Chapter 1:
He closed his eyes in bliss when the first drag of post coital cigarette warmed his chest. He reclined on the bed lazily and rolled his head to left and saw the woman staring at ceiling, lost in her thoughts.
"What are you thinking?" He asked her and gently brushed a stray strand of hair from her face.
"This is the last time we would see each other. I wish this moment could be captured and stuffed into a snowball. When lonely, I could look at it and in my mind relive this moment," she sighed deeply. His ministering hands stilled at her words.
"Till date I haven't been any different than a snowball to you sweetheart. You called me when you felt lonely and I always answered your call," he sneered at her. She looked visibly hurt at his words and turned her back against him. He rubbed his temple impatiently making the cigarette tucked between the fingers dispose ash on his eyelids. 'fu*k' he muttered and killed the smoke.
"Hey, come on. I didn't mean that way." He said sliding next to her and pulling her towards him. He smiled inwardly when she snuggled into his chest.
"I am going to miss you," she whispered softly. He didn't respond but just held her. Sure he would miss her company, but he doubted it had anything to with her non stellar personality.
"Are you going to be alright there?" He asked her instead, deftly navigating out of embarrassing question's path.
"My husband has rented a great apartment and it has all the luxuries and amenities I would need," she shrugged her shoulder slightly. 'Of course he would,' he thought wryly. In his view, the woman in his arms was quite easy to maintain. Her husband knew that she was having an affair but he was too busy of a man to worry about something like this. In the beginning he didn't understand it, having seen a solid relationship between his parents. But then again, it wasn't 80s anymore.
'Individualism' was probably wh*red out even before people realized how many syllables it contained and the power they held.
"I am sure you will be happy," he said as sincerely as possible. He rubbed her naked arm as if the friction produced by contact of skins would somehow cement the non-conviction of his voice. She hummed softly without punctuating with words. They lay in each other's embrace till the air went stale and the sheets went cold. He slid out of the bed in one fluid moment taking a sheet along with him and tying at his waist.
"Are you leaving already?" She asked him turning around and covering her front as the sheets slid from her when he slid out of bed. She stared at his naked back as dropped the sheet at the bathroom door and walked inside without bothering a response.
*****
It was ten in the evening when he walked into his apartment and threw the bag on floor. He had already showered at the woman's love nest but he felt a dire need to wash himself off all over again. He shivered as if a bug crawled on his skin. He stood in middle of apartment and looked at bedroom and door and then at bathroom door. To shower or not to shower that was the question.
And then doorbell rang followed by vicious knocking.
A young woman fresh faced and totally out of place stood on the other side of the threshold holding a small steel bowl in her hands.
"Can I borrow some sugar Mr. Arnav? I live next door." She asked smoothly thumbing at the door few feet away.
"How do you know my name?" He asked looking at her colorful attire. She gave him a quizzical look and pointed at the door - his name plaque.
"Aah...right," he said running his hand on back of his neck; an old habit of his which resurfaced whenever he was caught off guard.
They stood on either side of the threshold as if it was an impasse.
"Can I get some?" She asked raising the bowl few centimeters away from his eyes which were above her head.
"Oh yeah, sure. Come in," he said shaking his head. "Did you just move in? I haven't seen you before." He asked her switching on kitchen lights.
"Well I am new to the city and will be living with my cousin for few months till..." She stopped when she realized that he had walked towards kitchen counter and didn't seem like he had heard what she was saying.
"Here you go," he said handing her the bowl filled with sugar.
"Thank you. I am Khushi, by the way," she said walking out of his apartment. He simply nodded and waved as she hurried back to her own place.
He walked back inside the apartment and made it straight to bedroom. His thoughts flew to the girl - Khushi he met several moments ago. 'Not my type', he thought before sleep completely consumed him in its belly.
To be continued.
Edited by CynicalNoob - 13 years ago
Anupamaa
36