Midnight Whispers (short stories collection) - Chapter 8: Chapter 8

Lily POV
"Why the hell are you looking at me like that?" I asked in annoyance, as I sipped on the cup of my cold coffee.
That's some taste.
The man beside me was practically, throwing stars from his eyes right now! And you guessed it right! It's Mallik.
It's been three months, since I came here, to this college, and so far, my experience is not bad. That girl, Sunny and her boyfriend, were never seen again. I was living a peaceful happy life. And, apart from that, this man child, sitting right next to me, Mallik, was the only other constant of my life, I must say. But his presence around, was not uncomfortable, it was good, it was serene, it was happiness.
I can't believe I felt happy with this annoying man!
He has been with me, since like, the very first day. He comes with me, wherever I goes, until its time to go back to dorm. He talks a lot, no surprises there, but to my surprise, I listen. I like listening to him, and his over the sky talks. Always asking me to spend time with him, from hello, good morning to goodbyes.
Another fact I was surprised about was, I like him...
Like really really like him. At the odd times of day, I find myself thinking about him, thinking what was he doing. And then my heart would, beat at maddening speed for him. Like now! But I can't show it.
"What do you want Mallik?" I asked.
"You!" was his instant reply. I sighed. He had been up my ass, since.... I stepped my foot in the college. Some girls even came up to me, just to tell me, that ever so serious Mallik has never did something like that. Has never behaved so jolly. But I can't understand why they says this?! Mallik has this friendly aura around him which attracts everyone to him, so isn't it obvious he is famous and approachable!!
My phone rang pulling me out of my thoughts.
"Latik Aggarwal"
My phone's screen chimed with his name. My nerves spiked up, he was lawyer to my father. My hands, trembling, picked up the phone. Mallik looked at me concerned.
"H.. Hello." I said.
"Hey, sweetie, don't you think I am calling you because of anything happened. Take deep breathes and calm down first." I felt a little relief. It took me a few minutes to calm down. Latik don't call until it is very worse thing that's gonna happen.
"Okay, so now Lily, I want you to come to city hospital, if you can, sweetie." He said, and fear flooded back to my veins. Had something happened to Papa?!
"O...Okay, I'll be there." I picked up my bag, and moved from there. I can't think of anything, my mind was numb, just my legs moving towards the auto stand.
"...ily...Lily...Lily hey" Mallik came and stood in front of me. I lifted my red eyes to him. "What happened?" He asked, his eyes full of concern, but I can't see a thing.
"Nothing." I quickly crossed him, almost running to the stand. He took my hand in his and pulled me.
"Hey you just tell me, where and we can just..." This time I just snapped. All my frustration, fear coming out in bundle.
"CAN'T YOU JUST LEAVE ME ALONE FOR A SECOND. LILY THIS LILY THAT, DON'T YOU HAVE SOMETHING ELSE TO DO, OTHER THAN BEING STUCK TO ME LIKE A LEECH. I DON'T WANT TO SHARE ANYTHING WITH YOU, I DO NOT WANT YOUR ANNOYING UNWANTED PRESENCE IN MY LIFE" I shouted at him, glaring, he looked numb. I took the chance ad ran away from there. Everyone was looking at me by now, some with disgust, some with utter annoyance.
I took the auto, wanting to reach hospital as soon as possible.
Guilt had not hit me up until then, but it did soon, and oh boy! did it?
TIME SKIPS
I sighed in relief, as I signed the papers of dad's report. He was about to have a heart stroke, but did not had it!
Thanks to all the deities up there.
I had met dad, and he was all right now, we spent almost all day together, after so long, it was already eight by now. I felt so happy, and good after so long. Dad just left an hour ago, back to jail, but he was under constant surveillance now since he just recovered from an almost heart attack.
"Thankyou so much Latik, for informing me." I said, to Latik --who is a friend of my father, 30 years older than me-- who had always treated me as his daughter. He never wanted me to say, uncle to him. He used to say, call me papa, and I used to say I can't so he told me to call him by his name.
"Its okay, sweetie, that was my job, now you go, its already late, should I drop you?" I denied, and bid him goodbye. It was only then it struck me, that I had shouted on the man, I probably like, and he was nothing, but concerned about me. I still remember the heart broken look on his face.
Oh man!
How the hell will I face him now.
"Bhai, can you just stand here for a few minutes." I asked the driver and ran inside the boy's dorm.
"Um hello sir." I said to the stern looking man, who was the warden I think.
"How can I help you?" He asked, with his eyes looking at me, up from the glasses.
"I wanted to know, if a boy named Mallik is here, I wanted to talk to him!"
"Ah, No! he has not arrived, he must be in the bar, ten minutes away from here. Spoiled child!" He said, and muttered the last part. I glared at him.
"He is NOT spoiled!" I said before taking a run from there. Mallik had been one of those first persons, who had ever spoke to me so lovingly, with basically, heart in his eyes, who has never mocked me for my fashion sense, if I had any.
And what you gifted in him return? My conscience mocked me. Guilt settled yet again, in my guts. How can I even shout on him like that. I need to say sorry to him as soon as possible.
I ran to auto back --patted my back to ask him to wait for me-- and told him the address of the nearest club. I hope I can find him there, he once did mentioned that I can meet him there if I want to. I hope he is there. I fucked up really bad, did not I?!
