Chapter 14
Kiran Richards blinked as her eyes attuned to the dark room. She lay down on her bed, deep in her covers, in the dark. There was no point of turning the light on. No one could fill her life with happiness again. She ran a hand through her silky brown hair, but halfway, she stopped and started to bawl.
Daanish had loved her hair. He would fondly stroke his hand through it, cherishing the softness. A smile would always light up his eyes as he would look at her eyes with an admirable face. He would always look for a time when they could be alone. And always, whenever they were alone, Kiran would sit in Mr. Richards’ lap as he would play with her hair.
“God took extra time on your hair,” he would mumble softly. Kiran would always blush and lean in closer.
“I love you so much,” he would say. He would turn her around, and place little kisses all over her face, taking his time.
“Now I know why your name is Kiran. You lit up my dark world with your bright rays. Never let those rays blow out. Always be happy, never sad. It would dim my world,” Daanish would say so many times. Kiran would just laugh and tell him that no, she would never be sad. Oh, how she wished that was true now.
Suddenly, Kiran laughed bitterly at the irony. “Oh Dan,” she said out loud, “you used to tell me that, but now, you’re the one who took my light away. You’re the one who made me so unhappy. Are you feeling good about it now?” Kiran went to her dresser and looked at her reflection. She messed up her hair by running crazy hands through it, and finally, when satisfied, she looked at herself again.
“Yes,” she whispered, “I look like a witch. Hah! My hair is ruined…perfect,” and she started to laugh again. The hysterical laugh soon changed to a wail as she took a hairbrush and flung it across the room in fury. The hairbrush hit a big glass picture frame holding the Richards’ wedding picture. The glass shattered and fell to a lowly position.
***
Neha wiped her lips as the delicious taste of whiskey traveled through her body. She threw her head up and sucked in a few gulps of air. Then, she laughed.
“Oh my God!! I feel so good! I can’t believe I forgot how good this tasted,” Neha relished the flavor. She had a sloppy smile on her face, and was just about to take another sip from the bottle when a hand appeared and took the bottle away from her. Angrily, Neha looked up to face the trespasser. Eric’s light eyes gazed back at her.
“Oh! Hi Eric. Haven’t talked to you for a while,” she said soberly.
“Hey yourself. You’ve been drinking again? Now, let me see. You drink all the time; you can’t seem to stop. What is in this that keeps you so…thrilled? Hmm. I think I’ll try some of it,” Eric lifted the bottle to his mouth, but Neha hastily stole it away. “No. It’s not good for you. You shouldn’t drink. It isn’t good for your health,” she chastised. Eric raised an eyebrow and took the bottle back.
“Oh really. Are you saying that it’s harmful to everyone but you?” he questioned.
“No. Of course not. Alcohol is harmful to everyone. It’s just that…umm,” Neha stumbled, trying to find a way out of the mess.
“Mhhm. And do you have anything else to say…other than sorry?” Eric demanded. Neha bit her lower lip and scrunched up her face. She ran a hand through her silky hair.
“Umm, sorry?” she said weakly. Eric stepped closer, almost omitting the space between them. He brought his hand up to Neha’s cheek and stroked it thoughtfully. Neha swallowed involuntarily.
“So uh…I didn’t know you had a girlfriend,” Neha broke the silence, and also the spell. Eric moved away, but only just a little.
“What do you want to know about her? I broke up with her just about two days ago. Nothing else is new,” Eric stated.
“Yea ok. And she called me for no particular reason?” Neha’s eyes narrowed. Eric gulped.
“Ok. That part I didn’t know. Why would she be calling you? I suggest you ask her,” annoyance covered Eric’s fine features.
“Well, she did threaten to kill me,” Neha said matter-of-factly. Eric laughed loudly.
“Kill you? It would be a surprise to me if she so much as pinched you. She’s the weakest person I’ve ever met,” Eric grinned.
“And you still went out with her?”
“Umm. OK, fine. Maybe it wasn’t for her personality. Maybe it was just for the--”
“I kind of figured that out. You don’t seem like the one to date a weak one for no particular reason,” Neha let out. Eric nodded. Neha moved a step closer to Eric. The boy’s heart started beating faster.
