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[8:30 pm]
"Mumma, I'll be back soon," Abeer informed his family before leaving his home with a medium-sized canvas.
On the day of his Art exhibition, he had directed an elderly couple to his social media before they could buy out his crafts for Aashna. The couple, stubbornly attracted to his works, finally endowed him with a commission for a piece to adorn their living room.
With the canvas on his side and his phone constantly displaying the location, he went on to the route.
"Umm, Kaka, please stop here!" He called out to halt the cab way before his destination.
It was a random spot somewhere on a four-lane highway. As the cab drove off on its way, Abeer hurried to cross the road and reach the absolute opposite end.
"Abhimanyu?" He spoke as he walked further to get the other person's attention.
Abhimanyu had perched himself on the bonnet of his car and was immersed in the way both the parking lights illuminated the ground in a neon red hue at intervals. His hands were crossed over his chest, making his black turtle neck bulge up a bit.
His name brought him out of the trance as he stood straight to acknowledge Abeer. "Oh! Hey, Abeer."
"Hi."
"Didn't expect you here..."
"Yeah, I was on my way somewhere when I saw you here. Anyway, why have you parked here?"
"Oh no I didn't mean to, actually. I was driving and midway realised I had a few drinks earlier, so had to make a halt here. Can't drive."
"I see." Abeer nodded. "Where were you going? Home?"
"No, uhmm..." Abhimanyu glanced at the obvious opposite direction his car was facing but decided not to speak about it. "Yeah. Home."
Abeer thought for a while and finally asked, "So uhm... I'll drive you there? You can't sit here all night, I mean."
"But my home is in this direction." Abhimanyu pointed.
"I was going there, too."
"Oh, great, then."
After a long, awkward silence in the car, Abhimanyu decided to put off the flames his questions were fueling. "So uhm..." He was hesitant. "You might know... that... Aashna had to present in the next level of the competition so... do you know how it was?"
Abeer was not surprised by the question and kept his eyes on the road. "Yes, we met in the neighbourhood this evening when she was... I guess, returning from Muskan's hostel," Abeer went on to tell him about the presentation.
However, Abhimanyu was stuck in the first sentence. He could not bring himself to listen to anything further than that. Aashna was returning after meeting Muskan. They had talked. Muskan knew what had happened during the presentation. Yet, she didn't bother with his message. She knew how eager Abhimanyu was regarding the competition but she lied.
Was it because she wanted to avoid him? Was it because he crossed his limits that night? What was it for? Abhimanyu's thoughts spun around in a whirlwind, eventually creating a tense crease on his forehead.
"Are you okay?" Abeer noticed Abhimanyu's rapidly changing expressions.
"Huh? No... just a headache."
Abeer chuckled. "You do that too? Aashna does that 'huh' thing a lot."
Abhimanyu forced a smile. "That she does."
They soon reached Nisarg Empire and proceeded towards the parking lot.
"This is where I was supposed to reach. I didn't know you lived here too." Abeer glanced around the place.
"No, actually I shifted here very recently. For some reason."
"I see. Oh, where is your slot?" Abeer asked as he noticed most of the parking slots were already full.
"A little further. I'll tell you." Abhimanyu pointed.
They successfully parked in the designated space and left the car as Abeer extended his phone in front of Abhimanyu. "Could you tell me where this apartment might be?"
Abhimanyu checked the address and looked around. "Let's see. Umm..." While looking for a building, he spotted Drishti's car instead, making him wonder if she hadn't yet left.
"Abhimanyu?" Abeer brought him out of his thoughts.
"Oh, yes. See that building? I think yours is the one behind it."
"Cool, thanks!"
"No, thanks to you for dropping me here."
"No problem, see you later!"
Seeing Abeer off, Abhimanyu pretended to walk to his building's lift. Once near it, he realised he wasn't feeling like meeting Drishti again. He had yelled at her. For all the right reasons of course, but interacting with her so soon again was not what he would like. Not when he could still feel a simple wine's hold on him then.
Abhimanyu decided to wander off. Maybe spending some time in a garden could help.
Spinning around, he hit the trail towards Nisarg Empire's garden.
The garden was basically a jogging track passing through a mostly grass and bush-owned area. Medium-sized trees and a few saplings were planted every tens of feet away from each other. This gave the garden area a cool environment.
A few steps away was the play area consisting of slides and swings for kids along with other open gym equipment for everyone else.
Walking on the track, passing through the night lights buried in the soil beside, and the soft greenish glow reflected by the now-neon leaves all around, Abhimanyu reached the play area.
Before his eyes could register anything in the dark air, on his ears fell the sharp creaking sounds of a swing thoroughly blended with sweet chirps of night insects.
One step further was enough for him to be at an angle from where he could see a dim light highlighting the presence of someone on one of the swings there.
'Right. She always goes for swings in parks whenever she's upset.' Abhimanyu recalled his childhood with Drishti.
He couldn't help but stare at how innocently she sat there, her head hung low and her feet swaying along the swing's squeaky music.
There was no hint of regret on her face. No sign of guilt after getting called out. As if she genuinely had no idea about Abhimanyu's allegations.
By that time, Drishti had sensed someone's gaze on her. Looking up to find Abhimanyu in front of her, seemingly trying to read her face, she stiffened her expression.
With a firm stance, she walked towards him, stopping only a foot away from him.
"I don't know what's wrong with you anymore. I don't know what more to do for you. I don't even want to know. You've become too rude for anyone to put in effort to understand you. If something bothers you, the other person expects to get a full explanation. Not some randomly thrown words that end up confusing both of you. We used to fight a lot. But at least you were honest then. I won't deal with a liar now."
