D R I S H T I
We had met just a few days back but he seemed to be so indulged in our lives that at some point of my day, I could see him easily. It seemed that Rakshit was close to becoming a part of my daily routines. Crashing into him was something that became more often after he met Varun.
It had been a weak that Varun met Rakshit but he won't stop talking about him. I tried talking to Rakshit once after that day but there was no clear response from his side.
To add to my guilt, I would always find him standing outside the cafe, in case I ever needed him he would be there. I had tried to talk to him just once, and so I thought to give it another shot. Afterall he portected Varun.
Divya and Sia were willing to agree that Rakshit was a good man, and suggested that I should invite him to dinner at my house for thanking him and apologizing for what I did.
That apology by the way should be from their side and not mine. It was them who told me to stay away from him.
"One caramel frappe please" Collen leaned on the shelf like he used to and rested his cheek on his hand.
"One caramel frappe, here it is" Making his order was quick because he would drag his ass here any time every day and whenever we saw him entering and standing in the line, his order was set to preparation.
"You know me so well D" he smiled, taking the glass from my hand, not forgetting to brush his fingers with my hand while taking it. "Thanks"
He should be glad that I didn't make it. If I had, I would have added few drops of poison to it.
Unfortunately there were no more customers in the line so Collen stood at his place and started conversing with me. There was no need to explain how Lily admired the both of us through the corner.
"Why do come here regularly? Seems like you love drinks so much" Smiling at him, I cleaned the counter as my shift for the day had already ended. Like every normal day, Lily was making my chocolate shake with dark chocolate chipped ice cream before I left.
"Oh I love the person who hands them to me too" He laughed but I frozed at my place when realization was creeping in, telling me he was talking about me.
I didn't know how to react so I started laughing with him, silently wishing that some customer would arrive and take me out of this situation.
God has his own ways.
Today he sent help through speed post.
The wind chime jiggled as the door of the cafe opened welcoming the customer. I thanked God for sending the person to my rescue and continued cleaning the counter.
"So as I was saying-" Collen continued talking but a heavy voice suppressed him when the customer said
"One hot chocolate with marshmallows please" my head lifted in sheer excitement when I recognized the person.
In front of me stood Rakshit, wearing plain white tshirt with black jeans. I nodded in approval and went to make his order while Collen looked unpleasantly at the new arrival.
As I finished his order and went to the counter and passed him his order. Taking his payment, I stood at the place and watched him take the jug holder. Meanwhile Lily was done with my regular favourite and placed it in front of me. It seemed the right moment to talk to him about dinner at my house and a perfect time for apology.
Ignoring Collen's comments and other talks, I called him from the counter "Rakshit"
He turned and watched me standing behind the shelf, half nervous to ask him if I could sit with him for a drink. "Yeah"
"Can I join you?" I wished he would say a yes and held the glass mug in my hands, lifting it to show him that I was having a break. Or better say that my job today had ended.
He nodded his head and sat on the nearest table waiting for me. Collen stood bewildered at the spot as he watched me apologize to him and leave the counter with my order to sit with Rakshit.
"Hi" tucking back a strand of my hair, I widened my eyes due to the heat of the moment. When you know that your fault is there and you have to apologize, you sweat af sometimes.
"Hi" he said silently and rotated the spoon in his mug before lifting some marshmallows and putting them in his mouth.
"So, Rakshit, um" Some of us never good at apologies, are we? "I wanted to say that I'm sorry for-"
"It's okay Drishti. You had apologized the last time we met properly. There's no need for this, I told you I'm habitual" To be completely honest with everyone and myself, I didn't like the way he said that he was habitual. It seemed that he was not interested in normal human relationships like friendship, love or any other. It seemed that he was broken somewhere.
"Rakshit I really didn't mean to hurt to, it was Sia and Divya. They forbade me to go with you as none of us knew who you were or what you did. They are just protective of me. You're understanding na?" I asked.
"You should be happy Drishti. At least you have people who care for you" He said and continued eating the marshmallows on the top.
"At least?" I mumbled under my breath such that it was inaudible to his ears and started eating my ice cream above the shake.
"You wanted to say this only?" Putting the spoon on the tray, he lifted the mug to drink the frappe and finished it one go. Seemed like one big lover.
"Um, well no. I wanted to ask you if you would like to come-" I hate it here.
"Hello guys" Like an unwanted guest, Collen took the seat next to me and drumed his fingers on the table. "How's everything going on?"
