Advik's calling. Advik's finally calling, after all the days of merely existing in a corner in my life.
It doesn't even take me a second to answer his call and breathe a sigh of relief.
"Navya?", his voice is low and somehow, it pushes me to the edge of tears. "What took you so long?", I question, hopelessly. "It's just been 4 days", he utters, casually. "It's been 'just' four days for you. It feels more than that to me, Advik", I scoff.
"I feel like we're complete strangers right now, you know as if you're drifting somewhere so far away and I cannot get a hold of you", I smile, weakly.
"Don't say that. You know I hate listening to things like that! I'm not going anywhere, you aren't and we aren't, okay? It's a phase and it'll pass. Navi, we've seen worse than this", he pauses. "Right?", he nudges and I simply breathe out.
"Remember, in college, the time we almost broke-up because our parents found out about us? We didn't talk for four months", he laughs at the memory.
"We were young and we got caught. But why are we going through the same thing as adults, when everything's confirmed with everyone's consent?", I question. "It's just a phase, Navya, it'll pass", he repeats. Honestly, he can do much better than just telling me the same thing!
Here's one thing I absolutely hate about Advik - he's is a gigantic believer of - you go through everything for a reason - and when he cannot explain something, he sprinkles the phase into every problem like salt. He needs to understand that life is more than simply that.
"What's happening on your side?", I ask him. "I'm still talking to mom", he replies. Why does it look like he's convincing her from scratch?
"And what is she saying?", I throw another question. "Just be honest, Advik. A bitter truth is better than false hopes", before he comforts me with his lies, I tell him and he sighs. "She'll understand", he vaguely replies. "What do you mean by she'll understand?", my voice trembles, right away, and he reverts with daunting silence.
"Advik, what does that mean? Can you stop playing around for once?", I cry out in agony and lean against the wall. "I've been holding on for so long, and I know that it has been just four days. But only I know what I've been through. You have no idea about the pain. The doubts. And the number of people I have to answer. I feel like everyone's laughing at me because I always talked about you, and us. And all our plans. But all of a sudden, you're gone. You're not even there beside me. You don't know how that feels", I vent out.
"Navya", he calls out, calmly and shakily. "I'm not having it easy, either. I'm trying, trust me", he tells me. "But nothing seems to be working!", I say back.
"Everything will be alright. If you trust me, stop crying. Please. Do you really think I'll leave you alone? Do you really think I'll quit fighting for us? If we don't make it through, Navi, trust me - I'll take you with me. I'm not going anywhere without you", he assures and it honestly calms me down a little.
"You're all I have, by the end of the day, and if you give up on me - there's no one I can turn back to. I know it's extremely frustrating, but I need time and I promise you, Navi, I'll fix everything for us. I know I'm not worth it, but trust me blindly this one time", he pleads and his words stir guilt in me for doubting him and his intentions.
"Advik, I love you", I whisper. "I love you more", he utters back before we end the call.
His words and simply the echoing of his voice fills my heart with relief and contentment. Everything's going to be okay, and I can simply feel it. Good days aren't too far and everything that Advik and I are going through will meet its end. We'll be fine and there will be a way.
Once I let the words sit with me and settle in, I call up Darshan. We have a meeting today and I cannot afford to forget that. Again.
"Good morning. We have our first caller today. You're talking to Darshan Raval. How may I help you?", he mimics a radio-jockey and it takes me a while to get a grasp of the situation. "I thought I called the wrong number", I giggle. "Was I that good?", he questions and I laugh.
"Good morning", he greets again. "Morning. Uhm, you were supposed to send the location for the meeting today", I remind him. "Whoa, what's the rush? You tell me, how are you today?", he diverts the conversation. "Good. Actually, really good", I smile. "Well, it looks like you heard back from someone special", he hints. "Yes. Yes. Just now", I cannot contain my happiness.
"Sorted?", he prompts. "Uhm...", I drag, thoughtfully. "I won't say sorted, sorted. But I feel assured, you know what I mean? I know he'll figure it out for us", I tell him.
