Chapter 36. How are you?

(Warning:- Drugs are mentioned in this chapter.)

∆~*~∆

🎶️"Kandhon se milte hain kandhe

Kadmon se kadam milte hain

Hum chalte hain jab aise toh

Dil dushman key hilte hain~

Josh dil me jagate chalo

Jeet key geet gate chalo~~" 🎶

( Translation:-

Shoulders meet shoulders

Steps meet steps

When we walk together like this

Enemies' hearts tremble~

Ignite passion in your hearts

While singing victory songs~~)

I sang along as the music poured in my ears. I loved this song from Lakshya movie. It always boosted up my spirits. I felt my blood pumping and my body felt light as my feet brushed the concrete surface.

Earlier, I used to dislike running or any exhausting physical activity but since I had started going to Rajeev's gym, this sport had become one of my favorites. When I ran at my top speed, it almost felt like I was flying.

I brushed away the hair from my forehead and started singing at the top of my lungs. Beside me, I could hear some grunting and huffing.

"Come on dad! You can do it!"

I shouted as I ran ahead of him and turned around to face him. I encouraged him as he tried to run few more steps but fell down. Yikes. I ran to him and helped him get up. He sat down on the road and refused to move. I grabbed his arm to pull him but he didn't budge.

"Stop acting like a kid and get up," I complained.

"Can't.... can't do it.... any..... anymore," he managed to speak while trying to breathe.

"Who told you to showoff and make a bet with an ex-serviceman then, old man?"

"Old man?!"

"Yup. You have grown old, dad. Look at that paunch."

He patted his tummy and gave me a stinky eye. I shot him a challenging look and he got up in a swift motion. He started jogging at the spot and I shook my head at him.

"Don't underestimate me, kid. Remember, I was also going to be in Army. So never call me old. Never ever."

"Yeah, yeah. I know."

He tried to act all intimidating and I just nodded to whatever he said. It was funny how he was trying so hard to win that bet. Uncle had challenged dad to loose weight and dad had agreed to it. That's how they ended up betting on whether dad would be able to do that or not.

After our bantering, we continued our run. We ran for half an hour more and decided to take a break.

We both slumped down on a public bench and I took out energy drinks from my slingbag. We started talking about endurance and stuff with dad boasting most of the time. We laughed at our lame jokes and I told him that he should stop making up stuff to sound funny. He didn't agree.

"Good morning, uncle."

We heard Nikhil and turned toward him. He jogged towards us and shook dad's hand. He gave him a bright smile and I waited for my turn. He glanced in my direction and I smiled. He just gave a short nod and turned his attention back to dad.

"Why don't you come in for breakfast?" he asked us-no, he asked dad precisely. He wasn't even looking in my direction.

Dad nodded and followed Nikhil in his house. We didn't realise that we were sitting outside his house all this time as we were so lost in our conversation. I also followed them and got in.

Uncle was already sitting and reading a newspaper in the living room. When he sensed us, he looked up and got up from his seat to greet dad and me. He didn't mind if we were sweating or not.

I decided to leave the old men alone and went in the kitchen. Aunty was making tea and sandwiches. She hadn't noticed me yet.

I sneaked behind her and scrouched down. Just when she turned around, I jumped up and she yelled in surprise. I laughed at her reaction and she hit my arm playfully. Nikhil came in after he heard her cry and looked at us in confusion. I couldn't stop my laughter. I should have recorded it.

"That was hell of a reaction, Aunty," I laughed and sat on the kitchen counter.

She pinched my cheeks and I took a sandwich from the plate and began munching down. Nikhil stood at one spot while observing me. I looked at him and quirked one of my eyebrows in question.

"Nothing," he said and scurried off.

Hm? That was weird. Why did I feel like he didn't like me here? Like he was disturbed by my presence in his house. Was it like that? Also, before coming inside, I felt like he was avoiding me on purpose. Why?

"What are you thinking about so hard, beta?" Aunty asked and I shook my head.

I gave her a small smile and told her that I would be in Nikhil's room. She didn't mind and I jumped off the counter and ran upstairs. I knocked on Nikhil's door and waited for him to reply while eating an apple I grabbed from the fridge.

After getting no reply, I knocked again. Loudly this time. I heard some shuffling before Nikhil opened the door a bit. I pushed the door open and trudged inside his room. He greatly expressed his displeasure.

I threw the the remaining apple in his dustbin and glanced around his room. It wasn't like how it was described in books as a typical boy's room. It was neat and clean. Maybe more than my own room.

Huge posters of famous basketball players were pasted across the room while trophies adorned the shelf above his study table. A basketball ring hung on the right side of his bed as few basketballs lay on the floor.

I admired his room for sometime and plopped down on his bed. I gave him a huge smile but he didn't return the gesture. He narrowed his eyes at me and I curled my lips more.

"Wanna go to the cafe near your house today? It has been so long since we went there," I asked.

"No," he replied and I gave him my puppy face.

He shook his head and was about to say something when his phone buzzed. I read the caller name. Ved.

The phone rang for two times and then went off. Nikhil rubbed his palm over his face and I got up from his bed. I grabbed his arm and pulled him to sit on his study chair.

I gave him some water before I asked him what was troubling him. He was not acting like his usual self at all. I missed his cheerful and carefree personality.

