13- “Take us to the Great Wall of China.”
VANSH
Who could have ever guessed that I'd receive a heartbreaking news on a bright Monday morning?
While delivering my shit to the toilet seat.
I couldn't guess if I was shitting myself more from the shock that Ahana delivered through the phone or from my stomach getting moody. “Will you kindly walk yourself out of that shithole first? I swear I can smell your gas from here,” Ahana's voice reverberated through the bathroom since the phone was kept near the sink on loudspeaker. After washing my hands, I exited the bathroom, taking my phone along.
“Tell me if you need me to talk to your father. I- I can convince him,” I told her, trying to keep a straight voice. I had no problem with talking to her father. I just didn't know how to convince him when we weren't in the position to convince ourselves. Maybe I'll request him to give us some time. Yeah, that sounded like a plan. I'll even pay a visit, who knows? But I sure as hell wouldn't leave without giving a black eye to the brat who proposed her. I admit that was gutsy but honestly, I didn't give two shits about it.
Ahana laughed, much to my shock after I voiced out my thoughts. “Look, I know it sounds serious but it isn't. Atleast not as much we are picturing out to be. I was feeling the same as you before. I was scared, angry, helpless but the situation is better than before now. I've explained it to my parents in a way that they won't think about searching for a groom for the time being. And I even told Papa to give us some time. You can chill, phil baby.”
And I did by letting out a relieved sigh, “Now I can go on with the rest of the day without shitting myself to death.”
“Hmm...”
Okay, that 'hmm' didn't sound too convincing, “Is there another problem?”
“Not a problem per say...” She trailed off while I waited anxiously. “It's just that I feel guilty for not responding to Piyush properly. I kind of lashed out on him. He hasn't been talking to me ever since. It's been only three days but still...”
I let out a chuckle, “Now why does this give me a deja vu feeling? I almost feel bad for him now. Like 0.001 percent almost,” I paused, thinking about the situation seriously. It didn't make me feel good. “Ahana, I know it sounds ridiculous but maybe... we should return back to the relationship.”
“No!” she denied right away. “That isn't why we took this break, Vansh. I don't want us to be together because of outside influences. It wouldn't be real. I want us to be together when we want to... when our hearts tell us to. Then only we'll truly be together.”
“I know, I know that. It's just...” I trailed off, slumping down on the sofa and running a hand through my hair. “Your future scares me now,” I admitted, my voice low. If she were to get married elsewhere— Maybe I wasn't feeling as much right now but I'm sure if it happened, it would crush me for life.
“My future is in my hands, no one else's. And you, my dear, play a huge part in it so please stop worrying, otherwise I'll regret telling this to you. I just want to be honest with you, not to hamper your daily life. So go to bath, wear a nice suit, fill yourself with omelete or bread and go to office. Okay?”
I did as she told— it was a part of my routine anyway. I immersed myself in my work as usual except, my mind couldn't relax at all. And when it didn't relax, it paved way to some disastrous scenarios. What if that asshat tries to woo her and her parents again? What if her parents liked him better than me? Oh, wait, I suppose they already did. Worse, what if she found him better than me? Indeed we had a history of four and a half year relationship but so did that bastard, who had been friends with her since school. I knew I wasn't supposed to be worried unnecessarily when she assured me but tell that to a guy who is staying ten thousand kilometers away from his girl. Anything could happen while I was here. It wasn't something I could take control over and that's what scared me the most.
Even Irfan and Natasha could tell that something was bugging me when I remained close to mute during lunch. They asked me once or twice until eventually I spilled out.
Those mundane thoughts plagued my mind for sometime but after talking to Ahana again that night, I felt better next morning. A few days after that incident, I was back to my usual goofy self. Not that I wasn't worried at all but it wasn't as big as I pictured out to be. Life felt normal again.
~
“Ya Allah, not this drama again... Okay bye,” Irfan spoke and ended the call. He looked stressed as he rubbed his temple.
“What's up, dude? Did a stray dog happen to trespass your house and eat all the remaining stock from the kitchen or worse, peed on it?” We were in a Indian restaurant having dinner and no, it wasn't a date. Moreover there were two more guys with us.
He let out a grunt of disapproval at my statement and shifted a little closer to my side, “Listen, I have a favor to ask of you. After this dinner,” he said with finality before going back to eating.
