DANGEROUS ROMANCE

Refusing The f*******n Fruit

James felt his stomach rumbling against his abdomen. He then remembered that he has not eaten in the morning. Being very scared of the street, he did not want to go out to buy something. Indeed, kodili was the last person he would like to speak to. However, what can he do now? It is bad and unhealthy to go hungry. kodili became the only option for he was sure that she won’t hesitate in serving his breakfast. He had to give up his anger and walked downstairs again. His eyes met with surprise when he got into the living room. He could see from afar, that food has been served in the dining. He walked into the dining and without saying a word to kodili who was busy, munching bread and sipping from her teacup, he sat down and began to eat his bread after which he had some tea.

‘ I thought you wouldn’t like some chai’, kodili said but James acted like a deaf guy.

‘Are you surprised that I know what tea is called in Hindi? Hm, you’d better not be surprised coz I’ve been following your conversations with my dad’, kodili said and giggled. James could not utter a word. All he wanted was her tea, bread, and nothing more. He found it demeaning to hold such a chat with the kid before him.

He gulped down the last tea in the jug and walked out of the house. He stood in front of the balcony, closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, the scent of the flowers which came from the garden.

Then he felt the presence of someone even though his two eyes were closed coz the breeze he felt from that direction was gone. Someone is true amidst, he thought and opened his eyes and looked in that direction. He was not wrong after all. It was kodili. She stood before him with a glass of juice.

‘here, have some juice’, she said like someone who was trying to find her voice.

‘I don’t feel like having a glass of juice, thanks’,

‘You refused to have juice yesterday, and you are doing something today. You and I know that juice is made of fruit and fruit is vitamin’, she said. For the very first time, James felt she was right. He took the glass of juice and sipped slowly from it. When the volume of the liquid went half, he gave back the glass to her.

‘thanks’, he blurted out sharply, probably to fulfil all righteousness.

‘Welcome’, kodili answered. She dropped the glass of juice on its tray, which she kept on a nearby table behind her. Then she drew nearer to him and held his wrist. She has tried this moments ago and it reminded James of the second temptation of Christ, of how the devil said to the lord as he set him on the highest point of the temple, ‘if you are God’s Son, throw yourself down. How could people live just to be a walking temptation to their fellow human beings? James wondered. All kodili ever made him do was to wonder. He was getting tired of it but she did not realize it.

‘Don’t tell me you don’t have needs’, kodili said and did the worst by hugging him tightly.

What needs is she talking about? James wondered.

‘I know that everyone needs someone, she said and released him from her arms. She walked straight to stand in front of his face to face and then offered her lips to him but James resisted and threw his face away to her disappointment.

‘You are right. I am a man and I have my needs. However, do you know what I will do to myself if I came to realize that I have just made love to a girl I don’t love? My dear, I will kill myself. I do not love you and you do not suppose to be talking of love at this age. Please bear that in mind. Excuse me, James stated and left her presence.