Drishti left the garden leaving behind her a frozen-in-time Abhimanyu. It was true that he had lied. It was true that he had not let Drishti explain herself. He did not believe that anything needed any explanation.
- X - X - X - X - X -
Back in the yard between two buildings, Abeer was on his way back home after successfully delivering the canvas to his clients.
Before he could cross another building, faint whispers from a threateningly close distance made him pause his steps.
"The last time was no family emergency. But it might be, this time. Consider not being the reason for it." A voice said, low enough to not cross a certain range. Without waiting for any reply, it continued, "This address. Tomorrow. Nobody cares about any consequences."
Abeer wasn't sure of what the conversation was about but somehow sensed a scary aura around the place. Out of curiosity, he decided to take slow steps ahead and peak a little, at least to witness the faces of the people involved.
One step.
Second step.
Third step.
Fourth step and he stood behind a pillar, the tinted shadows of around three people falling beside his feet.
He tilted his head to let his eye reach the pillar's corner.
"ABEER!"
An alarmed Abeer shook up and immediately stepped away from the pillar. He turned around to see Abhimanyu at a distance, calling out his name and sprinting closer to Abeer.
He waved his wobbly hand to acknowledge Abhimanyu's call.
A quick look down on the ground made him observe the hastened movement of the unknown shadows as they vanished from wherever they were present.
"I thought you went home," Abeer asked as Abhimanyu finally approached.
"No, I was in the garden for some fresh air. Was just returning home when I saw you here. You found the house, It seems?"
"Yeah. I'm done with my worker here so I-"
"Wanna catch some quick drinks?"
"Nope, I don't drink, actually. I'll leav-"
"That's fine. We haven't met properly. And you let me in your home that night. I enjoyed there a lot then. So allow me to serve you this time, if you don't mind. Please...?" Abhimanyu made an innocent face, determined enough to convince Abeer for a quick stay.
Abhimanyu's words triggered the resurfacing of some unwanted memories from Abeer's brain.
- X - X - X - X - X -
[2 years ago]
"Allow me to serve you, bro!" Dhruv lightly slapped Abeer's shoulder, clearly meaning to do it with much more force.
"No, It's getting late for dinner. I have to be home," Abeer replied with frustration dripping more than words from his mouth.
Dhruv's elder brother, Amey Deo, and Gauri Purohit were newly married. Abeer had visited Gauri's new home to drop some of her belongings. That is where he had met Dhruv at their home, showing exceptionally annoying interest in creating a forced friendship with Abeer. A few inputs from Amey's parents were enough to boost Dhruv's confidence when he started pushing Abeer out of the house, ending up at a roadside tea stall.
"Oh c'mon, man, don't be such a party pooper!" Dhruv swung his arm around Abeer's shoulders and dragged him away from the tea stall.
Abeer wanted to argue back but his sister was in a new environment. Any hasty step by Abeer could bring crappy repercussions on her. He decided to follow along with Dhruv's persuasions at least for some time.
Their cab stopped at a riverfront almost 50 minutes away from Deo's bungalow. They stood behind the railings, watching the shimmering river under a dazzling moon.
Dhruv mischievously glanced at Abeer who was still mesmerised by the river's beauty. He brought out a cigarette packet from his jacket's pocket along with a lighter. He flung a cigarette in front of Abeer's face, taking him aback by the sudden action.
"Hmm?" Dhruv pushed the cigarette further towards Abeer's mouth. "Have it, c'mon!" He reiterated.
"I don't smoke." Abeer gently pushed away Dhruv's hand.
"Aah." Dhruv chuckled and rested his back on the railing, standing dangerously close to Abeer. "Good boy."
Abeer, who was facing the river, now turned a bit to face Dhruv and sighed, expressing his discomfort.
Dhruv lit up the cigarette and widened his smile towards Abeer. "What! Wanted to hear that from a girl?" chuckling again, Dhruv released all his smoke onto Abeer's face and smiled at his disgusted reaction. "Don't worry. You'll soon find a babe who'll call you a good boy. Whenever you want. PHOOH!" Another quick smokey blow landed on Abeer's face.
"STOP IT!" Abeer stepped away. He went back to facing the river, trying his best to ignore Dhruv's insolence while the latter still graced the railing with his back.
Dhruv stepped closer to him. Leaning forward, he continued, "Ya know? Genders don't really matter these days. Someone I know did-"
"I'm hungry. I'll go home now." Abeer clicked his tongue and started walking away.
He again heard Dhruv's steps following him with his shamelessly thrown words. "What? Just wanted to be your close friend, man, what's everyone's problem these days... No one wants to get closer to me, huh?"
Abeer wanted to yell in his face the reason for no one wanting to be with him but decided otherwise.
[Flashback ends]
- X - X - X - X - X -
Abhimanyu and Abeer had entered the penthouse apartment. Abhimanyu had ever so gently welcomed Abeer with all due care.
Looking around the beautiful house while walking further in, Abeer spotted someone on the balcony. Drishti. She had rested her forearms on the balcony's glass railing as her back faced the insides of the house.
Abeer could see a dense smoke emitting from her face.
Sensing someone's presence in the house, Drishti turned around to find Abeer already staring at her. Her movement made him snap back and quickly look away.
Drishti entered the hall while her gaze was locked on Abhimanyu. She picked up her phone from the couch and left the apartment.
Abhimanyu noticed Abeer's discomfort as he couldn't take his eyes off the cigarette between Drishti's fingers.
'Why do people keep reminding me of things-' Abeer's thoughts ran.
"Are you okay?" Abhimanyu confirmed.
"Yeah. I am." Abeer replied almost immediately.
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