Kcris & Jeena

Jeena wants to gift a bulb onion.

"There is never a case when things like this happen and the university chancellor is not notified about it. Right now, you are worrying about the studies of these girls. What happened to worrying about this girl (while pointing towards Jeena)? Did you even think about her mental condition or well-being when you knew that she was bullied and harassed in your college? Does it even occur to you that maybe you should try to find out about her when she is missing from class for these many days and especially after that incident? Did you ask her friends if she was ok or not? What did you actually do to remedy the wrong that was done on your own college premises? Ma'am do you have an answer to any of these questions?"
The chancellor, in more of a pleading tone, requests Kcris, "Please let the matter go. I can't suspend these girls as they belong to very powerful families and I don't want to infuriate them."
Kcris immediately refutes the chancellor, saying, "The punishment for what these girls have done is not suspension but rustication from the university. Ma'am, do you see that photograph behind you with the name Kcristina Pattinson? It's me. I have been a student at National University so, I do know the rules here. (With raised eyebrows Kcris further questions the chancellor.) Why does it even matter whose kids are these? You are the chancellor of the university, which gives you enough discretion to rusticate these girls. And, since when, students' family backgrounds are considered while punishing them for their wrongdoings?... Unless these parents are the Duchy of Lancaster for you... Which would mean..."
Before Kcris can finish, Jeena interrupts as she doesn't want this thing to stretch anymore and goes like, "Can't we finish this already?"
"But, Jeena..."
"No, Kcris. I am exhausted. I forgive them."
Kcris wants the girls to be punished but at the same time can't go against Jeena. So, Kcris turns to these girls, who have been silently standing with their heads down, and tells them, "Have some courtesy and be grateful that she is forgiving you just like that. At least apologize for your mistakes."
Before the girls can apologize properly, Jeena gets up and walks out of the office. Kcris too follows her. After this, Kcris tells Jeena that she is hungry and would like to eat something in the college cafeteria. Both go there and while they are eating Jeena asks Kcris, "What exactly happened between us leaving and coming back to the chancellor's office?"
Kcris laughs when she says to Jeena, "Congratulations, Jeena. Very soon, you guys will have a new University Chancellor."
"Umm... What? You are joking, right?"
"No, I am not joking. And what did you ask?... Come again?... Oh! Well, nothing much happened in between except that your chancellor got a call from the Education Minister's office."
Jeena momentarily goes into shock till Kcris waves her hand in front of Jeena's face.
"Wow... Kcris... You really are something. Miss Anisha was right. I should be careful about not falling on the wrong side of you. You're really powerful and resourceful when it comes to people."
Kcris finally decides to end this fan-girl moment of Jeena by telling her, "Jeena, I am not powerful. I just happen to know certain people who like to set things straight. Our education minister is none other than Mrs. Fabiola's elder sister. She is very much concerned about students' mental well-being as you know her own niece committed suicide. Apart from this, she is also quite particular about people misusing their position by not doing the right things."
"But, Kcris, all things kept aside, on a serious note, I would like to thank you. I can't thank you enough for the numerous times you have helped me. (Suddenly, Jeena gets excited) I want to gift you something."
Kcris chuckles before asking Jeena about what exactly Jeena wants to give her as a gift. After giving it some thought, Jeena lets Kcris know that she wants to give her a bulb onion. Jeena's vibrant thought makes Kcris almost spit food out of her mouth.
"Why such a brilliant present for me?" After asking this Kcris starts to laugh like crazy.
"Well, when you are to give someone a gift you have two options. Either, give something that the person doesn't have or, give something that matches the personality of the person you are giving a gift to."
"In that case, how come my personality is similar to a bulb onion? I am pretty much sure that I can afford onions. Jeena, please enlighten me."
"When you remove one layer you will find another. And the same is you. Well, today, I found that you are a businesswoman who apparently knows the education minister. That day in the hospital, I learned that you are damn rich as you have a Centurion card and also a security detail for your protection. Before that, I learned that you own an entertainment company."
"Ok, ok, Jeena. I get your point. I didn't think that you observed me so keenly."
"I also know that you love music and are also a good musician."
"Well, Jeena, that's a shocker. I never told you about music."
"Umm... What do they say? It's an information era. Google can provide you with answers that no one can. Courtesy of the internet, I got to hear your music, which is actually good. You should have been a great musician."
Kcris chuckles and goes like, "I didn't think you would google me. And as for the music, I think if you can't devote your 100% to your craft, you better don't do it. (Kcris after eating the last bite, asks) If you are done, let's get going."
After returning the bowls and paying for the food, Kcris starts to walk ahead. Jeena calls Kcris from behind, and Kcris stops and turns to ask, "What happened?"
Jeena stands close to Kcris and says, "Kcris, you have helped me a lot and from here, I will take control of my life. I would like to give myself some time to heal. Kcris, please stop helping me and let me fight my own battles."
Kcris smiles and raises her hand in a gesture indicating Jeena to stop saying further.
"Jeena, tell me what you want from me?"
"Kcris, I am sorry."
"Stop... Right there. Jeena, remember one thing... Never be sorry, because you wish to live your life according to yourself. And now tell me, what do you need?"
"Kcris, you shouldn't worry about me, and trust me that, if I need you, I definitely reach out to you. And even before that, I would like to live in my house from now on."
"Jeena, I totally get you. You take your time. I may text you sometimes but, that will only be sometimes and not always so, please try to reply. Rest, you go and figure out your life, little girl."
After saying this, Kcris pulls Jeena closer and kisses her forehead. Kcris then slightly ruffles Jeena's hair and whispers in her ear, "You don't have your car today and nobody is picking you up from college. So, you better know how to hail a cab."
