Happily Ever After

Chapter 8

As soon as results were given, I decided to go to Hayden's house to tell him about my good results. He was, after all, my boyfriend. It was cold when I jumped out of my college hostel, so I put on my hood. I was used to this, after spending four years in England. I knocked on the door of Hayden's mansion. I figured out one thing about him. He was the so called "son" of my dad's friend. Nobody answered. I knocked again. Still, no answer. Oh! Hayden said that his mom and dad usually left him at home, when they went for "business". Ok, let's think that his mom and dad left for business. But Hayden must be at home.... I knocked again. Again, no answer.

I peeped through the window to see whether there was anyone in the house. Two people were kissing, lip to lip. I checked to see more closely. Kya?! My boyfriend and another woman were kissing!!! I was horrified. I couldn't believe it! Hayden spotted me. I ran away, completely astounded and broken hearted. However, Hayden caught up with me and said, "Adira, I'll explain to you....." his voice trailed off from my yelling. "Aapakee kahaanee kya hai (What is your story)? You cheated on me!! So, what is the jhooth (lie) you are going to tell me now?!" I yelled at him and he looked bewildered at me, apparently from not understanding Hindi. I ran to the park, sped through the trees and settled on a bench. I started to cry for the first time, feeling betrayed. He pretended to be kind and concerning, and even earned my trust! Then he cheated on me! My eyes were red from all the crying. I tried to subdue my sorrow and anger.

While I was trying to tame my wild anger, I wished that Niru was here. He would have done something to cheer me up. At that very moment, the Niru-look alike came and sat beside me. He was looking at the trees when he asked me, "Why are you crying?" The words "Hayden cheated on me," slipped out of my mouth before I could stop it. "I knew it," he started muttering angrily, "That nasty brat!" I was surprised. "Wait. You knew about this?" I asked, turning to face him. "Of course I knew! When you weren't there, he flirted with other girls and kissed them too! I wanted to tell you, but I knew you wouldn't believe me. I know still, that you won't believe, but take my word, I'll suicide to prove that I'm telling the truth!" he said with a fiercely. "Ok, ok. I'll take your word for it."I said, took a deep breath and exhaled. "I don't know what's going on with me this days." Then he said, "Chill out! Let's go and drink something," he said, put his arm over my shoulder and we headed for a café. There was a café nearby. He ordered a watermelon juice for me and a lime juice for him. The waiter soon came with the drinks and kept them both in the middle of the table and left. Then the Niru-look alike took his drink and gave me mine. I noticed something that I knew, on his wrist. I caught his arm and a scene flashed in my brain; the day Niru left for India. I had tied a black cord with three glowing golden beads as a sign of our friendship on his hand, before he left. And it was on his hand. Could he be..... I stood up. He stood up too. "Niru," I said. He said yes. Then he asked to sing a song, to celebrate our reconciliation. The both of us started singing "Ab tum hi ho" (my favorite song) and danced. Even the other couples in the cafe started dancing with us. I started to know whom I really loved. I really loved Niru, not Hayden. When we finished the song, the two of us kissed. Then I said, "I love you." And he said, "I love you too." It was so romantic. I mean, this was the first time I kissed. Thank goodness I didn't kiss that womanizer, for who knows how many women he kissed? He won't matter now, for I have a person, who loves me for who I am, not my beauty or talent or money. So, college over. The two of us thought about going back to India to meet dad. Oh, what about his Ma? Well, things went pretty emotional when I asked him about that.

"What a fool am I?"

"Huh?"

"You left for India to care for your Ma. So....how is she now?" I asked.

He looked at the sky.

"She died." He said.

"Sorry." I hugged him

"It's okay." He said and smiled. I hugged him.

At that very moment, that cheater came, demonically angry. I was kind of thankful that he came, since he broke up the emotional mood over here. Thank God, Niru hid behind the tree. It was a good thing he hid, or else the problem would have got worse. "You!" he yelled at me. "You discovered what I did, didn't you? You might be thinking that you got rid of me, but you will get a shock when you see what I do!" he tried to strangle me. "So you admit that you were a womanizer. I didn't betray you. You betrayed that me." I said, pointing from him to me. I paused to take a breath. "What I did was right. I was right to dump you. You are inhuman. And get out of my sight before I kill you. NOW!" I shouted, with anger. Then he said, "Wait till I get hold of you. I am now the official drug lord of England. My dad resigned from his post. I have many henchmen now, so you better be careful. Your dad promised my dad to give your hand in marriage to me. I will take my revenge!" he said and went. Niru returned from his hiding place. I fell on the bench. I couldn't believe it. "Dad did that? To me? How did he make allies with the drug lord of England?" I was shocked. "We are going to leave. Soon," I said. I hugged him and went to the hostel.

Only two girls were there in the hostel. Me and Evelyn. She was always occupied in a book. Nevertheless, she always made me a coffee when I was in the hostel. She was from Australia. And Australia's pretty heated up these days. I couldn't help but pity her. Others had gone to their houses. Since college was over, we had to leave by December. I fell onto a sofa and put the TV on. Then I switched it off. I couldn't believe that dad sold me to that cheater, as if I were a drug. I am an independent 23 year old. No one can control me, even my dad. I am also a human being, right? I met up with Niru in the hostel and went to the airport to check the booking-a-flight process.

So I really got to know that process. We boughttwo tickets and went to a restaurant for lunch. The flight was to be in onemonth, meaning that it was on October. Dad's gonna have a hard time when I getback. The two of us decided to stay in the hostel, for our own safety.