Secret Love Story #wattys2017 (COMPLETED)

Remember

Kajol-1995

I rub my head, it hurts so much like there is a prisoner in it trying to escape. God what had happened last night? I stumble out of bed and into the lounge.
"Morning beautiful," Shah Rukh's voice echoes around my head making my prisoner angry.
"What the hell are you doing in my apartment?" I ask tripping over to the breakfast bar and sliding onto a stool.
"Um, you're in my apartment," I look around. Oh yeah. My apartment is smaller and has a separate kitchen diner to the living room. Wow Shah Rukh's apartment is pretty swanky, all open plan with a giant panoramic view of Mumbai.
"Why are you shouting?" I whisper placing my head in my hands and resting my elbows on the worktop.
"It's called a hangover sweetheart," Shah Rukh laughs sliding a mug over to me. I stare into it and smell coffee, like ultra-strong coffee-enough to keep an elephant hyped for 24 hours.
"What do you mean?" I mumble confused, "why am I in your apartment and what the hell is this?" I place my hand around the mug and swirl the contents. Shah Rukh chuckles to himself making me feel worried. I have no recollection of how I ended up here. All I remember was going out with Karan and Rani to celebrate getting myself a new apartment and then next thing I know I'm in Shah Rukh's apartment. Oh God, I didn't sleep with him did I?
"You were drunk, I saved you from some random guy, you locked yourself out of your apartment," Shah Rukh slowly puts the cracked memories back together before sealing them together with the last blow, "you were sick." I feel the colour drain from my face as my eyes widen.
"I was sick down your trousers," I remember the feeling of nausea I never want to experience ever again.
"Yeah, you even got some on your clothes so I put them in the washing machine," Shah Rukh informs me. I look down at my own outfit. I was wearing jeans and a top but I'm now wearing joggers and a vest. Then I remember Shah Rukh helping me into the guest bedroom and telling me to change. I had sat on the edge of the bed and closed my eyes to the world hoping to sleep but then Shah Rukh came back in and said he'd help me change. Jesus I must've been so pissed.
"I am so sorry," I apologise feeling major embarrassment. I just wanted to forget all the shit that has been going on in my life and I thought a night out was a good suggestion-evidently not.
"Trust me the pain goes in the afternoon," Shah Rukh smiles passing me two paracetamols which I down instantly praying for them to kick in before this afternoon when I'm supposed to be signing for a new film. I down the ultra-song coffee and put the cup back onto the worktop.
"I should go," I say. I have already put Shah Rukh out enough just by being here never mind being sick down him and expecting me to clean up my clothes.
"Oh yeah here's your new key," Shah Rukh hands me a pristine chunk of metal, "I got your locks changed cus you locked yourself out." I nod appreciate.
"Thanks there was no need," I slide off the stool and make my way back into the guest room realising I don't have any clothes to change into. I walk back out and Shah Rukh gestures to the door.
"I'll bring your clothes when they're dry," he smiles and I nod rubbing my head for what feels like the hundredth time. God I feel like total shit.

********************

I stand in the lift waiting for the doors to ping open when they reach my floor. Shah Rukh had been right; I had reached two o'clock and I felt almost fine. It was probably down to the dodgy coffee I had received at Shah Rukh's apartment. I smile to myself as I the lift doors slide open and I step into the hallway. I turn to walk towards my apartment and see Shah Rukh slumped against the wall beside his apartment, blood pooling from a wound on his right shoulder. I race over to him and kneel next to him on the floor. He seems to have been knocked unconscious and his apartment has been ransacked. I rummage in my bag for my mobile and dial 102. He looks so helpless sat against the wall and it reminds me of the first time he asked me out. He was so nervous and kept fumbling his words before giving up and I had to fill in the blanks. He was so helpless then; but then I remember the way he had treated me when we broke up and all those memories disappear.
"Hello is everything okay?" The paramedic asks kneeling down next to me. I nod my head and shuffle backwards letting the paramedics get back to work. They put Shah Rukh on a board and carry him towards the lifts.
"Are you not coming?" The paramedic asks again and this time I shake my head. I'm nothing to do with Shah Rukh, just his neighbour.