Riyaz has kept Ahmed waiting for him while he is talking to his friends. Riyaz didn't exactly ask Ahmed to wait for him or anything yet Ahmed was waiting for Riyaz to sit beside him; his place and wish him. Ahmed had already been informed about his upcoming birthday days ago. And still, Riyaz hasn't wished him. Ahmed didn't know whether he should frown on Riyaz or himself. Perhaps Riyaz is not that much of a good friend and that he has been given much more credit and time.
Lately, Ahmed has devoured all of his time on Riyaz and not on his other friends. But that is what happens when you fall for someone. All of his other friends have wished him but Ahmed wants Riyaz's smile. Even Mehboob wished him and that could be the chance for Ahmed to make up and settle the matter between them. But with Ahmed's anger towards Mehboob and Riyaz's wish restrained him from thinking properly and clearly.
The habit of reaching before lecture time to just talk to Riyaz ceased to excite Ahmed anymore. He was thinking about distancing himself from Riyaz and spend time with someone who matters. Like with his family or specifically his dad. The quarrel between them had been alive for too long anyway. It's time he makes a certain amount of distance from Riyaz and undoes his mistakes; make people realize their own mistakes. Ahmed was about to delete the contact number of Riyaz when suddenly Riyaz sat down beside him and said hello with his smile. The same smile did wonders on Ahmed's heart.
When Ahmed saw Riyaz and that pleasant and relieving smile, Ahmed forgot of the things he was thinking for the past five minutes.
"Sorry, the guys weren't leaving me. They were debating whether kill bill 1 was better or 2."
"Oh. Which was better?" Ahmed asked excited but not on the topic of Riyaz's debate.
"2 was better. It completed the whole story."
"Ok," Ahmed said that and so the lecture began.
For the whole lecture, Ahmed was wondering when those two little words will come out of Riyaz's mouth which will for sure make his birthday happy. But alas!
Riyaz didn't wish Ahmed for the whole day!
Ahmed was broke. Shattered. Riyaz just forgot it… Like it was nothing. Like he was nothing….
Ahmed was walking out after college ended. Recounting the moment where he knew he was falling.
They both were walking in a park and suddenly Riyaz told Ahmed, "You are not an eagle but are a woodpecker."
"How so?"
"Because you pecked your way through me."
Now Riyaz meant it as a friend but Ahmed was already struck with an arrow.
Riyaz joined Ahmed walking and said,
"Were you planning to walk home alone? Without me?"
"So what? You can let me walk alone, can't you?" Ahmed said with a bit of annoyance.
"Well on other days, I can but not on your birthday, no!"
This made Ahmed look at Riya with round eyes.
"Oh, come on! You seriously thought I would forget my best friend's birthday, didn't you? (Ahmed was unable to say anything) Well, I didn't."
He showed a bunch of mutual friends standing in front of them; with a distance though and holding a cake.
"Riyaz, I-----"
"Happy birthday, man!"
Ahmed smiled for the first time in the whole day.
Aman and Luvraj entered the mall; hands intertwined which garnered most of the people's gazes and stares. They noticed some were even taking pictures from a faraway distance; thinking that they won't be visible. But little did they know that Aman and Luvraj didn't have a single problem being a part of anyone's gallery.
"What do you wanna do?" Aman asked.
"I don't know. We can play games or watch a movie." Luvraj replied.
"Or…. We can do both." Aman said with a cute smile.
And so they both watched the movie Tamasha.
"Ved (the male protagonist of the movie) was mentally ill," Aman said.
"He was not! He just was stuck in the normalcy that the Indian society has created." Luvraj responded.
"I get it that he was so frustrated because he was someone else and not like the one he shaped himself into. But I am coming from his behavior towards Tara (the female protagonist of the movie)."
"Whenever Tara was with him, she would bring out the inner personality of Ved; through some way which Ved didn't like at all. You see, he made himself okay with his fake personality and whenever his inner personality; his true personality would seem to come out, he would be so imbalanced and unable to figure things out and hence he reacted like that towards Tara. Because she was trying to change him while….."
"Okay, okay. You win. Ved's not a psycho. I didn't understand the movie." Aman said.
"Oh Aman, I didn't mean like that…"
"Luv, chill. I am not hurt. I am fine." Aman said with a pleasant smile.
It was true. Aman wasn't hurt. He was just happy spending time with Luvraj. It was Luvraj who thought he has hurt Aman.
After playing games, both Luvraj and Aman were hungry. And so they sat in the food court eating from McDonald's.
"I can never get enough of McSpicy."
Luvraj said after taking a bite from his burger.
"Hmm, me too," Aman replied.
Luvraj looked at him confusing and argued,
"You're not even eating McSpicy! You're eating McGrill!"
Luvraj mimicked heaving.
"I love McSpicy too. It's my favorite. But I just you know didn't get that now." Aman barely spoke the last part.
"Why didn't you get it?"
