Chapter - 03

Thea

I felt a poke on my arm, and with sigh I looked up again feeling annoyed at the man sitting beside me.

For the last two hours, he has been poking me after every 5 mins to ask stupid questions just to get a reaction out me and I have been patiently sat silent, paying him no heed but slowly his tactics are affecting me.

He literally asks the most stupid questions!

Like once he asked, “What do you think will happen if the plane crashes with the birds in the air? Will the birds be offended or will they fall for the plane’s personality?”

LIKE WTH! Who asks this!

Then again once he asked, “is your name google? Because you have everything I have been looking for”

“Are your family bakers? Because you are a cutie-pie”

“Are you Wi-Fi? Because I am feeling a connection.”

He kept throwing his cheesy pick-up lines on me, to stir up a reaction and I have been controlling myself somehow but now as he poked me again, I have had enough.

“What is your problem? Do I look like someone you can pass your time with? If yes, then you are wrong. Just let me sit in peace without hearing your cheap pick-up lines!”

He didn’t say anything for a good ten seconds and just stared at me with a serious gaze. Did I say too much?

“You don’t look like a time pass. You know what do you look like, Love?” he asked me in a serious tone. I guess I got him angry.

I just shrugged in response.

Then he came close to me, while looking in my eyes and said slowly, “You look like a time traveler because I can see my future with you.”

Oh, not again!!

His face broke a laugh as he pushed his head on his head rest and laughed at my all-annoyed face.

I just let out a frustrated scream. Unable to choke him to death. There are so many people around.

“Sorry Love, but seeing your annoyed face is literally making my ride quite comical and fun. You really get annoyed so easily.” he just laughed on me.

HE IS JUST SO IRRITATING AND COCKY!

OH, GOD SAVE ME!!

I decided to ignore him again and put my air-pods on putting on a loud music to avoid any irritating voice.

The rest of the journey was comparatively peaceful as that bad boy found some other girl to flirt with.

Finally, he graced me with his ignorance, for which I am very thankful to him.

. . .

After a long journey finally, we landed on New York Airport at 10 in the morning. The guy beside me was sleeping peacefully while he deprived me of any sleep because this one kept putting his hand and leg over me in his sleep for the last 3 hours.

Every time I push him away and in the next moment, he is again on me. Right now, also he puts his hand on my stomach and his leg over my legs while his head hangs between mine and his seat. His hair was bouncing in air, while he looks so angelic as he sleeps. How could someone like him look so innocent while his personality is nothing the sort.

I lost the track of time as I gazed at his face, observing his features and getting lost in it when suddenly he opened his eyes and caught me red handed, staring at him AGAIN.

“Good morning, love.” He said in a raspy voice making me shiver. I came to my senses and pushed him off of me.

“Did I disturb your staring session, Love?” he chuckled.

I just ignored him and start to stand up while taking my things and bag from the drawer. I move past him hurriedly, trying to make it out of the plane without hearing any of his talk that would make me more embarrassed than I am already.

I heard him calling, but I ignored and walked fast. But he catches up with his long legs. I think I forgot to tell you that the bad boy is 6’ 2 feet tall. He put his hand over my shoulder pulling me near him. I tried getting his hands away from me but HE JUST DOESN’T BUDGE.

“Where you walking away, Love?”

“To hell. Want to join?” I said with sarcastic smile.

“Should have told me earlier that you were going my house. I would have made some arrangements for you.” Here goes my sarcasm down the drain.

I get more annoyed with him, praying that he leaves me alone.

We reached the point where luggage is given and as I saw mine, I sped for it pushing him aside and running away from the devil incarnate.

I have never given a single person so many names but this one is just so full of different qualities that I can’t stop myself.

I took my bag and ran for the exit, as I heard him laughing from behind. After I reached away from his reach, I turned toward his direction to see him staring at me with a smirk. As our eyes met, he winked at me giving me a flying kiss from afar.

