0.1 | No Exit from Deception ✓

0.38 | Keys Are Gone With The Tides

Joseph loosened up his tie as he waded out of both── wild and calm tides. His head started spinning and his feet fell heavily. The wet soil caked around his feet. He paused for a minute and crouched to reduce the pressure gushing into his nerves. Lifting his head in despair, he saw her standing and offering him his phone.

"Joseph. Thanks for letting me use it." Her sweet voice brought forward a dilemma for him. He was dithering about what should he do next, give her a tight hug because she had shown up or altercate like always? Joseph was never built to deal with choices so he knew what face to put up.

"You──" His eyes grew bigger, chagrined. Ruby bit her lip and took a long stride sideways tremulously. His eyes shot up to Sarah and Anshuman's. They were holding two bottles of beer with crumbled brown paper wrapped around them.

"Surprise!" they said in unison.

"What are you people doing here?" Joseph asked, dumbfounded. He searched their faces and turned to look at Ruby. "Oh, so your nagging and blabbering to have my phone by dint of buying you an ice cream was to go against my will. Still, you don't realize you are playing with danger."

Ruby repented at her devilment.

"Looks like you people will never get on good terms with each other. Even if you two survive to the last day on earth." Anshuman tsked, shaking his head.

"We shall get going then? It's an eye-soring experience to watch you people fight all the time. Worst than watching a TV program where at least the hero kisses the heroine after a big conflict."

Anshuman chuckled. "At times like this, I feel like the luckiest man in the entire world."

"And I feel like the luckiest girl." Sarah fanned herself and clutched his arm with the same hand. "We don't fight like them. And will never ever."

Ruby was at a loss for words, wondering if they were a match made in hell. Really. Should she forget about them? About Joseph Holden. No way!

Joseph recounted how excited Ruby was for the whole time she was in the car. He somewhere thought he was responsible for throwing her in a downbeat mood. After all, he did know Ruby, and her attachment with Sarah and Anshuman─ and with every person, she meets up with, was so much important to her as she didn't have any friends.

"Wait!" Joseph gaped at Ruby sneakily and suddenly felt the need to be a good sport. He engulfed Anshuman in a side hug. "Anshuman, it's been a while since we talked to each other properly. Is everything going well with your work?" Meanwhile, he handed her the cardigan which she wore immediately with no ifs and buts. "And you wear this, it's cold." His caring side couldn't be shrouded by anything; it was, therefore, proved once again.

She launched herself at Sarah for a bone-breaking hug. Hence, both of them crashed into the soggy sand. They couldn't stop laughing with Sarah lying on top of Ruby. The girls squealed in each other's embrace and Joseph was inarticulate after swelling in happiness.

"Give them some time. Sarah must have missed her like thousand times." Joseph lifted the bottle from his friend's hand and motioned him to come with him.

"And Ruby as well," Anshuman corrected him and groaned with a passionate sneer. "Tell me what's the hot skinny between you and her?"

Joseph pouted and looked sideways.

Anshuman questioned a little smile etched up his lips. "You are smiling, man. There's something that you are trying to hide. What's that thing?"

Joseph refused to say anything and clipped his jaunty shoes (well, now, old, because the soles were completely infested with small sand particles) between his thumb and index finger, and booze before deciding to stroll barefooted. Anshuman's vigilant eyes caught the classic leather material.