Wrecked Souls

Chapter 20- Aarav

My suit jacket almost knockout the soda in Khalid's hand as I throw it on the recliner with frustration.

"Whoa! That was not a very polite 'Hi, I'm home' you know." He says whe he stands but giving him no attention I go straight in the kitchen and take out a beer from the fridge.
As I take the first swig and the cold beer runs down my throat, I breathe in a good deal of air trying to calm and understand all the fuck ups.

I am barely able to close and relax my eyes when I hear my friend say, "What's up your ass now?"

"Fuck off." I wave him off.

He snickers as he folds his arms over his chest and speaks, "Yeah, like I would." I ignore him as I take another sip when he adds, "Great, now spill."

"Nothing." I walk out of the place with both hands busy, one to loosen my tie and free my shirt while the other to help me get my drink.

I settle on the sofa and of course Khalid joins me right away. As I rest my head against the armrest, I feel a pair of eyes on me.
I side eye him as I say tiredly, "What? Need a kiss?"

He makes a gagging face as he takes the beer from hand and place it on the table. Too worn out to fight him, I let him do it and when done, I sit back again and go to retrieve the bottle.
Khalid reaches it before me while speaking, "You can have it once you get on with your script."

I huff and bow my head with a light shake of it as exhaustion takes over, "No script. Now hand it over."

"Who's the girl?" He finally asks without giving me back my bottle.

"What girl?"

He leans back in his place, "You've been acting in a certain way. Can't be business because even if it's tiring and stressful, you handle it smoothly. Next, you don't have daddy issue, though you have mommy issue but you don't care so it's not that. Finally, you don't worry about just any random girl so Malhotra, it's clear, there's someone specific. A certain girl. And I want you to tell me who is she and what happened?"

I started listening to him with a nonchalant expression but by the end of his description, he has all my attention and I'm impressed to be honest.

"Fuck man, that really sums everything up, doesn't it?" I go for my beer in his hand which he pulls away from me as he demands.

"Name?"

I resign as I say, "Inaana." And I have my beer back.

"Never heard of her." He appears normal.

"But she's been always there. Just not in the way she is at present." I accept.

He nods softly and inquires further, "You dating?"

"No dude." An ugly snort leaves my mouth.

"You want to?"

Do I want to? Yes.
Will I do it? No.

"Doesn't matter. I fucked up." I finish the bottle.

"You are full of fuck ups and I'm sure she knows it too."

"Don't know but I know she probably hates me after what I saw today." I stand and walk back to get a refill.

"And what happened today?" I hear him from behind me.

"She stood right infront of me but didn't look at me, not even a glance." I say aloud and then mutter to myself, "Right fucking infront yet she didn't."

"Whoa dude! She's got some respect." He hoots.

"That she does." I take my initial seat.

"So how about you tell me everything now." He asks as he lights a cigarette and pass it to me after taking a hit.