Lover Is A Day

Chapter 18.1

‘And that’s how it started’, Zenna concluded
‘…’
‘When did you meet Shubham then?’, I asked
She paused and then said, ‘We became friends with him in junior college’, she hiccupped, ‘I remember, back then, he used to be very sad all the time, very emo., unlike now’ 
She emptied her beer till the very last drop.
‘Man, I used to hate him… because Neha was nice to him and that’s why he started liking her…’
She brought her legs together and sat in a fetal position
‘…but that’s just how she is’, she said in a low voice
‘Go home now, you’re drunk’, I said,
‘…’
‘But I don’t understand one thing’, I said ‘how did you know that I liked him?’
‘Oh… that was very easy. You were always following us around or you would run into us a lot, at first, I thought you were into me or Neha., but you weren’t even looking at us. That’s how I knew. It was a hunch, and I was right’
‘I was that obvious huh… Wait! Does this mean that he also noticed me?’, I asked. I didn’t even realize that I did that.
She squinted her eyes, ‘I… don’t think so’
We walked back to my room. I was glad that no one had seen us together. We stood in the hallway.
‘Can you go home or should I drop you?’, I asked
‘I have bike’, she showed me the motion of a bike handle with her hands
‘Are you sure you can drive?’, I asked
‘I’ll be fine’, she slapped my shoulder ‘Goodnight’, she said and walked away.

I came in my room. Is it okay for her to go alone?
Whatever, I thought.
I lay on my bed, face in pillow. Hoping to sleep away. Sometime later my phone rang. It was Shubham.
‘Hello’, I said, half asleep
‘Hey, were you sleeping?’, he asked
‘Yes’
‘Sorry to disturb, I just wanted to ask, If Zenna is there with you right now’, he asked
‘Why?’, I asked
‘Neha had called me asking about Zenna’s whereabouts since she is not at home and hasn’t told Neha where she went, so I was wondering you knew …’, he said
‘She just left’, I said, without thinking
‘Oh…’, he said
‘I will tell her that… you should sleep, bye. Goodnight’, he said
The line went silent for some time.
‘No, wait, it is not what you think-’, I got up
He had already cut the call.
Oh no, he will think something else!
I held my head in my hands.
Should I call him back? No, clarifying something like this would only look more suspicious.
I texted Zenna
You: Where are you?
She didn’t reply.
I called her. She didn’t pick up.
I was wide awake now. Ugh! I knew I shouldn’t have let her go alone her.

Some 15 minutes later or so, I got a text from him

Shubham: Neha found her

Found her…?
I had lost my sleep now, and I could not sleep now knowing that he and I had a misunderstanding. How am I going to explain that to him?  And he already thinks that Zenna and me are something. 
I couldn’t sleep for a long time. At first, I thought it was going to be one of those nights, but eventually I slept and didn’t even realize when it was morning again. I got up. I was still tired. I battled with getting up at all, but eventually did, and went to college. I told myself that it was not because of him, but because I wanted attendance… and education.

What will I tell him? I thought, my head hurt more than I could think
‘Are you okay dude?’, Mayur asked me
‘Yeah, you look like you haven’t slept’, Abhi said
‘Because I didn’t’, I said
After the lecture, I saw Shubham. He was walking with his friends. He half smiled at me and walked away.
I too walked away with Abhi and Mayur.
I came back to my room.
Ahhh, I should have talked to him! Why didn't I talk to him!?

Authors Note: Kindly note that this chapter is in continuation, and the part 2 of this chapter will be published till tomorrow, after the extra chapter. So stay tuned!