Eclipsed Hearts

CHAPTER 3

The silence had subsided within itself, the echoing laughter had become the only sound that shadowed the two houses.

In that sweltering weather most ladies of the village had taken upon a habit of sleeping to pass time, somehow you don't notice the heat while sleeping unless you are soaking with sweat. Whereas the male species of the house were off working in their fields, while the children ran from street to street chasing each other.

In the bright sunlight stood Suraj's head poking out from the window, his face lighting up, like he was the one emitting this light, and in front of him sat Chandra on the cemented window frame. Rolling her fingers through her curls, smiling.

"Does the allergy still hurt? Because your face looks a lot better." Said Suraj pointing towards her cheeks.

"No-- I mean it does but barely, the doctor said it was something caused by the mixture of creams that my mother made and she insists I apply more, she is honestly obsessed with me."

His eyes gazed at her's and with the voice that couldn't reach any ear but his he said "So am I." He led out a sigh, wondering why he can't just admit to it, weeping but no tear fell, Chandra noticed the change of expressions and began to ask "You sai-".

The door behind Suraj creaked open, panic fell on him as he saw Tam enter the room from the faded dark shadows, scavenged every object visible to his eyes and soon directed them to the girl in the window.

"Is she your friend or something else?" He asked with that smirk, and we all know what that means.

Chandra's face grew red, not with the allergy this time, millions of blood vessels making their way towards her face, at last she passed a faint smile and closed her window hurriedly and supported her back to it.

Once again, silence had got the throne, those two feet had somehow ruined the moment of confession, his words were pulled back by the elasticity of faith, and bare his words lay, deep in his stomach.

Suraj's eyes dropped to the ground, a perfectly lovely jubbly moment turned into a gust that now flew in his hollow heart.

Realisation had struck.

The sound of chirping had been buried by the upcoming vehicle, the parents were here.

Tam began to speak but Suraj brought him to a halt with his words "It's okay, forget this ever happened" and stomped down to meet the familiar car.

The air within the room had subsided into the walls, the house was becoming hotter from each second they both stood looking at each other.

Tam began with his explanation "Sorry Uncle I was under the influence of alcohol that night, and I purely believe that neither me nor my family feels that way regarding this house."

"If you were so sure of your family's feelings regarding us, why don't dare you apologize earlier? What took so long?" His voice growing louder with every word that passed out his mouth.

With a long pause and a sigh he said "My father's health, that very night after the crowd had reduced themselves to their cars, we both had an argument, I don't remember what he had said but the vague image is of him fainting, my brother took him to the hospital and he has been in the ICU for the past month, he is deeply broken and so he suggested I stay here, with you to help make things better with the two families, after all it was indeed my doing." The sky remained clear from the clouds but apparently Tam's eyes had become clouds which were to rain any moment now.

His voice lowered yet still fuming with anger.

"Suraj take his bags to your room and for the time being you could sleep with us or with him, whatever you prefer"

No word was left forgotten and yet no word remains in between for a grudge, the given forgiveness was neither fake nor genuine. Everything stood in between.

Chandra was back in the window when Suraj entered the room with the woven bags. She passed a smile and began to ask the words which earlier escaped upon the arrival of Tam.

"You said something earlier?"

Nervous, butterflies brewing in his stomach, his eyes glimmering with hope, he began "It was that, ahh- I L-"