Twists Twirls Perils & Pearls

45. Late night monologue

"What do you mean you want to stay here?" Nandini questioned Abhedya.

"I mean, I am staying here. I am not leaving my friend alone." Abhedya repeated himself.

"I am fine. I am not habitual of all this concern. Umm... with due respect to all of you." Swarnima did not want anymore surprises from Abhedya, the bomb he threw of them staying together was enough.

"You may be fine but I am not. I am staying here in a separate room and won't bother you." Abhedya requested her with hope in his eyes.

"What's the problem Nim? Let him stay. You can have some friends time and do your packing." Maan backed up Abhedya's idea.

"Who am I to let him stay? If he has decided he will." Swarnima stated the obvious and everyone laughed because Abhedya's stubbornness was world known.

"Fine Abhey! I will send your change in the morning but remember you have made Nivi your enemy. He wanted to come too and now when he gets to know you are again staying here he will go all grumpy." Nandini warned them and everyone left.

"Now! What is it?" Swarnima questioned him turning off the elevator.

"I don't know. I just wanted to be with you. Talk to you. Honestly, after today morning and evening whatever happened I was feeling restless. Everything that you have gone through till now I am the root cause and that fills me guilt and disgust. Nim, I am a fool! Stupid, arrogant, short tempered jerk. I feel and see happiness in things which are temporary.
Today, I proposed us staying together because I wanted to see the world with your perspective. You never make mistakes, are always on the right side.
Hell! I would have never accepted it before today, but I would like to learn from you and see things from a broader perspective." Abhedya said the last part looking away from Swarnima.

"Wow! Such honesty? What changed? Are you sleepy?" Swarnima sounded sarcastic.

"I am an owl." Abhedya retorted.

Swarnima took out two cans and asked him, "Wanna share a drink?"

"You drink?" Abhedya was shocked with the new found information.

Swarnima turned on the elevator again and steeped in. Abhedya followed her. The elevator's door opened at the terrace and Abhedya and Swarnima were welcomed with cold breeze of a beautiful star lit night.

"Wow! The view is fantastic." Abhedya said looking ahead of the boundary.

"It is!" Swarnima agreed but her view was something, rather someone else. She climbed the wall, sat on it and patted the space next to her for Abhedya to sit. Abhedya joined her and she gave him a can. Both of them opened their cans and Abhedya took the first sip and spit it.

"Gosh!! Fruit juice?" Abhedya shouted and Swarnima started to laugh.

"Sorry! But you assumed the wrong drink." Swarnima was still laughing.

"Assumed? It is a beer can?" Abhedya turned the can and saw fruit written in small letters. He elbowed Swarnima and she lost her balance but Abhedya caught her on time and the famous 'eye-lock' started until Swarnima's hair flew with cold wind and came in her eye.

"So, what's the lesson teacher." Abhedya asked her ignoring his feelings.

"What the eyes see, is not always the truth. Just like this can. You think you are stupid and arrogant and oblivious to things around you? But, atleast you know you are these things. I am clueless about who I really am.
You know you told me once, I am living a hypocritical life. It was hands down the truest observation of my life. I am living a life of what is expected of me and not how I want it. I was happy till now with whatever I was doing but you, Mr., are breaking the norms and rules I was following. You are challenging them and I am unable to counter you. You are the most honest person I have come across, no filter and what is the term? 'Savage'." Abhedya chuckled at her self analysis.