A Sew Through Time [Bandbudh And Budbak]

8: My Budh

Budh meekly approached the spiralling stairs that led towards an observatory. Built with stained glasses reflecting the dull skylight, there was a giant telescope that could be adjusted with concave glass orbs below the basilisk-like lens. Every once in a while they would go there to chat, come down to nap and waste some precious time. Sometimes, he and Badri would pass out in the observatory itself, restless and tired, thinking about Mega Robot destroying the world.

He halted to look at his palm. Phrases where inked on his sweaty skin: words to use, words to avoid, and what to say incase he fumbled. Reciting twice, he closed his eyes and memorized silently, walking under the twirling stairs that casted patterned shadows on his face. He continued with this till he grew tired of the words jumbling inside his head.

Non-chalant, be non-chalant, he whispered, and began climbing up confidently.

He knocked the door exactly twice. One knock meant negative, thrice meant needy. Twice was firm.

There was no answer.

For a moment he thought there was nobody inside, despite seeing her going inside last. Pausing his breath, he clenched his hand and knocked twice again.

Still no answer.

He checked his palm to know what he must do in this situation. Apparently it did not exist.

"Budh?"

He shrieked and hid his hand.

Standing astonished from his lively reaction, Myra asked, "What're you doing?"

"N-nothing" His shoulders slumped, "I was just..."

"Just?"

"Just... checking whether anyone was inside!"

Walking inside the observatory, Myra left it open with the support of a rubber stopper.

Budh followed inside timidly, remembering his palm. Puffing his chest, he looked at the ceiling and sighed.

She turned towards him.

He sighed again.

"Asthma or what?"

He gazed at the floor, shaking his head violently.

"So?" Myra cooed, surprised at his arrival, "What brought you here? Lost your boyfriend around?"

He continued staring at the other things inside the room, piles of junk sealed in boxes. It was a boring sight.

"Budhdeb?"

Taking out a little satin sack out of his pockets, Budh held it across him. For a moment, he thought that throwing it at her would had been better.

Myra seized it instantly, speculating it suspiciously then glancing back.

He began sauntering around.

It looked like a napkin which had seen the Trojan war itself, unappealing and dirty with carpet dust. She nevertheless pulled open a knot and discovered a heap of handmade chocolates inside. Golden papers wrapped with silver threads, they were shaped like baby cherubs playing trumpets, some looking like exotic flowers in golden-glitter leaves.

"Ohemgee!" she picked up a melted chocolate and gravely inspected it, "So ghoulish!"

"It melted"

"I thought you would forget about the deal" she tossed the heap on the table, "How lame"

"Nahi chahiye?" Budh's smile crooked, "Then give it back"

"Uhuh" she smirked, "Once I get my hands on something, don't expect it to come back"