Your lie that night

Chapter 5

My mom hurried toward me suddenly pulling me out from the ocean where I was seeing Shrey's face like a god. 'What happened?', I asked

'Your uncle was on the phone, it seems your grandpa is sick, they said he was having a problem in breathing since morning and due to lockdown they couldn't get him to hospital. Your dad and I have to go there. you and Krish take care of Shreyan and home. Okay!'

'What if grandpa condition is worse', I was ready for me my grandpa was my friend. He was the one who taught me to ride bicycles, we used to share everything with each other. Due to a conflict between my dad and uncle, he was living with my uncle for 4 years. Otherwise, he was the one who raised me.

'Don't worry, we will take him to hospital anyhow. Your dad is a friend with the central police in this area. I am sure he will find the solution'.

'Please, tell me everything that happens there'.

'I will, you take care okay'. I and Krish went to see them go to the gate. Both of our faces were worn off due to fear. 'I hope everything is alright', I whispered

'Don't worry, it will be alright', Krish said consoling me. I went to the kitchen to cook for the morning meal. My mobile was in front of me and I was checking it every minute to hear from mom. After the meal was ready I went toward Shrey to wake him up but he was sleeping so peacefully that I couldn't.

'How is his fever?', asked Krish coming inside

'Better than before'

'Have you heard from mom?'

'No, I am worried about them'

'She must be busy'

'I guess so'.

'I almost forgot, Shiela aunt was asking for you since morning', Shiela's aunt was our neighbor. Being a neighbor we weren't quite close, most of the time she used to have arguments with our family. And again forgetting every fight she used to come to us to ask for our help as if she didn't have any conscience. A month ago she accused my mom of throwing garbage near their gate they had a huge fight over that topic. They didn't talk for a week but after just a week she showed up in our house asking for some cheese to feed her nephew who came from foreign. My mom never said no to anything she asked that must be the reason she used to come to our house when she needed anything rather than going to shop.

'Why she is calling me again?', I screamed

'I don't know'

'I guess I don't have any option. You take care of Shrey', I said and unwillingly walking toward her house.

I rang the bell standing in front of their gate

'Oh Katerina, I was waiting for you', she screamed with her irritating voice

'Yes, aunty, what is it this time?', I said getting inside her house,

'You know how much my son Swez likes to study. His dream is to become a great scientist. The previous day he promised me to take to the moon, after building his own rocket', If you are confused I will make clear Swez was just 8 years old child, and Shiela aunty loves bragging about how great he is. For me, I hadn't seen such a dumb child in my whole life but I had no choice but to smile and nod yes to every nonsense she says.

'But how is that related to why I am here aunty', I asked again

'Oh, I forgot Swez was having problems with his math assignment. so I thought you could help him complete it'

'But I have a guest in my house'

'It won't take long. My son will catch everything fast just give him sometime okay', said she and dropped me in front of Swez's room. I was filled with anger. I wanted to smash aunty's head and yell why can't her son who can make a rocket do a simple math assignment. But I controlled, controlled everything and went inside. Her smart son took 1 hour to solve a simple addition. I was frustrated when I get out of that house. The only cure for it was Shreyan face. I went to straight toward the room where he was sleeping but to my alas, the whole house was empty including his room. I went to the roof, to the kitchen to the yard neither Krish nor Shrey were seen. My mobile rang I almost forgot about grandpa due to that Swez. It was from my mom

'Hello! mom is everything alright', I hurried

'Yes, everything is under control, it was a little asthma attack. He is fine now, we will come home after his discharge'

'It's relief, don’t worry about here, take your time', I said and cut the call. A huge stone was lifted up from my chest. I heard something inside Shreyan room and hurried toward it. It seem he was just out from shower. Despite his waist which was covered by a towel, everything was naked and wet. I just went numb and stared at him from head to toe from the door.

'Oh, When did you return?'

I was listening but words weren't coming out from my throat. 'Are you alright?', he came toward me.

