Trust Fall(Complete ✅)

32. Holiday

 My heart feels a painful squeeze as I see him purse his lips and force a smile before he heads inside his car and Penzo puts his arm around and pats me gently as he speaks- "Don't worry, we're still here for you." 

 I force a smile as well as I see the vehicle leave and I am still so damn sad because he left. 

.........

"Will you please, for the love of God, turn your phone silent?" Sia complains. "If I hear the sound of your ringtone or that bloody ding one more time, I'm seriously going to end up ripping all the hair from my head."

I roll my eyes but I chose to obey her anyway.

Since the moment he left town, we have been chatting and calling each other like crazy. He was surely not kidding when he told me that he was going to text all the time.

"Really, Bia. Are you even here?" Penzo groans. "You're supposed to be celebrating this season with your loved ones, like physically." He then quietly takes the phone out of my hand and puts it up on the living room shelf that I can't even reach.

"But-" I jump off the couch trying to argue with him but he cuts me off short.

"Shush," He puts a finger on his lips, ordering me to shut up. "I'll return it to you after a serious match of 'Scotland yard'." He says, dramatically gesturing his hands on the floor where Sia is enthusiastically spreading out the board game while displaying her puppy eyes at me. I wonder how he is best friends with Keith when he seems to get along more with his twin sister.

Of course, I'm missing Neil and the connection we still have because of our phones is amazing, yet it is too uncomfortable at times. I barely get to talk with anyone else.

"Okay," I sigh loudly and slump down on the floor. "But just one match." I point my finger at him, trying my best to look bored already.

"Yay!" Sia chimes.

"But how on earth are we supposed to play this game with just the three of us?" I ask.

"I'll play," Keith announces, lazily pushing his phone away in the corner of the couch.

"Me too." Aviral runs out of the kitchen and jumps excitedly on Sia's lap.

"Avi, you know I love you like crazy but now you are too damn big to sit on my lap." My little brother grumpily agrees with his cousin and sits beside her with his legs crossed.

The single game soon turns into a second match when my father comes in, seriously trying his best to understand the rules but failing to keep up every time. So, he forces us to stop the game midway and join him to play snake and ladder.  Eventually, uncle Sanjeev and grandpa join us as well, leaving our grandma, mom and aunt Deepika in the kitchen, who seem like they're having a blast experimenting with the recipes and keeping up with the new gossip.

I've been laughing so hard and the environment and the people I'm surrounded with make me feel content. However, my eyes can't seem to stop looking up constantly, in search of my phone. I miss him and I imagine how better the moment could've been even if he'd been here with me as well. I really want him to meet my parents as well and spend a joyful time with us like family, but I know it's too much to ask.

...

Penzo finally returns my phone after dinner and my eyes go wide with shock when I look at my screen—11 missed calls and 32 unread messages—

hey

what are you doing?

you there?

heyyyy

babe

what's wrong?

hey