Chapter 14

Maybe, I'd tell you myself just how much I adore you. But I'll tell you only after I convince myself.

Ash

21st September 2018, Friday
18:30

"Stand still, will you?" I snapped at Mehak.

"I am still. Would you hurry up?" she replied.

I did not bother replying and continued to work. She moved again and I grabbed on a protruding branch. She mumbled an apology and adjusted my feet on her shoulder.

"I should've just asked Kiara," I muttered.

"She would have never agreed to this. Be thankful with what you got," she replied and moved a little.

"Stop moving," I whispered, "please. I want to stay alive."

"Me too. You should have let me climb up while you took my position."

I laughed. That had been the original plan but this dumbo was too scared to stand on my shoulders and break into Vicky's house.

"I don't understand why we have to do this," she said. "Can you not just ask him tomorrow?"

"I asked him today, and the day before, and the day before that and-"

"Okay, okay. I got your point. Just do it."

Vicky had been hiding something from me. He was acting all weird in the school. We rarely met after school and when I tried to get some information, he simply shut me out. Mehak was there today when I met him. Even she said something was off. He was too cheerful for Vicky Singhania. I found bits from here and there. His father was out of the city and his mother was a sweet lady who I saw getting out of the house a few minutes ago.

Sun was casting its last rays on the street and the servants had gone home by now. No one was here except Vicky. I tried to take the easier way by knocking at his door and doing a little talk but he shut it on my face. I was sure I had almost caught him red handed. His startled face told that. Instead of throwing a bucket full of paints at him, I resorted to the second, more complicated way - breaking in. I just had to climb this wall and land into his veranda. The path would be clear then.

"I can't take it anymore," Mehak said, panting.

Her grip slid as I reached for the edge of the wall and attempted to grab the metallic statue attached to it. Her hands left my ankle. She yelped but luckily my attempt did not fail. I laughed at her terrified look.

"Go on, now. Hurry up."

I nodded and jumped inside. The taste of success hit me in the stomach in the form of a stone. The bushes did not take my arrival well. Poor things were stuffing their spiky leaves into my mouth. I gagged. Dusting off the grass and mud, I walked to the door and opened it. The house was dimly lit. I could make out a faint sound of music coming from downstairs. Although I had been here before, the basement had never been explored by me.

"Vicky? Are you down there?" I asked into the darkness.

A light turned on but I saw nothing. I walked down slowly.

"Yo Vicky, this is not funny," I said and opened the door.

"Hi...that rhymed."

I screamed and stumbled back, falling down.

"Shit, sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"But you did," I muttered, rubbing my back. Then, that voice registered and I shot up straight. "Hardik? Hey, what are you doing here?"

He gave a sheepish smile and gestured around the room. It was decorated with balloons and lights. Soft music continued to play. Coloured ribbons were hanging in a corner with pages and photographs pinned on them. It looked beautiful. Then there was me, lying on the floor covered in grass and soil.

There's always you.

"Do you ever listen to me?"

You don't.

Vicky leaned against the door with his arms folded. I got up and examined the decoration.

"Did I not tell you to leave me at peace? Now look at you, a living garden." He gave me a lopsided smile.

I rolled my eyes, tracing the photographs. "Did I not tell you that I would find out what you are hiding? You never told me it was your mother's birthday."

He shrugged and sat down on the floor.

I eyed Hardik. "Are you helping him set this up?"

"Yes. Actually, no. By the time I came, he had already done everything. I just came for..." He glanced at Vicky.

"Moral support," Vicky completed.

I gave him a flat look. "I don't think you need moral support."

He smirked at my words. "I sent Raj with Mummy. They would be coming home soon. Now that you are here, it is not safe to leave Mehak out. Hardik, would you please go and invite her in?"

I gasped. "You knew?"

He stared at the floor with a smirk. "I knew you would not give up. I just saw your burglary skills, which suck by the way."

I glared at him and Hardik's disappearing figure who was climbing up the stairs.

"I think my parents had a fight," Vicky mumbled. "He never misses her birthday but since morning she did not even receive a call. Sometimes I don't understand my father's ego issues. When I was coming back home, I called him. He said he wasn't coming and he remembered her birthday. Apparently, I was not minding my own business. She was quiet the whole time and left her room only when I came home. Then, she went to the market."

