TPOD Chapter Twenty

20. Pari

There was a sound of glass breaking. It sounded as if it came from afar…though that wasn’t the case.

Andy sat near the table that he threw away moments ago and saw the glass crystals spread out over the room like diamonds.

The angry hum of blood rushing into his head slowed down as he raised his eyes and saw the barely smiling picture of his father hung against the wall.

Being in control is a virtue champ. Don’t lose it.

“Control” Andy mumbled, caressing the word, closing his eyes, exhaling, his breath coming out in rasps.

Opening them now, he smiled at his father’s picture, and anybody who saw him then will find the very old Andy they knew, who was cool tempered and never got angry. Not even at the person he believed he disliked the most, the very person who had a brawl with him moments ago; his mother.

“It’s sheer luck that they sell control in neat packaged bottles father” Andy said grinning at the picture, and went ahead to his room after giving a whistle to his servant Ramu kaka.

“Extra work to you tonight Ramu Kaka. Apologies”

Ramu Kaka didn’t say anything, just acknowledged him with a smile that bordered on sadness. Andy wished he wasn’t subjected to such kindness. By anybody. He mostly didn’t deserve it. Being cared for wasn’t something he was used to and he came to a point where he feels uncomfortable when such things are showered upon him.

He knew how to give. But take, he lost touch with.

“Need any help in clearing the mess up Kaka?” he asked good naturedly only to receive a head shake.

He shrugged but didn’t listen to Ramu Kaka, and simply cleaned the glass crystals spread out from one side and made a heap. He went on his knees to broom the places where Ramu Kaka would find difficult to reach. Doing two thirds of the work, he left Ramu Kaka alone winding up the rest, lest not injure his pride and walked away to his father’s study to fetch a bottle of beer…the neat packaged control he was in need of.

 –

Sameer sat looking at her beautiful face as she slept.

It might be exertion or cold or both, but as soon as they boarded the bus, she was yawning and within minutes, she fell asleep, despite of her promise to fill in with all the information she missed sharing about her school on the way.

The cold wind blew harsh against the window, as he felt the veil that was wrapped around her flutter. He saw her shiver slightly in her sleep, as she was sitting in the window seat.

Leaning with his hand from behind, he tried closing the window as gently as possible, not wanting to wake her up.

Her head lolled a bit and he moved closer touching his chest while he looked at her sleeping form, and looked at his own hand that was stretched from behind her, and now staying mid air, with his inability of deciding whether to rest it over her shoulder as it is the only comfortable position he could think of, yet feeling his fingers curl knowing he wouldn’t do any such thing, without her permission, not when she was unaware.

He let his arm instead rest loosely over the head of the seat, while he felt her put a hand on his chest and sleep comfortably, blissfully unaware.

He wanted to look away, but watching her sleep sweetly made something in his heart soften as he raised his finger to tuck a wild strand that disturbed her in her sleep.

A sudden brake by the driver sent her forward, and he was quick to catch hold of her by her shoulders.

Disoriented and groggy, she looked at him with bemused sleepy eyes, while he smiled at her, letting go of her.

“Your stop is here” he said, and saw some sleepiness dissolve as she nodded.

–

His laptop hummed, and Andy lifted his groggy head from the bed he was sprawled on, his hand knocking down the now empty beer bottle rolling it down the cot.

Disoriented, Andy walked up to the laptop and touched it gingerly and saw the monitor come to life.

He saw a mail at the top of the mailbox that just arrived, which disturbed him out of his semi sleep state, and clicked it open to read.

Hi,

I do not know if I can write to you but I am left with no option. I have trusted you on that night we met first, and with that trust I write to you knowing you will help me, if you can.

She is not home yet.

If she is with you, keep her safe.

Thanks.

—

Pari

 

“Pari” Andy whispered, furrowing his brows at the name in cursive grey that is an automatic signature.

Most of the mail didn’t make any sense. It felt like pieces of puzzle thrown haphazardly at his face. Yet, one line stuck with him the most.

If she is with you, keep her safe.

It somehow reminded him of something from the bible.

Do not forsake her, and she will guard you; Love her, and she will watch over you.

Andy caught his now pounding head as he tried to make sense of the message. The pounding increased, and he slightly come to doubt if this was his end, and hence he received a final message from God, if anything like that existed at the first place that is.

His eyes drifted to the last word.

Pari.

A message from the messenger of the God itself.

Andy barked a laugh, but stopped himself when his head started hurting more.

The keys in his keypad seemed to be dancing and unclear, but with much difficulty he managed to type a reply to the God’s messenger. Was it a he or she? It seemed like a she, with the undersigned name.

Dearest Pari,

I would love to watch over her but there are two problems:

1. I am beginning to believe there’s no time left for me to watch over anybody, with this amount of head ache.
2. Who is she anyway? Don’t disturb me unless it’s a hot female.

Yours sincerely,

Andy.

Andy had hit the send button not realizing that he was still logged in as Sameer Rana and the mail he just replied to was not meant for him.

–

Sameer walked Naina quietly towards her home. They could almost see it, as it was the last home in their lane, and they subconsciously slowed their pace down, to extend this for a little more.

“Naina?” he called making her turn.

He took something from his pocket and hesitated, but one look at her expectant face, he smiled as he extended his fist to her and opened it to reveal a charm bracelet.

Naina lowered her eyes, as she extended her hand, her palm facing downwards.

It was his cue to understand as he tied the bracelet around her slender wrist and let the charms jingle as she moved her wrist away.

“Happy Birthday Naina”

“There’s four hours to go still”

“I know” he said “I won’t be here to wish you then”

“Oh” He sensed something in her face change, reflecting something closer to disappointment.

“When will you come back?”

“I got a seat in an overseas University Naina. I will join this spring”

She nodded, understanding.

“I will never see you again then?” she asked tilting her head looking at him with her sweet innocent eyes.

He took a step back as he felt something hurting inside his heart, as the words outspoken felt more real.

“I don’t know” he said truthfully.

“Will you come again if you can?”

His gaze never left hers as he said now. “Everytime”