Of The Stars That Breathe

15. Kathi Roll ijj Lub. (Ajey's POV)

Ajey's POV.

16 September, 2021.
12:27 midnight.

"Toh guys, aaj ki live stream yahi khatam karte hai. Love you. See you all next time. Bye-bye.", I said and gestured Shlok to turn off the live streaming.

He turned it off, while I turned off my PC.
"Chal bhai, main chalta hoon. Kal subah jaldi uthhna hai.", Shlok said.
We bid our good byes, he left and I plopped myself on the bed.

Although I did nothing today, I was still tired. Mentally tired rather than physically.

I fished my phone out of my bermuda. I haven't even looked at it properly since...I don't even know how many days.

14 missed calls.
What the fuck!
As expected, it were from Ahalya.

I get it. I get that she was worried about me. Main jaise pichhle 3-4 dino se hibernation mein tha.
But I needed that. Also, Ahalya had her exams going on and I didn't wanted to stress her because any of my talks.

But the main reason was my trust issues.
My trust issues seemed to surface everytime that I get close to someone. And to be honest, I hated that. But there was nothing I can do.

I am not able to trust anyone. Not even her.
My heart broke by the realisation.
I wanted to tell her everything that I have been going through, but some part of me denied that.
What if she leaves like everybody else?

Suddenly, the wall beside my window started thumping.
Thump-thump-thump.
Ajey, bewakoof, the wall couldn't thump. Someone was throwing something.

I got up my bed and opened my window to find Ahalya throwing a cricket ball continually at my bedroom wall.
When she saw me, she stopped and waved at me.

"Oy, tu pagal hai kya?", I shouted at her, then realised that it was past midnight and I shouldn't shout.
Oops.

She was standing outside the wall surrounding our house. She turned down and raised a huge drawing book over her head. There was something written on it.
Was she nuts?

I picked up my phone and called her. She picked up hers, and I said, "Tu kya kar rahi hai?"

"Pagal, torch light on kar aur dekh maine kya likha hai."

I sighed and went to get my torchlight from my drawer. I threw the light at the book. There it was written with a permanent marker:-

'Kathi roll ijj lub. Khaane chalegi?'

I rolled my eyes at her but then realised that she could not see it. She wrote on a book for this?

I gestured at my wrist at her as if to say, "Abhi? Time dekha hai?"

She turned her book to the next page and it was written:-

'Raju chacha ka stall khula hoga.
Khaaegi?'

I shook my head furiously. Neither it was the time nor my state to go out. She was completely nuts.

I called her again and said, "Tune yeh sab kehne ke liye book main likha? Phone nahi tha kya?"

She turned to the next page:-

'Uss ke liye phone uthana hota hai'

"Arey abb toh phone mein bol de.", I said to her on the call.
She clicked her tongue and said, "Dude, dramatic nahi lagega na. Main page turn kar rahi hoon, tu padhh."

I chuckled despite myself. Dramatic?
Hey Bhagwaan, this girl!

I adjusted my torch and read:-