We reached there, and I thanked brother --driver-- and went in. It was quite shocking to see a open lawn --bloody damn garden-- at a club (?). I heard distant voices, of a few boys and girls. It was from the pattio of the said garden. I slowly walked inside.
"What happened to you Mallik?" Someone --I think his best friend, who was named Advait, I guess-- asked.
"Nothing", Came his slurred voice, wait, is he drunk? I hate drunk people!
"Tell me man, is it because of the girl you have been crushing on since, I don't know how long" He has a crush on me...
Wow! how optimistic of you! My conscience mocked!
"Shut up! I can't talk now" His voice cracked at the end. Is he crying?
"oh my god Malls" A sickeningly sweet voice said. Malls! ewww... "Don't cry, why are you crying, it should be she who must be crying, she shouted at you in front of everyone, that bitch deserves..."
"SHUT THE HELL UP, YOU WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS." I flinched at his loud voice. I was just behind them, if they turned around they will see me, but still, I did not move from there. "DON'T YOU EVER CALL HER THAT, YOU UNDERSTOOD!" He shouted and turned around to leave, when our eyes struck. He was such a nice guy, still defending me, after I called him so many names.
I got caught, while eavesdropping!
Mallik looked at me, rubbed his eyes, as if seeing a dream, and then walked past me. Uh-oh! he really must be hurt, if he was un-seeing me. He never does that. I awkwardly smiled at his group, which had turned to me, and walked to Mallik, who was going to his car, at a very slow speed. He was not stumbling, so he was not that drunk, I think.
"MALLIK!" I shouted, he did not stopped, just kept walking, he did slowed down his pace. I think he is tired. I ran upto him, and caught him by his arm.
"Mallik, stop, listen to me!" I said, my hand slid down from his sleeve, to his palm, as I squeezed it.
"What do you want Lily!" He asked in annoyance (?) " And leave my hand!" He said, I looked down at his hand sadly, and tried leaving it, earlier, whenever I'll touch him, he'll just find more reasons to touch me. I tried leaving his hand, but he tightened his hold on mine, I looked up at his eyes --which I had not since I was that guilty-- which were blood shot red. Oh lord!
"Just say, and go!" I said. People coming out of the club which was in centre of the big garden, looked at us awkwardly.
"Can we go someplace, private?" I asked lowly.
"Come with me!" He said, and dragged me, to the back of the club. A beautiful garden --secret place-- came into my view. I awed at it. If someone ever again, said this was a club, I'll smack them first.
Tha garden was so damn beautiful, and small.
But I was dressed awfully, boyish for such a romantic setting.
"Now tell what you want, and just go?" he said leaving my hand. He looked away. He never did that. He was really very angry from me is not he?!
"I...I am so sorry about ea..earlier." Why the hell am I nervous, I was never nervous!!
"Yeah!!" He said --mocked--, "and why is that?" I opened my mouth to say something but he did not let me, " I mean, you were not wrong, I did acted like a leech, so stuck with you. And you were right you really must not want to unwanted, annoying..."
"I did not mean that..." I took his hand in mine. "I really did not, cross my heart, Mallik, I never meant that, You are a leech, I agree, but you are not blood sucking leech, you are someone, I always wanted, but never knew I wanted. You are not annoying, in fact, whenever you say something I listen, I really do. A..and you are not unwanted, you are so much wanted in my life, that, I can't even explain!" I said, in one breathe. He took his hand out of my grasp and then two steps back.
"Okay then, apologies, accepted! Now you can go and rest, I won't disturb you... ever again!" His eyes were cold.
"I..I really..." I said, but he turned around. My throat clogged up like some lump was stuck in it! I can't even complain, he was not wrong. Who will remain with a person who was as rude as me, the main reason, I never had a friend.
"I...I was so s.ss..scared.." My voice trembled badly, as next second I was wailing loudly like a child. All the 20 years of trauma, fear, pain came out, with the guilt I was carrying right now. Big fat tears rolled down my eyes, as my vision blurred completely. Mallik , in a second turned around and grabbed me by my arms.
"Hey... Hey..." He said wiping my tears, but my tears won't stop. "it's okay, I was just pulling your leg, hey stop crying lily." He continued wiping my tears and rubbed my arm.
"I..I did not meant to shout" I choked a few times in between those sentences.
"No its okay Lily, baby, look at me." I looked at him, sobbing. "you can shout me, beat me anytime you want. Take your whatever anger out on me, I won't even complain. I am not complaining okay." I nodded and hugged him, he instantly hugged me back.
"I..I am so sorry!" I said still sobbing into his shirt.
"Its okay, sweetheart, its totally okay, you have all rights on me lily." I hugged him tight.
"Can I hug you a little longer?" I asked.
"You don't have to ask my flos, you just do whatever you want." He hugged me in a bone crushing hug.
He wobbled me to the nearby bench and sat down, with me on his lap, shocking! I don't even mind!
And in a few minutes I was asleep in his lap, away from the all worries.
"Never cry again, it rips my heart out, seeing you like this, my sweetheart." I heard him before I went into my dreamland.
The secret garden
I was thinking about there confession this time, but I thought of something even more interesting!