CHAPTER THE SET OF FRENCH DOORS

Nora aunty being my mother's only sister and Naveen being her only son we had arrived week's before the marriage to help arrange it. From day one till the minute we got in train my mother was running around checking on one thing or another like she was the captain of a ship setting sail with a bunch of monkeys as her crew rather than the groom's aunt. After the deafening traffic and rocky train ride home she had a bad hangover complete with the headache, body pain, nausea and everything. Hence why she was yelling.

"Neha's place" I tell both my parents as dad had also joined us hearing all the ruckus

"Be careful and don't be late." Dad says nodding he's head in approval

"What's the rush. Can't you take a shower or unpack first? Even if you go at evening or tomorrow morning she's still going to be there." My mom said looking at me as if I was the most dumbest person she had ever seen.

I didn't say a word as I waved a hurried goodbye before racing my bike towards the woods. Neha lived hardly 5 minutes from my house but if you took the main road it took up to 15 minutes because of all the unwanted curves. So we always crossed the woods instead unless it was night time or we watched a serial killer movie.

"Atleast wash your face clea--!" I raced forth with the wind in hair and a stupid grin stuck to my face. I do my best to dodge all the low branches and spider webs in my way as I dash forward to the clearing now visible a few yards away.

23 Days Its being 23 days since I left. 23 days since I last saw Neha. 23 days since I left visited her house. 23 days since I last visited den. And 23 days since I saw...

I leave my bicycle in the clearing in between Neha's house and woods and dash straight into the house which was the faster route than rounding the house to get to the other side where the den was. I open the old french door entering the living room and rush to the other side. I see aunty doing something in the dining room and rush past her to open the next set of french doors to finally reach den.

"Aunty where's Neha?" I ask even though already knowing the answer

"Oh...! Jia dear? she's in that junkyard ofcource. When did you arrive..?" aunty asked standing up startled at the sudden movement in her house

"Just now.." I say pulling at the rusted bolts  

"How was your trip?" she says pouring something into a glass for me

"It was fine aunty…!" I dash out finally getting the door open

"Ya tell me more about it later…?" I don't bother to glance back or politely end the small talk we were having as I race to the den

I run for a few feet before coming to a halt in front of the DEN. I bend forward with hands on my knee trying to catch my breath before straightening up and tucking loose strands behind me ear. I rub my face with the back of my sleeves as I open the door to enter inside. It was pitch black inside considering I had come in from the sun. It took my eyes a couple of seconds to adjust to the dark surroundings before I'm finally able to see. As I blink a few times and look around I find Neha on the ground and a guy who had his back turned to me looming over her. I don't think twice before pouncing on top of him with a battle cry

"Sid..?" I ask looking at the confused boy who I had managed to pin to the floor

"Hy Jia." He smiles awkwardly at me. I scramble from top of him to go check on Neha who was still on floor wheezing like she was choking on something

"Oh god Neha are you alright?" I say lifting her head up to get her into a sitting position. Just as she is half off the ground she burst into a fit of laughter holding her stomach. I drop her right then and there realising she was having hard time breathing not because she was choking on something but rather because she was laughing her gut out rolling on the floor.

"Why is she like that? Did you guys smoke anything weird?" I ask Sid who was looking at Neha like he wanted to take a swing at her

"No! No…" He sighs rubbing his eyes

"You'll know when you see." He takes me out the door towards the backside of den where we had a make shift hang out space with old bed and tyres making seats. And I finally see the one person I wanted to see the whole way here. Krishna….

He was seating bend forward with both his arms raised on his leg and his head resting on the palm of his hands. He must have not heard us approaching because he stayed like that not raising his head or acknowledging us.

"Dude.. Jia is here." Sid says announcing our arrival.

Krishna didn't say or move for a while making me doubt if he had fallen asleep waiting for me. But just as I was about to call his name to check. He raises his head ever so slowly as if he was some keyed toy and looks at us. I hear a roar of laughter right in my left ear. Before I feel Neha's dead weight against my back supporting herself so that she doesn't fall again.

"That's the--- funniest--- thing I have---- ever seen!!" She proclaims breathlessly in-between laughter. Krishna once again hides his face which had turned a bright shade of red now

"Seriously…. What the hell is that supposed to be?" Neha asks again catching her breath as her laughter died out.

"It's a moustache genius! Can't you freaking see..!" Sid yells at Neha's ridiculous question

"That…? You call that a moustache?" She says pointing her hand in Krishna