Neel shakes his head. “No. But we should be mentally prepared.”
Aditya raises an eyebrow without turning around. “That sounds threatening.”
“It’s not threatening,” Neel insists. “It’s educational.”
I pull out a chair and sit down. “What exactly is educational?”
Neel beams proudly. “Today is my parent-teacher meeting.”
The words hang in the air. Aditya turns off the stove and looks over his shoulder. “Ah.”
I press my lips together. "And you're telling this to me now?" I narrow my eyes at him.
Neel smiles sheepishly, “You’re not reacting properly.”
“What reaction were you expecting?” Aditya asks.
“Something more supportive.”
Aditya walks over and places the plate of breakfast on the table. “I am extremely supportive.”
Neel narrows his eyes. “You don’t look supportive.”
I hide a smile behind my cup, I don't think I can ever be mad at Neel. It's his superpower. Neel points his finger at both of us dramatically. “The teacher will say many lies about me today.”
“Lies?” I repeat.
“Yes.”
“About what?”
“About talking in class.”
Aditya sits down beside me. “Do you talk in class?”
Neel pauses. “That is not the point.”
I take a slow sip of tea. “Do you talk in class?”
“Only when necessary.”
“What counts as necessary?”
“When my friends are bored.”
Aditya chuckles quietly. “That’s very considerate of you.”
Neel nods solemnly. “I believe in teamwork.”
I shake my head and stand up to collect the plates. “Well, we’ll find out exactly how considerate you’ve been at the meeting.”
Neel freezes.
“Wait.”
I glance back at him. “What?”
“You’re coming?”
