[Mukhra]

Chapter 6

Neha squinted as the sunlight streamed down on her in the morning. She groaned and rolled over, shielding her face from the sunlight with her blanket. She started to get up, but slumped back down, her eyes scrunched tight from pain.

“Arrgh! My head” Neha held her aching head, trying to ease away the pain. She knew this was going to happen; it always did when she became drunk. Slowly, Neha’s lethargic body made its way out of bed, getting itself ready, while Neha’s brain was still a little asleep. Many times, the girl bumped into furniture.

“Ma’am?” a servant knocked on Neha’s door. Neha opened the door slightly.

“What is it?” she asked in a small voice.

“Mr. Eric has requested to see you,” the servant informed.

“Tell him to come up here,” Neha groaned. She quickly shut the door, and ran to her bathroom. Brushing her teeth, Neha thought about what would happen if Eric found out about her little liquor party early morning. Neha quickly dabbed on eye makeup to make her eyes look less clouded and hung over. She heard a knock on the door, and, quickly went to open it after hiding the bottle.

“Hi Eric!” she said in presumptuous voice. Eric raised his eyebrows at her.

“Hi. You’re still in your pj’s y’know,” Eric said. Neha looked down at her clothes and shrugged.

“Oh well,” Neha winced as a pain went through her head.

“Have you been drinking?” Eric asked suspiciously.

“Noooooo. I’m just tired, that’s all,” Neha lied through her teeth. She faked a huge smile.

“Right. Stop lying. You’re hung over. I can see it,” Eric said.

“Sorry. I really am so sorry Eric. I tried not to drink, but I had this really bad nightmare last night, and I couldn’t go to sleep because I was too scared to close my eyes. So I needed that drink. I really did, or else I would have been dead with fear,” Neha spilled out.

“Start doing my laundry from today,” Eric said indifferently.

“What?"

“You said it yourself last night. If you drank or smoked, then you would have to do my laundry for a week.”

“Oh…ok. So, I mean, you’re not going to yell at me then?” Neha asked, becoming hopeful.

“What’s the point of yelling at someone if she isn’t going to listen to what I say? What’s the point of even trusting you to keep your promise?” Eric said as he started to walk out the door. Neha’s mouth dropped open at the words.

“Yo! What are you talking about? You can trust me. Of course you can. And I said I was sorry. What else do you want from me?” Neha’s voice went up a notch. Eric turned around.

“Just the promise that you will stop all your bad habits. But, looks like you aren’t good at keeping promises…” Eric trailed off. He walked downstairs, and out the door, heading for his car. Neha scrambled after him.

“No! Don’t leave me!” she yelled. Eric slowed down his pace, but kept walking.

“Where are you going?” Neha caught up with him.

“Away from you right now,” Eric said bitterly.

“B-b-bu-but I need you,” Neha said. Was her dream actually coming true?

“Don’t you have a boyfriend you can go to? Why me?” Eric lashed out. He got in his car. Neha did the same. Eric started to drive down the driveway.

“No. All boyfriends can do are hurt me. That’s all they have ever done. Plus, I don’t believe in this stupid love anyways. It’s all a lie,” Neha said quietly. Eric momentarily glanced at Neha. He wanted to hold her, and make her better, but, he didn’t want her to take him for granted.

“Fine! Then go find someone else to listen to your blabber,” Eric said.

“I don’t know if I could find anyone else as caring as you,” Neha said. Eric softened.

“So why don’t you listen to me? I’m only trying to help you.”

“I know. It’s just that…I can’t explain. But, I need some time,” Neha said softly. Eric stopped the car and looked at her. He seemed to be trying to be debating whether he should take Neha’s word or not.

“Fine. You’ve got some time, but not all your life,” Eric agreed cordially. He drove to his house. When he got out of the car, he went over to Neha’s side and opened the door for her.

“Come on then! You’ve got some washing to do,” Eric said impatiently. Neha reluctantly got out of her car. She walked with Eric into his house.

“Cool place you have here,” Neha observed the hall. It was dimly lit with a yellowish light, giving the place a peaceful look.

“Yea. My parents are freaks when it comes to decorating the house,” Eric said lamely. He walked over to the phone on the wall, entered four digits and started talking.

“Hey Phil. Bring up some cookies and soda. I have a friend here…….Yea. Leave the stuff in my room. Thanks,” Eric hung up, and turned to look at Neha. He gestured for her to follow him as he walked towards his room. He opened his room, pushed Neha in, and then bowed as Neha looked around the room.

