A Lockdown To Remember

Day 6

"I am bored!" Ashwini exclaimed as soon as her friends answered the call.

"I am bored of you saying that," Haim said. "Say something else or shut up."

"You shut up. I did not call to shut up." She sighed. " My hands hurt so much. My mother is making me wash all the dishes. I am done with this."

"Ashwini, fifteen more days to go. If you get done now what will you do for next fifteen-day?"

"I don't know. Fifteen days! This is the most boring vacation ever."

"It isn't a vacation." Xenia corrected. "I do not understand how you all get bored. My mother makes us do so many things that we barely get time to sit. How are people getting bored?"

"My mother is the same!" Ashwini exclaimed. "Haim is lucky. He is a boy, his mother doesn't make him do things. Being a girl is such a task!"

"You think my sister works?" Haim responded. "She would sit all day long, would get bored but won't help. She is the laziest person on earth."

"But she is so beautiful. I cannot believe she is your sister. She looks so good!"

"And I look? Complete that sentence. How do I look?"

"Black," Xenia said making Ashwini laugh.

"Racist. I am just dark. Have you seen my jawline? My face cut is perfect. Just my colour is defective or I would have been better looking than you." It was directed to no one however it was obvious to all that it was for Ashwini, the Cleopatra of the group.

They were not friends who called each other daily, or who measured their friendship on calls. They were each other's best friend and they needed no validation. Which was why they rarely had a conference call, often on special occasions. But with changing atmosphere, they changed, too. They called frequently and chatted daily. It was how they managed to attain peace.

After the phone call ended Xenia came back to the living room where here family was. Her parents were engrossed in a conversation that aroused interest in her. "What are you two talking about?" She asked her parents.

"About our neighbour." Her mother answered. "You know he can cook. He is actually good at it. Today he was cutting onion like that Masterchef contestant."

"Why are we cooking for him if he is so good?"

"We should be nice to our neighbours. Poor kid is all alone and the house is not ever a house. We should help him."

Pressing her lips together Xenia shook her head. "Shouldn't he be in quarantine? " her brother said who was sitting on the couch with her.

"Right," her father said after a moments silence. "He should be. But he not. That is not right. Everyone stay away from him. You never know who is infected."

What was said after that Xenia did not listen, she was Lost in her thoughts. Her brother was right. He shouldn't be meeting people. He should lock himself in the house for two weeks and not meet anyone, but he had been moving around like a free bird. She had heard him leave the house a few times and he had been talking to not just her but also her family. One thought led to another and in a few seconds, she had a conclusion.

He should have not done that. Everyone is going to be angry. They will blame him if anything happens. That was so irresponsible of him. So, so irresponsible. I had thought better of him. So irresponsible. What will happen when people find out? What will they do with him?

Unknowingly, her anger increased with each passing thought, which was the reason, when she got a chance to confront, she did not hesitate to speak.

"I have a question for you if you do not mind," she said louder than it was required.

Maier frowned and waited for a few seconds before saying, "if you are talking to me then go ahead. If not, I will ignore."

"Okay." She sat on a stool before continuing. "Shouldn't you be quarantined? You came from a different country. Even if you are not infected you should do it. Why didn't you do it? Don't you think that is wrong? What will happen if someone finds out?"

"I will be very interested in knowing how this person has my personal details." Xenia sighed making it clear she wanted a better answer. Maier did not beat around the bush after that and said, "I do not think it is wrong. I came here two months ago. If I am in fact infected then I got infected here. The country is in debt, I am not."

"Oh. Ohhhh. Sorry I did not know."

"Of course, how will you know?"

"But, " she made an attempt to protect her dignity. "You came from somewhere else. Even then you should be locked away, shouldn't you?"

"I was in the same city. In fact in the same locality. I was living with a friend in hyde park. Do you know that society?"

"It is a very high profile society. Everyone knows about it. However, I don't know where it is. I have heard people say I live in hype Park or maybe someone lives in hype park but I have no idea where it is. It is somewhere near, that I know."

"It is. I would have given you the directions if I had remembered it. But I was busy talking to my family and could not track the route."

"Okay. Why don't you go back? You aren't happy here. It is not that far, right? And you had been there for 2 months. I am sure they won't mind taking you in."

"Maybe they won't, but I cannot go. The friend whose house it is, went back which was why I came here. Or else I would have stayed there."

"Oh. You should have left with your friend." She whispered the second part however he heard her.

"I really should have. But God had different plans."

"Better plans."

"Different sure about better? I doubt "

"Everything happens for a good and a better reason. I am sure staying here was more beneficial for you."

"How can that be? I am stuck in an unknown place with unknown people. How can that be better than my house among my people?"

"You cannot see it now, but one day you will. Nothing happens by chance, everything happens for good. Even when something bad happens, it is always for good."

He raised his eyebrows and looked up from the mobile screen. With a frown on his forehead, he said, "I do not think I agree. Actually, I do not think I understand, you."

She smiled before saying," you will. Sooner or later."

"Let's see if I will. I will wait for that day. Until then-" He did not complete the sentence and frowned unintentionally.

She nodded her head. "Until then."