Loving A Lie

4.Showers of blessings?

When I entered the door through the spare key I had Granny was up and waiting for me. I dumped the heavy groceries on the sofa and slumped there. She looked at me and gasped."What happened to you? You go out white like a polar bear and come back as a red panda. Do you have fever?"
I nodded
"Then you must go to the doctor."

" I already went. Our kind neighbour offered me a lift and was considerate enough to take me to the doctor."

"Oh. The new one? Is he your friend?", Granny inquired ,but she looked very pleased that I had been out making friends.
What kind of Granny is she ? I'm here suffering from fever and she's only interested to know whether I'm interested in that boy romantically. Typical Indian grandparents. They just want you married by 21.
What do I tell her that he was just being a good neighbour.
Instead I told her that we were friends and he himself told me so. Even if it weren't actually true.

As much bizarre today's events were I felt tired with the fever wearing on me. I took some milk with the pills and went to sleep. I woke up in the middle of the night with a blanket on me, bless Granny, due to the rain pattering on my roof.
I peeked out of the window. It was raining cats and dogs. I had noticed a thin layer of clouds this morning but I didn't think it will rain. I wanted to be wet in the first rains of the season but there were a few problems, one I saw the clock it was 11 at night, second I was down with fever. Maybe next time. You cannot be a Mumbaikar without loving rains even though sometimes those rains may cause flooding on the streets and make it impossible for you to move around your own house. I sighed and sat at the window with the blanket draped around me. Cold winds blew relentless and it was even thundering. Beyond the rain I could see beautiful Daniel's beautiful house. The lights were on like they were yesterday night. My eyes settled on a window in his house where I thought a figure was in a position just like mine. As I squinted my eyes to see whether it was Daniel, the figure waved casually at me. Even that simple gesture had my heart thumping faster.
It was him okay. I waved back at him.
Then I started getting cold so I closed the window and went back to sleep.
When I woke up next morning I recalled everything that happened yesterday. I knew I must feel excited about yesterday but all I felt was tired and exhausted. I dragged my feet down stairs. Granny wasn't up. So I decided to make breakfast for both of us. I knew I was tired but I didn't wanted to be a burden on her. I had to make breakfast for me so why not for her too?
Just as I scrambled my eggs Granny entered the kitchen.
"You don't look any better Amy. Let me cook the eggs. You go and rest.", she told me concerned.

" It's almost done. Let's eat together..", I replied.
When we finished eating I took my medicines.
I slept on Granny's lap.
"I need your love Granny.", I told her laughingly.
" My baby.", she cooed me and ran her hands soothingly through my hairs.
I immediately felt better.

I talked a little with my mom on my mobile phone. She sounded concerned about my fever but she knew fever was a part of me. No kidding but I get fever very easily. Like I eat an ice cream and I may be down with fever. I have very low immunity or so my doctor tells me. So nothing to be worried about.

I wanted to cook lunch but Granny didn't let me near the kitchen. She insisted on me resting. So I went back to my room. The temperature had dropped considerably to my likings. Thanks to the rains. But not today. Fever made me shiver so I jumped into a blanket and read all afternoon. I was reading The Fault In Our Stars which was equivalent to saying I was crying.
I think only a very very cold hearted person would not cry after reading the tragic love story. Hazel, a teenager suffering with a particular type of deadly cancer meets a lanky , beautiful Augustus, as she describes him, another cancer survivor, they fall in love with each other but the end isn't too pleasant.
The book makes you realise how precious life is. How precious love is. Anyways it just happens in stories like this and many. Hazel herself agrees in the book that they wouldn't had been able to continue the love they had in the way they had , if , spoiler alert, Gus(Augustus) had survived. 'So dawn goes to day. Nothing gold can stay. ', she quotes someone in the book.
Nevertheless it makes you cry a lot.
The medicine seemed to work, by the time sun woke me up next morning I could get up without feeling the aches in my joints and back. My throat which was sore previously now seemed good too. They were good signs. I will be as good as new by the evening.

And I was. So I decided to celebrate by relaxing at beach. I loved beaches. Well who doesn't, right?? Beaches here I come.

