0.1 | No Exit from Deception ✓

0.12 | I Wish For This Night To Never End

"Hey Emily, how's it going? We have managed to bring Joseph like anyhow. I just want this plan to work out. Or else my mind will not allow me to pass a morsel of food down my throat. I love meat," Sarah recited her lines like well-practiced dialogue lines, a sudden outcry left her lips as she shut her eyes and gulped her saliva.

"You don't love me?" Anshuman poked his finger in her forearm, in a beat, causing her to cringe under his slaughtering gaze.

"Of course, I do love you─"

"But you just said you love meat. You heard it right?" He peered at Emily for a second and continued to slaughter Emily's feeble congregated courage. Displeasure hung in the drawled notes of his voice, his hands fixed on either side of his waist. Big Asian eyes demanding an answer.

"C'mon! Ansh. You'll ─ you'll make me cry─"

Emily felt awkward and wanted to disappear from playing the third wheel, without their knowledge. But her goody-two-shoes character pushed her to pull Sarah in a side hug. "He's joking, Sarah." Then she forced a laugh, swatting Anshuman's abdomen with the back of her hand. "Hey, that was not funny at all."

She snapped shut her mouth as nobody said anything, and it didn't seem like they even wanted to postpone the tiff until they were closeted in their room. But a moment later, Anshuman spoke, devoid of any humor, once again acquainting them with his multi-faced personality, "Well, that's true. Sarah literally looks like a fish out of the pond over a couple of days. I'm worried for her as much as I'm for Joseph."

"No worries." An assured smile lit Emily's face. "I just saw them together a few moments ago. And I guess there is a little conversation happening between them. But, do you think this will work? Drawing two utterly headstrong people together?"

"This should work because they are talking to each other. Work in progress implies some hope," Sarah asserted positively, hovering on her side to glance at her man with unraveling love as he pulled her close.

"Yes, as long as their talk doesn't transcend into an explosive fight," Anshuman joked, rubbing his nose as he shielded Sarah from the vision of a stranger who went past wolf-whistling while gaping at his girlfriend.

***

"Hey, stop it."

"Leave me alone."

"No, no, no. I'm proud to be single."

He was weaving onto the sidewalk and babbling to himself.

"Just go away . . ." and the repetitive string of other repudiative eloquent stutters coming from his mouth caused Ruby to flinch every time. Joseph Holden was giving her a tough time.

"Holden, I'm tryna help you." Ruby hooked their arms, the whole weight molded on her like a big sheet of fondant covering a soft creamy cake. But the only difference was that this fondant was made of hardcore steel. Jingling on her feet, she angled her face to meet his sleepy lids.

"Where are your car keys? And your weight is so fucking unbearable . . . did you take a bath in the alcohol tub or what? Tell me where the hell is your car keys?!" Ruby yelled at him, rolling her eyes for almost the millionth time. She was surprised at her own voice.

"Why . . . are you asking me? When I didn't even come here on my wish . . . they kinda abducted me!" he barked just like how an overworked and underpaid husband would at his wife, failing to stand properly as he held the street light pole gingerly with his other hand.

"Stop talking to me in that tone. You are not a kid and I'm not your mother here. Better feed it!"

He threw up his hands aloft and flailed his hands as he was bout to fall back. But instantly got stable before Ruby attempted to hold him in place.