Song attached: Safe and Sound by Taylor Swift. I don't even want to start on how beautiful this song is. Now another song to add to my repeat playlist which only had Sad Beautiful Tragic by Taylor Swift and Matt Defreitas' cover of Heathens by Twenty One Pilots, Evie (EvelynMysteryScott )
Posted on: August 12th, 2016.
e i g h t
[ s t a r i n g s e s s i o n s ]
"You can trust us and tell anything," the doctor tried again, his calm and composed voice which was trained to be serene for the sake of patients sounded a little strained after talking to a block-faced Kiranya.
"Like I said, sir-" she even threw an exasperated look at the old doctor, "- I was cutting vegetables and I don't know how it happened but the next second, everything was bloody. If you're trying to imply that I'm depressed and into cutting wrists, hear this, I'm... happy."
A small smile adorned her face but even before I knew what I was doing or feeling for that matter, I stood up from my chair, opposite to the doctor's wooden table. The doctor and my mom glanced at me while Kiranya didn't.
Of course, she didn't.
I cleared my throat and gave a watery smile. "Um, I need to use the washroom. Don't mind me."
I didn't wait for them to reply and excited the doc's calm and silent room.
I'm... happy.
Her face flashed in my mind, a small vulnerable smile on display. To everyone it would seem like she really was happy. Just a shy girl expressing her thoughts in a shy, more uptight manner.
I'm... happy.
No, you aren't.
But I wasn't 'everyone.' If I was 'everyone', I would have missed how her voice decreased a notch or how it broke a little. I would've missed how her hands shook a little, too small to notice but too large to not notice if you were looking for it.
She isn't happy.
I wiped my face, tired and frustrated. I was more than curious to know what the hell happened to her. What made her like this. And it didn't help that Grandpa Beardie asked 'you don't know?' when I went to visit her home. It would take only one visit to Grandpa Beardie's house to know it.
I heard the door open behind me and looked back to see black eyes on me. Everything seemed to melt into a void around us as Kiranya and I stared at each other. Me, looking helpless. She, looking like BookManiac12 and certainly not like Sandy, my nickname for her eleven years back.
And I decided.
I can't bring Sandy back if Kiranya doesn't trust me. And trust takes time. Time, I'm ready to give her.
I'll wait.
I'll wait for her to eventually open up to me. If she wants my help, I'll help her. If she wants someone by her side, I'll be by her side. If she just wants to be silent without a pestering friend, I wouldn't pester because—
Because, what?
*
*
*
"Please..?"
I even used my mega, super duper irresistible puppy eyes.
"You should be thankful that your appa and I already played along to this whole thing!"
And though my mother tried to look angry, I knew she wasn't. They were so unlike normal parents so I knew that she was just trying to at least sound like one.
"I've never really asked you anything before!" She raised her eyes as if to say 'minus going to Riverside for eleven years?' but I just shot her my best smile.
I felt her resolve crumble and finally she cracked a smile, shaking her head.
"You sneaky cat," she said, ruffling my hair and poof — there went my quiff. Oh well, some good things deserve sacrifices. "I'll talk to Kiranya about that."
I couldn't resist and pulled my mom into a bear hug. It had been a while since I last hugged her and it felt different. I was so used to being hugged back by a body bigger than me as I rested my head on her waist which slowly upgraded to shoulders. But now, she felt too small trapped inside my arms and her head was buried in my shoulders.
When did I grow up this big?
"Alright, big guy. I'm suffocating. Let go," my amma muttered as she thumped my shoulders and I let her go with a smile.
We both started towards the car where Kiranya was waiting. We had asked her to stay there as my mother went to buy her the prescribed medicines (which, let me tell you, was tough minding that Kiranya wouldn't let my mother pay for her).
Kiranya didn't acknowledge me when we returned but she did shoot my mom a small nod. My mother didn't seem to mind the lack of warmth and shot back a big smile.
The ride back to Kiranya's house was silent but it was a comfortable silence as we were all lost in our own worlds with our own thoughts. Mine, undoubtedly filled with Kiranya. I don't know when it happened but before I knew, she became the center of my world. Everything was about her. What was Kiranya doing? Did she eat? Did she sleep? Was Kiranya happy? She doesn't seem to be having that many bruises recently so does that mean that she's not that clumsy anymore? Where are her parents? What was Grandpa Beardie talking about? What did I mean to her?
And it scared me.
Why would she become the center of my world? She was only a playmate!
Right.
"We're here!" my mother announced cheerfully and Kiranya gave her a small smile.
