Was it suicide?

Chapter 7- From Joel's Heart...

Joel's house~

He opened the door and someone came running to him. "Hey...!!!" He was pulled into a hug.  "It's so good to have you here, Adam!" He had his eyes closed while hugging Adam. 

"Good to see you too Joe." Adam broke the hug and faced Joel. He was smiling from eye-to-eye. 

Adam Walker, was three years younger than Joel but still they were very good friends. He was almost like a brother to Joel. Adam had these sparkling eyes that could captivate anyone instantly. His bunny smile had a mesmerizing effect on people. Joel was like a mentor to him and they both shared a very special, a very pure bond. 

They both sat on the couch. "How was your flight?" Joel asked.  "Ahhh... stop with the formalities Joe" Adam rolled his eyes. 

"Okay. If you say so!" Joel giggled. He was happy to see his lil bunny as they met after a long time. "So tell me-" he opened his mouth to say something. 

"Joe, I have so much to tell you and I have so much to show you I can't just wait. But first, you go and freshen up." Adam said in one breath.

"I am all ears for you bunny. Tell me now. " Joel smiled at Adam.

"No, I am here and I am not going anywhere. We have all the time in the world so go freshen up first." he slightly pushed Joel to get up from the couch.

"Ok. I will be right back." Joel winked and left him in the hall. 

  

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After few minutes~

Joel came back to the hall. He changed into a simple, cotton, white t-shirt and a PJ. Adam's eyes lit up when he saw Joel entering. He jumped to his feet, grabbed Joel's hand and brought him to the couch. "Joe, see this.." he hands him a bunch of photos frames.

Joel took the frames and looked at them. His eyes enlarged as he realized they had the pictures of him and Adam when they both visited an adventure park to celebrate the graduation of Joel. His eyes started to glitter as he was recalling the memories they had. 

"I knew you loved these pics, so I thought of having them framed for you" Adam had a self-satisfied smile plastered on his face. 

"These are amazing Bun. I can't stop looking at them. Thank you so much for this precious gift." He couldn't stop smiling.

"Great. You take your time looking at them and meanwhile I'll cook something for both of us" Adam got up from the couch. 

"Do you need my help?" Joel ask while looking at the pictures.

"No. I can pull this off myself. Thank you." Adam smiled, bowed dramatically and head to the kitchen. Joel kept on looking at photographs, completely mesmerized by them.

After a while he got up and went to the kitchen. Adam was busy cooking something. 

"So what's in the store today?" Joel asked.

"You will get to know very soon" he smiled making his bunny smile go on a full length display. Out of the blue, he raised a question to him, "Joe, What is it?"

Joel was taken aback by his sudden question. "What?" he looked back at him as he didn't understand what he meant.

"You seem a bit off. What is it? Did something happen?" Adam asks while chopping the salad. 

"Nothing Adam. Just a bit worked up. That's it." Joel blinked twice to push back all the emotions that instantly started crumbling him.

"Worked up, huh?" He raises one of his eyebrows. He went to the refrigerator and grabbed two bottles of beer. 

"Here. It will help you to refresh." He hands one to Joel. "Thanks" Joel faked a smile.

"Do You need any help?" Joel asked again to change the topic.

"Oh no, not at all. I got it all handled" Adam replied with a 'I-AM-AWESOME-AND-I-KNOW-IT' smile. 

"Oh! okay then. I won't disturb you." he went and sat by the window.  Adam was busy humming and cooking.  He always focused on the work- in- hand and didn't like being distracted. A habit Joel was very well aware of. 

Joel was sitting quietly, looking at the shimmering night lights of the city, which made it a view for the eyes. The chilled beer, the perfect view, the dead silence and the feuding emotions were, indeed, a deathly combination.

"Adam is here. He is busy, for now. But he won't stop asking. What am I supposed to tell him? Should I tell him everything or not? It all happened so fast. I didn't know how to handle it." He was lost in the lane of thoughts.

"I felt it…" 

"that moment…" 

"I could feel it"

"Just as I entered the meeting room, I felt something. My heart pounding like a hammer in my chest." 

"Even during the meeting, I wasn't sure if she was there… but, I could feel her gaze."

"That sensation which I could only feel when her eyes are on me." 

"I could listen to all those questions, I have been trying to avoid for so long." 

"And then... I heard…" 

"Umm, Miss Anna. Is something troubling you?" Jack's voice echoed in my ear.

"Anna!" My heart skipped a beat. 

"How can she be here? Does she know about me? I couldn't let all that crap to trap me again. I have to get out of it… Hence, I did the most pathetic thing. But that was something which needed to be done." 

"We are in the middle of something important here. So you can do this later.. or do it outside"

"I looked her square in the eye and said that in the meanest way possible."

"I saw her. I saw all those tears. I could see the pain in her eyes. She was crying-because of ME!"

"But what else could I have done! I am not the one she thinks I am."

"I am the reason for her pain." 

"It all started with me." 

 "It's all my fault." A sob escaped his mouth.