“Nice…but…you like pink? Ha! That’s funny…you have a pink bedspread,” Neha giggled uncontrollably.

“Actually Richards, I don’t like the color pink, but my other sheets need to be washed so I had no choice. But why are you asking? I think the pink kinda looks good,” Eric joked. He jumped onto his bed, took a remote control, and turned the surround system on. The room filled with Eminem.

“Uhhh…SHUT THAT OFF! I HATE EMINEM!” Neha yelled in Eric’s ear. Eric merely shrugged, and turned the volume up higher.
“It’s my room,” he said defiantly.

“BUT I HAVE A HEADACHE!” Neha winced as she said it. Eric sighed and shut off the music.

“It’s not my fault you’re drunk,” he said.

“You know what? I’m getting tired of this. You’ve known me enough now to know that sometimes, I need to drink or have a cigarette. I’m not some kind of android who is just going to stop doing something immediately. You know me. It takes some time with me,” Neha said.

“And I’m still trying to know you. But I know this: I know you more than you do yourself,” Eric said softly.

“What?” Neha shrieked.

“Like I said. You don’t even know who you are. You are just trying to run away from yourself using all these stupid methods that eventually turn into habits. Heck, do you even notice that what you are doing is hurting you?” Eric let out.

“Wait. You seriously are not making sense. Of course I know who I am. I’m Neha Richards. I’m a junior in high school,” Neha said matter-of-factly.

“Never mind!” Eric exclaimed. Neha opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it. Eric went into his closet and took out a huge basket, piled to the top with dirty clothing.

“Here you go. Start washing. The washing machine is downstairs in the basement. Just go down the stairs to the right,” Eric gave instructions as he brought the basket towards Neha. Neha looked at the basket, wide-eyed.

“But…I’ve never done laundry before,” she said.

“Too bad. This’ll be a learning experience for you then,” Eric grinned slyly.

“Fine! Then…I’ll see you later,” Neha huffed as she took hold of the basket, and dragged it to the basement with her.

“That idiot. What does he think of himself? I’ll clean his clothes so nicely, he’ll be amazed,” Neha muttered to herself. She went over to the washing machine, and stared at it. After a while of thinking, Neha turned on the washing machine. She watched the water start to run as she put some clothes into the machine. She then took the Tide box, and poured in about three cups of the detergent. Satisfied with the amount, Neha closed the lid to the washing machine, and waited.

In a few minutes, Neha started to get bored. She had put the timer on the washing machine as forty minutes. Out of curiosity, Neha started to rummage through Eric’s clothes. She checked the size of his clothes: large.

“Of course it’s large…Eric is a tall person,” she said to herself. Half and hour later, Eric came to see her.

“How’s it going?” Eric asked casually. He looked inside the washing machine.

“Wow. You really are stupid. You’ve put way too much detergent in there. The clothes are going to take a long time to get the soap out of them now. Way to go,” Eric drawled. Neha mentally kicked herself for being so stupid.

“Well…it was my first time,” Neha said. The two teenagers waited in silence until they heard the timer go off. Eric opened the washing machine, took out the clothes, and put them in the dryer. In about ten minutes, the clothes had dried. Neha took them out of the dryer and held them up one by one with a proud face.

“See…I know how to do laundry,” she said smug.

“You moron! You just ruined my red and white shirts. The color just went onto the white. It’s pink now!” Eric face was one of horror as he saw that his favorite shirts were ruined. Neha turned red in the face.

“Oh…ummm...uh…sorry?” Eric threw her a murderous glance.

“You can’t do anything right, can you?” he said angrily.

“No…I guess I can’t,” and Neha walked out of the room. She was about to slam the door, when two arms went around her waist. Eric held her in a tight hug.

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said that,” Eric softened his hold. Neha wrenched herself away from him.

“No. It’s ok. I know I’m stupid and annoying. Don’t worry though. I promise you won’t have to see my face again from now on,” Neha said tartly. She ran out of the room. Eric stared at the empty hallway. He was surprised. What had just happened?

“Women! You can never understand them!” he exclaimed out loud. Silly little Neha Eric thought with a surprised smile on his face. He waited for a few minutes before going outside to his car in search of Neha.

To Be Continued...

here u go!
a chappie for u ppl before i go on vacation