Foreign | H.S.

Chapter 29

Harry shuffled under the covers the next morning, his hands reaching for the familiar chubby body but only coldness greeted him.

He sighed, opening his eyes to stare at the ceiling. After a very long time Harry didn't know what to do. He questioned if he should apologise or leave it be.

For now he got out of bed and dressed himself for his morning jog. Harry moved around the kitchen after a few minutes and found a paper piece stuck under Manika's mug. With furrowed brows he pulled the paper and bit his lip instantly. It was a shopping list. The one she made for the things required by her when she stays at his flat.

Harry pushed the list in his pocket and quietly left.

~~~

"Hello?" Manika's groggy voice murmured into the phone's receiver.

"Manika Chauhan?" A male voice replied.

"Hmm" She slipped into light sleep, forgetting the phone call. "Huh, what?" She squinted her eyes in the bright light of Isha's bedroom when the voice chimed again.

"I'd like to talk to Chef Manika Chauhan"

"Speaking" She yawned, rubbing her eyes.

"Good morning chef, I'm Tyler. We met a few days ago? I am sorry to bother you at an ungodly hour but-"

"No, no" Manika's senses kicked in suddenly as she sat up. "It's alright, what- how can you, I mean," she inhaled and sighed the words, "how can I help you?"

Tyler starts after a chuckle, "I got your signed contract today-"

"Sorry to interrupt, bur you got the contract?" Manika questioned.

"Uh, did you not sign it?" His confused voice asked.

"No, I did but..."

"But?"

"Nothing, it's nothing. Please carry on" Manika gulped.

"Okay, so I wanted to tell you..." Manika tuned out Tyler's words the second he said that he'll be sending a mail with all the details he was sharing as her mind drifted to last night.

She could feel her swollen eyes from all the crying but still all she could think about was how was he doing currently?

~~~

After lounging (or sulking) around the flat for most of the morning and afternoon, Manika decided to do something.

Something she would be doing if last night's unexpected events wouldn't have happened. She got dressed and threw the necessities for the trip around London in her bag and wandered out.

In no time she stood outside her destination, which is exactly how it was supposed to be. Only difference is she is alone. Courageously, she pushed inside the music store and a woodsy aroma surrounded her while the illuminated 'Yamaha Music' sign greeted her.

To her luck, she wasn't approached by someone to 'help her around', so she started walking around the big area. Manika's mind forcefully took her back to when Harry was talking about this place.

*

"It's a great place, one of my friends from college works there" Harry explained animatedly.

"Yeah? Is this guitar from there?" Manika quizzed picking up the acoustic laying next to her.

"No, mum gifted me this one when I was 18" He smiled looking over thr wooden instrument. "Although, I brought the keyboard from there and I am thinking of buying an electric guitar from there" Harry elaborated and rotated his seat to snatch a paper off his table. "Gibson ES-350T, beautiful maple hollow-body" Manika took the paper which appeared to be an advertisement.