I didn't need to think twice about the favor he asked of me afterwards. I already knew my answer. “No. I absolutely refuse to waste my leftover energy in babysitting a drunk Natasha.”
“You don't have to babysit her man!” he hissed. “Just go to the pub where she is, hire a cab and escort her to her residence. That's it.”
“Then why don't you handle it? She called you, not me,” I pointed out and crossed my arms.
“It's was Kyle, her roommate who informed me about Natasha. She's out of city right now. She can't pick her up so she called a person she could rely,” he said, a little too proudly to which I whistled. “Come on, try to understand my emotions, brother.”
He called me brother, not bro.
“You're the only one I can count on.”
Since when?
“Just do this for me,” he begged, literally joining his close palms in front of me. “See, I already dropped that witch home two times before. I took her responsibility, it's time you do the same.”
“Why?” Shouldn't he be more willing since his crush requested him to?
“Because we are more than just your regular colleagues. We are a genuine team,” he stated with a raised fist and honestly, that touched me. “And as team mates, it's our responsibility to take care of one another. She needs it right now.”
“Okay but you—”
“You're the best, my brother. Love ya!” he cut me off by pulling me to a bro hug. I blinked. “You know her address, right? Don't worry, I'll message you the details. Just do as I say and you're a free man. Meet you tomorrow. Take care. Khuda hafis!” he said quickly, not giving me a single chance to interrupt. I called behind him but he bolted out of the exit door as if he was urging to pee right there and then. This bastard!
Did it look like I had a choice? Apparently, I did but, it would be wrong to ditch a friend's request (Well, actually a friend's friend request handed to a friend's friend) and especially leave an intoxicated friend in the streets. Drawing out a long sigh, I headed over to the pub where Natasha was supposed to be. On my way, I received a message from Irfan detailing me her address, along with a small note in the end.
No wonder he was in such a hurry. That whole teammate shit story he spouted about were all buttery words to lure me in. But, a bit different from her usual self? Wasn't her 'usual self' supposed be different enough? What was I going to witness exactly?
It was hard to spot her in a crowded pub but the first sign that came into my view was her faded pink handbag on a corner table alongwith an empty bottle of scotch and a glass. My gaze shifted to its owner who had her head slumped on the table. I walked my way towards her.
“You alive there?” I spoke thus making my presence known, while also tapping my fingers on the table.
She raised her head slowly and the first thing I noticed were her red, puffy eyes. Had she been crying or was it just the alcohol? For a moment, she blinked, frowned, stared at me until recognization feigned her face. “Vansh?”
She called me by my name. “One and only.”
Her nose crinkled like I was a pathetic piece of shit to look at. “No, no, nooo!” she slurred loudly, grabbing attention. “Where's Kyle? Where's my darling? You dared to kidnap her. I demand justice!” she stated, banging her table.
Definitely drunk, alright. “Shush down, woman,” I hissed and took a seat opposite her. “Your Kyle sent me here to escort you home. She's waiting for you.” Natasha tried to argue saying why she couldn't make it here while I spouted another lie in hopes of convincing her. “Now be a good girl and come to Daddy... Haha, sorry, just felt like saying that. What I mean is, enough drinks for today. Be a good girl so that I could drop you home and sleep in my own comfy bed.”
She cocked her head to one side. “Fine but first things first...” she said, raising a finger after which she got up from her seat and walked towards the direction of the washroom. Thus I waited for her.
Five minutes later she returned, but not empty handed. “I thought we were going home,” I enquired when I noticed her holding a bottle of whisky and a glass on either hand.
But apparently she didn't care as she shook her head in bliss. “Of course we are but first—” she said, pouring the drink into both empty glasses. “A drinking contest baby!”
I facepalmed while stifling back a smile. “Look, it's almost 10 pm and honestly, someone needs to be sober since it's only the two of us right now. Some other time, okay?” I explained to her as nicely as possible.
“But, but I wanted to play this. My Kyle would have certainly agreed to it,” she mumbled, her voice getting lower to the point where I had to arch my head to hear her. And then I heard the sound that was the last thing you'd hear from someone like her. She sniffed. “I couldn't even get someone to share a drink with me. Kyle didn't come for me. Not even Irfan. No one wants to be with me. I'm alone. I'm all alone in this dark, lonely world,” she whimpered, her eyes glassy before burying her head on the table to cry.
