Accepting Reality

Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Suffering in company?

I run and run as far as my legs can take me and since I was a former athlete, that running took me quite far. I keep running until I spotted a bench and I immediately gravitate towards it.

‘What have I done?  That shouldn’t have happened, but hell, I’d be lying if I said that it didn’t feel amazing.’ I thought as I put my head in my hands.

‘Who cares if it feels “amazing”, you stopped doing it 3 years ago’ said a voice in my head.

 ‘That was because I was forced too. Who cares …that was the past, no use hanging on to it’ I thought back. These are the thoughts that were going through my head right now. I was so focused on thinking that I didn’t hear the footsteps approaching towards me.

I heard someone clear their throat and looked up to see a familiar face and I groaned.  

‘Well, well, well, if it isn’t the creator of this mess. What’s he here for? To mock me again, laugh at me or maybe smirk at me again?’ I thought as I glared at him.

“Hey.” he says all out of breath.  ‘why is he out of breath?’  I took a look around.

‘Hmm, this place doesn’t seem familiar at all. Has he been following me this entire time? Why would he do that? I thought.

“Hi” I say back softly, feeling so very awkward. He says nothing and joins me on the bench. We sit there in silence for who knows how long. But not an awkward silence, a comfortable one in fact…it is actually kind of nice. After a while of just sitting there Karthik clears his throat, which gets my attention. I look up in his direction and freeze in place. The expression on his face, the emotion is his eyes are so intense that I can’t help but look. He clears his throat again, getting me out of our little stare down. 

“Are you okay?” he says. I nod and he leaves it at that not saying anything else. ‘He followed me all the way here for that? Not to question why I ran out? Strange boy… “Ready to head back?” he says softly. I nod, not trusting my voice. I get up and we walk back side by side back to the venue, not even saying a single word to each other.  ‘That’s odd. Usually my friends would ask so many questions and bug the hell out of me. He seems to understand that I don’t want to talk about it. I have to say for a butt face he has his moments. That’s for sure.’ I thought as we continue to walk back in silence. I happen to glance back at his face to find his expression blank. This just took one weird turn.