You and I

CHAPTER 2

MANIK

I was getting drunk. That's it. That was my main goal tonight.

Slamming my car door, I headed towards the field where I could already hear the music blasting and see the bonfire lighting the darkness. This was our last Friday night party before our second year would start on Monday. Everyone would be celebrating. Couples hooking up in the parking lot. Everyone having a drink in their hands. And there would be at least one fight over a girl before the night was over. Yeah! Same old scene at every field party.

But I was going to need a beer or six to get really drunk to celebrate. Watching Dad throw up blood as Mom wiped his forehead with pure fear in her eyes - that had been too damn much. I wanted to stay at home and be with them. But Dad didn't let me. He forced me out of home saying I should go on and about as I normally would have.

6 months ago we got to know that he had advanced colon cancer, and that we could only prolong his life by a few months but they could not completely heal him. It got diagnosed too late and now there was nothing that the doctors could do about it.

Every time he got sick, the little boy inside me came out, and I hated that feeling. I loved my Dad with everything that I have. How the hell am I supposed to just wait it out and lose him?

Shaking my head, I ran my hand through my hair and pulled hard. I was ready to get back in the game. Next Friday night, we'll have our first match of second year. But I wanted to feel some pain right now. Anything to numb the reality that's my life.

My phone started vibrating, and I pulled it out of my pocket. Every time it rang when I wasn't home, terror gripped me so strongly, that I felt sick. Seeing Soha, my girlfriend's name, was a relief. It wasn't Mom. Dad was still safe and at home. He was still with us.

"Hey," I said, wondering why she was calling me. She knew I was headed to the field party.

"You coming to get me?" she asked, sounding annoyed.

"Didn't ask me to come get you. I'm already at the party."

"Are you serious? I'm not coming if you don't get me, Manik!" She was pissed. But Soha was always pissed at me about something.

"I guess I'll see you later then. I'm not in the mood for this tonight, Soha."

Soha had no idea about my Dad. He didn't want people knowing how sick he was. Said that he didn't want to get any pity looks. That was the thing which killed him the most. Mom and I respected that and kept our mouths shut.

Mom's whole world was me and Dad. She didn't want anyone else. Other than us, she found a good friend in Saumya Aunty, Abhi's mom, but she wasn't the kind to go and meet friends outside. Spend the whole day with them in shopping or some high society party. No. She liked being that stay-at-home-mother. Her day started and ended with her family.

"Are you even listening to me?" Soha's high-pitched scream snapped me out of my thoughts.

Soha and I were a particular kind of couple. She liked being on my arm, and I liked the way her body looked. There was no love or trust between us. We had been dating for over a year now, and she was easy to keep at a distance. And right now, that's all I had the time for.

"Listen, Soha, I'm getting a headache. I need a break. Let's take a break, and we'll talk about it next week, yeah?" I didn't wait for her to respond and hung up. I already knew there would be yelling and threats that she would go and sleep with one of my friends. I'd heard it all before.

I just didn't care.

I picked up the pace and headed across the grass and between the trees to the open field where the parties would usually take place. The field belonged to Aryaman's grandfather, who played along with us on the team. His grandfather had allowed us to use the field for parties since he couldn't ever say no to Aryaman. It was just on the outskirts of Mumbai, and his grandfather's place was the closest thing to us. And that too was a good mile or two away from here. We could make plenty of noise and not worry about nosy neighbors watching our every move.