I raised my hands in exasperation. “Huh? Why the heck are you crying? What's happening here?” I scratched my head, agitated. I expected her to shout and whine but not this. I ran a hand through my hair, “Fine, I'll drink, but just this once, okay?”
She jerked her head up so fast you wouldn't even think she was lying down a moment ago. “Okay!” she smiled widely and raised her glass in my direction. “Cheers!”
A devil to the core. I clinked my glass at her. “Cheers,” I said, sounding bored and quickly gulped down the contents past my mouth.
An hour, a drink and a two or maybe three more round of shots later...
“... We stared at the victim, the victim stared at us, except it was us who were horrified this time. It was none other than, dun, dun, dun- Dhruuuv,” I recited dramatically and we burst into laughing fits, thus grabbing few eyeballs. I couldn't understand why few people were looking at us. We were at a bar for fucks sake. Bars were places to get drunk, laugh and fart our ass off. “Assholes. People have such low tolerance these days.”
“Yeah, that's why they cum so early lololol,” Natasha said, laughing at her own silly joke. I let out a chuckle and banged my heavy head against the table with a thud. Your job was to escort her home, not to get wasted as well. I couldn't help it. My pride wouldn't let me accept defeat in the first round so I insisted for a second. I did win the second but none of us were satisfied with getting a tie so we took another shot. Some self destructive idiots we were. Sorry liver.
I raised my head to the surroundings. Well, it wasn't like I was seeing double images so I was okay. Although I wonder if there were actually two bottles in front of me or was I seeing double? Trying not to think about that, I glanced at Natasha. Her head was down while her hands were stretched in front as she busy tapped away her mobile screen. I took off my jacket and leaned my head to her level. “Listen, I'm going to take a piss, so you better do me a favor and stay right where you are, until I return. Understood?”
She gave a meek nod, seeming quite engrossed in her mobile. It didn't look like she would go anytime soon. With that thinking, I left.
You know we all had those days when 'luck' sympathetized with our miseries and ended it by granting more wishes. Then there were days when 'luck' took weed and dozed off like a sleeping beauty, waiting to be kissed by destiny. Until then, good luck finding your way man. Just like how I was searching for my drunkard friend inside the restaurant.
When she was nowhere to be found (I even called her outside the women's washroom. It was awkward), I showed her photo to the doorman, hoping he'd know something. “Yes, I think I just saw her scrambling out a few minutes ago. You better hurry,” he replied. Should have just asked him first.
Like a sensible person, I called her first. Scolding can come later. Thankfully she wasn't that far away. I just had to take another left and then...
What the actual fuck?
I did found her but she was not alone. From the looks of it, an argument was going on between her and three people—Two boys and one girl. From their expressions, it didn't look like they were up for a chit- chat. Moreover, the girl was constantly demanding Natasha to apologize for dirtying her boyfriend's shirt with a cold drink. As for her, she was simply mimicking whatever the girl was saying while flirting with the boys at the same time. So typical. The girl was infuriated to the point where she almost strangled Natasha but the boys stopped her in time. That's when I knew I had to step in.
Only, I didn't. I was about to but then I saw an empty cab passing at the side of the road and a brilliant idea planted inside my head. This night might not be so bad after all.
I stopped the cab and gave the driver some instructions before he went away. Then typed a message to Natasha, hoping her intoxicated brain would be capable enough to understand my plan. I placed a finger on my mouth, motioning her to stay quiet, when she spotted me. Heaved a relieved sigh when she understood. So far so good.
With my hands dug in my pockets, I walked casually, like any passer by would. Their nagging noises became more clearer as I neared them. The anticipation of what I was about to do overpowered their voices and instead, my ears concentrated on the sounds my shoes made as I passed them, step by step.
Those sounds also stopped as I halted, a few feet ahead of them. And then—
“RUN!” I shouted behind her while grinning out wide.
The next few moments barely registered in my mind as they fast forwarded itself. I vaguely recalled Natasha yelling 'shit, shit, shit', while trying to catch up with me. I spotted the taxi parking ahead, just like I instructed him to. That girl was still chasing behind Natasha like a lunatic, much to our shock. “Hurry in!” I pointed my hand furiously towards the passenger seat of the taxi as I opened the door. She got in awkwardly and I threw myself after her, “Start the engine, start the enginn!” I raised my voice, practically jumping off the seat.
