Not Around The Corner

Why Is He Here?

“No, I am not bitter, I am not hateful, and I am not unforgiving. I just don't like you.”~ C. JoyBell C.

It was a beautiful Sunday morning. I was sitting on the porch sipping my cup of coffee and reading the newspaper. Life was bliss. Akash was a lovely boyfriend. The first two dates had gone by great. Surprisingly, Gaurav had been okay with my dating Akash and Anushka couldn’t be any happier. Nikhil, my real brother, my elder protective brother had come back from Singapore yesterday. He was asleep in his room. I decided to spend the day with him today.

I heard the noise of vessels from inside. Nikhil was up. I got up and went inside.

“What do you want, Nikhil?” I asked.

“Coffee,” he said while yawning. I poured him a cup and sat on the stool. “There’s an omelet kept for you on the counter,” I told him.

“Where’s Gaurav?” he asked.

“Where do you think?” I asked slyly.

“Anushka?” he asked with a smile.

“The one and only,” I replied laughing.

“I love those two,” he said. “Ten years and still that crazy about each other,” he said with amazement. “Takes a lot of commitment,” he continued.

“And understanding,” I added.

I left him to his omelet. We planned to go out for lunch. I was contemplating if I should tell Nikhil about Akash. He would go all bossy on me. And I didn’t want him to misjudge Akash.

I took a shower. I was considering what to wear. Anushka and I had bought this lovely baby blue and white checkered sundress for me last week. It had a halter neck and was knee length. I accessorized it with a brown belt around my waist and a black beaded necklace. Everything in my life was going perfectly right and I loved the day.

I wore my white flip flops and sat outside waiting for Nikhil to get ready. It was 11:30. We left in the next 15 minutes. I was driving today. We were going to try out this new Chinese restaurant near the office today.

While leaving Nikhil said,” We have to stop at that old office of ours.”

“Why?” I asked.

“You remember Jai?” he asked.

“Jai Mehra?” I asked.

“Yup, he’s back in town from Bangalore. They are shifting permanently. Have to meet him before I go back to Singapore this weekend,” he replied.

I hated Jai Mehra. I hated him. With all my heart. He had been there in town throughout my childhood and he loved troubling me. The guy defined the word ‘pain’. They had shifted to Bangalore the month these guys finished school. Nikhil, Gaurav and Jai had been friends.

“He won’t trouble you now,” Nikhil said laughing at the expression of hatred on my face.

“I still hate him,” I said. “Uncle’s here too?” I asked. Jai’s father was a sweetheart. Unlike our parents, he actually had time for his kid. Jai’s mother had been in an accident eight years ago and now Jai was left with his father.

“He’s here,” my brother said. “Great, that is the silver lining then,” I said as we pulled into the basement of the office. Nikhil smiled as we made our way upstairs.

Jai unlike Nikhil had pursued an Engineering degree following it with a Masters in Engineering. His father had a company in which he joined fairly after he completed his Masters. Their main headquarters were here in Mumbai. But after Jai’s mother’s death, they shifted headquarters to Bangalore. Understandingly, they needed a change.

Jai hugged my brother as soon as he saw him. They started talking with each other forgetting their surroundings. I was reduced into the background. They were meeting after a very long time. Due to countless reasons, Jai had lost contact with Nikhil though Jai was still in contact with Gaurav.

“This is Rhea,” my brother finally introduced me.

“Rhea, your sister?” he asked extending his hand to me.

“Yup, his sister,” I shook his hand confused by Jai’s behaviour. He didn’t remember me? And why was he averting his gaze?  He immediately looked down after the introduction.

We went into the office. Jai was showing the office to Nikhil. I excused myself and waited in the lobby instead. I wasn’t interested somehow. I caught Jai giving me a look-over and I frowned back at him before I made a call to Akash. He grinned and went. Weird guy!

“Hello,” I heard a sleepy voice on the other side.

“Good morning sleepy head,” I said cheerfully.

“Hey Rhea,” Akash voice sounded awake now.

“Still in bed?” I asked.

“Uh-huh, had a late night with my colleagues yesterday,” he said.

“Had fun?” I asked.

“I guess this hangover is the punishment for all the fun I had last night,” he said. I giggled.

 “Sorry,” I said trying to sympathize with him.

“Free tonight?” he asked.

“Nope, brother in town, have to spend the evening with him,” I said.

“Have to?” I heard Nikhil say behind me. Oh no! He heard me.

“Listen I got to go, my brother’s here. I will call you later,” I said.

“Okay, have fun. I’ll see you tomorrow in the office,” he said happily.

“See you,” I said.

“Who do you think she’s talking to?’ I heard Nikhil ask Jai.

I kept my phone inside my purse and saw both of them look at me as if I had committed a crime.

“Who was that?” Nikhil asked.

“A friend,” I said trying to keep my cheeks’ colour as normal as I possibly could.

“What’s his name?” Jai asked with a smirk.

He was back. That same old smirk. There it was.

“You,” I pointed at Jai,” I don’t have to explain my life to.”

“And you,” pointing to Nikhil,” I will explain on the way to lunch,” I said.

“Little Rhea has a boyfriend now,” Jai said mischievously.

Closing my eyes to take a deep breath, I decided I needed to ignore this guy.

“Are we leaving?” I asked Nikhil impatiently.

“Yes, we are,” he said. “Explain on the way downstairs,” he said.

Having an elder brother sucked. And why did Jai have to be there. I hated him. I hated him so much. Little Rhea? What was all that about? Who did he think he was?