Shimmers & Shrouds (Abstruse) (6 page)

Of course
she was different, but she was a human after all. Not a giant magnet to have me running towards her. Half of the world's population is female, and all the rich beautiful girls were practically dying to date me, then why on earth was I stalking this brunette foreigner? What was so inviting about her?
What if she was right about her being different from other girls I met?
The only rational way I could think of was to stay away from her, like every other guy would do. She was not my type. In fact I was not her type. Even if I supposed that she was interested in me, like any other girl would be, should be. It mustn’t really create a great difference to me anyway. It was because, apart from great difference in our interests, she was almost eleven years younger to me. Too young to understand the torments and typhoons of emotions my heart went through. So, do I have an answer now? Should I ignore her as hard as I can and never mention anything about her to gran? Should I stop noticing the qualities which outweighed her from the other girls, and to be direct, forget about her as if she had never existed?
O fcourse. I can do nothing better can I?
But then why did I dream of her last night if we were meant to stay away? What could the dream possibly mean? It couldn’t be anything about the past; I have known her for just two days.

I had d
reamt of us together. Her delicate body, the skin, softer than the cream, covered with a bed sheet exposing her legs and arms. She slept soundly, holding my hand, just like a little kid. I could still hear her even breathing next to my ear, easing away my tiredness. Her black curls were softly kissing her lips when they were swayed occasionally by the breeze. I couldn’t understand why I dreamt this way if we weren't meant to be together. I was sure it couldn’t be a figment of my imagination; I wasn’t day dreamin
g
― still
,
this was the most beautiful dream that had ever occurred to me. I was already in too deep, I couldn’t back off by now. It was too late to turn back.
I growled at myself, infuriated for not yet deciding about the thing I wanted the most in this world.

I started the engine and turned the stereo on until it hurt my ears. The sun was high up in the sky by now. I pulled out through the traffic to make my way to my destination. At
last there was one thing I was clear about, for sure.
 

I was in the kitchen making food for her. It was an Indian cuisine and I had gotten some help from the butlers and the internet as well. I was roasting a thin round thing I found in the rack when I heard the door open. I eagerly waited for her to come in and see my surprise; there was too much spice in the air to resist the temptation to hover on the food. But she took more than necessary time to come. I decided to go and check what was taking her so long. As I came out of the kitchen I was terrified to see her holding the iron rod right above her head, ready to charge at me. It made me scream, and luckily, she stopped halfway, realizing that it was me.
"What the hell do you think you were doing?" I demanded, breathlessly, still terrified.
"How would I know it was you in the kitchen? You could have called me." She said, wide eyed.
"You should know, it is too easy. Who else knows that you keep your keys under the eaves? Stupid."
"I am sorry, what?"
I breathed in heavily, reminding myself that I was not here to have any sort of argument with her. She was right, after all it was her home and I shouldn't have just walked in with such authority.
"I am sorry." I couldn't manage to look at her, I was ashamed at myself.
"It's fine Orpheus! Call me the next time you want to come. I won't attack you." she promised. “Anyway I could smell there is something delicious waiting to be eaten." She smiled. Finally sniffing the aroma.
“You're hungry?" I smiled smugly.
"I am a monster right now." She moved me aside to check the messy kitchen.
"You're a mess! Look what you've done!" She looked at me and the platform in horror. Yes, these eyes were the most beautiful eyes I had ever seen.
"I'll clean it up ma'am. You should sit and have lunch." I grimaced.
"I served her the food. It was a three course meal. The main course had rice, mushroom curry and salad. Very decent. I was not in the mood to eat but she persuaded me to have it with her and I couldn’t say no.
She told me about her friends and she took some of the names so often, I thought I had memorized them by now.

She continued Having her meal and I
focused on my food. Why did it feel like I fell in love with her all over again whenever I saw her. This feeling was completely new to me. I had affairs with many beautiful and gorgeous girls but this had never happened with me.
And I was sure it would never happen with me.
After we had our food,I washed the dishes myself and forced her to go out of the kitchen. She reluctantly followed my instructions.

H
ere in this apartment, there was nothing that could make me believe that I was different from any of my army friends. I made food for my ― friend, washed dishes, all of them by myself, and then sat infront of the T.V to watch the sitcoms which were aired. It was just the way every normal, non-billionaire friend of mine would do when they got home. I had a bonus though, a beautiful girl with brain of the Einstein would look at me sometimes and her short timed stare would chill me up the bones.