"Thanks for today, auntie," she said and got out of the back seat, "please come inside for some tea."
Well, at least she knows how to be polite.
My mom didn't even try to deny it for courtesy. Instead she pumped her hands in a very unladylike fashion and thumped my shoulder, almost pushing me outside through the window.
"A hot cup of tea sounds amazing! You don't mind me bringing this extra baggage to our fun girl's union, do you?"
And did I tell you that the extra baggage she meant was me?
No?
Okay.
Even Kiranya cracked a small smile this time while she shook her head and opened my door. A small genuine smile.
Yeah me! Though I just let a girl open the car door for me...
My mom sent a sneaky wink in my direction. I chuckled and gave her a thumps up once Kiranya turned her back towards us, opening the gates.
What did I do to deserve such parents?
The inside of Kiranya's house looked the same like last time. Just homely and gave no clue as to what was going on in this silent girl's life. My mom kept openly praising the interior designing and everything she could think off and see. And since I've told my parents about how Kiranya had changed so much, my mother didn't ask about her parents.
When it was time for us to leave, Kiranya accompanied us to the door, her hand carrying a paper cover.
"It was nice to finally get to actually know you, dear," amma said as she without any warning, pulled Kiranya into a hug.
Kiranya didn't hug back immediately but her hands slowly wrapped around my mother's frame, her eyes on me.
Corpse eyes like always stared at me as I stood behind my mom. I didn't know what she was thinking. I didn't know if her eyes were questioning me, seeking mine or if they were simply staring into mine. But I didn't lower my eyes as I stared back at her till my mother pulled back making Kiranya avert her gaze to my mom's.
But during our short staring session I realised one thing.
I liked staring into her eyes. Eyes so black.
Mentally slapping myself to clear my mind which has been acting weird for quite sometime, I tried to concentrate on what was going between my mother and friend.
Kiranya was trying to make my mother accept the paper cover while my amma kept shaking her head, pushing the cover back to her. And it didn't take Einstein to figure out what the cover had.
Money.
Kiranya looked more than determined and my mom looked equally determined. Pfft, women.
"It's alright, Kiranya dear, please don't make me feel like a stranger by paying me back. And it wasn't even that huge a sum or anything." She even flashed her best, warm, motherly smile but Kiranya's corpse eyes didn't crack as she simply stared back, no smile on her face.
"I insist, auntie."
My mom looked between Kiranya and the money and when she finally decided that Kiranya wasn't someone to back away that easily, she heaved a sigh.
"Alright, young lady, give me that but I want a favour from you. I'll accept the money only if you say okay."
Kiranya didn't think twice before nodding.
Idiot.
My mother and I shared a look, a huge grin on my face and amusement filled in her eyes. My puppy eyes worked really well after all!
Or amma just wants you to be happy.
Ha, as if I want Kiranya to make myself happy.
What's with the 'as if.' It is a written fact. You want her to be happy yourself.
Certainly not!
Yeah, whatever floats your boat, moron.
"How can I help you?" Kiranya asked, pulling me from my squabble with myself. I'm totally weird, I tell you.
"Oh nothing much," my amma laughed and patted both of Kiranya's shoulders, "I've an important meeting to attend and Varun's dad is out of town. This guy can't stay in one place without getting into trouble so do you think you could allow him to be in your place till evening? I hope your parents don't mind."
I turned towards my mother sharply at the mention of 'parents' but I didn't get the chance to glare at my mom's slip since Kiranya turned to look at me. Eyes as blank as an empty canvas.
"So this is what I've to do for you to accept the money?" she asked but her eyes were on me.
Black against violet and blue-green.
And no one wanted to lose first.
I felt amusement and a very tiny bit of worry radiate from my mother.
"Yes, love."
Black eyes were the first to give up. And when she released my eyes from her black smothering hold, I felt free. Yet strangely under captivity.
"My mother wouldn't mind."
~✩~✩✩~✩~
Sorry for such a late update. Finals are finally done! Yay! I'm finished with first year of college and I've a month long vacation. I'm planning to update as much as possible so get ready to be attacked by irregular updates haha.
Did you like the chapter? I loved it actually :P
I had to read the previous chapters to get into Varun's essence. So sorry if he sounds different but it's been a long time since I last wrote from his pov.
SPREAD WORD ABOUT THIS STORY. It would mean the world to me if you guys help me to make this book more successful :')
Tell me about your thoughts and tell what you guys think will happen in the future chapters. I'm downright excited for the rest of the story since I've 60% of the story planned out which is a huge thing for me since I usually write a story with zero preparation of plot lol.
With love,
Kavya.