"And you took that opportunity to give her a surprise," I concluded.

He nodded. "I am concerned about both of them."

I hesitated. "Are they falling apart?"

He shook his head. "Their fight was out of the blue."

I glanced around the room. If I did this for my mother, she would be having an emotional breakdown and choking me in a hug.

"Where is the cake? And why in the basement?" I asked.

"Because she can come back any time. She might not have gone in the first place. Here I could hide this from her, which is also why I called Hardik for help instead of you. You would have spilled something to her in excitement."

I stuck my tongue at him. He laughed.

"I'll show you the cake," he said and got up.

I followed him upstairs to the kitchen. A box sat on the shelf, wrapped up nicely.

"When did you order this?" I asked.

Vicky grinned. "I didn't."

My eyes widened. "Home made?"

"No, Hardik brought it. His family owns that bakery near the school."

My excitement faltered. "It means you ordered it."

"No." He pinched the tip of his nose. "I wasn't planning on making any cake. I thought a pastry would do but Hardik said I would ruin everything that way and brought this. I tried to pay but he refused." He quickly added, "He made it himself."

Both my eyebrows rose in surprise.

"Hey guys, she is not coming in," Hardik announced.

"Why?" Vicky asked. "Tell her we have caught their plan and Ashiamma is quitting her failed job."

I scowled at him and turned to Hardik. "I did not know you could cook."

Vicky moved back to me and smirked. "You don't know many things."

I slapped his arm. "Shut up and make this memorable for your mother. I should go now especially if Mehak is not coming in."

I waved at Hardik and walked out of the house. Mehak was standing out, leaning against one of the cars. Hearing my steps, she looked up.

"Why did you not come in?" I asked.

She shrugged. "Can we go now?"

I frowned and nodded. She got on her scooter and handed me a helmet.

"Are you fine?" I asked, getting behind her.

"Yes. Why?" Her tone made me search for any underlying meanings. I shook my head and got up behind her.

It had been only two months since we became friends but I had a feeling we would go a long way. I smiled to myself at that thought. It was the one thing I could thank Shay for. Mehak became my classmate this year but we had  rarely talked. I had been too immersed in Shay to look around and see. After all the events, with Kiara busy preparing for the annual elections, I had kept to myself. Vicky was a friend but he was that protective friend which hung around to shut up the rumours than to talk to me. Then one day, I had caught Mehak trashing the Art Room. I had been blasting with anger until she explained. She had come to search for some paints asked by her teacher.

I had given her a pointed look and demanded that she cleaned it all. She had done it but it had been a pain to hear her commentaries when I wanted silence.

"Ew. No offense but how did this not show the knives she carries?" she had said, looking over my shoulder at Shay's face.

"What knives?"

"The ones she uses to stab people in the back."

I did not know what I had found more interesting, her comment or her tone that accompanied her innocent expression meant to tell me that the answer should have been obvious.

I had not jump readily into the friendship. We began to sit together during lunch breaks, then during the periods as well. It just felt we were already friends without even announcing it. The best part, as much as I hated to admit, was watching Shay falling apart.

"She is your friend," Mehak had mumbled that one day when I had been smirking at Shay's pathetic fall.

When everyone had refused to help, Mehak just had to go out of her way and offered Shay her hand. Her arrogant self brushed it away.

"Was," I had whispered when Mehak had returned. "She was my friend."

She had made no further comments.

The scooter jerked to a stop. I got down and removed the helmet.

"Thanks for your help," I said.

"In letting you exaggerate the matter. He wasn't even doing something big."

"I was worried. But I'm glad he is doing something for her. She's a nice lady. You should meet her sometime. Oh, did you know Hardik made the cake?" I told her. "I was amazed."

She gave me a small smile. "Good for you."

I cleared my throat. "Don't say that in front of Vicky."

She snorted. "As if you haven't already told him."

"If I knew they were this close, I would've zipped my lips." Because, God, I hated that smirk on his face and those suggestive eyebrow raises.