Good until you dragged your useless ass here too.
"Collen I was trying to talk to him" I whispered to him and pleaded him to go but Mr. Collen was not drifting away. Like a leech to my life on whom my words and pleasing looks had no effects, he sat on the table and leaned back, checking Rakshit out.
"Relax D, by the way-" Collen started but before coming to the main point Rakshit cut his sentence with an
"Excuse me" that came in an unapologetic way. Rakshit sounded half angry at Collen's unwanted and unexpected arrival as he wasn't known to him. If he was known to him then Rakshit would probably have thrown him off the chair. "Can't you see that two people are sitting at this table? Do you randomly stroll upto some table and show this mannerlessness to every customer or are we special?"
Collen's mouth was hanging in the air. No answer could be formed by him at the spot which could justify his act, so he sat silently, still not willing to leave.
"Are you seriously going to sit here?" Rakshit asked but Collen didn't answer, he simply sat his place and looked back at Rakshit in attitude. "Fine then, I'm leaving"
What? No!
Rakshit stood up to leave leaving Collen smiling at his seat and my plan happily holding a knife in it's hand and murdering Collen in thirty nine different ways, most favorite one being Collen being tied to a stick, roasted over fire with an apple in his mouth and cannibals doing 'Jinga lala hu hu' around him.
"Rakshit wait" I left the mug half filled with chocolate shake, something I do never allow myself to do but I had to talk to Rakshit so I did. "I'm also coming"
And these words hit Collen hard when I grabbed my bag from the counter and barged out of the cafe, following Rakshit.
"You should stay Drishti, it's six and you friend would be here to pick you once your shift is over. Don't spoil your work because of me" Rakshit was walking away with his hands tucked in the pockets of his jeans. "Bye bye"
"Wait!" I ran after him and matched our pace "My shift for todat is over early. I was just leaving. So I think we can walk together?"
"What about your friends? They won't like" He said in plain words, without any sort of regret or attempt to not make the moment uncomfortable for me.
"It's not that. They trust you now! They do" I yelled for no reason before standing like a statue in middle of the footpath.
"Okay, I think we can talk about it while walking?" He looked back and signaled me to come. I followed him sheepishly and thought of ways to ask him for dinner.
Would he agree?
There was no problem if he denied if Varun wasn't that kid who always eavesdropped his mother's conversations. He was super excited to have Rakshit at dinner and selected his toys he would be showing him.
Not only this but also he had laid his entire closet on the bed trying to figure out what he should wear at night. I knew that when I would return home, he would still be selecting his clothes.
It wasn't the time Divya's shift so she stayed back to have a look at Varun. Do I need to tell that Varun was discussing about their marriage day?
Rakshit and I walked towards our locality talking about random things and every normal issue concerning the world. The moment we stood in front of my home, I was like-
Drishti go and drown in a well. You can't even say tell him to come over. Hats off you bro, shoes off to you! Shoes off to you.
"Bye" For what reason was this man over here trying to leave? I still had to talk to you mister and I was not your sister. My line didn't make any sense but the word sister was sounding so rhyming so I adjusted it in my sentence.
"Wait" again. Just as I asked him to wait, he waited patiently for me to speak. Without wasting another minute I asked him "Would you join us for dinner tonight? Varun and I would love your company. Especially Varun, you know he's so excited to have you with us tonight. He's tiny heart will break if you didn't come" I mean- On the name of Varun, I could blackmail him emotionally.
"I don't know" he sighed and bowed his head. "It will be too much"
"Too much? In which happiness will it be too much?" I blurted out in astonishment.
"No, I mean I don't want to bother you guys. You don't need to invite me because I helped your son. I'm happy with that day's thank you"
"Rakshit please, I insist. I've already told Varun that you'll come. Please. Fir Varun?" I looked at Rakshit who was deep in his own thoughts "For me?" He raised head and looked at me as I minimized my eyes at him "please"
"Okay" he smiled and turned to leave "will meet you at dinner then. What's the time?"
"Eight pm will be amazing" I said and watched him leave to his house.
Having an internal dance session, I unlocked the door with the spare key and went inside closing the door behind me.
Life is beautiful
Unless you enter your house and wtach your son roaming around the entire place with a towel wrapped around his waist, dripping wet with shampoo, spoiling the whole floor and your best friend chasing him.
"What the actual hell Varun and Divya?" I yelled.
They stopped at their place and looked in my direction, scared to hell as they knew They were doomed.