Chapter Twenty-Three: Midnight Meetings
I looked at the round clock hung on the adjacent wall which gladly told me that the time was an hour to midnight. I was still at my study desk, surfing the net on my laptop. From the looks of it, it seemed sleep was a couple of hours away from me.
If you’re thinking I am researching on my Journo project, then you’re thinking right. It took me a very long time to decide upon a favorable topic for the project & a couple of DAYS to come up with a creative way to present it. Trust me when I say I had to struggle my bones out cause no unique ideas were knocking the window of my head. At one point of time, I got so irritated that I literally thought to surgically remove my brain & send it for repair. I was that pissed off cause I wasn’t able to think of anything one of a kind. Sheesh!
Then this morning I was having breakfast as usual when an innovative idea flashed across my mind like magic. And the way I was jumping up & down about that as if I had been declared the sole owner of all the gold in the world. My parents gave me alarmed looks but when I explained to them did they heave a sigh of relief. My brother was prompt to remark I could be the next big reason behind people suffering from panic attack. Well, Screw him!!
“Man, this is not working out!”
I slumped back on the chair, switching off my laptop. The thing is I wanted some secret, unknown & rare facts or news regarding the topic of my project. Something which can’t be found on the Internet. But then again, I am asking for that thing which is in no way possible. Sigh!
“Knock. Knock.”
I grew wide-eyed hearing the mischievous voice right behind me. I looked behind & what met my eyes made me jump off my chair in shock. I heard my heart giving out a loud beat.
“What are--” I stopped, realizing I should bring my voice to the least possible decibel, “What are you doing here at this time?”
I almost yelled in a whisper at Drake whose lips were curled in a sly smile. He had jumped into my room through the open window.
“Came to meet you.”
“Let me remind you this is not Mark’s room. He lives downstairs and....wait, what??” I stopped, registering what he just said.
“Came to meet you.” Drake repeated.
“Why?” I asked suspiciously.
“Well, I am here to take you to a place.” he replied.
“Why?” I asked suspiciously again.
He rolled his eyes at that.
“We’re going on a date Nosey.” he said meaningfully.
My eyes grew wider hearing that. Now why did my heart skip a beat? Stupid Heart!!
“I’m not going anywhere with you. Besides, do you know what the time is? It is half an hour past midnight. I’m not interested to wander on the night streets like a ghost.” I refused.
“Hurry up. Take a coat along. It is cold outside.” He said as if he didn’t hear a word I spoke.
“Can’t you take a ‘No’ for an answer??” I rebuked him.
“No.” he shrugged.
I rolled my eyes, “I’m not going with you anywhere.”
“Then in that case, I won’t mind spending the night here.”
I looked at him baffled, “You can’t possibly be here the ENTIRE night!!”
“Why not? Your bed is so good & comfortable.” Drake said, falling on my bed, “And your bed is big enough for two teenagers.”
He smirked as he said that with a roguish glint in his eyes.
“If I agree to go with you, will you drop your plans of spending the night in my room?” I asked him with hope.
“Yes I would.”
“Fine. But how do I move out of the house? The front doors are locked & I’ve no clue about the keys.” I muttered, feeling stupid.
“You can move out just the way I came in here---through the window with the ladder.”
“You ought to be joking on this!!” I exclaimed when I walked to the window with him, “If at all I fall off the ladder from this height, I would break all my bones when I hit the ground!!”
“Nothing of that sort will happen. I will show you.”
Drake got on the parapet of the window, gripped the ladder with both hands & climbed down down down until he had his feet on the ground.
“Now your turn!!” he called, looking up at me.
I could feel the lines of panic coming on my face.
“C’mon Nosey! You’ll be fine. You honestly can’t be this scared!”
Yes, I don’t want to show him how much I’m freaked out right now. Taking a deep breath & sending a prayer to all the Gods that I know of, I mounted on the ladder. In no way am I gonna look below. I climbed down one step. You can’t even imagine how shit scared I was. Don’t know why am I even doing this for Drake of all people. I better close my eyes. I might feel a bit better of the fat that I was hanging in mid air, clung to a creaky ladder.
“Open your eyes Nosey. You might miss a step & lose your balance!”