I just looked away from him and moved out of the airport. I looked for the cab I booked but I couldn’t see any. I waited for five minutes. After that I saw the car, I booked coming my way. I greeted the driver and confirmed with him the address before I sat in the car.

The distance from the airport to my house takes approximately 40 minutes, as my house is in Manhattan. I relaxed back in my seat while gazing at the buildings in front of me. I felt a bit of distaste and mundane feeling while looking outside. It’s the same feeling I have always felt like I am in some prison surrounded by big buildings and capturing me inside of this robotic world.

I see people hurrying for work, eyes deprived of sleep, stress visible in their eyes of the work that is just going to benefit their bosses and they are just slaves who will have to show their faces to office at the assigned time in told clothes to get a penny or two from the big business that doesn’t even justify their hard work. They call it advancement of human life and I just call it modernization of slavery.

Its all same. Mundane.

These people live their lives as a robot, spending their days in a air conditioned offices, missing the chance of sitting under sunlight and feel fresh air which is impossible in New York to feel. The air is polluted that it suffocates you rather than refreshing.

That’s the reason I ran from this life and travelled through places which defines the true nature and its beauty where there is no damage to the beauty of nature and everything is real and refreshing.

But here I am, after 4 years. But I am just here for Papa. As soon as he gets better and all fit, I’ll be my way to Brazil. I still have a story to finish.

Papa! Remembering what has happened to him is making me all overwhelmed and on the verge of crying all of a sudden.

How could they just hide it from me, they should have told me earlier. I close my eyes and remembered the last moment I spent with my father before I left.

Flashback

On a chilly night of winter, my father sat on the sofa with my head on his lap as he caressed my hair lovingly. I had his other hand in my hands keeping it under my head as I hide under the blanket in the chilly weather.

“So, you are leaving tomorrow morning? Have you packed everything?” he asked.

“Yes papa, I am leaving tomorrow at 9 am. I have packed my bag with all the things necessary for the journey and if I need anything else then I will get it on the way.” I am just so excited for tomorrow. Finally, I am going out to fulfill my dreams!

“You should be careful when you are out there alone, don’t let yourself be too distracted in the beauty of nature that you get lost or hurt. We won’t be there to protect you so, be safe kiddo.”

That’s right, he won’t be there with me from now onwards and I have to face everything alone. This sudden realization sent a wave of anxiety of how I could everything alone without him. All my life Papa has protected me from every problem and dangers. Be it Mumma’s anger, Flo’s taunts on my unseriousness or people’s comments on my weirdness.

He has always protected me.

But not anymore.

This hurts a lot than I thought it would.

“Papa, I didn’t realize before, that you won’t be there for me anymore and I will have to face everything alone. The people, the situations and all those difficulties that I would face in the journey. Will I be able to complete my dreams? What if I fail and get lost somewhere?” I told him the doubts that I was feeling at the moment.

“Kiddo, who said I am not going to be there for you anymore? I am always there for you whenever you need me. I’ll be just a phone call away. But yes, some things would be there where only you can get yourself out of. In real life, there would be problems and people wouldn’t be all kind and welcoming and things might get all messed up but remember Thea, no problem is impossible to solve. What did I tell you about problems?” he asked at end.

I remember what he always tells me and said proudly, “No problem is so big that you can’t solve. God gives us only difficulties to the level that we are able to overcome. He doesn’t burden a soul more than it can take.”

“Yeah, exactly. So never give up when things are really difficult or hard. Think that God has selected you as his strong human and given you these problems because he thinks you can do it, alone. So don’t fear it and face everything with a brave smile."

FLASHBACK END

. . .

The voice of the cab driver brought me back to reality, “Ma’am we have reached the location.”

I got out of the car and took my luggage out, giving the driver his fare and I moved to look at my house.

4 years and nothing has ever changed. I opened the small main gate letting me in to the garden where on the left side a coffee table and chairs are set. Different flowers grace the garden and the different marble walkthrough shines under my feet. I walk through it to reach the door to the house. The old oak tree door spreading the smell of home.

Its good to be back, after all!

---

Love,

ScarsOfWords