"Anyways, Sir!", I exclaim as it hits me that I'm running off topic. "You're extremely good at changing topics. Where am I meeting you?", I drag him back on track.
"I used to distract teachers the same way. I would go on for hours and they wouldn't even know. You're one of the smartest victims", he jokes.
"Dars---Shit! Sir!", I fumble there a bit, giving him a reason to laugh. "I don't see what's wrong with Darshan", he says. "I don't see what's right. Now, listen - we have the meeting in exactly four hours from now. Do you want to keep fooling around on this call and lose the deal, or impress your dad?", I'm getting a tad bit annoyed.
"You know this is such an Uno Reverse moment because you cannot call my dad to complain about me, because I'm wasting time with you. You're involved. And ladies and gentlemen - that's how you trap people without them knowing", he speaks with pride and I remain silent. Otherwise, he wouldn't shut up.
"Okay, okay, don't get mad", he laughs it off. "I'm messaging you the location. Be there", he informs. "Can you come alone, or shall I send a car to pick you up?", he asks. "I can come alone. Thank you for the offer, though", I smile and hang up.
Well, honestly, I should've accepted it when he offered to send a car because wherever I'm heading to is around fifty minutes from home; the Rickshaw charges would definitely make me broke.
After a long ride, in the itching heat, the Rickshaw halts in front of a tall building. It's the brand new apartment complex they'd opened in Mumbai - the advertisements ran on TV all day long, between each serial break. My mom loved how the space looked. If I told her that I was coming here, she would've definitely tagged along, too.
I take the lift to the eighteenth floor and then, to room 1804 - the door is left half open and I give it a small push, knowing it was left open for me. Inside, Darshan's sitting on a long couch, playing the guitar. Once he notices me, a smile lights up his face and he waves at me.
"Hey!", he raises his eyebrow and I walk inside. "I didn't permit you to come in yet", he frowns with a look a disappointment and I stand to my ground, clenching onto my handbag. Shit. Why didn't I think of that! He's not a friend, or anything; how did I forget that boundaries existed, even though we had a casual phone call?
"I'm sorry", I apologize and take two step back. "Shall we try again? Close the door and come in, again. I hate when people bend rules", he sounds out-and-out serious.
As he ordered, I shut the door, knock on it twice and stick my head through. "May I come in, Sir?", I look up at him, embarrassed. "No", he shrugs and we exchange glances. What does he want from me?
"Woman. Go back in reverse, walk out of this building and go home if you don't know how to take jokes", he slaps his forehead.
"Why are you still standing there? Come in!", he orders and I take baby-steps, inside. The embarrassment just keeps growing. God. "I thought you would fight back. You let me down, really", he judges. How does he expect me to fight him? He's my Boss's son. And well, not any ordinary Boss - it's the Boss who yells at everyone for everything.
"Good morning", he welcomes, eventually. "Sit", he points at the couch. "Do I sit down or is this even a joke?", I narrow my eyes and he laughs. "Sit. Sit", he laughs.
"So? What will you have? Tea? Coffee? Juice?", he questions. "Coffee", I pick and while he orders his maid, I look around at the apartment. It's something I cannot put into words. I would say that this is my dream house! Damn, so perfectly put together, I could stare at it all day.
"You like it?", he leans on the couch. "Love it! It's so beautiful and spacious", I utter in awe. "It's a cool chill-out space. Whenever I'm stressed, I hangout here for a bit", he casually utters and my eyes pop out for a moment. Did he say that he chills here?
"You don't live here?", I think, the shock on my face is evident. "It's more of a party and relaxation house", he tells me and I shake my head to the sides with a smile.
"What?", he looks on, keenly. "After all, it's true when they say that rich people have a house to dance in, a house to cry in and what not", I say.
"This one's where I create music in", he shrugs. "Come here, I'll show you", he stands up, encourages me to follow him and I remain hesitant. "Come, come. There's time until the meeting, madam".
[One more chapter awaits you. Swipe to #08!]