Chapter 25

Friendship…. Is not what we learn in our school. It is an imaginary bond that says I am always there for you…

“Hello.. Dexter…”

Silence

“hello… hello.. Dex..”

“Pearly” he finally spoke.

“Dexter” I took a deep relieving breath and asked softly “How are you?”

“Good.. After hearing from you really good.” I heard him giving a deep sigh.

“Are you….okay?… I mean media… you are all over the news” I asked worried.

“Worried” he shouted panicked “I was worried” and started with array of his questions…

Why weren’t you receiving my calla?

Why were you not answering my messages?

Why were you ignoring me?

You did not even listen to me…

Times we spent together.. Were they nothing for you?

“Dexter” I said trying to calm him “Breathe… relax. We will talk.”

“Pearly you have no idea what you mean to me.” His voice stressed.

“Dexter can you come on skype?” I asked pleading.

He switched on his skype so did I to see his weary face. Though he was still as sexy as hell but his eyes showed pain and body language which was poised earlier on my trip to Florida now looked weary.

“Pearly you look beautiful.” He said with a smile.

I replied his smile with a half hearted one “You look tired. Tell me all. Tell me what is bothering you?”

“You… you are bothering me my mysterious girl.” He replied grimly.

I tried to avoid that and asked “You are all over the news. Please I know there is more. What is it that has taken that charm from your face?”

“Pearly thanks for your concern. Now that you have called I'll be fine." He said.

I really had that intuition that something other than our relation was the core of his outburst. He is my friend and he needs help too. I cannot back up now. I decided to help him. Or least of it I'd let him open up so that he is good.

“Come on Dexxie I am your friend. I will always be there for you.” I said honestly.

“I want more than. You know that right?” he confirmed instead of asking.

“Dexter please your career is at stake. You need to think straight.” I begged.

“Pearly…..” he paused.

"Dexter you want to share it with me or you don’t because I won’t force you otherwise." I stated firmly.

“Don’t be angry Pearly.” He pleaded

”No I am not” I admitted “I am simply trying to work things out. You are loosing your focus. I think its wrong and I wish I could help. That’s it.”

'I don’t want to share much but yes my father; he's the biggest mess in my life.” he finally spoke defiantly. “My father; he said something to those clients in Texas demanding money from them. I was unaware of it. When they confronted me about it I was already upset because you were ignoring me and this father thing. I lost my temper.  I am sorry."

"Don’t be. Please wipe that tear of yours. Everything will be fine. Talk to them. If needed apologize. They need you and you are worth it. They'll understand and things will get back to normal.” I felt silly to tell him so much. He is much more superior to me academically and with experience too.

“You think so?” he asked lost somewhere else.

“Yes” I said encouragingly.

“And what about us?” he asked

"Dexie I like you as a friend. I like being with you. You do make me feel special but what you are asking is commitment and I am not prepared for it. Let's not complicate this friendship. Give it some time. Maybe you realize it was a mere infatuation or something like that."

“May be you’ll fall for me too.” He said with his all flirty smirk.

“Maybe” I laughed happy to get my friend back.

He too laughed back.

Bonds perfect… friendship triumphs.

“Can I ask you one question?” he asked skeptically.

"Yes Dexie you can ask me anything. I am so relieved after talking to you." I said emphatically.

"You were ignoring me, not taking my calls nor replying my messages. What made you change your mind?"

“Well you know Joshan?” I tried to remind him of my best friend.

“Your best friend whom I met at your university and the same one who called to check that you are not too wasted?” he confirmed.

‘Precisely” I confirmed. “I talked to him and he convinced me not to ignore and face you to lighten up things and see it worked.”

“You two are quite close?” he asked.

“Yeah we are.”

“I feel jealous of him.” He laughed

‘Don’t you dare. He is just a friend.” I warned him

“Just joking.”

“Feels good to see your humor back. Now heal up rest of the mess and call me back. You need a bath too.” I smiled that he was back to his flirty self now.

“Yup I do. But Pearly” he paused

“Say Dexxie.”

“Don’t disappear. Keep in touch.” He said in a pleading note.

“I will. You take care.” I agreed positively

   The whole complication thing was sorted out with we two as friends. Dexter tried to be a bit cocky sometimes in his messages but would eventually stop it with a warning.

 Life was back to regular functioning with us being extra busy with our finals approaching. Stacie and Cairo were also working their asses up in their respective fields and they were doing well as their pair was awarded as the best debutant designers in of the major fashion shows organized in the city.

Deren was also working extra hard because Essme forced him to. Now when they were together Deren was listening to her for his good though. Joshan had wasted flirting the entire year and now his father took an unsaid promise from him regarding good scores and I guess he respected him too much to follow resulting in troubling me to study extra hours. Most of the times he would stay in the guestroom of my house studying late nights and even waking me up incase of any doubts. I didn’t mind.

What are friends for?

