After Midnight

Chapter 17

Although it had been quite a while since I came at Aaila’s house, it was exactly like I had seen it last time. She guided me upstairs in her room, and we met her Mom in the lounge.

“Oh, congratulations for the baby!” she gushed, wrapping her motherly arms all around me. “I was so happy when Aaila told me. Just a bit sad when I will see a baby in her arms.” She shot a pointed look at Aaila who rolled her eyes.

“Thank you, you’re very sweet.”

“And for the record, Mother, there aren’t many guys like Haaris that I know of. If you expect me to get married to your best friend’s spoiled rich kid, that is so not happening and you should let go of that thought,” Aaila muttered, but it sounded oddly polite as well. Can those two words even go together?

I broke the tension between them by a cough. “You’ll find someone better, perhaps. Hey, um, can I use the restroom?” I gave a pleading look in Aaila’s direction who nodded and led me inside her small but spacious room.

“You painted it blue!” I squealed. I examined the dark blue paint that hugged the walls, hiding the sad gray that lay behind it. “Oh, it looks so beautiful. Thank God you finally saw sense and realized that gray colour was way too boring and dull and reminded me of sever anxiety and depression.”

She flopped on the bed, her eyes wandering around as well. As if she hadn’t really payed much attention to the walls. “You like it? I think it makes it too bright.”

My tummy rumbled with hunger but I ignored it for the moment. Surely I could wait at least five minutes before asking for food. “Stop. It does not.”

“Whatever you say.”

I was about to take off my coat when Aaila’s Mom knocked on the door and peeked her head inside the room.

“Yes, Mom?”

“Haaris called on the landline. He said both of you weren’t picking up their phones and if everything was alright. Does he know not that you are here?” she asked me with worry lacing her tone.

Oh God! Did she tell him I was here? I hoped she hadn’t. . .but how would have she known it was supposed to be kept a secret? Neither me nor Aaila had told her to not tell him, and it should have been me the responsible one. Crap crap crap.

“Mom! Did you tell him she is here?” cried Aaila. I wanted to tell her that it was okay, but before I could protest, the home bell dinged and all the oxygen left my lungs.

“I don’t want to see him,” I blurted out. “Please.”

My best friend nodded and guided her very confused mother outside and shut the door as they both left me alone. This thing called my heart thudded against my chest as a wave of grief passed over me. What was I grieving for? That Harry was here when he shouldn’t have been? I wanted him to know how it would feel if I just vanished away without telling him any of my whereabouts, but guess the universe wasn’t really with me.

I heard muffled voices. Footsteps. Loud footsteps climbing the staircase. Quickly, I locked the door and waited.

Then I heard him through the door.

“Oh my Gosh, you crazy girl.” I gasped at how weak and tired he sounded. The fact that there was just a weak wooden wall separating us did little to calm me down, maybe because I had made up my mind that I wasn’t going to see him at least for some time.

A lean but strong boy like Harry could definitely break the door down. He’d do it quite easily, I was sure.

“I’m sorry.” Thud. He probably put his forehead against the wood. “I know these two words don’t do justice to what I have done. But I can’t do anything else. I am sorry, utterly, disbelievingly sorry that I blamed you for. . .such a foolish thing. I wasn’t seeing sense. God. I went crazy when I couldn’t find you.”

I stand motionless. Frozen on the spot. What should I even say?

“You don’t have to say anything. I know you won’t be talking to me for some time.” He laughed, but it was humorless. “A very long time.”

My eyes welled up, not because I was getting all emo and stuff. I wanted to see his beautiful face and tell him I was sorry too, even though none of my body change is actually my fault.

I felt pathetic leaving him all sad and hurt. So, I flattened my palm on the cold wood and whispered, “I’m okay. I just need some time alone.”

I practically felt his silent gasp, and not just heard it. Relief poured through me like water on dry ground, and in what felt like forever, I could finally breathe properly as invisible weight lifted off my heart.

“Okay. . .yeah of course you can spend some time with your best friend. I miss you already, and Aabi? I love you. Forever.”

And then he left.

I was tucked in a warm fuzzy blanket with a mug of hot chocolate in my hands, keeping me warm. Though my feet were still freezing despite two layers of socks on them.

“You look better now.” Aaila smiled. “Happier for some reason. Though I am pretty sure there are still unsolved matters between the two of you.”

I sighed, looking heavenwards. “I feel. . .like a huge burden has been lifted from my shoulders. I feel free. . .alive.”

She pulled the blanker over her legs and turned off the tv. “I might know why. You wanted him to admit it was all his fault, which it definitely was. I didn’t know Haaris could be such a jerk and meanie saying all that he did, but then again, after all he is just another guy, only a little different from the others.”

After I told her everything, Aaila was devastated. She had wide eyes and a mouth that was hanging open for what felt like eternity. She was so shocked that she almost dropped the hot chocolate all over the sofa.

“He’s different. He doesn’t drink, or party, or doesn’t cheat on me,” I said in my husband’s defence, although I knew Aaila hadn’t meant anything like that.

“I know,” she replied quickly. “But, seriously? Did he really have to blame you for such a thing?”

She was mad. Fair enough. “Lets drop this subject.” I nudged her leg with my foot. Her eyes shot to mine. A mischievous smile lit my face. “So, who is he?”

“He?”

“Come on! Stop trying to be innocent. The guy you talked about—“

“Oh, for heavens sake. He is literally a douche bag. A big one. Never will I ever marry him.” Annoyance flashed through her big pretty eyes.

“Well, your Mom looked pretty positive about him,” I shrugged. “Is he pretty?”

“A charmer.”

I laughed. “Well, looks like I gotta meet this boy. Soon.”

“Whatever,” she said, and rolled her eyes with a secret smile playing on her lips.