We turned ourselves to the back window where we witnessed the poor girl and her two male 'friends' watching us in vain, as we got in the moving taxi. Following their disappointment, we did something I'm sure no sensible adult would do—
“Blehhh!” We stuck our tongues out to mock them.
Natasha even outdid herself by pointing her thumb to her temple, fluttering her fingers like a kindergarten kid. We hi- fived each other and stole a glance— That one look which made us realize the level of stupidity, followed by roars and roars of laughter, filling the taxi. Perhaps so lost in laughing that we couldn't care how awkwardly we were crouching on the seat. The car bumped at a speedbraker, making us lose our balance. I ended up bumping my head to the back of the driver's seat while Natasha completely lost her hold, falling down the pithole. Instead of taking control of our emotions, we only laughed like we lost our minds. I didn't recall when I had laughed this harder last time. I bet even the driver must be regretting going along with my little escapade now.
Natasha took a deep excruciating breath, placing her hand on her chest as she sat straight. “I think I died and gone back to heaven.”
“You wouldn't be here if you died then.”
“But dead people came back to life before.”
“You're certainly not one of them.”
“Fuck off!”
“No, you fu—”
“Sir, Ma'am, you haven't stated your destination for the past five minutes so I'm afraid we'll have to stop here.” The driver stated, bringing silence for the first time ever.
Guess it was time for reality check. I opened the message, Irfan had sent me. “Take us to the Monogamy street first.”
“It's Montgomery street, sir,” the baldie corrected hoarsely.
Natasha must have realized that it was her place of residence because she screamed in a high pitch voice, stopping the driver as well. “Nooo, don't take us home, dear driver! Take us anywhere you like instead!”
“Do you realize what you're saying?” I spat then turned to the driver, “Don't listen to her, bald Uncle. Clearly she's drunk and out of her mind. Kindly take us to the Great Wall of China... No, no, uh, I mean to the Monogamy Street. Yes! The monogamy street.”
“Montgomery street, sir!”
At that Natasha giggled, “And you claim that I'm drunk.”
I ignored her and fell back to the seat, tired. I glanced at the night lights, passing in blurred lines from the window and let the cold winds hit my face. Somehow it was becoming harder to stay awake. The image in front of me was slowly fading away to black. Soon I succumbed into the darkness.
.
“Vansh, Vansh... Oh, get the hell up or I'll spit on your face.”
That got my senses rolling, jolting me awake. I blinked my heavy eyes repeatedly, getting a clear glimpse of my surroundings and yawned. “Have we reached the Great Wall of China?”
I heard a faint giggle. “Yes, darling, we have. Come on, see it for yourself,” she urged, pulling my arm to get me out. I tried to focus. Something didn't feel right but what exactly? Moreover it was hard seeing clearly. Was this a dream?
I thanked the driver who only seemed keen to get us out since he ran off as soon as he got the money. The street light above me blindsided my vision for a bit. I rubbed my eyes hastily and when I opened them, I could see clearly like a plasma TV screen. However when I did a 360 angular view of the place, I realized it wasn't the Monogamy street, nor the Park street where I lived. Infact there was nothing remotely close to a residential building around here. We seemed to be standing in the middle of a small bridge, litted by street lights and trees. I swear I could hear the sound of running water somewhere.
“Where the hell are we?”
“At the Great Wall of China, dear. Just imagine a huge wall with the letters China engraved on it... Baby, I don't need dollar bills to have fun tonight, I want cheap thrills! I don't need no mouney, you are more than diamond, more~”
I grabbed her by the arm since I certainly wasn't in the mood to hear her sing. “Just tell me where, you bitch?! What did you say to the driver?” I demanded, my eyes raging.
“I just told him to go somewhere nearby and he- he br-ought us here,” she said, her eyes instantly welling up. I removed my hold from her immediately.
“Um, sorry about that. Sorry,” I apologized, patting her shoulder weirdly as she blinked back her tears. She was actually making me feel bad about my behavior. What had gotten into her? Can someone really pull a three sixty degree while intoxicated. Unbelievable!
