Strangely, the dinner with Niall provided me so much solace and calmness that I completely forgot about the Steven episode – his ignorance towards me and his humiliation as well. Office these days, is being fantastically relaxing and exciting too. All this while I was going nuts over Steven, which made me forget how great my job is, and how much I've worked my whole life to get to this position. I've acquired a rejuvenated version of myself now, and that delivers good performance not only at work, but pretty much in everything I do. At home also, I manage time so much better, and take time out to even read books that I love so much, but hardly got time before.
Steven and I have totally stopped talking to each other. I see him in the office, doing the exact same things I used to drool over even last week, but somehow they don't have any impact on me anymore. I'm not sure yet if this change is making me happier, but I'm certain that I'm enjoying getting back to my old bubbly and cheerful self, free of constant anxiety and restlessness.
As far as Niall is concerned, he pretty much behaves like a "normal" person these days, with us newly becoming friends. Of all people – Liam seems the happiest for it. Although we three remain extremely busy with our works we've had one dinner among us, attended by Sophia as well, and it turned out to be quite amazing.
Liam and I cooked, actually he did all the cooking and I did only the cutting part while Sophia cleaned the boys' apartment, which she often does whenever she stays back and Niall pretty much did what he always does – do nothing, and only watch television.
It's a lovely Thursday afternoon today, and I've already done three stories. Owing to having stomach upset, I eat only two apples for lunch. Deepak hasn't come to office due to suffering a bike accident on Monday, and even Steven has been missing from yesterday. I don't see Santosh as well and anticipate that both of them might have taken a trip together because I heard them conversing about train tickets on Tuesday.
It's 4.00 Pm now, and I'm almost done with my fourth story. My mind, somehow, goes back to home and I realize that I absolutely have no interest in cooking dinner today. With the pace I've adopted to work, I know I'll be done by sharp 6.00 Pm and going back home, I only wanna take a nice shower and watch television later.
I look back in this week, and realize that I've done loads of work against the standard requirement. This thought makes me want to take a nice break – maybe go out for drinks in a nice club with my friends. Thanks to lots of my school and IIJNM friends working in Bangalore itself, I know I'll not have a problem gathering people, provided a date gets fixed first.
After submitting the fourth story, I unlock my mobile's screen and type a text message to send to Harish – my school friend who is a software engineer and also nearly an alcoholic. Regardless of I getting addicted to drinking and smoking from his influence, I like hanging out with him because he has been my friend since we were in ninth standard. It's always easier to hang out with people you've known from your childhood years.
However, I know in my heart I'll never become an alcoholic or smoker like him.
"Hey, you free this Saturday? Wanna go out for drinks?" I type and send the message.
I turn off the internet in my phone and concentrate in doing my fifth story. When I turn around to get a glimpse of Venkatesh, I find him dozing with his mouth agape.
I laugh and shake my head, browsing Google News to find a story.
After sometime when I pull the internet on my phone to check whether Harish replied or not, I notice that instead of him I sent the message to Steven by mistake. I slap on my forehead and murmur "Shit" to myself.
"In Chennai," he replies. "Will not be in Bangalore."
I realize that my anticipation about he and Santosh taking a trip together is indeed correct. I think this is the perfect time to show him attitude, therefore; I type, "Sorry, sent the message to you by mistake. I wanted to send it to my friend," and send.
"Cool, no sweat," he replies and I keep my mobile away.
When it's 6.00 Pm I leave my chair and walk to the washroom. Venkatesh has already left, though only 15 minutes before and with Steven and Santosh absent – the office looks quite empty. Bhadrish and Kiran looks immersed on their systems. The employees from the other IT Company have also left office.
I turn my computer off and grab my bag and mobile before turning on my heels and trudging out of office. It's not raining these days and I'm more than grateful for that.
No sooner do I reach the bus stop than I get a bus and it's very crowded, but I somehow get a space to at least stand properly. Up till now, my day has been pretty decent and I keep thinking about the nightmare that is to follow, when I've to go home and cook.
On my way to home, I ponder on lots of things – cooking, meeting my friends, Steven, and strangely even my new found friendship with Niall.
It's 7.15 Pm now and I'm somehow literally dragging my legs up the stairs of my building en route to my apartment.
As I reach my apartment floor, I find Liam unlocking his apartment door.
"Hey," he smiles.
"Hi," I return the favor.
"Tired?"
"Beyond explanation," I fake sob.
Liam laughs. "Me too."
"I've to cook now, life is so mean sometimes," I say.
Liam laughs harder. "Unfortunately, I couldn't help you on that today. Sophia and I are going out for dinner and Niall has office till late night, so he'll eat there itself."
