Chasing her

Chapter 1: Chasing Memories

It's 9:50 pm, August 7th, 2020.

Navin POV:

It's been 5 years since Mira broke up with Ajay, but that idiot is still thinking about her, chasing after her, and waiting for her to come back. Though we tried explaining to him that she will never return, he was not in a situation to digest the truth.

Instead, he takes the path of smoking, drinking, and even tried drugs along the road and hospitalised for a couple of months.

These days, he quits all his bad habits for his father and looks after his father's restaurant to keep him happy. But he can't fool me. I've known him since we were kids, and I'm certain he still bears the wounds that she left. I know for sure he's still smoking and drinking when no one is around, and these wounds will only be cured if another woman comes into his life.

It's 10 pm at night, and while I was trying to get some sleep, my phone suddenly started ringing. I checked who has called at this time, and to my surprise, it was Suresh uncle, Ajay's father. I quickly answered the call, "Hello, Navin, are you with Ajay?"

Confused, I responded, "No, uncle, I'm not with him. What happened? Is he not at home?"

Suresh uncle continued with concern, "Yes, he's not at home, and nobody at the restaurant has seen him today. I tried calling his phone, but it's switched off. I thought maybe he's with you. Where do you think he has gone?"

I replied in an assured tone, "You don't need to worry, uncle. I might know where he is right now. I'll go and check, and I'll call you back uncle."

After I hung up the phone, I went outside and took my bike, heading to the nearby wine shop to see whether he was there. Unfortunately, he was nowhere to be found. Finally, at one wine shop, I inquired with the shop owner by showing a picture of Ajay. They said he had left an hour ago, and that stupid even got into a fight with the shop owner because they didn't have his favorite brand. Maybe it's all for the good because, due to that fight, the owner remembers him.

I started thinking about where he might go from here. That's when I remembered what today was, it's August 7th, Mira's birthday. The only place he would go from here, seeking the warmth of Mira, would be St. Joseph School, the school where Mira, Ajay and I have studied.

I thought of hurrying to the school before he does anything stupid. As I reached the school, there was one security guard at the gate, who is not standing steadily. I went to him, showed the picture of Ajay, and asked, "Hello sir, have you seen this person here?"

The security guard's eyes widened. He took the phone from me, zoomed the photo, and replied, "How can I not know him? Because of him, me and my fellow guards have a great party night every year on his day, and for this, we are truly grateful to him."

From his words, I could understand he was fully drunk. Indeed, there was a party that happened on the other side of the gate as there were bottles and stuff present. But where the hell is he? I can't find him anywhere. Maybe this security guard knows where he is, so I looked at him and asked, "Do you know where he might be?"

The security guard nodded and slowly settled into his chair, "He always goes to the 5th class classroom and spends his whole night there. It happens every year since five years and he gives us money and branded drinks, and we let him go to the fifth class classroom."

"Thanks for the information, but I want to go inside. I want to talk to him."

The security guard, with anger in his voice, said, "No, sir. He doesn't want to be disturbed, so I am asking you to walk out from here."

I smiled and said, "What's your name?"

Security guard, "It's Ranga. Why? What will you do knowing my name?"

I took Ranga's collar, making him stand, "What will I do? That's what you asked, right? Don't you know, Ranga, you will lose your job if the management knows that you let someone enter the school grounds at this hour, and not only that, you drank so much that you can't even stand on your own. Do you think you can safeguard the school? Tell me."

Ranga, with fear in his voice, said, "I'm sorry, sir. I won't do this again. Please don't tell anyone about this. You may go and talk to him, sir."

I released his collar and entered the school. It was dark with no lights on the floors, the atmosphere felt like it was in a horror film.

Inside the building, I used the phone's torchlight. Going towards the fifth class, the only class that was lit up, I looked inside to find Ajay, who was on the bench with loud music from the speakers. I quickly turned off the speakers, and that's when he looked at me.