"I just didn't…"
"Aman. (Aman looked at him) It's been only a day of our relationship and here you are keeping things from me."
"I am not!" Aman replied hastily.
"So, tell me! Why didn't you get yourself one?"
Aman looked at Luvraj and confessed with guilt in his voice,
"I didn't have enough money."
Luvraj was confused and was processing everything. It was then he realized Aman paid for everything. For movies, games, and even the food. Luvraj was wondering in the huge ticket counter where there were posters of upcoming movies and a tv hung up on the wall showing trailers. And in that time, Aman quickly bought the tickets. For which Luvraj was infuriated. But Aman hugged him and the warmth of his body hushed away Luvraj's infuriation.
In the timezone (games area), a little girl fell on the floor and Luvraj quickly went to help her get up. And there, Aman again quickly paid for all the games. Luvraj again got angry. This time Aman kissed his ear and his face got red and the only thing Luvraj could be was shy.
And now during food, Luvraj forgot all about Aman's payments and let him pay for both of their order.
Aman felt dreadful. He got Aman penniless. He was so sorry.
"I am so sorry, Aman." The amount of guilt and distress was perceptible in his voice.
"It's okay Luv, you idiot! I got to see you smiling all day and it was worth it. Every penny spent was worth your genuine fun."
Aman meant what he said. Every word of it. And there was not a single amount of regret in neither his face nor his voice. But Luvraj still felt guilty and regretful. He wanted to make up for everything. And just then he got an idea. A rather invigorating one.
"But I have something in my mind to make it up to you."
Aman eating the last bite of his burger, being unaware of the evil that is in Luvraj replies in a rather unbothered tone,
"Yeah? And that is?"
Luvraj smiles wickedly and gets up to tell something in Aman's ear. And when he does tell something in his ear, Aman's face was stunned; happily though.
"You're the best boyfriend!"
Rokesh knew he screwed up. And so he knew if he tries to talk to Romit after what happened, things will go upside down and he would lose Romit for good. Rokesh believed that since it had to be over some time, so it won't be a big deal for it to be over then. But little did he know, he has been addicted to not only the company of Romit but also of the frail yet desirable body filled with warmness and small yet dark little moles. When he was thinking of it, he cursed himself of how he didn't have any problem kissing those moles but had a problem with kissing.
It wasn't like Romit was freed off of anything. He was regretting getting away from Rokesh that night. He only wished to not be kissed, that is okay, right? It wasn't. Romit dug kissing deeper than the core of the earth. And it was two months of just fucking and no kissing. He felt like a whore who was kept on being used by Rokesh Arora. And so in anger of it all, he stepped back. But Romit wanted to feel the broad chest of Rokesh and feel the strands of his hair between his fingers whenever Rokesh would be pleasing Romit.
So it is evident what is happening here. Both of them have been so addicted to each other's company, they are even regretting doing things that were correct and right for them. The millennials are so complicated. No that is wrong. They make their own life complicated. With the technology boom like mind-numbing mobile phones or the ever-available wifi has corrupted them. They've forgotten to talk and behave in person. Their brains and processing capability are so messed that they are unable to identify their feelings and hence, unable to diagnose their coiled-up emotions.
For instance, Rokesh and Romit have coiled their emotions too much to misunderstand and deprioritize what's right for them. They are trying so hard to not hurt each other; being completely oblivious though whether or not they are hurting themselves.
The irony is transpicuous here. Where Romit gagged whenever witnessing a frail-jock relationship; ends up being a part of it and Rokesh who swore he wouldn't ever think sexually to someone of the same sex again; ends up being addicted to Romit.
The last grain of hope was about to be cracked for Romit when he suddenly got a call. From an unknown number. At 2 in the morning. Who would've called him at this time?
Yes, you guessed it correct.
"Hello," Rokesh asked after picking up the call.
In reply to that, Rokesh didn't get a hello in return. He instead heard a shuddered intake of air.
And just by that, he knew it was Romit. It felt as if the world has started playing violin and petals of roses just in the air and Rokesh's sky and the ground are Romit.
"Romit?" Rokesh asked in a cheery voice.
But Romit's voice was not cheery at all.
"Ro—Rokesh…." Romit trembled to say anything as he was so continuously inhaling and shuddering.
Rokesh realized Romit didn't call to confess or anything.
No.
Something has gone down. Something bad has happened.
"You seriously think what you did was okay?" Harshad asked loudly.
"He is just a boy!" Shweta replied maintaining the same tone.
"Yes, a boy who works for us and hence cannot be allowed to sit with us at the table!"
"Oh, so you decide what is to be allowed in this house?"
Harsh and Deep sat awkwardly in silence as the parents argued one thing after another. Usually Harsh would be least interested in what they were saying but that day he was listening to every word carefully and hoping for their parents to not cross the line. But they will. Harsh knew they will. And so, Harsh had to come up with something to keep Deeply distracted.
"You want to watch a movie?" Harsh asked.
