Till The Count Of Five ✓

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

It hurts to see you wrap yourself around me. It's a tempting way to die; better than betrayal and cries.

Vee

25th April 2019, Thursday
13:05

The sound of the whistle went unheard and I did not realize it was my turn. I was rather preoccupied with the trickling sound of water from that night. She had been lying in the bathroom, her body limp with dead disappointment. Or maybe it was peace that she always wanted. I had not even bothered to ask her which one it would be, just like she never bothered to listen to me. Nightmares, freaking nightmares that whispered sweet dreams in my ear.

"Vicky," Hardik nudged me. I blinked at his hand which held the red flag. Nodding, I grabbed it to began my run around the ground.

Everyone cheered for their houses. I could hear my name being screamed. After a round, the teacher patted us, cheering along with the students. Hardik stood in a corner with his hands on his waist, panting but rooting for me. I dared to turn back and almost saw Ashiamma smiling and waving. We were never in the same house, mine was red and she belonged to yellow but she cheered for me. The only time all the sections got together was Sports period. She would have been here if I had been a little careful but I had to get fancy with my ideas. I did not bother running fast. My feet wobbled as we neared the end of the second round. My arms were pushing against the limp body but I knew I was done. Two people crossed me simultaneously. Another one was on the brink. I would come down by three spots.

I had been pushed down by three people.

Hardik took the flag from me and gave it to the next person in the race. With heavy breaths, I walked through the crowd and sat down on the ground at the last of our house.

"Are you okay?" Hardik asked.

I nodded and grabbed my ID card from him, hanging it back around my neck.

"I told you I should go at the second number. That way you would have taken only one round," he said.

I ignored him and looked at the racers that were running around us. Red House was two spots up.

"Vicky," he started again.

"Shut up, man," I muttered and wiped my face with my hand. "It is one in the afternoon. The temperature is well above 35 degrees. I am soaking wet. Don't 'Vicky' me. Besides, third rank isn't that bad."

He shook his head. "It is not about rank."

I stopped plucking the grass and looked up at his figure. Gesturing towards the ground, I motioned him to sit down. Staring at him directed the sunlight to my eyes. The black leather shoes were already burning my feet.

"There's something I have been thinking," he said.

I looked behind him at Mehak who was keenly looking back at Hardik. She caught my gaze and turned back, tapping her friend on the shoulder and whispering something. Her grim look had returned. I did not understand the problem she had with me. Okay, maybe I did understand. But could this girl drop her grudges for once? She won. Ashiamma was dead.

"It is not about Mehak," he said, grabbing my face and making me look at him. "We haven't really talked. After visiting you, I debated about going to Ash's house. Mehak was calling me constantly but I told her we would talk later."

More things to blame me for. "And that 'later' never came," I guessed.

He sighed. "I'll look into that after school."