'Hey! shouted Zara as she stood behind Aly who screamed out of his wits.
'Yeh boti bokmater,' cursed Aly who got spooked out by sudden shout from behind him.
'You nearly gave me a heart attack,' he exclaimed as he puffed a smoke in the air looking down at her.
'That was the intention,' said Zara as she wrapped her arms around herself smiling.
'You just missed an amazing interaction between Maria, the dogs and Leo.' she told him about the whole things hoping to get some change in his current mood, but he just nodded.
'He shouldn't have squeezed her hand, but who am I to say. She did harass him in a way. Touching a man without his approval is the same as touching a woman without her approval, ' he stated very seriously.
She had intentionally spoken Leo's name last, she wanted to guess his reaction. But his reaction was very true to him. Absolutely fair.
'So what is happening with those two?' he asked her.
' They are working together.' she replied a little dejected.
' That i know,' he said.
' But with you? ' he asked looking serious.
' Well, they are planning on opening an exhibit at the museum soon and Ms.Sudar liked some of my work. She wants me to work with them closely and around their chosen artist,' she said looking downward. '
' I suppose i still have ways to go.'
' But she says it will give me exposure and experience.'
' Auntie, has her ways of dealing with things,' smirked Aly.
' That does not sound like a compliment,' she commented.
'Smoking alone?' she asked him again expectantly.
Aly looked at her suspiciously, 'you don't smoke,' he said merely as a statement.
'True but i do smoke with you from time to time, like today,' she said and Aly gave her a cigarette and his lighter. He still carried the same Zippo which Zara had gifted him a few years back. It had a dragon on it, she had designed it herself. She knew how much he loved Games of Thrones. But for some weird reason his favourite character was Cerci Lannister, maybe he found her hot she always thought.
'So how was your meeting?' she asked him not looking at him. She knew him too well to now what his reply was going to be.
'Lame,' was all he said and faced away from her and dropped his shoulders.
Zara could see his back profile and knew it was something he would take his time in telling her. And she did not mind waiting for him.
' Recently i met someone and i thought things were going great and they aren't,' he spoke after a while.
' I wish I forget the whole thing,' he said and immediately realized he said something he shouldn't have and quickly turned towards her and hung his head.
'I am sorry, i didn't mean it like that.'
' I shouldn't have said that,' he said.
' I am sorry.'
'No you are not and you don't need to be sorry,' said Zara who had settled herself on the pavement.
' If that's how you feel and then that's how it is,' she said looking at him directly.
He seemed very nervous and was holding his breath and she knew he is the last person who would ever say anything to hurt her.
'You know what am i thinking now or maybe sometimes?' she spoke.
'Hmm, tell me' said Aly.
She went quite again for a few seconds and finally spoke.
'I wonder what is the best way to kill yourself. Is it best to jump of the tallest building with the nicest view or to hang oneself by rope as if floating in the air. Or maybe passing into a slumber with unfulfilled dreams. If i had nine lives i would try to see which is the best option. What takes away the pain and dissatisfaction. If it all ends, if everything ends. All of it. Is it the best option to not exist. '
She lighted her cigarette blowing out the smoke which quickly dissipated in the air.
Aly stood near her on the pavement, listening to her.
' You know why?'
'Because you know i am genuinely interested to know.'
'And i know you will not think me crazy when i say this ,' she said again looking at him with a sad smile.
' Don't cat have nine lives?' asked Aly and they started laughing.
'I thought i found someone special this time ' said Aly leaning against the wall, his hair were ruffled unlike the way he usually kept them and his eyes looked empty as he faced up towards the golden sky. It was starting to get dusky with the last rays of sun steadily disappearing.
'But this time as well, i backed off. I am not sure if i ever want to be caught up with just one person that way. What if, i get attached and it's for nothing and there is someone more, or i want something more .'
'What do i want? Whom do i want?' he said more like questioning himself.
'Cat! ' answered Zara. They both smiled again.
'I am fucked for sure. ' said Aly going back into his deep thoughts.
'Maybe i can gift you a pair of them,' she said dropping the cigarette butt on the road and extinguishing it under her shoe.
'Hey hey hey, there is a bin there,' spoke Aly and then bend down to pick it up and then threw it in the bin.
Zara just ignored him.
'Let's go, i have made reservation at Taki Noko,'
'Oh really, but what about my babies' said Aly
'Well, they are with Leo and Ash and i called your dog walker to pick them up,' replied Zara as she pulled Aly and they started walking towards the restaurant.
Suddenly Aly pulled her by her arm, looking directly into her eye almond eyes.
'I am going to sound cheesy but hear me out.' he said.
Zara looked up at her friend and waited for him to speak.
He bore his gaze into her, and breathe out and shut his blueish green eyes and finally opened them.
' I understand you just as much you understand me, we were both outcast in our own ways and we both carried each other on our backs, It came naturally to us. '
'Yes,' said Zara as tears of joy and sadness spilled out of her eyes and she buried her face into his embrace and they both stood there for awhile .
'I feel like getting drunk today,' he said pulling out of their embrace.
'What do you say Zzzz?' he said excitedly. He always called her that when he wanted to have some bonding slash party time with her. Every time they both went through a heart break or something they would end up treating each other to a nice meal and then go all out on drinks.
That was what they called their healing process.
'Me too, let's eat and head to the Rakija bar at Culture chiva, we can go bar hopping,' she replied eagerly matching his energy.
'Oh, we are getting late by the way. Shall we take the tram or maybe we can race.' stated Zara.
'Loser pays, for the drinks,' he said and bolted into a fast run.
'Catch me if you can,' he shouted as he was already 900 meters ahead of her and Zara too started sprinting. She did not want to lose!