"Yeah sure. What you got?" Deep hoped he didn't sound desperate.
Harsh opened his laptop,
"Let's see hmm…. I have Tamasha, Highway, Kill Bill, Valentine's Day, Tere Naam, The Notebook…"
"The Notebook?" Deep interrupted.
"Yeah, it's an English movie."
"What's it about?"
"Oh a boy and a girl fall in love deeply, get separated…."
"Wait!" Deep again interrupted. "Couple separation, ah so tragic. I am in!"
"Okay."
Harsh regretted saying that okay the second the piano scene started playing. He watched that movie 2 years ago and forgot about it but when it started, Harsh got nervous. Tense. Timorous. And when the kissing started, he started getting sweaty. What would Deep think of Harsh now?
Harsh would be degraded in Deep's mind by now.
When both the protagonist started to unclothe themselves, Harsh looked at Deep; afraid for a second and looked away. Harsh felt relief. Deep seemed to enjoy this. All of it happening in the movie. Harsh had nothing to worry about.
But.
As the lake scene started playing, something of Harsh's rose high and straight. Harsh tried to hide it by laying on his side. But as the scene progressed, lust was thronging in his mind. As Noah removes the stocking of Allie, Harsh too wanted to remove his pants and do stuff. But he controlled himself.
The movie ended along with the parents' fight. Deep confessed that it was the most beautiful movie he has ever seen and Harsh agreed. They both were quite tired after seeing that movie and it was past their bedtime also.
"Do you have any mat with you?"
"Yes, there are some in the guest's room." Harsh replied.
"Okay, I'll go get it then." Deeps turns to leave.
"Wait! (Deep stops and frowns) You can't go out of here."
"Why?"
"Someone could see you."
"Oh."
(Deep realizes the deep trouble he will be in if Deep's father catches him.)
"It's no big deal. I'll sleep on the floor."
"Are you crazy? It's so cold! You'll get sick. I say you share the bed with me."
"What, no!"
"Do you have any other choice? (Deep tries to search for an answer but nothing comes to mind) Look Deep, it is us. We're friends and friends can share the bed. (Deep still seemed unconvinced) I promise I will neither kick you nor snore."
Seeing Harsh smile, Deep chuckles and agrees at last.
Both were at the corner of their side and trying to sleep. But the weather was cold as ice. And this was with ac off. And mistress irony seemed to show up as Harsh who was warning Deep about the cold weather, was now trembling. And he was trembling for quite some time. Deep realized that moment by moment, it was getting worse. So Deep enclasped his hand with Harsh's waist from behind and hugged him to exchange heat.
Deep's embrace got Harsh calm in a second. Whether it was his warmth or the constant exhale of air that got him okay but Harsh didn't try to decide and resolved to just enjoy.
Jacob searched for Jayden while the DJ played Running With the Wild Things by Against the Current. The crowd had gone crazy since they were too tired to dance in Bollywood songs so this was like a fresh take. Jacob lost track of Jayden when Phalke Sir greeted him.
"Enjoying the evening, young man?"
'No, actually' would've been the accurate answer but he decided to lie, "Yes sir, very much."
"You're my favorite student, Jacob so I think I am not diving into unprofessionalism but a little word from all the teachers; every teacher adores you because of your academic excellence."
"Oh, thank you, sir!" Even this failed to uplift his mood.
"It's okay. I could just ask you to keep it up."
"I will, for sure sir."
And Phalke Sir leaves.
Jayden was missing. And this crowd wasn't helping at all. Jacob planned to surprise him with something but all of his plans went downhill. Jacob was just asking himself how he'll make up with Jayden. When they hadn't made it official; when it was still a secret, Jayden asked only one thing from Jacob and that was not telling it to anyone. He had ensured he'd make it official himself but till then he asked for Jacob's word to keep his mouth shut. And Jacob did give him his word. But at the same time, Jacob spilled all of the beans to Ahmed.
When Jacob finally witnessed Jayden sitting in his misery and distress, he joined him and when Jayden saw Jacob standing in front of him, he stood up to face him; having an irate face,
"I wish to be alone," Jayden said that, turned, and started walking away from Jacob.
But Jacob continued to pursue him,
"Jayden we both know it's your anger talking. Let me explain."
Jayden stops and faces Jacob,
"You in a mood to explain? (Jacob nervously nods) Fine! Then explain why did you backstab me."
"Jayden, I… us; a secret it was just too much! Too much! And I felt like if I continue it up with this secret, I would blast! And therefore I told him. I didn't gossip or anything I just (inhales shakily) I did to control my sanity."
"And did you even think for a second of what would happen to me if it would be out? (Jacob hesitates to say) Tell me!"
"But now it's out, isn't it? And we are living a normal life. How come something would've happened back then and nothing is happening right now?" Jacob asked.
Jayden replied in a hurtful voice,
"I would've told you but now I don't think I can trust you with it. Or for anything!" Jayden leaves.