Ch-12| Aashi
"I'm telling you the truth, Aashi." Rohit's voice pierces the silence of my room, and the end of the pen I'm holding in my right hand erratically beats on the open physics book on my wooden study-table.
"I don't believe you, Rohit. I won't ever. So. Stop. Calling. Me." I'm looking over the physics question that's equally as frustrating as the person on the phone.
"You have to- *have to* believe me." His voice over the static comes off as a mess, like he's on the verge of crying, or something. Maybe, he's having an emotional breakdown. Fuck, if I care.
"If only- only this sentence will sound more pathetic, if you had started it with *mummy*. Go find someone else to complain to. I have no faith in you, and I'm ashamed that I ever had."
"It's- it's true. Neel destroyed my entire car. And, Saheema never showed up as she promised. I'm sure she's with him. They're together. I lost *her* to him."
"How does that concern me? Wait—" I take a moment to let the sentence for him to sink in, "it doesn't."
"I thought- I thought you're dating him."
"We are *together*. That's why I believe him. And for you, I can't say much."
"You'll believe me *one* day, Ashu."
I can't believe he still has the audacity to call me that. I blow out a hard breath, and control my anger which is definitely breaking the highest point of a thermometer.
"That day will *never* come." I bite my lip in anger, "and yeah, one more thing, my name is AASHI. You've lost the right to call me that. Goodbye."
I end the call as the static falls into a cold silence. The atmosphere of my room gets enveloped in suspicion and despair.
****
It's been three hours since I got that not- so- persuasive call from Rohit to leave Neel. I don't know why but whatever he said somehow resonated within my brain. I don't want to, but he somehow accomplished in planting the seeds of betrayal in my mind. I don't believe him, but why do I feel so left out?
If Neel was planning to get back at Rohit (which I totally believe he would), then why am I the only one out of the loop?
Has he gotten back together with Saheema? Why do I even care?
*You care, Aashi. You do.*
And, I feel a bit gloomy and maybe, even sad because it's been a day since Neel tried to reach out to me. Neither does he text me everyday, or call, because he's a pain the ass and I don't want him to. It's. . . it's just that he's not that far away everytime I look behind.
It's so easy to reach out to him. He's always there.
Fuck, he's made me habituated. *To him!*
He's just always there. Blimey! I don't know if it's a good thing or bad. Good. Bad. *Probably*.
He has had the aura of a bad boy ever since I've known him, which seems like forever. No wonder, Rohit was always averted with the idea of *us* being friends.
Not that I'd believe him now, but long before when we were dating. . . he used to snap at the things I mentioned about Neel. That's when I stopped mentioning Neel altogether.
A vivid memory passes through my mind.
*My arms are wrapped around Rohit's collar and he's straddling me on his bed, and I'm under him and my breath is knocked away.
"Baby, scoot over." Rohit whispers in my ear, and the hairs at the back of my neck stand erect, giving me chills that tingle my entire spine.
"Ouch, my hair, my hair." Rohit moves his hands from under my neck, and my long hair is a mess under his fingers and he jostles on the bed, and my head prickles. "Ahh, let me go." I wriggle out of his hold, and go and stand next to his dresser, untangling the strands of my hair.
"You're always like that whenever I'm trying to come close to you." Rohit says, a bit sad, and visibly disappointed.
"Aww, I didn't know you want me that much." I taunt him from the dresser, studying my reflection in his mirror, and combing my fingers through my long long.
In a matter of seconds, his hands are on my waist, and I've been grand- slammed on his bouncy bed as he snarls into my hair. "Good thing, we're all alone. You can shout all you like."
I squeal on the top of my lungs, his hold on my waist loosens, and I push him off of me, smirking. "I will. Don't you worry." And with that, I dash out of his bedroom.
He runs after me, which makes me want to run faster, in order not to get caught in his death- grip again. "Baby. . . you're my baby. . . baby. .. baby. . . baby. . . baby. . . thought you'd always be mine."
"I'm not your *fucking* baby." I laugh as I push some pillows off from his couch, as I run on it. "And JB doesn't look good on you."
"Come to me honey. Come to daddy."
"I won't call you *daddy.* Uggh."
"I'm *your* daddy. You'll call me whatever I want you to. You were meant to be submissive to me."
"Call Saheema then. Oh, wait— she's with Neel." I throw a discarded pillow from the leather couch which was lying around the dining table, into Rohit's face. He catches it mid- air.
"Don't talk about *him*." He snaps in a loud voice. "Y'know, how much I dislike him," he continues yelling at me in his scary, rough voice.
*Funny thing, he never raises his voice on me.*
I stand there stunned, glued to the spot, hands behind on the glass dining table for support. I can practically see Rohit fuming, I've never seen him like this. Not with me. My lower lip immediately quivers, and I turn around towards the kitchen, not wanting to face him.
He follows me. I wander to the kitchen, bend down to the floor, open the lower cupboards in a rush to look for a container or a plastic cup or a glass to fill with tap water and put a stop to my overflowing emotions.
In a minute, I'm in tears, shaking. My whole body is trembling as I find a cup and fill it with tap- water to bring it to my lips. I push the drink forcibly to my lips with shaky fingers, when his hands startle me.
His hands are hugging me from behind, and he whispers in my neck, "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I didn't mean– mean to yell at you. I just. . . just got mad. I hate that guy."
Silence.
I keep drinking the water, not responding to his touch or words.
"Please baby," he tries to turn me around to face him, "talk to me."
"Never – ever raise your voice with me, Rohit. Never yell at me. Or, I'm out." I shrug his hands off of me, and I walk out of the kitchen.