 And I had an addition to it of the word BEST so I was best to cook French toast when he was hungry at 3 in the night. I was the best option if he was struck in working of some damn machine from his physics notes at 2 in the night and yes only a bestie is the best alarm clock when you cockily spend your night with slut of your girlfriend and want to compensate by waking him early in the morning for his studies. He even made me miss my Library at times promising to make it up by working in the orphanage, an offer that I cannot deny.

Sometimes he would simply make me sit and talk no listen to him when he would get tired of studies and would feel fresh after a short session of his girlfriend gossip.

 Tomorrow is the last day of our finals and also Joshan’s birthday. I did not plan much as I was sure he’d spend it with his girlfriend in the day and have a bash in the evening with drinks and dj like last year but I did arrange an ipod as a gift for him. I also gifted him with a book which I knew he would never read but wanted him to so if he reads it would be a return gift for me and I am pretty sure he wouldn’t. But I am Pearly you see.

I wished him at 12 yes he was at my place studying so I went to the guestroom with the book arranged in a bouquet and a box of Toblerone. I slipped into the room at 10 minutes to 12 and hid behind the curtain. Joshan did not look like if he was studying infact he was fiddling with his mobile disconnecting the incoming calls. It was 2 minutes to 12 when I thought of texting him to wish him and distract him and then I could bang him from behind surprisingly wishing him and if I am lucky I’ll scare him.

I was texting him typing a huge poem when I felt tightness on my lower abdomen being pressed resulting into a loud shriek from my mouth.

“Oh my gosh!!!” I  shouted, scared to piss in my night pants.

“Now be the first one to wish me.” He held me tight fixing his neck on my shoulders, his lips touching my ears tingling me to my pores.

“Josh!!!” I turned around hugging him back kissing him on his cheeks to wish him “Happy birthday BFF”.

“Thankyou Pearly pooh”.

I handed him the bouquet and the chocolates and sprayed snowspray all over his head when I found him distracted.

“What the F##K!!!!!” Joshan shouted.

“Payback and I am bitch at it you know.”

“Really” he smirked

“Yeah’ and the same ‘catching the thief’ began with us running after each other till I finally gave up. His phone was continuously ringing.

“Pick the phone dam it and stop chasing me or you want me to do it for you” I said as I picked his phone to check the caller was his current girlfriend.

“No don’t. I don’t want to talk to her.” He snatched the mobile from me.

“Why? So it is she whose call you were disconnecting since 11:50” I asked.

“Yeah.”

“And how did you know I was here.” I was curious to know. I did not feel that he knew.

“Pooh baby I know you very well. I was sure you’ll be here wishing me and wanted you to be the first one to wish me so I did not take her calls.” He said easily making me blush.

“So cocky.”

“What?”

“You are carrying a relationship with her and to ignore someone who cares for you is not fair.” I hit him playfully

“LECTURES: not now” he yelled.

“Josh don’t ignore her. Okay if she calls again you pick it.” I suggested

“She wants to spend the whole day with me and I have planned it differently.” He explained

“So man up and simply tell her what you want. She’ll understand.” I insisted.

“No if she comes to know I am spending it with you.” He scratched his hair in nervousness.

“She’ll actually kill me then.” I mocked.

“So what do you say?” he raised an eyebrow

“I’d still want you to talk to her. By the way what are your plans?” I asked handing him his phone so that both of them could talk.

“Same as yours.” He said smirking.

“And what are my plans?” I asked confused.

“You are going to the orphanage with me and working your asses up.” He said

“I am in for that Birthday boy” I would do that in the blink of an eye.

“Cool” and he relaxed on the bed pulling me to sit besides him.

I received a text on my mobile and replied it with “Yes”

Immediately after that there was a chaos and noise with two guys Deren and Alfred holding Joshan from both the sides and Stacie banging the round pineapple cake on Joshan’s face.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY” we all shouted in chorus.

Everybody shouted with my parents running down to check if everything was fine. Although they were informed about this get together but we were quite loud to bring them down. They did officially wish Joshan but from a safe distance as before wishing my mom chucked out a big “Eeewwww” from her mouth and none of us were letting Joshan clean his face.

When they went back to their rooms, Deren called up for the next surprise, Nancy, Joshan’s girlfriend was hiding in the hall room came and licked off the cake from his face completely delighting the guys from the room. We girls found it f##kingly disgusting and went to other room talking random girly things.

“Pearly” Joshan called from inside, “I am not happy.”

“Oh B’day baby what can Nancy further do to make you happy?” I asked teasingly.

“Give them a room.” Essme shouted.

“What’s in a heart comes out.” I said to Essme “Surely on Deren’s B’day we’ll provide you guys with a room.”

“Bingo.” Deren exclaimed.

“”Guys my birthday today” Joshan pointed towards himself.

“What do you want sexy?” Nancy said fluttering her eyelashes at him.

Joshan ducked her aside and came to me in his puppy dog eyes like a kindergarten kid and said in a kiddy voice, “ Ny Budday no. dhen why dhiss Nancy gets all de dhake?”

