Page 25 of Dream a Little Dream

“What are you studying?” Rahul asked as he plated up the meal for two.

“Forensic Psychology.”

“Wow. So, you’re gonna, like, read minds?”

“That’s the plan. Starting with my own.”

Rahul handed him a bowl of daal and sat, a homemade naan bread between them. “Must be fascinating stuff, the human mind. Getting inside it.”

“It’s the most complex structure in the universe.”

“Ha. I’ll bet. Way more than anything I’ll construct in my engineering degree.”

“Many of us don’t even understand our own thoughts.” Aaron tore off a bit of naan and swiped it through the daal. He took a bite and hummed. “This is banging, mate. Compliments to your mum.”

Rahul smiled. “She’s a great cook.”

“You miss home?”

“Yes.” He bowed his head as if masking a lie.

Yeah, he missed home but…

“Nice to have a bit of freedom, though, right?” Aaron ripped off more bread, slathering it in his food. “Like, my mum would kill me if I’d dyed my hair this colour at home. So it’s sorta nice to just…be myself. Myrealself. Experiment, a little.”

God, he was good at lying.

Although, was he lying? Howwouldhis mum feel about his hair? He’d not visited her. He’d been allowed to make that decision for himself since aged sixteen, but never really wanted to take that step. Perhaps he wanted to still cling to his own version of her. The mother. And not the monster.

“It suits you,” Rahul said, tilting his neck. “The hair.”

Aaron smiled, running his fingers through it and pretending it was the best compliment he’d ever had by making his cheeks blush. When, in all honesty, the best compliment he’d ever had was“Good boy. You’re good at that.”

“So, what do you plan to do with engineering?”

“Get a job. With my dad.”

“Yeah? Family business?” Aaron knew all aboutthose.

“Yeah.”

“Don’t want to branch out on your own?”

Rahul didn’t answer right away, using the time to lap up the dinner. “What do your parents want you to do?”

“Mine?” Aaron sat back in the chair. “They’re letting me choose my own path.” Because they didn’t have a say. Not anymore.

“And they don’t mind that you’re…” Rahul waved his fork, trying to find the right words. “LGBTQ+?”

Aaron snorted at the use of the full inclusion. It was cute. As if Rahul had never said the word ‘gay’ in his life. “I’m gay.”

“Oh.” Rahul blushed. “Yeah. Okay. That’s fine. Cool. Excellent.”

Aaron cocked his head. “Are you?”

“Me?” Rahul stared at his plate. “I’ll be getting married after my degree.”

“To a woman?”

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