Drugged Love (On Hold)

Chapter Nine

"Karan!" Elena exclaimed joyfully coming out of his embrace.

"How have you been cutie?" Karan asked in a thick nasal voice, not acknowledging Ishan's presence. Cutie, seriously? Ishan thought.

"I'm great. " Elena said turning to Ishan, "This is Ishan, he's in my class at school"

Ishan shook his hand distastefully.

"I'm Karan. I-"

"Yeah I know, Elena talks a lot about you," Ishan cut him off.

Karan looked towards Elena. Elena looked at Ishan with a confused look.

"Ohh really?" Karan said in a voice that Ishan could swear made him look like a jerk. He moved closer to Elena and pulled at her cheeks. Elena tried frantically to break free.

Ishan didn't know what he was doing there. He interrupted their giggles with "Elena I should probably leave, mom's waiting"

Elena turned towards him, wanting to make him stay, but not being sure as to why she should even want her to stay, she didn't say anything. As if to make up for the things that were and maybe should not be left unsaid, she asked Ishan, "We're going to lunch tomorrow with Aarushi, you are coming too. Okay?"

That was unexpected, Ishan hesitated," Umm...I don't know, I don't think I can"

"Yeah dude, you should come. Aarushi annoys us a lot, maybe you'll know how to shut her up" Karan insisted which was surprising.

"Okay. I'll see you guys tomorrow," he said forcing smile and left.

He didn't know why he agreed. He'll have to see her with Karan again. He walked home on a lonely deserted road, a strange feeling gnawing him like a smoke slowly diffusing in his lungs, reaching to his throat, choking him. It was dark and Elena was with Karan, in the desolated park. He tried to shake off the inappropriate thoughts out of his head and reached home as fast as he could.

#

The next day at school Ishan avoided Elena as much as he could. During recess, Elena ran up to him, took him by his arm into one of the corners and asked him whether he was coming to lunch after school or not. He replied with, "I said I will. Is it so hard to understand?"

"Woah! What is the matter with you?" a look of shock on her face.

"Nothing, I just didn't get enough sleep. I'll see you after school," he said and walked away.

During school, he met Reuben and asked him for some money.

"Dude, again?" Reuben said showing more emotion than he usually does.

"Yeah, but two of her friends are coming this time"

Reuben sighed, "Look. I gave you all I had. You can go to Zakir after school. He'll surely be able to help you. I'll let him know you're coming and you need to borrow some money."

Ishan didn't know if he should borrow the money from Zakir, but also knew that he had no other option. The month was about to end and he would get his pocket money and be able to return everything he had borrowed.

He thanked Ishan and raced to Zakir's house as fast as he could after school.

Zakir opened up and he looked much more composed than the day when he had met him. His parents were not at home and Zakir led him to his room straightaway. He made him sit on the bed while he opened his almirah.

Without wasting much time he said, "So how much do you need?"

"Around 1000 bucks would be fine. I'll repay you in a few days." Asking for money was such a pain in the head and he badly wished his parents could increase his pocket money.