I chuckled pulling his cheeks. He was looking so sweet and innocent, “My baby I have baked a cake specially for you. This was only for fun.”

“Really vow! But why? You should have studied tomorrow is your last finale.” He argued. He is really adorable.

“The earlier Baby Josh was much prettier than my mom version of Joshan but to your knowledge I am already done with the syllabus. So enjoy.” I ruffled his hair as I said getting death glares from Nancy. When am I going to go well with his girlfriends?

We cut the dark chocolate truffle cake baked by me which was in shape of a pyramid and we all enjoyed to it.

To lighten up Nancy I told, “Nancy after we finish we still have enough to wrap it around Joshan and you can lick him all night,”

She did give looks which were not very pleasing but Joshan enraged, “You dare do it again and then see you girls would be running into parlors for an antipimple treatment.”

‘You scared us Joshan” Stacie replied as she started running after him with a piece of cake in her  hand and when she finally reached him she said,” I rather not waste this delicious cake on a shitty face like yours” and gulped the piece of cake in her mouth.

“Let me add something to prove that this face is no shitty” Nancy said as she bloody smooched him hard.

“That was good man.” Joshan sighed.

“Whatever” Stacie said and all decided to leave to let us sleep so we are ready for the final tomorrow.

‘Wanna have fun in the night?” Nancy asked Joshan smirking.

“Not really babes. You are too hot to handle. Finals tomorrow.” Joshan replied taking her hands off his shoulders.

“Right then tomorrow night. I have organized a party at Deren’s and you may get lucky after the party B’day boy. You too are invited Pearly.”

“Thanks Nancy.”

“And what after the exam is over” Nancy asked Joshan.

“I have committed someone. I’ll meet you only at the party.” He said politely

“And I thought we’ll spend the whole day together.” Nancy said pouting her lips.

“Some other day Baby doll” Joshan said as he hugged her kissing her again.

“Excuse me” I said as I left them alone and went to my room. I need my sleep for the exam and for the work to be done at the orphanage. And this kissing thing I mean eewww was getting too much to be digested.

I was half sleepy half awake trying to revise the syllabus mentally when the door of my room opened.

“Hey sleeping beauty.”

“Not sleeping” I got up as I grabbed my jacket as I was very minimally cladded in my tubes and looser short shorts.

“Nancy?” I asked

“She’s gone.” He replied taking a sigh.

“Oh I felt she was staying tonight.”

“No ways. I did not even ask your parents and I am such a kind of person. Can we talk for a while?” he said.

“Any problem Josh? Wait any doubt about the subject?” I asked worried.

“No. no just casual.” He waved his hands in the air.

‘Then if you don’t mind can I suggest you something?” I told a little scared of his after reaction

“Say.” He encouraged

“Go home.”

“What? Did I hurt you unknowingly?” he asked panic struck

“Don’t panic Josh. It’s just that it is your birthday and tomorrow you are busy whole day. Wouldn’t your parents want to meet you? So go home now sleep there. Meet them and come for the exam. Rest of the day we’ll be together.” I suggested

“Now who is LECTURING like mommy?” he asked playing with my hair.

“Whatever.” I rolled my eyes.

“okay promise me.” He said expectantly.

“For what?’

“I know you are planning to skip the party at Deren’s.” he said. He knew me too well.

“Yeah. I’ll be tired and Stacie and Cairo are not coming and.” I gave my excuses.

“And I want you there.” He insisted

“Josh”

“Please. It’s my day.” He pouted.

“Not those eyes.” I cannot say no to them

“I won’t let you get bored.” He convinced me

“Okay I will. Happy.” I couldn’t deny him on his big day.

“Yeah and Thanks. I loved the cake. Why didn’t you opt for catering?  You cook so well.” He complimented.

“I thought about it but then I thought my bestie would fail otherwise.” I mocked

“So very thoughtful” he said and we both laughed to it

He kissed me on the forehead and left for his home.

“Take care. Drive safe” I shouted as he left.

~~~~~~~~~

I finished my exam and left for the library which was also closing for couple of weeks for last moment settlements and I had to leave for orphanage too. I finished my work there as I was leaving I met Ben outside the library.

“Hi pearly”

“Hi Ben”

“Busy in library?” he asked.

“Just leaving.” I replied shrugging.

“So how about a movie? After exam celebration.” He asked.

“Umm sorry… I have plans with Joshan” I denied casually as I untied my rubberband. I tied it too tight today as I wanted my hair tucked not disturbing me in my work but they were hurting so I decided to tie them loose and as I was tying it again, I felt myself pinned to the wall with both his hands on either side.

“Joshan is no good for you. Can’t you see he’s a player with new girl every second week. He’ll hurt you one day” Ben said with a tinge of hatred in his eyes.

“Ben he’s just a friend. My best friend. So you need not worry." i pushed him away from me.

But he pressed me to the wall harder, his body touching mine giving me repulsions making me squirm....