She laughed. "You could do anything but that. Anyways, I need to get home. Bye."

"Bye." I waved as she turned on her scooter and sped away. With a smile I went inside. Sameer was hanging around in the living room.

"Hey," I said and sat down in a chair.

He nodded but continued to walk around, holding his phone in a dangerous grip.

"Is it Rishab?" I dared to ask.

He paused and looked at me.

"You treat me like a fragile little flower. Your boyfriend isn't that good that he's unforgettable. I'm over whatever happened. Chill, okay? You can talk to me."

"About him?" He said in a high pitch.

I shrugged. "About anything."

Sameer raised an eyebrow and sat in front of me. "You look happy. What happened?"

"Nothing. Do I need a reason to be happy?" Lies, all lies.

My phone chimed at the right moment. We both dived at it but he got his hands on it.

"You did not try the cake. Laughing emojis," Sameer read. "What does Vicky mean?"

I was going to kill that guy. "It is his mother's birthday."

Sameer nodded and threw the phone at me. I read the message and replied back.

'Let's hope we don't meet tomorrow for your sake.'

'Sure. I'll send Hardik on my behalf.'

'Did I mention a few words may have slipped out of my mouth? Don't worry, it is nothing false. :) Your welcome.'

'Liar,' I typed. 'I refuse to believe you.'

'But he believes me.'

I must have looked weird because Sameer eyed me before peeking at my phone. I quickly shut it and pushed him away.

"Call me when dinner is ready," I said and walked to my room.

"And I'm the one who's supposed to be a weekend guest here," he called out after me.

I shut my door and called Vicky. The ring went thrice before he rejected the call. Placing the phone aside, I collapsed on the bed wondering all kinds of horrible scenarios if any of his messages were true.

22nd September 2018, Saturday
7:30

Kiara laughed at my fallen face. "Well, now you know how I feel," she commented.

"It is hardly the same thing. I haven't told Nolan anything. I hardly know the guy."

"Maybe Vee is just lying." She looked behind me and grinned. "Or maybe he was telling the truth."

I frowned at her sudden change of tone and twisted around. Vicky leaned against the door of his class along with Hardik.

"I should go to my class," Kiara said and sprinted to her classroom.

I cursed my luck. After telling her everything, she left me in lurch. Mehak was not coming to school today. Last night when I had called her, she had informed me at the end of the story that I would have to survive alone. Keeping my head straight to avoid Vicky, I walked to my class.

"Good Morning," Vicky called as I passed his class.

When I chose to ignore, he added, "Mummy loved the cake. She called Hardik a brilliant cook an-"

I increased my pace and entered my class only to find it empty.

"Good Morning," my class teacher said, looking up from the register.

"Good Morning. Where is everyone else?" I asked.

She replied, "The attendance is very low today. Till now, sixty percent of the students have applied for leave. Hardly ten have come. So it is decided that classes will be merged. Everyone will sit in section C."

My eyes widened. "Everyone?"

She nodded.

I wanted to go back home. Not only was I alone but I would have to spend the entire day in Vicky's class. On any normal day I would have liked this but not today.

"Are you okay, Ashiamma?" the teacher asked.

I nodded and pointed at the door. "I'll just go."

When I stepped out, as expected, Vicky waved at me.

"Shut it," I said as I entered the class.

"Welcome to our abode."

There were twenty some students in the class and the teacher's chair was empty. I warily sat in the middle row. As far as I knew, Vicky usually sat near the windows which meant Hardik would also sit there.

I looked at the dork who was for some reason still hanging at the door. "What are you looking at?"

He turned. "So are we talking now?"

Hardik emerged from behind him and I shook my head. "No."

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Hardik coming towards me. When he passed me, I sighed in relief until I heard the chair behind me move.

"Are you ignoring me?" he asked.

I shook my head but stayed glued to the seat. He poked my shoulder.

"No," I said. "I am not."

"I don't mind," he said.

I turned around. "What?"

"I said I don't mind."

"I heard that but what do you not mind?" I crossed my fingers, hoping it was not what I thought.

"Do you want me to spell it?"

That decided it. I had the worst luck.

"But I'd rather hear it from you than him," he said with a smile.