Skin & Blister

12

Virtually one month passed after that incident in which I was slightly concussed. The days with my brothers were going really very well. I was very happy with my family and then with my friends too. I'd never lost contact with Maa and Papa also.

One day I was dashing through the corridors of my big mansion when I heard Talia Mom talking to Anwar.

"I'd really never thought that those two can too be part of this, Anwar ji. Till now I was just thinking that they are a normal family. Very much far away from gangs and all." She said in a tensed voice.

"It's simply scarcely credible." Anwar replied her.

For a minute I thought about what they were talking about but then I started dashing off to Neil's room. I was not at all interested in their business talks.

"I'm getting bored Neil." I said when I reached to his territory. I saw him knotting his shoe lace. "Ahh where are you going?" I asked him.

"Some work. I, Ayaan and Zain will be back soon in an hour or so." He stood up quickly and grabbed an office types bag.

"Is that work more important than me?" I asked in a dramatic tone.

"No. It's important for you." Neil said, hugged me and went.

"Cool. Important for me to leave me at home to get bored." I said to myself

I was all alone after Neil left with no work to do. I called Shrey and asked him to come over, pick me up and take me to a cafe. I dodged to Talia mom and told her that I was going out with Shrey.

"Okay. Don't go anywhere else. Just cafe. And also stay with Shrey all the time. Take care!" She said and kissed my forehead. I smiled. Genuinely. And then went to change.

I wore a shirt with military print over it and tucked it inside from one corner into  a black ankle-length jeans. I held my hair into a ponytail and took out a black side bag from my cupboard and put some money and my phone inside it. I grasped my black vionic sneakers and ran downstairs.

...

I and Shrey were in cafe, ordering coffee. I could hear the song Sit Still Look Pretty by Daya being crooned by a live cafe singer . She had a typical vernacular accent. She was literally horrible but she went on till the last lyrics. The moment she finished I started clapping very hard. I think that was really not necessary as I had gained all the attention of the people in the cafe towards our table.

"Ohh, Irr .. What the hell are you doing?" Shrey vocalized in an irritated tone.

"Sorry, I thought it really needs guts to sing such horribly in front of so many people. Umm.. I'm literally sorry, that applause was a little too much." I felt humiliated to some other extent.

Soon the waitress who was bringing our order was visible to me. She had just arrived with our coffee and foodstuff when I received a call.

I took the phone near my ear.

"Hello, Papa?" I said. I could not hear anything from his end. I repeated. "Hello, Papa. Can you hear me?" Shrey glanced at me.

"Yes. I can." I heard papa's voice from his end. "Can you come over?"

"Why? Did Something happen? You sound worried." I said. Shrey did the lip sync of 'is everything alright'. I shook my shoulder up and then down to indicate 'I don't know'.

"Your Maa is seriously very ill. She's calling out for you." His words made me stand up immediately.

"I'm coming, tell her." I said. He was saying something but I hung up.

"Hey, all good?" Shrey asked. He too had stood up .

"Maa is ill. We'll have to go," I told him and went outside the cafe.

Shrey was taking time.

"Ohh sorry. I was paying." Shrey said when he came. I smiled. It was the least I could do. I asked him for the car key and went to the driver's seat. I drove as swift as possible.