Of The Stars That Breathe

3. 'Honest' Introductions.

"The fuck was that?", he said in a very surprised manner. I backed at least four steps away from him.
"I am so s-", before I could complete my sentence, I heard some murmuring coming from the door beside me. It was Jeh and Ahaan's room.
Arey yaar.

I grabbed the guy's wrist with one hand, and put the other's index finger on my lips, telling him not to make a noise. Fortunately, he obeyed me.

Next, I ran with him to the very end of the passage and hid us both behind the wall of the corner passageway. With rapid breaths, I crooked my head around the corner of the wall and saw that Jeh was out of his room, sleepy, looking around. Probably, he had heard both our voices and had came to check up. Eventually, when his eyes or ears didn't caught anything suspicious, he returned.

I turned to the guy and in a single breath, said, "I am so sorry. I mean, I was sneaking out and then tumhari aav- I mean, aapki aavaaz was too loud and my elder sister, Nupur, ne agar sun liya hota toh woh meri gand maar leti- uhh-sorry for cursing-overall, I am sorry."

He was still looking at me as if I was an alien. "Oh, umm, it's ok. But why did you drag me away right now? And I might as well add, drag me into all of this?"
Ugh.
That voice.
What was so intimidating about his voice?

"Yeah right, about that, uhh..that was Jeh, my elder brother, and if he would have heard your voice, then you would have said that it was me who was sneaking out, aur mere uss side se bhi lag jaate. Fuck, sorry for cursing. Ughh!"
I kicked myself so hard from the inside. I should really stop this habit of cursing in front of total strangers.

It seemed as if the look of surprise was plastered on his face forever. Suddenly, he started laughing. He turned his head up towards the ceiling and cackled heartily.
Now, it was my turn to look shocked.

"So you really don't know me?", he said after he finally stopped.
The face of his gave me a look of pure, incredulous surprise and what seemed like a hint of admiration(?)
Yeh banda paagal hai kya?

"Oh kindly forgive me, respected sir. I was unaware that I was obliged to know about you and your name.", I said with sarcasm and turned away to leave.
I am not going to converse with this mental nutcase any longer.

Suddenly, he grabbed my wrist and pulled me back. And started laughing again!

"Achha, sorry, sorry, bas.", he said, still smiling.
I freed my wrist off his grasp.
"Let's calm down and introduce each other properly like civilised people, shall we? I am Mr. 'Male Ego' and you must be Miss. Mexican Diva?", he said, his eyes shimmering with mischief.

I stared at him without blinking. His face was red, as if he was controlling his laughter. Unable to control anymore, a slight chuckle came out from him. But by seeing the stern look on my face, he stopped his little mischief and cleared his throat to regain seriousness. If only my eyes could kill, he would be rotting in a sewer by now. But surprisingly, I felt that I needed to laugh.
No, I wanted to laugh.
Just like him, without restrictions.
I wanted to play silly pranks on a total stranger, just like him, to make then want to laugh.
But it was too soon, so instead, I smiled widely.

I sighed and extended my hand, "I am Ahalya Shah. And you must be?"

He grasped my hand and said, "Woah! That's a...rather unique name. Aisa naam pehele kabhi nahi suna. I am Ajey Nagar.", he said and the just stared at me. As if he was expecting that I would know him.

I let go of my hand and having nothing else to do, we started conversing.
-
"So, where are you from? If you don't mind me asking, that is!", he exclaimed.