The Owl Tattoo

Chapter 11

If you've read my first story, you know this is what I do. I hate ruining endings, so I put the Author's note of the last chapter on the top. As the rule was, so the rule will be... (Did that even make sense?)

This story is very close to my heart because I started writing it to show people that there is no other of way of differentiating people based on who they love. There were some people in my life who seemed to think of it as an issue with their potential new friends or new family members. I wrote this story to show them that there is nothing different about people who fall in love with people of their gender. 

It's easy to call unknown people bigots when they shower hate on the LGBT community on the Internet but when it is people you can see, touch, feel in your everyday life, you want to hammer sense in them. And to show compassion towards another sect of humanity, you don't always need to be a part of that sect.

Anyway, that was a huge rant...which is finally over. Do tell me how you like the story in the comments or by PM if you are shy. Please Vote, Comment, Share if you think this story deserves it. I am thankful everyday for all of my readers. :)

A week after this episode, my college closed for a break of almost two weeks. Originally I had meant for it to be spent with Afraa but now I rushed home with a ferocity that I never knew I possessed for that place or the people in it. It was a welcome change. These were people I knew, people whose drama I have been accustomed to for years.

Afraa tried to contact me a few times while I pointedly ignored her calls and texts. Once I told her I was heading home, she stopped badgering me. Only when she didn't stop me or request me to stay back, I realized I was wanting her to.

Two days before she was to leave the country she texted me saying how new plans have been made in a rush and that she was leaving soon. I didn't reply to that either. Slok hadn't tried to contact me beyond the text asking me if I was okay after Afraa's flight had left.

I was doing pretty okay with myself; returning to that city five days after Afraa had left it. I immersed myself in my classes and my friends. I didn't give any time to my heart or brain to think about her. And for me to successfully get over the sister, the brother had to be boycotted.

My old life almost came back on track after a month and half. I was alright with the betrayal I had gotten from the girl I so desperately was in love with. I had gotten over the fact that not everybody reciprocated what you felt for them; not everybody did for you what you'd do for them. I was in a highly philosophical bullshit spewing phase. I was moody and broody...a typical breakup, one could say.

Almost two months after she'd left and after two months of radio silence from both the siblings, a picture found its own way to my FB wall: Afraa was tagged in it. It was a party, I guess. Afraa had her hands wrapped around a girl's waist and they were standing farther away from the group, facing each other. It wasn't hard to decipher they were more than just friends.

Two months of hard work, of trying to be okay with the goddamned breakup, all turned to dust with a single stupid picture. And I was so jealous of her...for her. I wasn't jealous that she was in a country where she could freely love anybody she liked. I wasn't jealous she was with this other too-curvy girl. I wasn't jealous that Afraa had her hands on another girl's waist while I was still struggling to get out of bed every morning.

I was jealous that the girl next to her, the one she had her hands on, in that ridiculously awesome country was...not me.

Later that day, after coming to terms that I was still not over Afraa, I went once more to Slok's tattoo parlor. BBP stopped me at the door, "He's with a client. Wait for a few?" I nod as I smile. It was after a long time that I was going to meet him and I kind of remembered the first time we had met and all of this had started.

A man came out of the shop and Slok followed. His face burst into a smile when his eyes fell on me.

"Pri! How are you? I haven't seen you in so long!"

"I have been better. How have you been?"

"Good. Good..." he repeated to himself.

"Did you see the photo?"

"Yeah. I did. She's just being foolish. Doesn't know what she's missing out on."

I make a sound from the back of my throat and he says, "You want to visit the river today?"

"No. I was thinking maybe you could get started on my tattoo...maybe", I end unsurely.

"Yeah, sure! Come on in!"