Nasaza

XXIII

"...That might be a bit oversimplifying the plan, but essentially, yes, I do want you to lift the motherfucking table."

"Who do you think I am? Karnam Malleswari?"

"I can only hope." He chuckled softly, "Think of it this way, how much do you really have to lose? We are stuck in this small space with limited air and no way out. If we stay here and do nothing, then we'll just wither away before we even know it. But if we try this plan, even if it fails, we might at least die with some dignity."

"We won't die. We'll injure ourselves and suffer to death or shit and I doubt our parents have noticed us yet."

"Well, maybe they have, maybe they haven't, but the point still stands." He paused for a moment, "At the very least, we won't die as pathetic little victims. We'll die like warriors. We'll die with courage. And frankly, I'd rather die like that than wither away helplessly."

"Why are you so keen on dying!?"

"The question here is not why I am keen on dying, the question is why you aren't. We are two seconds away from asphyxiating to death and you aren't freaking out."

I groaned, "Why makes you even think we can lift this shit? Your arms can't even move properly, because of your stupid ass attempt to hold the wardrobe. The pressure will all be on me and I can't do it."

"I didn't say it was a good plan, I said it was our only plan. We either do this and take a chance at getting out or we just sit here and wait to slowly suffocate to death. These are our only options. So again, I ask the question, do you trust me?"

"No. I'm still concerned as to why you think I do weight lifting or shit."

"You literally have dumbbells and a gym ball and an exercise cycle in your parking lot, which I see every day. Every morning, you go for a walk at exactly between four fifty-five to five AM and return at six. You do yoga at the terrace for twenty minutes then go to your home to get ready for school and you're done at exactly between seven to seven five and we meet at the bus stop at seven ten." He spoke. In one breathe.

What. The. Fuck.

He just...said that all in one breath??

"What the-how the fuck do you know all this shit?"

"Considering I live on the floor above you, and am a pretty light sleeper, it's easy to figure out. The loud noise of opening the main gate wakes me up every morning. And only me because our rooms are nearer the entrances of our houses, so my room is near the main gate too. Kinda. Whatever. I curse the inspiration you have for fitness every morning and go back to sleep, only to be woken up at six when you return, opening the gate loudly again. Then you walk up the stairs and I hear the terrace gate getting opened. I completely wake up because of your footsteps and then I sit and daydream on my bed for twenty minutes till the sound of the terrace gate being closed by you breaks me out of my thoughts and I go to brush my teeth when I hear your footsteps next to my room's wall again. I hear your mum shouting at you to finish your whole tiffin at seven five, and the sound of your dad's bike when he drops you off to the bus stop and we meet at the bus stop at seven ten because my dad drives faster than your dad. Also, I request you to be gentler with the gate. I really do love my sleep." He gave me a bittersweet smile.

"That is...a surprising level of detail. "

"A person can know quite a lot if they pay attention to their surroundings." He shrugged casually.

"I'm jumping off the terrace as soon as we get out."

"Now now, that's a bit impulsive. Let's focus on the present rather than the future."