She was busy doing the ho
mework I suppose. I continued watching T.V but something in her persuaded me to look at her from the corner of my eye. Such a supple skin, such a beautiful body she had. She was absolutely amazing in every way.
"Oceana?" I called her, muting the volume of T.V. She looked up unknowingly, a response which was reflex. Her thoughts had taken her somewhere else.
“Hmm?" Now this was something I would have to get used to. I’d always been answered differently. This 'hmm?' thing was absolutely new in the chart.
I smiled and looked away for a moment and then back at her, “Do you have a boyfriend?"
"No." she looked down at the work she was doing.
"Did you have one?" My curiosity could end our friendship relationship but it was just curiosity, I explained myself. I was just plain curious to know why this  ― magnificently beautiful girl avoided dating? There had to be some very valid reasons behind this.
She looked away with disapproval, closing her eyes slowly, perhaps calculating the chances of her avoiding my questions.
I couldn't help but chuckle.
“I’ve had many, back in my school years.” She sighed. "I almost fell in love with everyone who crossed my path." She frowned.
"Why don't you have one now?" It was difficult to suppress the pitch of excitement.
"I don't know!" She grumbled. "Maybe because I'm through with it. I don't want to be with anyone anymore. This is wired right?" She sighed again.
"At least you know what you want." I noted. My head was so full of her. I couldn't say anything further.
"That doesn't matter to me." She said frosty.
"Can I tell you a secret?" I snickered, the thought was excellent.
“Yea, you can!" She smiled.
"I have a frien
d
―
Mike" I imagined up the name. "And he thinks he is in love with a girl." I was tapping my feet all the time, honestly, I was nervous.
"So?" She didn't look up as if she had her entire concentration in her work.
"He wants to know whether the girl is interested in him.” I breathed in heavily, hoping if she didn't analyse it. She might get to know I was talking about her and me.
She looked up almost instantly after I ended up with the last sentence. Her eyes were wickedly amused. "He wants to catch her up in the bed?"
I was stunned. "Ye
s
―
N
o
―
I mea
n
―
Maybe. He thinks he's in love."
She rolled her eyes, "Every guy says that Orpheus, that's nothing new. I bet when he's done, he won't even look at her."
I got furious at this, she shouldn't have said this. I realized I was gritting my teeth. “You don't know a thing." I got up from the couch. I didn't want to talk with her now.
"I hav
e
―
been through it." I heard her voice behind me. It wasn't panicky. It was rather calm. I started walking away from her, out of the room, it was impossible to believe what she just said. Surprisingly, she was there in front of me before I could reach for the door, blocking the path with her hand. I stood with a blank face looking at her. After a few seconds of silence that followed, I chose to speak.
"It is rude." My voice was stern.
"Rude to speak of the trut
h
―
Orpheus
?" She took my name, it felt so special to hear my name from her.
"Rude to keep every guy in that category." I clarified.
"I'm sorry" she paused. "To say that you do belong to this category." she smiled apologetically.
"Yo
u
―
" I gasped. I was strong enough to move her from my path, but something stopped me. Was it her smile?
I decided to pretend she wasn't there. It was surprising to notice how often our conversations got awkward in the end.
"Honestly Orpheus! I can help yo
u
―
" She paused and my heart skipped a beat at the same time. "Your friend." she corrected. “If you are willing to tell me about your life, something that is not known to anyone but you. Trust me." She placed her hand on my shoulder. I felt worn out, and finally gave in, though I still wasn't able to understand why she needed to know about my personal life if it was my friend I actually talked about.
I nodded in a yes. She simply smiled and in the next five seconds, we were back to our places, only this time, there was seriousness all around.
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Yes." She smiled.
"I am talking about my friend. Do I need to tell you about my life?" I asked.
"Yes. A man is known by the company he keeps."

Intelligent girl. F
ew seconds slipped in silence. She asked me her first question.
"How many girls have you slept with, Orpheus?"

The very first question hit me at the back of my m
ind like a hot iron rod would.
"I'm not sure. I don't count." I confessed, shamefaced.
"Hmm. How many girlfriends did you have?"

This conversation was turning out to be even
more worse Than I had expected.

"
Why are you asking all of this?" I asked, irritated.
"Can't you answer me without arguing?" She was as calm as ever, well this was awkward just for me I guess. My personal life was being discussed here at the present after all.  So obvious.
I hid my anger and wished if I could get a single opportunity to save myself from this humiliation.
"Many! I don't know why I'm still going on with this!!" It was too much to bear. The torture was just the worst one I'd ever been through.
She nodded with her eyes closed, without an exception of a wide smile, like she understood all of it.
"Then why are you here?" She looked straight into me after that. Her stare was piercing me and then I realized something I should have the moment I met her. There was something more than love that I was experiencing right now, something deep inside was blossoming, making me lighter, I could feel the air passing right through me, like there was nothing inside. My entire body was calm, just a corner, that was ignited by a fire that didn't hurt me at all, slowly spreading all over me. I had never felt this way before, never felt so well in my life. Things weren't difficult to understand now.
"That is what I was trying to do!" She stood up, walking towards me. "You're smiling!" She sat near my feet, with legs folded.
"That ― right there ― looks best on you. I know it's hard, but try to be this ― always." She stroked the back of my hand and in that very moment, I understood, she was the only one my heart was longing for. It took her so long to come in my life, but now I couldn't imagine her getting away from me. I instantly knew the answer to her question; I was here, because I was meant to be here, forever, with her.

“And what about Mike?” I mocked.

“Well, he should stay put for time being and see if she’s really what he needs.”