The Bucket List

Chapter-30

"I prayed for you."

"Shit!" Karthik jumps freaking me out along with him. "What are you doing here? This is men's gym."

"Well, my boyfriend is playing his last basketball match before he graduates. So I prayed to God to help you win."

He exhales until he has his breath under control. Then he laughs. "You scared the shit out of me and then you crack a joke."

"That wasn't a joke," I say.

He smirks and starts to dab his sweat matted chest with a towel. He has been working out, says my inner self. "You know you shouldn't be here. If anyone finds out –

"Well, there isn't anyone," I say in breathing deeply.

"Okay." He smiles bashfully. "Crap, I'll take a shower."

"Don't." I shriek. He eyes me in confusion. "You have a match in like... twenty minutes."

"So?" he stalks towards me, slowly. His towel hangs below his open chest in a very stirring fashion.

"So uh what I'm saying is...you should probably shower after the match. You'll be doubly perspired and um...Save water...you know." I recede backward as he approaches me carrying his devil–may–care attitude.

"Hmm. It sounds good." He says caging me between his arms like he always does. "Is there something more that you wanna say?"

I watch the rise and fall of his bare chest. A sweat bead travels from his neck and plummets into the knot of his tied towel around his waist. "Nothing."

"Are you sure?"

I lick my lips and moisten them again. "The dragon," I say. "Why is it on your chest?"

"I had some cool influence in high school." He breathes near my neck. Is he planning on doing something? Like repaying for the disappointment he caused me last night? "You don't approve?"

"I do. I kinda like playing with fire."

"Do you want to play now?" he takes my hand and glides it from his cheek to his torso. I touch him with both of my hands.

Pulling me closer he kisses me. Hard. It was a moment of pure bliss until someone decided to interfere.

"Er...Karthik. It's time buddy to go to the ground." A boy dressed in jersey says awkwardly.

Karthik curses him mentally. "Just a moment." He says to me, "You should go."

I kiss him on his cheek. "I wish you luck."

I grab the middle seat in the auditorium. Although I don't and would never understand the game or any game possible I'm pretty much excited to see him on the ground.

The crowd cheers and raises slogans as the players and their opponents arrive. The cheers are louder when the cheerleaders perform the stunt.

"C'mon people! The players are finally here to bang the ball and put it deep inside the hoop." The commentary sucks and the guy has the worse sexual humor possible.

The game begins with a whistle and the ball is tossed. Our team is the best. They manage to grab more points than the rivals in the first half itself. "Well played captain!" I scream. Panting he laughs and winks at me. I drop him a flying kiss.

I sit restlessly and my adrenaline is in a rush. Not just me others are impatient too. The last scores define the winner. I see the ball bounce over guys jostling for it until all of a sudden the ref whistles and the scoreboard changes. I applaud along with all others in support of our team.

I hug him and he twirls me around. "Karthik!" I squeal and he puts me down. "My prayers worked."

I accompany him to his locker room. "Maybe it was your face that brought me luck. And the kiss too. On lips, cheek, air –

Finding the corridor empty I pull him to me once more. We part with collapsing breath.

"What's the reason behind this mischievous self?" he asks.

I giggle. "I don't know but it feels good." The answer is confusing but then feelings are always complicated.

His hair is wet and messy and his face looks stunning. It feels good. You feel good." He caresses my face.

"We need to leave for work," I say.

His lower lip sticks out as he pouts. He looks like a child who's just been denied candy.

I wait for him in the car. He shows up fresh and perfumed. He smells of clean shampoo and bath wash. And the damp hair that sprawls over his forehead.

Phew!

He holds my hand as he drives. His grip is firm and he's wearing a very outdated watch in his hand. His sleeves are rolled up. On the radio he plays; When I get my hands on you. I blush to remember our date. Maybe after work, I'll ask him for a date in the ice cream parlor.

Tense and thick air surrounds us as we enter our office. Maintaining the professional boundary we part our ways. He winks as I take my seat on my desk. He stands near the coffee counter just when the peon arrives with a thin file and hands it over to Karthik.

I see his emotions drastically shift. His grip tenses on the paper and then he glares at me. I shudder in confusion. The peon follows him to the elevator and they disappear.

"All of us knew it was a bad idea." I hear Maya say. "Sir must be very hurt." She fakes sympathy making my blood boil.

By the time I realized what was happening I was already standing in front of the CEO's chamber.

Karthik's voice is broken and hurt. Vedika keeps on insisting on him to calm down.

Screwed up a big-time, Mira. You're so stupid. How could you hurt him that way?

"Karthik listen to me please", I begin as he barges through the door in fury.

"What?" he yells. "Haven't you got what you wanted already? So enjoy."

"You know it's not my fault." I tear up. His anger self from the other day has returned and it's no way calming him down would help.

"I don't wanna see you. So leave the fuck alone." He shouts.

"Karthik!" Vedika's voice is stern. Is she trying to support me? But I don't deserve it. I made a huge mistake unintentionally and I have to pay for it.

Glaring at me once more he leaves. Just be safe. Please.

Vedika allows me into her office for a quick talk.

"Are you mad at me too?" I ask.

"No," she says motherly and gives a strong smile.

"Why? Didn't I just hinder your private matter and hurt you with your past?"

"There's no way you could have known besides it's been years, I'm sure we have moved past all our differences. And what matters is we stop dwelling with the past and make amends. This deal is important and I thank you for this." Is she in denial or something? Who knows?

"But I hurt him." I choke. His angered face displays in front of my eyes.

"Yeah. You did. But that was unintentional and inadvertent." How can someone sound so mature? "My son had a tough time as a child. Somehow the rejection from life...from his father has rooted deep inside him. If anyone is going to help him, it's you."

"How do you even expect?"

"I don't expect. I know." She gives my hand a gentle squeeze. "We can pretend that some people don't affect us but we can never deny their existence."

"At some point in life, we need to face them."

"Yes. Even when things are not that happening in life...it's just the beautiful memories that you two made together. So why not cherish them and for their sake let the past freeze."

Hm. Let the past freeze.