Snippets from my first novel Dark Summer Nights It’s a nice summer’s day in June, the sun shining, birds whistling, the heat burning down; some would think this would last forever for Summer, a fifteen year old Indian girl born and bred in Balham. She is a sibling to thirteen year old Nikesh and twenty year old Sumi. Summer lives a very carefree life but occasionally rebels against her strict parents when she deems right. She wears her silky brown hair in a long plait with big brown eyes that mesmerises anyone in her presence.