"Your eyes have swelled up, take this ice pack and rest, Anny." said Jim giving the ice pack and adjusting the pillow under her head on the couch.
" I'm fine." she said in a heavy voice resulted after so much sobbing.
" Your voice is scary. " he chuckles.
Narrowing her eyes she glares at him.
" Let's order Pizza. " he said and she nods in yes to him.
" Why did you even went to him this time? " he asked keeping his phone on the table while sitting on the couch opposite to hers.
Laying down turned towards him, she just wonders in her mind herself that what was she expecting that time when she visited him. What change she was looking for? Jim watching her lost again in her thoughts, asked her once again, " Why? "
Clearing her throat she told, " I never went to him. I was just checking on him and his family because I was worried as to what I saw earlier that morning. "
Her way of saying this clearly indicates that she is again covering up what was in her mind with words chosen now. Like always she is not speaking what she wants to. Looking at her as if knowing that she's lying he said, "Anna..." and with a pause for a moment for their eyes to meet he continues, "I know you are lying. And you yourself very well knows that you are not saying what is or what was in your mind. "
Anna instantly break the eye contact.
" Why is it that you are lying to me also. You can be true with me like always. Or should I leave everything and be by your side 24*7 in order to maintain our bond so that you might not feel uncomfortable while talking to me after a couple of months? " He said in a bit high tone.
" When did I ever told you to do so? Just go leave right now. Let's not talk. " saying this she stood up and move towards the door.
Rolling his eyes with a deep breath he moves forwards and held her wrist, pull her back bringing her face to face, keep his hands on her shoulders looks at her and for a moment his heart skips a beat. She is looking at him with a bit angry face but he is ambushed and is struggling to speak at the moment. His breathing increased which he is trying hard to control but he cannot help it. Instantly he removed his hands from her shoulders and take a step back away from her then said, "Did I told you to leave without telling me the entire incident?" trying to sound mad but sounded more like someone who's out of breath.
Taking a step further towards him she ask, "Are you all right?" with concern because of his sudden voice and expression change.
"I'm fine. I'm fine. Absolutely fine." he says and moving towards the couch he sit there.
"No, you are not otherwise you wouldn't be repeating yourself. " she said folding her arms and looking at him with puzzled face.
He is trying to avoid looking at her and within a moment he left the couch saying, " I'll go check whether the order is delivered yet or not. " and left the room.
" What's wrong with him now? " she mumbles to herself.
Rushing straight outside the house he stops in the lawn and finally was able to breath again. Keeping his hand on his heart he swallowed a gulp while inhaling exhaling quickly. As his breathing and heartbeat normalises in a couple of minutes and he was about to turn back into the house,
"Your phone is buzzing continuously." A hand touched his shoulder from behind and he jumped off the ground as if some Ghost have touched him.
"What is wrong with you?" Anna said handing over his phone and hitting his head.
"Aarrgghhhhh." he sat on the ground groaning.
Something is off with him and he cannot handle being near with her. Things have not changed over the years, he is as he was back in the college days. He was always in her group since the senior college year started. They were a group of there friends including Anna, Jim and Cindy.
Though Cindy was just for fun with Anna as being a merit holder as well as a rich kid Anna was a free bird. She enjoys her time with friends and never stops them from doing whatever they want to do no matter how much she had to pay. This was the main reason why Cindy was with her. She was not a trustworthy friend but Jim was always beside her. He never misused his friendship with her in any financial or work related matters. But they both were crime partners for sure as they enjoyed doing pranks on other in their leisure times. Rest of the time they were either in the cafeteria or the library. Cindy joined the group in the mid semester of first year but her habits and extra show off was not acceptable by Anna therefore she just cut her off after she invited her boyfriend to Anna's house for a her birthday party.
A mutual friend or even boyfriend was acceptable at a party but things turned sour when that guy invited other guys and they tried to turn the normal Birthday party into a hookup party.
"What the hell they think they are doing?" Jim mumbles clenching his teeth.
Anna's rage was uncontrollable by now because she don't like such party's neither did she threw one.
"Wait here." saying this to Jim she left and got hold of Cindy she dragged her in the kitchen.
"What are you doing Anna?" she said in her piercing voice.
"This is my question. I agreed upon your boyfriend being here but what are these other guys doing here? Nevertheless they came to the party but how dare you all turned my party into a hookup party. Look at them they are all over girls everywhere."
Anna said in a high tone enough for others to listen. But they paid no heed to it and neither did Cindy. She just left the room giggling.
Anna's temper became over the top and by the time Jim entered the kitchen she was leaving, "Hey Anna where...." she pushed him aside before he could complete his sentence. Jim run towards her held her hand and try to handle he situation but Anna's mind was nowhere to be reached at the moment.
"Let go of my hand Jim." she said in a stern voice.
" No Anna. Calm down. We'll look into it later on. We'll talk to Cindy."
Shaking off his hand in anger she said, " There is nothing to talk about to her. I always let go of whatever she did but today was my birthday and things should be according to my way but she ruined it all and then also she is not ready to take responsibility towards it. She ignored me when I tried to talk to her. So you better stay out of it." saying this she left and called the cops.
Within a few minutes the cops arrived and took each of the uninvited guests into custody as per the report filed by her. Cindy looked furiously at her and Anna just responded with a smirk. Rest of the guests left after the cops left but this party surely became the talk of town among college students and how Anna responded to it was just another step towards making her image more of a cruel and egoistic, narcissist person. But she don't give a damn about it because those who need to know the truth are well aware of it and rest of the people are not her part of life.
That was the first time when Jim witnessed her coldness towards her dear ones because Cindy was very dear to her. Although Cindy deserves worst than that and Anna was capable to do so but she did not choose the more rash way to make things her way. Jim was well aware of all the things and he never asked anything in this context to her. After that incident only Jim and Anna was left in the group and they enjoyed each other company very well. Their was nothing beyond friendship between them. It was just pure and beautiful friendship that they share and were always with each other through all tough and tides.
But Jim have always maintained his distance from her in order to avoid any misunderstanding or discomfort among them. He don't want to make things awkward between them. For them their friendship was one of the most valuable things they had.
Likewise today also it is one of the most precious thing that they have in their lives and they cannot imagine their lives without it. Anna never confess it but Jim knows his value in her life.
While he is comforting his pounding heart again his phone buzzed and answering it he received the order at the door and went to the study with the pizza and cold drinks in his hands.
Anna looks busy and he just watched her from their for a few minutes, smiled and knocked the door and went inside. Keeping the box and bottles in the table he sat on the couch and gestured Anna to join him. She smiled and sat in front of him and they enjoyed their pizza with lots of funny gossip from his your and from the past days.
With all this fun filled time the clock didn't stopped and it was half past 10 when they realised it. Getting up he picked up his coat and left with a smile and promise to take her on a day trip to somewhere amazing to enjoy. She nodded and smiled back while he sat in his car and left.