Nowadays, all he did was frown and scowl. Moreover, he wouldn't even tell me, his friend, what was the matter.

He gulped down the water and looked at me. I looked at his study table and saw some empty brown packets stuck under his books. I let out a huge sigh and noticed that Nikhil had noticed me looking too. But he didn't try to hide them. I pursed my lips and looked at him straight in the eyes.

We stared at each other like that for some time before he broke the staring contest and looked down at his hands. I knew he knew that I was here to ask him about it and he was not willing to let me in. But I had to try.

Maybe Nikhil was one of those kids, who shut themselves off when they were facing a huge problem in life instead of letting their friends and family help. I knew exactly someone like that.

I sat down on the floor in front of him and took his hands in mine. He was taken aback by the gesture and tried to snatch his hands away but I held them in strong grip.

"Wanna share your thoughts?" I asked.

He looked away and his breathing became heavy. I patted his hands and told him to relax. I wouldn't force him to talk if he didn't want to.

"I will leave if you don't want me here. But remember Nikhil, I am your friend and I will always be there to help you. You don't have to get into dangerous things like those," I motioned towards the empty drug packets on his desk, "and regret it later."

He moved his head in a snap and I saw the calculating look in his eyes. Was he doubting me?

We didn't speak anything for what seemed like hours and my inner voice was itching me to ask him straightaway. I kicked it away because I knew the consequences very well. I had experienced that I wasn't that good with talking and counseling stuff. Even if I said something positive, it always turned out the opposite.

In college also, whenever I tried to talk to him about it, he got angry and left me hanging without any answers.

In my mind, I was thinking of all the methods to help him get back on track before he plunged himself more into the dark world. Come on Sandhya, think. There must be something you could do. Okay. Let's start by asking a simple question.

"How are you?"

He looked at me like I had proposed to him and he wasn't happy with it at all. Wow. I was hurt.

He blinked and was about to reply but his phone buzzed. Again. Great timing Ved. Nikhil snatched his hands away from mine and picked up the call.

"Yeah, bro?" Nikhil answered.

He waited for Ved to reply and his expressions changed in a second. He glanced at me and I could see his face harden. He furrowed his eyebrows and turned away from me.

I could hear Ved's voice but couldn't decipher what he was saying. Nikhil scratched his head while talking and kept nodding like a kid. I snuck behind Nikhil to hear properly but he turned around in a flash making me almost stumble down.

"Understood, bro. Don't worry," he said and cut off the call.

"What was that about?" I asked.

"None of your business," he said through gritted teeth and stormed out of his room.

What was that?!

I followed after him and was about to hit him on the head when I realised I was back downstairs. Aunty had already sat the plates on the dining table while dad and uncle were still in deep conversation. Nikhil took his seat and began serving himself.

"Sit down, Sandhu," aunty said and ran a hand on my head lovingly as I thanked her.

I noticed Nikhil stiffen in his seat. He didn't say anything but I knew what was going through his mind. Aunty served me the breakfast and asked about my studies. She tried to get Nikhil in the conversation but he only answered in monosyllables. She tried to mask her sadness but was failing in it badly.

I began talking about random stuff to lighten the mood and thank me, it worked. By the end of the breakfast, aunty was laughing and almost forgot about her angry son who was observing us coldly. Me in particular.

Did Ved tell him something that made him go mad at me? What could it be?

And even if he did, why won't Nikhil ask me directly? Didn't he trust me? Why won't he just say it? If he wanted to curse, he could. I wouldn't mind if he just spoke up and let us know what was on his mind even if it wasn't all cherry and sweets.

Aunty told me about her elder son, Lakshya and how much she wanted him to come home for holidays. Nikhil also lightened up at the mention of his brother and I smiled at aunty who talked about the elder one with a proud smile. I also wanted an elder brother so that I could boast about him.

After ten minutes, dad and I left their house. As we walked down their pavement, dad kept talking about how he was now planning to accompany me everyday in the morning for the run and maybe join the gym too. I chuckled at his enthusiasm. I grabbed his right arm and leaned my head on his shoulder. I always did that whenever I was feeling down.

Maybe some of his good mood would seep into me. Dad patted my head and continued his rambling. I looked behind me and saw Nikhil standing in his door. I waved at him and he shut the door close.

I let out a frustrated sigh but let it go. Maybe he would talk eventually. I would just have to wait for the right time. Till then, I would help him in any way I could.

I wished I was of some actual help to him. And maybe I could help Karthik too? He was a good kid as I had heard it. Then why the hell, two of the bright students were doing drugs and wasting their lives away?

Ved said he would handle the situation but I also wanted to do something on my part. Nikhil was my friend too. Aunty also trusted me. No matter if I seemed a nuisance or anything, I won't stop.

I knew Nikhil would open up to me one day. It was just Ved who was influencing his thinking. He must have twisted his thoughts about me in a bad way. He had a lot of personal experience, you see.

I wondered whether Uncle and aunty knew about it or not. If they did, I just hoped they wouldn't go all berserk on him and make matters worse. Nikhil's older brother, Lakshya should have been here. By everything I have heard about him, he seemed like a sensible and wise person.

Come home soon, Lakshya bhaiyya. Your family needs you. But don't worry, till then I will take care of them as much as I could. Afterall, I could do that much for someone who was protecting our motherland.

But the bigger question was, how do you help someone who doesn't want you to help him?