I pout and cringe my face.
"But, we're planning to watch a movie later in the night. If you want you can join us, now that Niall and you're friends, I don't think there will be any problem," he smiles from ear to ear.
I shake my head, knowing that he's still on cloud nine over the fact that his irritating cousin – yes, he still is irritating to me, and I have somehow managed to befriend each other.
I roll my eyes and turn around. "Quit that grin, you moron," I slap on Liam's head mildly and trod back to my apartment.
I still laugh when I enter my apartment. Something about not being angry with Niall anymore makes me relieved and calm from inside. I don't know why, but it does – so much so that I've so easily managed to forget and stay without talking to Steven.
I do a quick sweeping of my house and then take a long shower and change into a pair of denim shorts and white sweat shirt. The weather is cool, and not cold thus, a light sweat shirt rightly suffices to keep my body warm and cozy at the same time.
My disinterest to make dinner for myself enhances so much that I prepare only just enough instant noodles and gulp it down as fast as I could. A look at the clock informs me that it's 10.00 Pm. I take my mobile and home keys and leave my apartment. After locking the door, I slowly walk to Liam and Niall's apartment.
It's nice that unlike the first time I attended their house party, loud noise is not coming out from their apartment. I find the door left ajar, thus; I open it slowly and peep inside.
"Hi," Sophia smiles widely and gets up from the couch.
"Hi," I smile too as she hugs me. "You smell nice."
She laughs, throwing her head back. "And you smell like chocolate."
"That's kinda what body lotion does to you."
I go in as Sophia locks the door behind me. I spot Liam and Niall sitting on the couch and watching a football match on television.
"Hi, guys," I say, squeezing Liam's cheeks apart.
"Hey," I pull Niall's hair.
None of them responds and I roll my eyes.
"This stupid game have made them silent," Sophia growls as we walk to the kitchen. "I've been trying to talk to Liam for so long."
I laugh and tug an arm of mine around hers.
"Where did you guys go for dinner?" I ask after sitting on the kitchen counter.
"Green Onion," she shrugs and I get the feeling that she didn't quite like the place.
"You didn't like it, right?" I ask, leaning down to catch a glimpse of her face.
She opens two cans of coke – one for herself and one for myself, and handed me one. She sits beside me on the counter and sighs deeply. I don't need to ask her because I know something is wrong, her silence is radiating the feelings of her troubled mind.
"Is everything alright?" I ask, wrapping an arm around her.
She confines her eyes on the ground, not speaking for quite a few seconds.
"I don't think Liam and I have a future together," she mumbles.
"What makes you think that?" I look in her eyes.
"I don't know, I might be absolutely wrong, but I see him so career-minded, he hardly takes time out for me. Today was probably the sixth or seventh time in this year that we went out on a proper date."
"You're kidding, right?" I widen my eyes.
She lets out a sarcastic laugh. "I wish I was."
"But, Liam stays with you lot of the time, right?"
"Yeah, but not at the expense of his work. In fact, sometimes when he's staying with me he's only busy with his laptop. I don't know, I've tried explaining myself that it's only temporary, but with two years passing by and no change coming, I'm doubtful, very doubtful," she sniffs.
I embrace her tightly in my arms.
"You gotta talk to Liam, sweetie," I push back her hairs that are falling on her face.
"I....I don't know," she shakes her head, and looks at me, eyes badly watery.
"Trust me he'll understand, and I bet my life he'll do anything to keep you happy," I comfort her.
Her gaze deepens as I continue, "You know the first time Liam and I ever had our long-night chats, what did he tell me?"
"What?" she wipes the tears and sniffs again, trying to put up a smile.
"He said that going to your NGO's anniversary party two years ago was the best decision of his life because that day completely changed his life," I smile widely, encouraging her to do the same.
Her face lightens up immediately. "Really?" she hums.
"Really?" I immitate her and laugh, throwing my head back. "Really," I state soon.
She smiles from her cheeks before getting off the counter. I follow suit.
"Can we now go check on the boys?" I ask.
Sophia laughs and nods.
We walk back to the sitting area and catch Niall and Liam still sitting perched on the couch, eyes glued on the television.
"When is the movie starting?" I ask, tapping on Liam's shoulder.
"In another ten minutes," he answers, rising to his feet and preparing to load the movie.
I know Sophia would sit beside Liam, therefore; I walk and take the seat beside Niall. His eyes are fixed on his mobile and I take this time to see him. He wears a white tee and denims bermuda, hairs messy as always, but not even a little less dense. This is the first time I'm sitting in such close proximity to him. I notice how extremely pale his complexion is, how his body bears proper chiselled features, his nails are all eaten up, and his lips are so full and pink.
