Will You Write With Me

18

For the next two months, I was busy with my work. I had an immense pressure on my shoulders to finish the screenplay for that Netflix series. I was busting my ass day and night, and finally I was able to finish it right on time. And the shooting was also started. Within that two months, Navya’s fifth book was released. Darshit asked me to attend the book launch event somewhere in Mumbai. But I could not attend it as I was stuck with work. I started to read many popular fiction books, especially Navya’s favourite authors. I started to love each and every story. Every book deal with the same problem, same heartbreak, same emotions, same feelings, but they all were different in their own way. It was relatable to the reality. Everyone’s story was written by the same author, so we all deal with the same problems, same emotions, same feelings, but our problems, our emotions, our feelings are unique to us. That’s how our characterization is in our story. We consider our emotions and ourselves to be unique. I even finished reading Navya’s latest novel. I finished reading Darshit’s novels. It was all good, nothing to complain. Afterall, he was my friend. I was at the last chapter of ‘The perfect us’ novel, and my reading was rudely disturbed by my home’s calling bell.
‘DING-A-DONG’, it sang. I was in my room, and I showed no interest to know who it was. I kept reading. Second time, the bell rang. But that time I didn’t defy my reading, I continued my reading. Again, I was rudely interrupted. But that time, it was my mom. ‘DOM-DOM’, she banged on my door and said, “Advik unna pakka yaro vanthukuraga paru. Sikaram vaa” (Advik someone has come to see you. Hurry out). I came out from my room in curiosity to know who that was. It was him, Darshit. He was sitting on the couch in our living room. He stood up once he saw me, walking towards him with a smiling face. We both hugged. He was there to invite me for his wedding. From two people who literally hated each other had become friends, what a change.
“I have arranged a bachelor party the previous night of the wedding. You should join”, he slowly whispered in my ears.
“I am not good at parties dude. I will be there for your wedding, but party…”, I said.
“Navya will be there too”, he said and gave me a grin.
“What?”, I asked in shock.
“Yes, she will be there”, he said.
“But only men would attend bachelor parties, right?”, I asked him. He chuckled and looked at me like an old generation young virgin, who was not yet updated about the new world.
“She is my friend man. And Palkha is also her close friend. I invited her and she promised me that she would be there”, he said. I pinched his milkish cheek and made it rose.
“Love you man”, I said and hugged him. I could have kissed him, but my mother’s arrival made me to stop all my weird things. She offered coffee to Darshit, and he bid goodbye soon after having it.
~
I started to feel Mumbai as my second home. Though I had minus knowledge about the language people speak there, I still loved that city. I landed in Mumbai, the previous morning before Darshit’s wedding. Last time, I didn’t stay much long in Mumbai. But that time, I was prepared to stay two nights. I booked a room in hotel Sahara star, which was just opposite to the airport. It was quite expensive than The Oberoi Grand, Kolkata. I made myself comfortable in my room and was preparing myself to impress Navya. Then after the lunch, I slowly closed my eyes to sleep. My mobile’s loud ringtone spoiled my half sleep. It was Darshit, so I could not deny it.
“Have you reached?”, he asked me after his formal hello.
“Yes”, I said in my sulky voice as I was in my half sleep.
“Where are you staying?”, he asked me.
“Hotel Sahara Star”, I said.
“Arey, rich crook”, he yelled.
“What man?”, I said with a huge yawn.
“I thought that you would stay in my place”, he said.
“What? With all your relatives? Are you mad or what?”, I said and got up from my bed.
“You don’t have to stay with my relatives. But I hope that you would love to stay with Navya”, he said. I could hear his naughty laugh on the phone.
“What!?”, I asked him in exhilaration.   
“Navya is staying in my place. If you want to stay, you are most welcome”, he said.
“Where is your place?”, I asked him.
“The place where you punched me dude. Don’t you remember”, he said and made me chortle.
“Fine, okay”, I agreed to his offer.
