The gang, including Aaron, start to leave the diner in a line again, with Zack in front, and Aaron thinks if this is a 'gang thing'.
Suddenly Zack turns around, and the entire line halts like a domino effect.
''Okay guys...I have an important announcement to make...so...ahem..''
Zack being Zack, trips intentionally to grab attention and regains his balance.
''So Mrs. Becks ( A.K.A man-the-curves-tho) gave us the exam routine, which is to start half a week later so we have a group study session tomorrow at the Mallik's.''
As Ashley swats Zack's arm for the 'curves' part, Neha stares, bewildered.
''But when did I invite you guys?''.
''Like we needed your permission''. Ashley sticks his tongue out to Neha, as she rolls her eyes, already picturing what is about to happen tomorrow.
'' Okay so Malcolm, don't forget to bring your books and especially, your pencil box''. Like that, the entire gang, except Neha and Aaron, look at each other with evil grins, while she mutters 'Oh no no no not again' and he looks at his watch.
''Ah...okay sure guys...I'll bring my books too. Be there at...?'' , Aaron saying, exchanging looks with everybody.
An abrupt pause, and everybody bursts in laughter, and when the others are breathless, Zack finally says, ''Sure sure! Be there at 2.''
While the gang still laughs in the parking lot, Aaron shakes his head and cycles to the repair shop.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OO~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
August 29. 1: 39 PM.
Aaron parks his bike close to the mailbox, where 'The Malliks' is written in worn-out letters. This is the only house in the entire street with a mailbox, and Aaron wonders why.
He is standing there, just before that blue wooden door, wondering what can go wrong if he enters through that. What did they have in their minds yesterday evening? Will he ever be able to step outside, again? Were they trying to--
''Again!! Ohmygod Aaron!''. Neha places his hands on her waist, displeased.
''No I was just---''
''Shut it, okay? This is the second time I caught you like this!''
''Ahhh...nevermind!''
Neha rolls her eyes and lets the door open and heads inside, but turns around and, seeing Aaron still standing there like a brainless child, facepalms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~OO~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aaron enters the room , just as Zack stands and hugs him, and the rest stay quiet, some giggling. Well, soon Aaron notices the 'rest' doesn't include Irina, and at the second thought, doesn't bother to ask anyone. Everyone is in a circle, like casting a Satanic ritual together. In the center, there are bags piled up, and Aaron can't tell who's one is which.
''Come, Aaron. We were waiting for you! Zack? Don't delay, open the notebook and take a paper''. Shae, now without the biker jacket, instructs Zack with the same evil grin like before.
Aaron gulps as Zack unzips the bag on top and takes out a notebook. He carefully tears a paper, and points at Malcolm.
''Malcolm? Pencil box, please?''
As Malcolm pulls his bag closer and opens a small pencil bag, which was just a small pouch, and as Aaron watches it, he starts to back, slowly.
Weed.
Malcolm throws the pouch at Zack and Aaron runs out of the door and zooms to the main door, almost slipping on the carpet, when Neha traps him with her arms wide open.
''Chill chill. It's their business. Here, I made some coffee for you. ''
Neha gives a sweet, sober smile and points to the navy blue cup on the table. Aaron, still gasping, picks it up and drags himself to the window, opening it and breathing in fresh air. Sipping her coffee, Neha stands beside him, waiting for him to settle down.
'' I'd like some sugar''. Aaron speaks in an exhausted tone.
''Sure...''. Neha grabs a bag of sugar cubes and puts one into his coffee and Aaron watches it sink, and with his hand , motions for a spoon but Neha avoids this by:
''You know..the things that I said at the diner...all those flowery things? You should know those flowers had thorns, too''.
Aaron sips, his eyes fixed on Neha's.
''Ya well...the story isn't so perfect..''. Blowing her coffee, Neha tucks a whisk of her hair into the back of her ear as she looks outside.
''Ya I noticed that your mood dropped when you started giving Irina's intro--''
''Yeah I...'' , Neha says while biting the side of her lip, '' I mean... I was Shae's best friend for 3 long years, knew everything about him. I used to send him long letters, and he used to reply to each one of them . At times when he was down to earth because of his family problems, when he didn't go out of his room for weeks, when he was about to swallow pills with his hand, I took that hand and dragged him out: gave him reasons to live. And with that same hand, one day he...''
Neha swallows hard and winks a hundred times, hiding her tears.
'' One day he brings a girl from nowhere and he was soo into her that he avoided me and Malcolm for days. Sometimes they would sit privately until Malcolm and I invaded them. They would keep secrets. In our small cozy world, they would form another world, all to themselves, and it gets bigger ; so big that you'd have no room for laughs, serious talks or even normal conversations; no room to breathe. Soon, he started to avoid my letters, and forgot replying to them. The day before Malcolm proposed to me, I sat with Shae and held his hand close to my eyes, just to make him feel the heat, the heat of guilt and hatred and anger and....and...''
Aaron looks into the coffee, feels the heat of the mug, feeling what Shae should've felt before.
'' .....love...?''
And there it is. Tears. Tears. Tears. Yes. Aaron feels it. Original tears. Aaron's hand keeps trembling at such ferocity that he could feel the cup getting lighter ; the un-stirred sugar at the bottom mixing with the coffee.
''I cannot describe this feeling I just...can't. We have been together for such a long time...he has picked me up from nowhere and changed me into someone I dreamed about and I don't even know if it's love but...I missed him. I just wanted company, only his company. I didn't want to hug him or feel his skin or anything I just...needed him there. We wouldn't hold hands again...but I needed him there. Friend, boyfriend, whatever. I needed him...and I needed him badly''.
He feels it : feelings that can never be described. He gets that Neha didn't want Shae as her boyfriend, but she wanted something, something from him.
''Dad wanted to sabotage the mailbox but I kept it as a memory''. Neha says in a shaky voice, rubbing her nose.
''Neha...tell me. Please. What did you feel?''
''I....don't....know...'' , she whispers, her voice barely audible with the sound of her tears dripping into the coffee.
Aaron sips his coffee, thinking about the sugar in his , the salt in hers.
Suddenly the door to the room unlocks and Malcolm comes out swinging left and swinging right, clearly overdosed on weed. Neha hurriedly keeps the mug on the table and rushes to the bathroom. Seeing that, with eyes almost closed and a fixed smile, Malcolm points Aaron to the bathroom door and gestures a ' what is wrong' with his hand.
Aaron, simply, shakes his head and stares at the mailbox outside.
YOU ARE READING
To Express Happiness || Fayne ✔✔
रोमांसBoy. 17. Lost. Aaron is at his last year in high school when he sees his reflection in the mirror and cries. His whole life is a mess, with him always fighting with his thoughts. Depression has always been in his bloodstream, with dark clouds circl...