"I said sorry, yaar (friend). Really, Ashu, but it's partially your fault too. . . you know how much I hate Neel. And, *still* you choose to have his name on your lips on repeat."
I turn around, mad. "That doesn't mean you'll talk to me like that." I lock eyes with him, fuming. "And, y'know what I don't get?! The reason *why*. Why do you hate him so much?"
He doesn't answer me, and averts his eyes to a distance. He's distant already. His posture is tense and he's apparently rigid and floating to his own world in whichever perspective he has concocted in his head.
After a long minute, he replies, "He just got something that was supposed to be mine. And, you know *what* it is."
With those words, and the hurt painted on my face, I pick my shoes and satchel sitting on the leather couch I was running on playfully a few minutes ago.
I turn around and look at him as I wear my slippers, wanting him to stop me. But he doesn't.
"And that *what* ain't me." And, I'm out of his house, just like that.*
He never did anything to stop me back then, and he didn't do anything for a whole freaking year after we broke up, why did I think he was any different?
But, after this recurring memory, one thing is for certain, he hates Neel. And, he'll do everything in his power to keep me away from him.
*Because I'll be the second thing that he lost to Neel.*
****
*Later that afternoon. . .*
My tea is getting cold. I am working on my blog- post which is a short story about two friends- now turned into hard-core criminals. And, I punch furiously on my laptop, when my phone buzzes on the study -table next to my aggravated fingers.
I immediately reach for it, deliriously thinking it was Neel. Sure, he can't make another day in this boring world without me. Who would?
*Ria*
Let's go out today, babe. At five. Will see you at the mall.
I instantly feel disappointed and think about cancelling the plans Ria were making. I have too much work on my hands, and I still haven't completed either the English project or the two entire pages of physics numericals which were hopelessly calling my name.
And, fudge it, tomorrow's Monday. It's like the suicide Monday for me. Everything needs to be submitted tomorrow. How will I even make it through the night?
Pretty much, I'll say goodbye to my sleep and a new season of GOT on Watchnet. Just my luck!
*Me*
I can't babe. Obviously, I can't today.
*Ria*
Why?
*Me*
Two pages of physics homework and a project of English and an essay in History. Oh, how could I forget the beautiful, pristine history?
*Ria*
Behave like an irresponsible teenager! :'(
*Me*
How in the realms of possibility in this beautiful earth is that possible?
Ha! Did you see what I did there? ;-)
*Ria*
Well, Neel will be there. . .
*Me*
So? :|
*Ria*
Oh please bitch, save that face for your prude friends on the internet. Don't tell me he doesn't give you THE tingles?
*Me*
He doesn't.
*Ria*
Keep telling yourself that. Oh, oh.
NEEL DOESN'T MAKE ME WET. Oh good lord.
*Me*
RIA. . .
*RIA*
Be there by 4:45 p.m. Or, I'm screenshotting this entire conversation to Neel.
*Me*
Okay, WOAH. You just need to chill okay. I'm coming. I'm coming. Damn. I hate you.
*Ria*
Oh, I love you too, sweetie. I'll be in front of the long stairs waiting for you. See ya. :-*
*Me*
OK.
Fudge this shit. Today of all days Ria had to choose to blackmail me into coming to the mall with her. I love her crazy -ass much but this time, I'm really really scared that she'll screenshot the entire conversation to Neel. Why? Because she likes him. Fudge my life, okay? Okay.
*****
"Let's hit the ground floor shops, first. I swear I have to beat this heat with sweating out shopping in those air- conditioned showrooms." Ria says, as she pushes the glass doors of the first shop, where it's obviously written 'Pull' to check out some cute watches.
"Yeah, I think I have a crush on that leather one." I say, pointing to a metallic dial, with leather straps.
"Ooh, I thought you meant him. He looks astonishing in that faded brown leather jacket today." Ria points to someone walking behind us, and I turn around in slow motion, awkwardly because she's pointing fingers and attracting attention to herself like a five- year- old would.
I blow out a quick breath and take a in a deep ibe furiously because holy- mother- of- donuts he does look outrageously hot today. He has his white shirt fixed under his ripped jeans, and man those biceps which flex with every step he's taking towards us. You would know he's the one you would want in a sea of unrecognisable faces. It's him. He's Neel. He has come. To save me.
He nods at us with every step that he takes towards us. Ria waves back at him. I nod at him, acknowledging his presence, and pointing to him that I'm okay with him joining us. I turn around not to concentrate in him anymore. Because, holy shit it's getting difficult to breathe when I look at him.
I swear I haven't seen a guy that hot in my whole life in the real, passing, monotonous daily life. His green eyes look clearer and seem to drown you into an abyss of deep emerald green waters of a pure lake.
And, I'm ready to plunge into them.
Slowly, he makes his way into the shop and I watch it happen. He's in my personal space in an instant, fleeting second.
"I think I HAVE a crush on that one too." His voice is rich and velvety, and his fingers are pointing on the same metallic dial in the leather straps I was referring to a few minutes ago.
"Oh. It's unisex, sir." The store manager smiles at him, "Should I wrap it for you?"
"Yes. It is for someone *special.* Please. Wrap it nicely. It's a gift." A small smile tugs on his lips, as he whisks out his credit- card from his wallet to pay the manager.
"WAIT. I saw that first. I like it. And, I want it." I put my palm on his wrist gingerly, stopping him from paying the manager, while everyone in the showroom, including Ria stared at me, wide- eyed.
"I saw *you* first too. I wanted you too."
Author's Note:
PLEASE PLEASE COMMENT AND VOTE. Pretty please. <3