Kcris winks at Jeena and turns to leave. While going away, Kcris waves Jeena bye without turning back to see Jeena. Jeena stands there for a few minutes before going to her class. Since Jeena is entering the classroom in the fourth class, all the students are already in the class. As soon as Jeena gets in, the entire classroom is silent and everyone is looking at her as she moves past the rows to go and sit in the last second row, corner seat. As soon as Jeena is seated, those three girls approach her trying to act all nice and friendly. Before Jeena can say something, the professor comes in and these girls go back to their respective seats. While getting out of college Jeena coincidentally meets Amy near the college gate, who has been waiting for her driver. Both talk for some time and when Amy finds out that Jeena is going home by cab she offers her ride home. Jeena tries to refuse but Amy is Amy.
Upon getting home, despite being mentally prepared for a tough night, Jeena is right now having her worst night as she is going through immense pain of hurt and loss and nobody is here to help. She can't help but remember all the times she has been happy with Alex, here in this house. To avoid this loneliness and darkness, Jeena turns on every light in the house and puts on random channels on the television to play. Jeena gets her blanket and pillow to sleep on the couch. It's already four in the morning and Jeena hasn't slept even for 5 minutes. Jeena tries everything to get some sleep, which pretty much includes everything starting from putting on music, drinking warm milk, cuddling the bolster pillow, to applying some lavender oil on her feet. It seems that Jeena has exhausted all her tricks to solve her current question of how to get a few hours of sound sleep. Jeena gives up on trying to sleep around 6 in the morning and goes to get ready for the dance studio.
As the days are passing, everything is getting back to normal except Jeena's sleep. Occasionally, Jeena may get texts from Kcris, asking about her well-being and what she is up to these days. Jeena makes sure that she replies to them as it is highly probable that if left unanswered for a long, Kcris would end up straight at Jeena's front door. Sometimes, Jeena may tell Kcris about her ongoing college activities. And sometimes it's the recent movies she has watched or the food she has cooked for herself. For the initial few messages, Jeena would also ask Kcris about how she is doing or what she is doing. But later on, Jeena stops asking as she knows that the answer is going to be something like 'I am in a meeting', 'I am going to a meeting', or 'I am just finished with my meeting'. For a little change, sometimes it is, 'I am flying down to XYZ place for a meeting'.
Two months have passed since Jeena broke up with Alex. Things have gotten better, but Jeena still finds it troublesome to sleep. Ultimately, Jeena decides to go for therapy. Two weeks into therapy and still not much progress makes Jeena feel a bit more agitated. The prescribed sedatives can put Jeena to sleep only for a maximum of 3 to 4 hours. Even this sleep of a few hours is not free of nightmares. After getting sick and tired of trying everything, with careful deliberation, Jeena decides to leave this house and look for another place to live. Jeena wants to vacate this place because of her past relationship with Alex, but there is another reason for this decision. The previous month, Jeena has come to find out from her mother that Jeena's aunt, who is the owner of this house, due to some business expansion plans, needs money. Jeena being so grateful to her aunt for letting her stay in the house decides to vacate it so that her aunt can sell this property and solve her financial troubles.
The next day, Jeena talks to Ayesha about this. Ayesha suggests, “Jeena, start looking for some studio apartments as soon as possible if you want to vacate by the end of this month. It is going to be a tad difficult to find a place near college as it is the middle of the semester.”
A week has passed since Jeena decided to go house hunting and there is still no outcome.
It's a coffee shop in the other part of the town. Kcris has come here for a client. Once the meeting is done and Kcris is about to leave, she sees Jeena sitting near the window side. Kcris stops and goes like, "Hi, Jeena."
After seeing Kcris, Jeena puts her coffee down and goes like, "Hey, Kcris. What are you doing here?"
"Ahh! Same old, same old. Boring, client meeting. By the way, why are you here and that to all by yourself? Jeena, this place isn't even on the route between the college and your house."
"First of all, please, grab a seat, Kcris as I don't find it comfortable talking to you while you are still standing."
Kcris sits next to Jeena and asks her, "So, tell me. How are you doing? It's been quite a few months since we last saw each other."
"I am doing fine. Actually, I am thinking of finding a new place to shift as I am vacating that house."
Kcris is surprised to listen to this and immediately asks Jeena if she is having any kind of trouble. Seeing Kcris worry, Jeena immediately refuses by saying, "No, no. Nothing has happened, Kcris. It's just that my aunt thinks of selling it and I am also bored of living there. So, we think it's best if we sell it."
"Do you want me to buy it? I can buy it at whatever price your aunt wants."
Jeena immediately gets out of a chair and yells, "Kcris, are you crazy? Don't you dare think of buying it?"
Everyone is looking at Jeena now. Feeling the awkwardness, Jeena immediately apologizes to everyone and kinda squeezes back into her seat because of the embarrassment. Kcris smiles as she finds this funny. Jeena who is still embarrassed, scolds Kcris in a whispering tone, "Stop laughing, Kcris. Right now, I really want to smash this saucer on your head."
Kcris is enjoying, seeing Jeena act like this. After a few minutes when both are normal, they continue their conversation again. While talking, something just clicks in Kcris' mind and she goes like, "Why don't you live in Casey's house? Either way, it is always empty as most of the time, no one is living in it."
"No, Kcris. I don't want to take any favors from you. Plus, it's a big house. I can never live alone in that big of a house."
Kcris tries to persuade Jeena by telling her, "Listen to me before you straight out refuse my offer. See, it's off-season as it is more like the middle of the semester. You won't find a good place to live. Casey's house is just a 20-minute ride from your college. I can live with you, more like roommates. You won't have to worry about the rent."