I don't know how long I stare at Niall, but when he coughs at me I know it's long.
I quickly shift my eyes away and tuck my hairs behind my ears. I know Niall is looking at me because his breathes are fanning at the crook of my neck. However, I avoid it.
"What are we watching?" Sophia's voice fills the place and both Niall and I straighten up.
"The Sixth Sense," Liam smiles, eyes squinting oh-so-cutely as he connects a pen drive to the back of the television.
While coming back to the couch, he turns off the lights to set the mood. I lift my legs up and place my knees beneath my chin. Niall rests one leg on another and leans back comfortably. He sighs audibly and I try not to pay attention to him, but my eyes keep moving to him.
The movie starts and all four of us concentrate on it.
After nearly 45 minutes of the movie pass, the scary instances commence to be shown. Although this isn't my first time watching the movie, but everytime I get scared seeing any horror flick. I peek a glance at Liam and Sophia to find them almost merged with each other – Liam holds his lady while she watches the television through her fingers.
I smile at the sight and lean back again against the couch.On turning my attention to the television, a scary instance reflects before my eyes and I unknowingly and involuntarily hold Niall's hand. I keep looking at the screen, eyes widened and breathes paused.
Suddenly, I feel a very warm and cozy hand travel around my shoulders. I look to my right and find Niall holding me.
"It's okay," he whispers.
"Thank you," I smile and nod.
"Why're you looking so taken aback? We're friends now, remember?" he smiles too.
"Yeah," I laugh mildly.
"Are you feeling warm enough?" he asks.
I spot the twinkle in his deep blue eyes and realize I'm confronting a different Niall, maybe this is the side of him Liam has been talking about all this while.
"Getting there," I bite my lower lip.
Niall tightens his wrap around me and as much as I'm enjoying the warmth I'm aware that Liam and Sophia are here and I definitely don't want them to see Niall and me like this. Regardless, I curl into Niall's body.
The movie reaches its end soon. Niall has held me onto his arms throughout and strangely. I loved the warm feeling so much that I didn't even move for once. Sophia has slept off on Liam's shoulders and he carefully runs his hand though his hairs to comfort her.
The sleeping sight enhances my drowsiness. I've lost interest to watch the last few minutes of the movie, thus; I lift my head up and sit straight. I settle my hair and feel Niall retrieving his arms from my body.
I turn to look at him and notice that his eyes are already on me. He isn't just looking at me, but drinking me in with his glance and it's different this time, so powerful and serious – I don't know what he is searching in my eyes.
While I wonder I realize that my skin has burnt up as if the temperature has escalated way too much in the room. My heartbeats have raced up and my breathes have become irregular.
Why? I've no freaking idea.
Then, I notice Niall leaning closer to me. His hand crawls up to rest on my cheek while his thumb rubs on my skin. I close my eyes briefly, feeling the soothing rub. His breathes gets heavier and he gets closer to me – our lips only inches away.
I should stop, push him or myself away from happening whatever is going to happen, but somehow my body is numb and I close my eyes, waiting for his lips to crash on mine.
His nose tip touch mine and I shift a tad in my seat. His thumb rubs harder on my skin.
"Nadia," he murmurs.
"Yeah," I breathe very heavily.
"Look at me."
I quickly open my eyes and see his oceanic blue eyes, dazzling. They shift constantly to my lips and I'm only waiting for him to kiss me.
But, he doesn't.
Instead, he tucks my hair behind my ears and completely moves back. I'm shocked beyond explanation and look away immediately.
"Ahhmm....I'll go to my apartment now, guys," I announce, rising to my feet. "Thanks for having me over, see you around, goodnight."
I almost run out of the apartment, not seeing whether anyone heard me or saw me even. I don't close the door also and only walk faster. I'm sweating terribly and the accelerated heartbeats make me sick.
I try to find an answer of why I got that feeling, but right now all I want to do is just get inside my home. However, Niall's footsteps behind distract me. My jogs change to gallops and I reach my apartment door.
After I unlock, I turn to my right and see Niall. He leans against the wall, arms crossed before his chest. I maintain our sight for awhile before breaking it and entering inside.
On closing the door, I sit down on the floor and close my eyes – thinking about Niall, and what if we actually kissed. Everything else in my life seems mundane right now, even Steven. I open my eyes and keep my eyes on the ceiling fan, quiet and still – completely in contrast to my heartbeats now, which are irregular and unstable