Diverting my attention from her, I gauged the surroundings. I couldn't help but notice the lack of vehicles around, so finding a taxi was next to impossible. There was no sign board either. It was past eleven, we were drunk and lost in the middle of nowhere. Now why did this situation screamed deja vu to me? Same night, same alcohol but a different city with a different girl. No, no, we wouldn't wanna replace that sacred night, do we? No worries. I was sure if we'll keep walking ahead, we were bound to reach somewhere and ask for directions.
“Let's...” I was about to say to my companion in front of me when she magically disappeared. Thankfully, I found her when I turned to the opposite direction. I walked upto her side to find her walking in bizarre patterns, her hands clasped behind her back. I positioned myself in front of her and began walking backwards to observe. She was stepping on the red colored blocks while avoiding the gray ones. “What are you even doing?” I asked, amused.
She still had her eyes on the footpath like it was the most interesting thing in the world. “Shhh, I'm trying to concentrate,” she said innocently and hopped. I blinked to see if she was the same Natasha I knew. It was almost as if she was a child in a wrong body. Maybe Irfan knew about this. Then what if I...
“Stop!” I said, displaying my hands to halt her on her tracks. I raised my thumb and forefinger with both of my palms, appearing to be taking a snapshot of her. “Wow! Do you know how fabulous you're looking right now? Even I can't take my eyes off you. But it would be a total waste if only I see it. Imagine how many eyeballs you'd grab if you click a picture or a video right now.”
For a moment, it didn't seemed like my fake words would faze her but then she asked, “Do you really mean it?”
“Do you ever hear me compliment you?”
“Hah, I must be looking really fabulous then,” she said, acting giddy. “Okay, let me fix myself,” she said as she straightened her hair, purse, jacket and her one piece dress.
Thus the next few minutes were wasted on clicking her photos which eventually turned to videos. Since a video of her simply posing would be boring, I deliberately made her skip like earlier alongwith a few dramatic poses. It was a perfect video. My revenge video. Just you wait, woman, I'm gonna share this in our team's Whatsapp group and make you the laughing stock of the day. Ha, ha, ha! That's when she'll realize just who she messed up with.
Alongside filming videos, we were also talking about nonsensical things while standing at the border of the bridge. I didn't know how it happened but we were confessing about the stupid things we wanted to become.
“I want to become a world famous magician and travel the world with Ankit,” I raised my voice to the sea, a lump forming in my throat at the mention of Ankit.
“Then I want to become an astronaut and travel in space instead.”
“A pirate from One piece.”
“Miss World.”
“Mrs Ahana Baweja!”
“The fuck?” Natasha turned to me with a mocking laugh. “That didn't make sense.”
“It totally did,” I said, somewhat offended. “That's the name of my future wife,” I stated, grinning like a proud old man. She then asked how things were at Ahana's house. While I answered that, a doubt plugged my mind, “Do you girls mind if your surname gets changed?”
She shrugged, “Some do, some don't. I think I'll mind because I love my surname,” she paused for a while before giggling. “But maybe I won't mind one.”
My raised a brow at her, curious, “Which one?”
She bit her lip as if contemplating to speak up. She shifted closer towards my ear as if the winds would hear us out, “Mrs Natasha Arora.”
My brain began churning it's reels. Arora? It didn't match the surname of any of the Bollywood actors I knew of. Perhaps a South India actor? “Who's this?”
“My favorite se-cr-et,” she pronounced slowly and I watched in horror as she visibly blushed. Someone as vulgar as Natasha never blushed. I was intrigued as well as angry now. The three of us were certainly not the best of friends but our friendship had reached to a level where we had shared a few personal things. Like how Irfan talked about his childhood lover, Ziara and his promise; like how I had talked about Ahana. But in case of Natasha, nothing. She was one of those people who preferred to keep their personal lives locked in a box. Perhaps not even sharing it with their friends. She claimed she never did relationships, just some hook ups here and there, but after this confession, I was doubting her now. Then again, it could be a one sided crush for all I know. I kept nagging her about it. Besides admitting she missed him, she didn't give anything else away. I gave up.
After walking a considerable distance, we stopped. Funny thing was, we were still standing besides the bridge like before. The night lights illuminating from various street lights, reflected on the surface of the ocean, making interesting line patterns. The sound of the waves crashing sounded soothing to my ears. I placed my arms on the edge and rested my head on it. It was all peaceful until I heard a soft cry besides me. “What now?”
She pulled her lips yet again, “I wanna go home~” She whined and I rolled my eyes, “What your problem? Don't you miss your family, your old friends? Huh, you heartless bastard.”
