Drugged Love (On Hold)

Chapter Fifteen, part Two

Ishan walked with heavy feet towards Zakir's place. He was running late. It was almost dark and the last shreds of sunlight made everything strange. There were nights and days but there was also a short transition between nights and days which people seldom noticed.

Ishan liked winters for it was dark early and the night had a discrete quality about it. The streets were desolated and every sound was distinguishable and every sight more beautiful with a black background behind it.

After he'd heard about the news about that the boy used to deliver drugs like he did he was not sure if he wanted to continue doing this

The money was good. He had bought a new bag and he was pretty sure that he would be able to buy a new phone after making two or three more deliveries. He could even gift Elena something really expensive.

Elena

He cursed himself for letting his thoughts drift away to her again. His thoughts were like those flocks of birds which migrated to faraway places but always carried a piece of their home within them, wherever they went.

He thought he'd let Zakir know about his decision of not doing this anymore. Then again, he could tell him when he would complete today's deliveries.

As he reached Zakir's place, he heard music which grew louder. He reached inside and the door was ajar.

Boys and girls were hanging around all over the house. Ishan could tell they were college students.

Crates of beer bottles and other liquor were lined up on the kitchen counter. The room smelled of smoke, no one bothered to go outside and smoke. A girl who looked drunk as a skunk was dancing without realizing that the boy next to her had his hands all over her.

Ishan tried to find Zakir among so many people.

He moved to the couch near the living room. He saw a boy sitting there with a bottle of beer pressed to his lips. He couldn't mistake the muscular body and the face which lacked any loose flesh. He saw that he was with a girl who had her hair all over the place and looked completely wasted.

He saw them sitting too close and the boy started kissing the girl's neck and rubbed his hand over his thighs. Ishan clenched his fists and forgot what had he come here to do. He went over to him and said,

"Karan"

Karan removed his face from the girl and looked at Ishan, dazed as he was. The girl still didn't care to look up and had her face on his chest.

"Ishan, hey! What are you doing here?" Karan said

"Cut it out. What are you doing? Aren't you and Elena together?" Ishan said in an urgent voice. Some of the people around had gathered to witness them.

"Ohhh. Elena? I've been trying to reach her but she doesn't reply—"

"So you do this?" Ishan cut him off. He didn't realize that he had raised his voice and almost everyone had gathered around them.

"Dude, I'm in the middle of something here. Just go away. "Karan said pointing to the girl lying drunkenly on his chest.

"NO" Ishan blurted out staring with a raging intensity into Karan's eyes.

Karan stood up and laughed sarcastically. "What did you say?" he moved closer to Ishan.

"I said no. You can't do this to Elena." Ishan said, and that is when he realised that maybe he'd spoken too much. Karan's face was turning red and Ishan knew he was in trouble. Although Ishan was tall himself he knew he was no match to the size of Karan's broad body with those roaring muscles.

Karan pushed him away with one hand across his chest. "What do you care about Elena? " He moved closer to him and pushed him again. "Why don't you mind your own fucking business?"

The crowd had formed a ring around them, and everyone was looking at Ishan anticipating what he'd do. The adrenaline kicked into him and in a wild moment of frenzy he lashed out landing a big solid fist on Karan's jaw. Karan retreated and was stunned more from the shock than the pain of the blow.

Ishan knew that he was about to be beaten black and blue now. He couldn't run away now. If a fight is what he wanted, a fight is what he will get. He was hoping he would be able to land a few punches himself. Karan charged at him and took him down. They both rolled on the ground and Karan emerged on top. With Karan's full body weight pinning him down Ishan was having trouble breathing. He tried to use his hands to protect his face but Karan had pinned his arms down with one hand.

Karan raised his fist and started punching Ishan on the face.

The first punch landed straight on his jaw and knocked the air out of him.

The second punch was straight on his cheek that made his skull crash onto the hard floor with a bang.

Ishan was not sure how many more he could take, the pain was excruciating even after the adrenaline and he was completely out of air. He prepared himself for the third punch and closed his eyes tightly as Karan raised his fist again.

The crowd went dead silent. Ishan tried with his shaken sense of sight to see what was happening.

Zakir was standing over them, with a gun pointed on the back of Karan's head.

"Back off motherfucker!"