Till The Count Of Five ✓

Chapter 30

Chapter 30

The motorcycle is too loud, too bright for my comfort. Yet, it's the only thing I'll ride.

Ash

11th April 2019, Thursday
21:45

The door opened and I felt a warm breath fanning my face. He unbuckled my seatbelt and tapped my forehead.

"Move, thickhead," I said and pushed Sameer away.

He groaned and rubbed his back that must have hit the door. "Carry those yourself, then."

I turned back and saw the backseat covered with gifts, so many of them and I could care less. There was one specific box that caught my eye. I picked it up and looked at Sameer. He threw a glance over his shoulder before walking inside the house, the keys of the car resting on the bonnet. I stepped out and picked up the keys. Settling back inside, I tore the cover and stared at the box. Print handwriting, beautifully spreading on the lid wished me happy birthday. I peered inside the box. A note was folded neatly next to a keychain.

Couldn't think of something else. This isn't huge but I hope you like it. :)

I covered my mouth with my hand to stop the sob that seemed so loud that the entire colony could have woken up. The smile at the end added to the remorse in my heart. I picked up my phone from the dashboard, looking at the keychain in awe. But my hands stopped. They stopped when my eyes took in Kiara's contact number. No, I reminded myself. You promised. You swore. I shut the phone quickly and closed the box again.

What was I doing? The cold, congested feeling kept on growing. I could feel it sticking in my mouth, not out but not quite in, hanging in between. I swallowed once, twice until the lump went down. It slipped and stuck in my chest. Fits of cough escaped my mouth. Breathing heavily, I leaned back, the gift still resting in my lap. I knew I had to let go, I could not. The keychain had a 5 carved on it. I saw that smile when I shut my eyes and my heart skipped a beat. An awful friend, so so awful.

Tonight wasn't a birthday night. It was a curse. I had held my biggest party ever and it worked just as I had hoped. It gave me the push I had been waiting for. I had stood in a corner and seen their faces, their sick dance moves, their hungry mouths attacking food. I had seen Kiara smile at me as she stood with Mehak. I had stood there, wondering what she would look like tomorrow and the day after. I had blown my candles and looked up to see Vicky never came, Shay was missing, the chair next to Sameer was absent, his phone next to his ear. He was most probably talking to Rishab. Most importantly, I had seen them happy.

I stood a chance but I did not want any chance. Enough of selfish acts. Vicky was right. I was rotting myself all this time. Screw you, Ego. I just wanted peace through forgiveness even if it hurt my mind. I was no good artist, just a mindless painter who could copy the ideas well. The only idea that was mine was this. I looked at the keychain. This, 5, was truly my thing. Our thing. I always thought maybe 5 seconds were short but now I was thankful they were short. Very short. Still they stretched.

I stared at the outside world, the dark blanket hanging from the sky, the motorcycle that went off a few houses away. I straightened when it's headlight flicked on and off. The key was right in my hand. My eyes widened in horror and I leapt for the driver's side door to lock the car. The door clicked and a hand touched my shoulder. I froze, my fingers inches away from the lock. If only I was faster. With my eyes shut, I settled back into my seat.

"Am I ugly to even look at now?"

My eyes snapped over. "Shay," I breathed in relief.

I did not particularly want to see her but anything over that. I stared into darkness when the headlights of the motorcycle came on again. I flinched but stepped out of the car, locking it behind.