“I do miss them but I'm kinda used to it now. I've been living away for a long time... eventually I'll return to them.”
She hummed, “Must be nice living in different places. I wanted to be out for a long while now. Just anywhere in the world you know...” She trailed off, stretching her arms out horizontally while gripping the ends of her hands to the edges. “Feels good to be finally free like this.”
I let out a laugh while she frowned at me. “Half of the time, it's our mind playing games with us. It hampers our thinking.” When she didn't understand I added, “You said you wanted to be out then associated with being free here. I wholly agree but people can step out of the house, stand under the same night sky, and feel just as free. Night, day, ocean— they remain the same wherever you go. We just give them an identity by naming them.”
“I should have added inde...pendent... too...”
“Watch out!” I warned when she lost her footing but I managed to catch her by her shoulders. “We really should be heading back.”
She raised her head from my chest, her reddish eyes blinking and placed a hand on my arm to push herself away. “Don't worry, I'm fine. I'm all fine,” she managed to convince me or herself while still staggering. Well, suit herself. I turned, facing the sea ahead when I felt her shoulders weighing against mine. I flinched by the touch, but then allowed it, knowing her state. For a while we let ourselves drown in the silence of the night, in the sounds of the sea waves, in the cold gust of wind. I was about to suggest walking ahead to reach the busy roads when she pointed a finger towards the sea. “Our lives, they are like this ocean. We are literally the sailors and the sea is like the flow of life. Some sail through the sea without the storm, some survive a few storms while some drown in it. Few don't even have to sail through the entire painstaking journey as they die early.”
“Hold up, what do you mean by few dying early? What about the ones who drown?” I asked. Didn't they mean the same thing?
“They keep on drowning. That's it.”
There was a long pause. I didn't know how and why we were suddenly comparing our lives to the ocean but, “Still doesn't make sense.”
“What doesn't make sense, huh?” She straightened up, turning her gaze to the sea. “They simply keep on drowning because they lost their sails long ago. They try to escape, maybe try to build a new boat but someone or something keeps pushing them past the edge. Like they are fucking meant to drown. They keep on pushing down, suffocating them again and again, again and again, until they are convinced they belong there! In the hollow depths of the sea.”
A loud gush of wind passed us by while I stood there paralyzed. Her words, although not directed at me, felt like a tight slap to my face. I willed myself to look at her face, into her eyes and my breath hitched. Nothing— there was nothing in there. She was as emotionless as a stone. Or maybe I was too blinded by the alcohol to be noticing odd things. Although I didn't miss the way when her hands had gripped the railing, perhaps a little too tight.
“Your theory is still invalid,” I continued still. “They are still breathing, which means they are alive, and if they are still alive, then they already came out of the water without realizing it. They might be struggling for sure but they are strong.” I gave a small smile.
“Heh, then why they feel like they are drowning?”
“I guess they are sailing with the help of a plank of wood. Just like the scene from Titanic where Jack helped Rose. Or maybe they have sea suits that helps them breathe underwater.” At that, she scoffed and I let out a laugh, “I'm actually starting to like this crappy game. Just share your negative views and I'll convert them into positive.”
She shot me an odd look while I wriggled my brows at her, all set for the little challenge but then her face broke into a quiet laugh. “Sea suits? Titanic? No one is going to challenge you that way, silly. No one.” Her smile matched her crinkled eyes and in that spilt moment, I visualized Ahana smiling back at me. My heart skipped. I must be really drunk if I was imagining her. Though that imagination soon dissipated when a sleepy Natasha tugged the sleeve of my shirt. I raised my head in question.
“I'm sleepy. Call them.”
“Call who?”
“Ub... Uber cab... Call them right... otherwise I'll...”
Realization hit me like a ton of bricks. Uber cab. The Uber cab, dammit! How could I not notice something so obvious? It was as obvious as the food lying in front of you but forgetting to eat them. Could someone be seriously that blind? Yeah, me apparently.
I couldn't help hitting her head this time, “You could have informed me beforehand,” I told her while opening the Uber cab app and booked a taxi right away. Thankfully we wouldn't have to wait for more than five minutes. I glanced at Natasha whose head was shaking like a slow pendulum, “Try to hold yourself till then.” And myself too.