At four I was all good to go with a few sandwitches thrusted into my hands by Granny, who refused to come with me. She said her knees didn't have it in her to go out so often. I knew , secretly, she just wanted to watch a catch up of some TV series. So I let her off hook easily.
I happily closed the door behind me, humming a new Smith and Paul's song, they had an awesome song out this week that had me going crazy,it had crossed the top song to become song number 1 this week already, to hear someone call my name.
I turned around to find myself facing Daniel .' Oh God he's still that gorgeous ',I groaned to myself. Who's allowed to be so gorgeous and have that beautiful skin complexion.
"Hey", he said.
" Hey", I replied.
He was smiling a full smile that made me smile too.
"So how are you today?"
"Good enough for a beach.", I replied indicating to my bag of sandwitches." Care to join?" Of course he wasn't going to, I knew, but it felt rude not to.
There was no chance that this beautiful Brit boy will join me.

"No thank you. Maybe next time",he said.
This was totally expected.
Yet still I felt a jolt of disappointment so sharp.
I just nodded in reply.
He noticed that because then he said, "But I can definitely get you there.",  motioning to his car.
Now he's generous too on top of being beautiful and all that gorgeous and gentle and kind...
" Thanks but that will not be necessary. I appreciate it. Thanks."
He wasn't listening to me. He already had moved towards his car and opening the  passenger door for me.
A ride won't hurt if it is with him. Let him drive me up. It's okay. Just don't look at him. I am okay. I assured my self.
So I went and sat inside the car. The car was too luxurious for an average man. I felt mildly uneasy because frankly I knew I could never afford such an expensive car on my own. He got into the driver's seat and started the car . It was an automatic obviously. I was fascinated by automatic cars so I watched him drive. Okay.
I know that's just an excuse to watch him start the car in motion, to watch just how his muscles flexes when he moves his hand ,how he leans comfortably in his seat and how his whole stance is sexy , without the slightest intention. He had a day's stubble and it suited him just fine.

I was about to give him directions when he turned around the right corner to the beach so I kept quiet.
I perked up in my seat when he put the new Smith and Paul's which I had been listening earlier. He smiled smartly as if he already knew how I was going to react.
"So do you like the new song?",  he asked.
" Yes yes yes. Very much", I replied with over enthusiasm. He laughed at my childish behaviour.
The ambience in the car was so rocking comfortable that I wanted to say,'okay get me a zucchini pasta and one pinacolada will be fine.', but I restrained my thoughts. Strange it was! How I could be at so much ease? Usually I'm anxious like a bat around people I don't know.

He asked me If I stayed here permanently. I told him that I was here just for my MBA and my Granny of course. He was interested in doing MBA himself so I gave him details of the college. He then asked me where I lived before moving here.
I was about to ask him where he lived before shifting to Vasai and why he shifted here in the first place but then we had reached the beach.

He was a 'safe' driver. He didn't let the speed go more than 6o km/hr when I knew his car could go more than 160km/hr. It was a pleasant ride with him with what air blowing on my face and him for company. He kept me easily engaged in conversation all the while. Didn't let me feel awkward like I didn't knew him. I felt comfortable , only I had to pay attention and not look at his beautiful face or at him, his strong arms...He had huge shoulders and strong muscles.
So I looked out of the window and focused on his voice which was addictive enough. That much was okay.
So when we reached the beach I didn't immediately get down. I had no friends here. Moreover on the beach too I was planning to sit alone and enjoy the weather. That was okay with me but now that I had some company it would be downright boring to sit alone.
  I couldn't drag Daniel to come with me just because I felt alone. That  wasn't fair. Moreover he must have some appointment already, I guessed,  because he was wearing formal shirt and trousers.
I opened the door of the car reluctantly. I hoped that the reluctance was not too evident on my face.
"So.",  I stalled.
" So ?”, he asked.
"Thank you ."
"No problem",  he smiled brilliantly.
He was about to drive away when something occurred to him.
" where are your friends? Or boyfriend? ", he asked and I flushed.
" Nobody's joining me. I don't have friends here",  I said sadly.
"Me too",  he replied smirking as he got down from the car after parking it at the corner.
I grinned back at him.