How could I resist that golden opportunity? Things were happening so quick beyond my expectations. It was 6 in the evening, I got dressed up in formals and took a cab to Cavalry the lounge. It was hardly a 5-minute travel from the hotel. I entered into the lounge, it was noisy, filled with people, dark, electric vibes, and a perfect place for parties. I walked in through the crowd and I couldn’t find Darshit nor Navya. Suddenly, someone hugged me from behind. It was not Navya for sure, the hug was strong, and I could not break it.
“Welcome crook”, he said.
“Come on Darshit, I am not your wife. You are creating a gay act”, I said. He then released his hug, I turned my head, it was truly him.
“Even if I am a gay, I would never have sex with you”, he said with his scorn look.
“Same here”, I said with my own hatred look. Then, we both burst into laughter and hugged. Some relationships are magical. Because if you ask me how I managed to be a friend with Darshit, my answer is obviously, “I don’t know”. Sometimes you find a friend even before you realize that he is your friend, Darshit was like that. He took me to a table where two people were already seated.
“Look who is here”, Darshit said.
Her gaze fell on me. Her rosy smooth lips curved into a beautiful dazzling smile. She got up from her chair and gave me a hug. After months, her skin touches mine. I inhaled her fruity fragrance deep inside me and exhaled all my worries out. She was in a black Bardot outfit, and her curves was the pivot of attraction of her that night. She was super-hot, glamourous, beautiful, sexy, spicy, and gorgeous. Her lean, long, glittery legs were pretty much visible, and it was truly distractive.
“Hello busy writer. No calls, no texts, no replies”, she spotted all my mistakes.
“Sorry yar. I was little busy”, I lied. She nodded and accepted my apology.
“Hey Advik, this is Palkha, my brother”, Darshit introduced him to me.
“Hello. It was a pleasure meeting you”, he said and we both shook our hands. He was fat, fair, and charmful, as Darshit mentioned in the story. It was true, he was exactly the same. I took a seat with Navya and Palkha. Darshit went to dance as it was his last night as a bachelor. He wanted to enjoy that night as much as he could. Palkha took two deep shots and went to join his brother for the dance. Navya was the only girl in that lounge and I was the only person with her then.
“What?”, she asked me once she caught me staring at her.
“You look beautiful today”, I complimented her.
“Thanks. You look great too”, she said with a flush.
I looked at myself and asked, “Really”. But then I replied her, “Thanks”. 
“You don’t dance”, she asked me.
“No, I am not used to be in parties”, I said.
“Are you serious?”, she asked me in shock.
“Yeah”, I said.
“Rich people are the ones who host parties most of the times. You didn’t attend any such parties?”, she asked me.
“No, not really”, I said with a shrug.
She smiled at me gleefully and I considered that as her appreciation. I took a shot and gazed at the people who were dancing like kangaroos, just jumping. Then I threw my sight on Navya, but then I witnessed her looking at me. My heart was almost stopped that moment.
“Murderer”, I said to myself.
“So, how do you guys become friends?”, she asked.
“Who?”, I said.
“Darshit. How did you changed his mind?”, she asked me. I could not understand her question completely.
“What do you mean? What was in his mind?”, I asked her.
“He used to tease you a lot. He didn’t like you much in Kolkata”, she said with a chuckle.
“Ohh...”, I replied indolently.
“When you messaged me that you were leaving Kolkata, I thought that Darshit was the reason for it”, she said and laughed. But she was not wrong, he was the reason for it.
“He is a good man”, I said.
“Yes, he is”, she said and agreed to me.
Palkha and Darshit joined us in between our conversation.
“What are you guys talking about?”, Darshit asked. He was drunk but comparatively less than Palkha.
“Discussing about your wedding”, I said.
“Really”, he said and gave me a wild look. And I replied it with my innocent grin.
“Navya take Palkha home. I will go with Advik and pick up his luggage”, he said.
Darshit’s friends bid goodbye as the party came to an end. Both Darshit and I were able to find a cab for Navya and Palkha to their home. Then, we took a cab to Hotel Sahara Star.