I snapped my eyes open, alarmed out of my wits. Setting my fear aside, I focused on going down the ladder safely. I felt my blood circulation restart as soon as I touched the ground. Phew!
“Good job.” he remarked.
I gave him a sulking look.
Exactly ten minutes later, we were in the car & he was driving me to this place that I still know not of. We hid the ladder in the bushes cause I would have to use it again to get into my room. Damn!! Hopefully, my family will continue to remain fast asleep & know not of my absence in the house.
“Where are you taking me?” I asked him.
“You will soon come to know.” he responded like how they do in detective novels.
“Are you kidnapping me by any chance?” I quizzed suspiciously.
“Yeah. I’m a member of an underworld mafia. Happy?” he smiled sarcastically.
I frowned, “I shouldn’t have trusted you & come along. You are taking me to a jungle & will feed me to the lion. The lion must be waiting for food which is me.”
I mumbled anxiously.
“You deserve to be kept in a museum for your antics.” he said in amusement.
I frowned harder at him & then looked away. I heard him chuckling.
“Everything is fine with me as long as you don’t land both of us in jail.” I said.
“We’re on a date, not a crime mission.” he reverted back.
****
“I honestly think jail would have been a better option.” I said, not able to believe the place he brought me in.
“Expect the worst of the worst things from you & you never fail to deliver.” I ranted, “Out of all the possible places, you got only this place for our supposed date?”
“There couldn’t have been a better place than this.” he asserted.
A Scrap yard. Yes, you heard it right. Drake brought me to a scrap yard in the middle of the night for a “date” where the smell of junk was filling up my nostrils.
Just then, a lanky looking man, probably in his late twenties, appeared at the gate of the yard.
“Hey Drake! Was waiting for you.” he greeted, “Is she that special friend that you were mentioning about?”
The man looked at me with a warm smile. I looked at Drake, raising my brow. Special Friend?? Drake must have been sarcastic while referring to me as that but this person took it seriously.
“Yes, she is.” Drake replied. Then turning to me, he spoke, “Meet Robert, he is one of the most successful scrap dealer.”
“Hello.” I greeted.
“Well, I hope you will like what Drake has brought you here to see.” Said Robert.
I must have never felt so clueless in my life ever before. What’s going on or what’s to happen?
“Let me show it.” Robert said, leading Drake & me past the gate. As we walked, I saw junk automobile on both sides, spare electronic parts, tin bottles, computer parts & some machine parts probably. We walked into what looked like a store house. Robert opened the door of one of the inner rooms, turned on the lights. Drake & I walked in with Robert following behind. And what did I see? There were lots of old journals, newspapers, news letters, books stacked in there. Though the place was dusty & shanty in a way, everything was arranged neatly.
“There are lots of rare & unknown facts regarding your project topic that you could find here.” Drake spoke, “Robert loves to collect such stuff on various topics.”
“Yep. I have a record of my collection. You can browse through the titles & easily locate the respective stuff.” Robert said, handing me a laptop whose screen displayed various titles.
I just couldn’t believe what was happening. I searched the titles that I wanted & when I referred to those journals & books, I was left awestruck. I got exactly that what I wanted & what I was searching. Never ever thought I could be so happy by coming to a scrap yard. I could tell I was grinning from ear to ear.
I turned around & sprinted towards Drake. Throwing my hands around him, I hugged him,
“Thank you Thank you Thank you so much for bringing me here!!” I exclaimed.
I felt him stumbling backwards a bit cause I surely must have ran in speed & hugged him with tightly. Wait....what?? Hugged him?? Did I just say that?
My eyes widened, realizing that I was hugging him. I immediately parted from him & went one or two steps back. I couldn’t see him in the eye, so I glanced sideways.
Damn! I was feeling so awkward that time. Relax! It was only a hug, I tried to make myself understand that casual thing but to no avail. It was so hard for me to pass the hug as a ‘casual thing’.
“Uh..I’m....I’m sorry....” I mumbled awkwardly.
“When did I say I did not like that?” he questioned in a somewhat husky voice.
That made me look at him in astonishment.
“So does that mean you liked me hugging you?” I blurted out without thinking. Damn my stupid tongue!!!
