Meet Me in the Middle

Chapter 2

August 2015

I hear a loud shriek and jolt up on the bed. It takes me a minute to realize where I am. Farmhouse. Right. I look out the window and it's still raining outside. First downpour in Kota and it's absolutely breathtaking. The petrichor alone is something to wage wars for. I consider sitting outside for a little while but then realize what woke me up. The shriek. The not-so-manly shriek.

I chuckle to myself as I cross the balcony and peek into the room opposite mine. I know for a fact that Anuj always keeps his room unlocked while sleeping because he's scared of the dark. I know that because I once locked him into a bathroom, for an hour as revenge and he started crying in there. Until then, I always thought that I was the only one with fears and irrational phobias.

I look into his room and the sight that greets me is worthy of a comic book. He's standing on his bed with his bed sheet wrapped around his torso and looking at something on the floor. His hair is LITERALLY standing up and if I hadn't walked here half asleep, I would've taken a million pictures because, this? Top tier blackmail material.

"WHAT HAPPENED!!?? 2 A.M. IS NOT THE TIME TO WATCH HORROR MOVIES!! YOU KNOW IT GIVES YOU NIGHTMARES!!"

"I WASN'T WATCHING ONE!!! I'M LIVING IT RIGHT NOW!!"

We're both shouting and I can't help thinking it's absolutely hysterical.

"WHAT HAPPENED!?"

"LOOK AT THAT!!" I look in the direction he's pointing and find the offending monstrosity he's pointing at. Only the monstrosity is a little squirrel. Would probably fit in the palm of my hand if I tried. She's innocently sitting there, squeaking at something in her hand.

"Seriously, Anuja?"

"I HATE SQUIRRELS!! I WAS SLEEPING AND SHE GOT UP ON THE BED THROUGH THE WINDOW!! SHE WAS RIGHT IN FRONT OF MY FACE!! DO SOMETHING!!"

"Why? What do I get out of this?" Golden. Opportunity.

"ARE YOU SERIOUSLY NEGOTIATING WITH ME RIGHT NOW!?" Of course I am.

"I get your bike for the whole day. You won't even touch it." It was the Hayabusa GSX1300R, a beauty in black.

"FINE!!! NOW PLAY YOUR DAMN FLUTE, MS. ANIMAL WHISPERER AND GET HER OUTTA HERE!"

"Wait." I look into his bag and grab the pack of peanuts we bought the other day. Man, what a dumbass. I throw a few to her and she suddenly runs out the window as Anuj shrieks once again. I close the window screen as soon as she's out.

"Why are you wrapped in a bedsheet? You look like a sexy lady post-coitus."

"Main apni izzat bachaa raha tha. I thought Mr. Lalwani was going to be here and I was not wearing a shirt."

I can't hold it any longer and burst out laughing as he joins me, guffawing. We laugh for seconds, minutes or hours. I lose track of time. As soon as one of us tries to stop, we look at each other and start laughing again. I fall to the floor and he's literally rolling on the bed. We come to our senses after a while when our stomachs start hurting badly.

"I'm gonna grab a tshirt or something. I don't think I can go back to sleep." He says, wiping his eyes.

"You do that Anuja, you do that." I haven't laughed that hard in months. I'd forgotten that I was even capable of such laughter.

The rain stopped and we sat outside on the porch. The horses were in the shed, almost sleeping. I can never figure out if they're asleep or not and I choose to not go in the mud after the rain. I'll have to check on them in the morning.

"Believe it or not, you have a way with animals."

"I'm glad. Better animals than humans."

"I got you a present." Fucking incorrigible dumbass.

"I told you no expensive gifts. This property alone is intimidating."

"You shouldn't be. You know the rules, what's mine is yours. And even after I leave, you're more than welcome to visit here."

"Don't try to distract me. What's the gift?" I'll have to admit I'm curious. And a little bit scared.

"Remember Fifty Shades Freed?

"Do I?" I say sarcastically.

"Remember that personalized bracelet you fangirled over...?" Please don't be it. Please don't be it. Please don't be it. I'm freaking out!

He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a golden tinted chained charm bracelet. "I got this made for you. For things that represent you." He clasps it on my hand and I look at it closely. There are several charms. A notebook, a backpack, a camera, a passport, eye frames, a pen, a laptop and a little airplane. It's so fucking thoughtful and undoubtedly the sweetest thing anyone's got me.

"Thank you.." I say with as much emotion I can muster and he laughs.

"Don't bother yourself Aish. Do you like it?"

"I love it." Again I try to let him know how much it means to me. How much HE means to me but I simply don't know what or how to say it. But I have a feeling I don't need to. He already knows. He's the one person who totally knows me.

"It's to remind you of me. Always keep it close. Never lose it. It's my horcrux."

"What's a horcrux?"

"I hate you." he whines. "It'll remind you of me when I'm not here... ya agar main kabhi nahi raha toh"

"Tu kyun kabhi nahi rahega. You once promised me you'll always be there for me.." He smiles in a melancholic way and I get the feeling that he's either hiding something from me or knowing him, protecting me from something.