'Yee.. s', I stammered.

'Are you nervous seeing me like this', he kept on coming closure.

'Noo..o, Why?'

'But your eyes are saying you like the way I am'

He pushed the door close behind me and pushed me against it, staring me into the eyes.

The smell of body soap was coming from him and the water of the drop was falling down to me from his head. I was shivering out of the feeling which I was getting from him.

'You had fever', I stammered again

'Thanks to you, I am alright now'

'Krish, must be here any minute'

'He has gone to market, it's just me and you', he brought his face more closure. He rubbed his nose against my cheeks, every hair of my body was upright against gravity, the little butterfly was flying inside my stomach, and the urge for him to come closure was stopping me from pushing him away. I closed my eyes in satisfaction when he moved his nose against my neck and then reached my collar bone. I was moaning in satisfaction. It was the first time when I let anyone come that close to me. He grabbed my head against his and brought his lips closure to mine, I was waiting for that moment since childhood and finally, I was going to get the taste of those soft pink lips but thud! someone opens the front door. In fear, I pushed him away before my desire became reality.

'Oh no! Krish will kill me if he sees me with you in this condition', I panicked

'Nothing will happen, just tell him you were here to ask me about my fever'

'That won't work, the door is closed what will we say about that'

'Shrey! open the door', Krish was knocking outside.

'Oh no no no, this can't happen, hide me somewhere', I whispered again

'Why are you so afraid of him?'

'What is taking you so long?', Krish shouted again

'Just a minute I am changing', lied Shreyan when I ran toward the cupboard,

'What are you doing', Shreyan followed, 'close the door', I said going inside it.

'You will suffocate'

'Shrey, I am waiting', Krish was shouting continuously

'Fast, close the door', I whispered again. Shrey unwillingly closed the cupboard and opened the door.

It was dark inside, and sweaty shirts of Krish was smelling so bad, I thought I was going throw up. 

'you are still in a towel, then why you took so long', Krish was asking Shrey

'I was searching for my underpants. when I didn't find one, I tied this towel up to open the door', he answered. What a petty liar he was.

'You should have asked me, I have some unused underpants, I can give you one', he came toward the cupboard. I was terrified of being busted, fortunately, Shrey stopped him, 'I remember I kept it in my suitcase'.

'You are quite irresponsible', said Krish returning to the bed, 'Kat is not back yet?'

'No, I haven't seen her since I wake up'

'That Shiela aunt most be giving her a hard time'

'I am hungry, let's go to the kitchen', Shrey tried to take him to the kitchen for me to sneak out

'Control for some time, we will eat after Kat comes here. She might be hungry too'.

Oh, my brother! When did he begin to care so much about me, I was suffocating already.

'But I am hungry for real, listen carefully you can hear the roar on my stomach', Shrey tried again

'How can you be so ungrateful, Kat stayed by your side the whole morning taking care of you, and you can't even wait for her to return'

'Is this the way you treat your guest here'

'Don't be so obdurate, she must be coming any minute'

'Okay, then let's wait'

What? I was suffocating inside and Shrey was also giving up, What were they doing, I didn't even have a mobile with me apparently I left it in the table. I was just wishing Krish to not notice it there.

 'Let's go outside for a while, I want fresh air right now'

'What? a minute ago you were hungry and now you want fresh air'

'Yes, I am sick don't shout at me. My head is hurting so let's get some fresh air', Shrey shouted in return

'Why are you shouting, such a persistent bastard. okay let's go outside then'

Thank god! I thought I was going to die breathless there. When they finally went outside I quietly sneaked out from the cupboard. How relieved I was getting out from there. I went outside from the back door and confronted Krish and Shrey on the gate.

'What took you so long?', Krish asked

'You know Shiela aunt'

'Oh, I can understand, lets go inside we were waiting for you for a meal. Shreyan is going to sue if we don't feed him now'

I looked at him, he was smiling at me, I smiled back signing him finally everything was alright.