He looked at me in amusement. Wow! I made things more embarrassing & stupid for me. I glanced sideways, admiring the non-existent beauty of the walls. He didn’t respond & wasn’t going to it seemed. As a matter of fact, I wouldn’t want to hear his answer in the first place. Sheesh!
****
“Thank you so much Robert. Your kindness means a lot.” I thanked him, once we were outside the store house, “I will return your journals as soon as possible.”
“No worries! Drake is a good friend. Has helped me out on many occasions. Besides, Its my hobby to collect such snippets from here & there cause I come across them so many times on the course of my work though I don’t really read them actually, I only like to keep them.” he laughed, “If you guys need anymore of this stuff, you could come over.”
Drake & I thanked Robert & took leave soon after.
****
Drake halted the car a little distance away from my house. We didn’t speak much on the entire way back home. He walked with me to the garden cause he would be holding out the ladder so that I can climb back into my room.
I was just about to mount the ladder when I stalled. Looking at Drake, I spoke,
“Thank you once again.”
“Good Night Nosey.” he said, giving his charming smile.
Drake held the ladder in place & I moved upwards. I guess climbing up the ladder is less scarier than moving down the ladder. But in both the cases, it was scary anyway.
After few more seconds of careful climbing, I jumped inside my room through the window. I turned around & looked down at Drake. He was looking up at me as well. He took a couple of steps backward, then turned his back & departed.
I lay down on my bed & put the duvet over me. It was still a couple of hours before dawn. I turned to a side, hugging the pillow closer to me. I think perhaps I enjoyed my first official unofficial date...
****
“Andy, sorry to interrupt but can you eat a bit faster cause we have a school to attend.”
“H...huh?” I blinked my eyes open hearing Mark’s voice.
I let out a huge yawn. Damn! I didn’t sleep properly last night & now my eyelids feel heavy. Sigh!
“What’s the matter Honey?” asked Dad, who was sitting across the breakfast table with Mum, “Didn’t you sleep well?”
“I hardly slept last night..” I said, rubbing my eyes & taking a bite of bacon.
“Why? What were you doing last night?” my brother raised his brow.
Before I could say anything, Mum squeaked in alarm,
“My daughter is suffering from insomnia & she didn’t tell us!!! We must see a doc right now.” She told dad & then turned to me, “ What is bothering you Andy? Is it stress, depression, studies or a failed love affair with a guy?? Tell me!!”
My eyes popped at the last bit, “Mum !!! You’re hyping up things too much!! Chill!! Nothing like that! “I asserted her, “I just...um...was studying last night cause exams are nearing. ”
I lied conveniently.
“There’s a whole lot of time for exams.” my brother remarked.
“It may be for you cause you don’t study at all.” I snapped back.
“As if you study.” he muttered.
“Atleast, I don’t snore & sleep like you.” I remarked.
“Hey! I don’t snore okay!” he shot at me.
“How do you know whether you snore or not while sleeping?” I mocked.
“You don’t---”
“Sorry to interrupt but don’’t you think you both have a school to attend?” Dad interrupted.
Mark & I hobbled the remaining breakfast quickly.
“Sweety, If you’re not feeling well, skip school today.” Mum voiced her concern.
“I’m fine Mum. Don’t worry. Can’t miss school today.” I assured her.
“Yes Mum. Don’t worry. I will be there to take care of our baby.” Mark thumped his chest like an oh-so-protective-big-brother.
I rolled my eyes, “Yeah sure, Grandpa.” I told Mark.
My brother made faces at that. Our parents burst out laughing.
“Your Mum & I love you guys!!” Dad said.
Mum & Dad left for work soon after while Mark & I headed to school. Family time is lovely!
~*~*~*~
Hello everyone!
So here is the next chapter! Hope you liked it cause I loved writing this chapter! :D
A big Thank you to @SoLuvablex3 for the beautiful book cover that she has made me <3
Thanks to all those who read & voted for the previous chapter <3. So what do you think of the changing equation between Drake & Andy?
Please do vote, comment, share!
I have also posted my third story 'The Cursed Heart'. Do check out that too :)
Thanks,
enchantedgirlXX