Reshma

4

"So, how long can you stay?" Reshma asked the black-hooded guy seated on the bed.

The guy removed his hoodie. "Not long. Half an hour, at most," he said. Ishaan was sweating. Reshma increased the fan speed and came and sat down on the floor.

"Uh...why are you sitting there?" he asked.

"I don't know...I, uh, shouldn't be sitting there," Reshma pointed at the bed.

"Why?"

She shrugged.

"Come up, it's okay."

"So that I can see you in that trance? No, I'm fine down."

She sat with her back rested against the bedpost. Ishaan was at her back. She couldn't see his face.

"Got your pills?" she asked him, rubbing her hands out of cold. The fan was too fast for her liking.

"Yeah. How can I not?" He handed her his hoodie. She looked up at him.

"No, I'm fine," she said.

"It's okay, you can take it. You're not untouchable or something," Ishaan insisted. "And anyways, I'm sweating like hell."

"Exactly," Reshma mumbled, but took it anyway. She turned it upside down, and half-wrapped it below her wrist.

"Yeah, how come you're all sweaty?"

"I ran with a hoodie," Ishaan said, "What else?"

"You ran?"

"Always do."

"Huh?" Reshma was confused.

"It takes around 20 minutes to come here, if I run. I come running, I go running." Ishaan explained.

"Why do you even do that? Where are your cars and bikes?"

"My dad keeps tabs on everything. Especially me. Now, I don't want him to know about my whereabouts, do I?"

Reshma heard the sound of his box filled with opium. She shut her mouth and let him do his stuff.

~~~