Her brows creased slightly like she was trying to decipher my words. Her gaze darted to my arm and then to my eyes with a frown deeper than the last time. “Were you Jack?”
“What, 'were you Jack?' ”
“Noo~” she giggled, taking an audible breath and came closer, “You are Jack.”
The sound that came out of my mouth was a mixture between cry and laughs. “Look, I don't think anyone is in a position for a proper conversation right now. You're just saying anything you want while I'm finding hard to process your words. I'm already feeling sleepy you know,” I said, yawning when she whispered Jack's kit and I lost my nerve, “What's with your obsession with Jack all of a sudden? Are you talking about Jack and Jill? Jackie Chan? Or your mysterious heartthrob Jack Arora? Maybe...” My words faded away.
A strange kind of silence enveloped around, bringing us to a halt. Was it the wind or was it my consciousness, I didn't know because I couldn't see. It was like a spell. But somehow, I was able to remember her face closing around mine for a moment. Close enough to smell alcohol as if I was tasting it. Alongwith something soft, something lipstick like.
Lipstick like?
It was when I opened the windows of my mind, did my eyes widen like a ghost— At first her magnified face and then her words.
'Where's your jacket?'
Which shock should be prioritized more? The fact that I lost my precious jacket or the fact I'd just been kissed on the lips in that moment of tranquility.
I didn't even get enough time to ponder on my shock as I noticed Natasha losing her stand. I caught her by her arms while trying to balance myself as well. “Natasha, wake up, oi,” I tried but she was as good as dead. Just when this night couldn't get any better, I was saved by the horn, emitting from the yellow car, heading our way.
But as I placed an unconscious Natasha on the backseat, I realized just how bad my luck really was. “Couldn't you have showed up a minute early? Lazy fools,” I grumbled and fell back to the seat.
-
I thought my work would be over after I dropped her to her building but no, the Satan was out to feast my soul tonight. Turns out her apartment was locked and as per the watchman, I wasn't allowed to take her in, without her permission. I tried to wake her up numerous times but the best reaction I got was a blink. A mere blink. It took me fifteen painful minutes to call Irfan to give Kyle's number and then call Kyle to convince their watchman that I wasn't a potential rapist. It was almost one after midnight now.
“You bloody owe me a month's worth of free lunch, you hear me?” I said to a sleeping Natasha, lying on the chair at the reception. Now how the hell she will go from here to her apartment with her sleeping legs?
Obviously you'll have to carry her, dumbfuck.
“Do you happen to have trolleys?” I asked the watchman and hit my head against the wall when he said no. Fuck you watchman, Kyle, Natasha, Irfan, Uber driver, the previous driver and even the Great Wall of China. Fuck you all!
The watchman must have felt pity seeing my miserable state as he offered to carry her instead, but I refused. As a friend, it was my sole duty to fulfill this task through and through.
Despite my light headed state and my eyes weighing a ton, I picked her deadweight body in my arms- one arm circling her back and other around her legs. After unlocking the apartment, I carried her again and dropped her on the first bed that caught my eyes. When I gathered enough breath in my lungs, I headed towards the exit door.
Imagine a person withholding a heavy weight above their head, to keep it from hitting him. So what do you suppose would happen if his arms got limp and he gave up? Simple, he would fall down along the weight. Just like me.
The alcohol hit me with full force, resulting in a bundle of sweats and dizziness. I willed myself to get up from the floor and took shaky steps towards the door. I absolutely couldn't afford to lose myself, in her apartment. Too many wrong things had happened already, I couldn't add one more. Admist my foggy vision, I spotted a leather couch to my left. It looked very, very comforting. It was tempting me, don't know how but I listened to it anyway. I felt at absolute peace as soon as I laid on the comfy mattress. And then, it was darkness all over.
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A u t h o r' s N o t e
There is a small scene where Natasha sings 'Cheap thrills', a song going on in the radio while they are in the taxi. Her loud singing irritates Vansh so he sings along just to irritate her and then they both sing annoyingly loud, making the driver stop the car for a moment. I just didn't add bcos it will make the chapter even longer than it already is.
Anyway I'm not going to drag this A/N so how was the chapter? Was it entertaining? Poor Vansh. The shock he'll receive when he realizes where he woke up lol. What do you think of drunk Natasha? Vote and comment.
Ps- This is a start of a mini arc. Stay tuned xD