“Now, I think you might want a change right?” Neha tilted her head back, put an arm around Eric’s neck, and edged him closer. Then, in one instant, she took the bottle from him and turned away with a exultant look. Eric looked surprised.
“Wait. What?” he exclaimed. Neha looked at him simply.
“What what? I just took my drink back from you. Now, please do me a favor and go away,” she said with intent.
“Mhhm. And leave you alone here? Not on my life. Neha, listen to me. I care about you, probably more than I have cared for anyone else. You make me smile, but just the thought of your tears makes me sad enough to curl up in a hole and never come out. I’m not begging you to stop all those bad habits for nothing. I want you to be happy, and this drinking is only going to make you sadder than before,” Eric reasoned. Neha looked at him thoughtfully, and the longer she stared, the higher Eric’s hopes rose that maybe his friend would listen to him.
“Nice speech,” Neha said artlessly. Eric grew angry.
“Forget it! I am so
stupid for saying all that. It has no effect on you whatsoever! You don’t care for anyone. Heck, you don’t even care for yourself. Don’t the hell talk to me again,” the teenage boy threw his hands up in defeat and began to jog away.
“Suit yourself,” Neha shrugged. She took another sip of the whiskey as she finally realized what Eric had said.
Shite!, she thought,
why do I always seem to mess everything up? She launched into her running mode and tore down the pathway as fast as she could. She caught up with Eric after a while, heaving at every breath.
“Ok. I’m, I’m sorry,” she panted as she took hold of Eric’s sleeve and stopped him.
“Like I said. Got anything else to say other than sorry?” Eric clashed out.
“Yes. I do have something for you. I promise, that I won’t drink again. And if I do, I deserve punishment. Please, just, don’t walk away like that,” Neha pleaded.
“Stop reiterating. I’ve heard this before already, and I’m not going to believe you this time. It looks like I can’t trust you on your word,” Eric said. A look of hurt passed on Neha’s face.
“I mean it this time. Before, I never meant anything. Seriously. Please, give me one more chance,” Neha implored. Eric sighed helplessly.
“Alright. But only this last chance. No more,” he said.
What is happening? I can’t even say no to her. I’ve got to get my act together, he contemplated. Neha smiled, and wrapped her arms around Eric.
“Thanks,” she whispered against his shoulder. Eric held her tightly, not wanting to let go.
Thank you, he thought.
“So tell me,” he said, not breaking away, “what happened yesterday?” Neha closed her eyes, and sighed.
“What do you think? It was Father’s Day. Everyone but I had his/her dad. This little girl even took pity on me and offered to give me her dad for the day. She took me to him, and the father turns out to be the brother of my so-called stepbrother. So yea, I met my step niece, and two stepbrothers. The younger one recognized me, and I ran away,” Neha recalled the day before. Eric led Neha over to a bench and sat down next to her. He played with a stray hair that had fallen out of place from Neha’s straight locks.
“So, you basically got scared. You don’t want anything to do with your dad’s other wife or children,” Eric summarized. Neha nodded.
“That, I am sorry to say this, is stupid. Running away from your dad isn’t going to help. You’re just going to end up hurting yourself. I admit that your dad shouldn’t have done what he did, but maybe you should go talk to him about it,” he explained.
“Eric. I don’t know my dad anymore. He isn’t the same now. I’d be talking to a complete stranger, and that is hopeless,” Neha argued.
“Neha. You have to get out of that bubble. Think outside it; your father still loves you. Maybe he doesn’t express it much or anything--”
“Forget it. Tell me, how was your Father’s Day?” Neha interrupted. Eric smiled happily, the fun from yesterday still unmarked.
“It was really fun. Dad and I played hockey, football, and soccer. I beat him in all of them, because well, you know me, I’m good at sports. Then, he and I went to our favorite restaurant, Nasheman’s. It’s a remarkable desi restaurant. Awesome food. We pigged out on the food there, and then, we went to the football game held at the--” Eric stopped as he noticed Neha’s eyes getting moist.
“What’s wrong?” he solicited.
“Hmm? Nothing. I just wish my dad would do all that for me.”
To Be Continued…With A Lighter Chapter
