A Beach Memory

 "Again?" 

     I turned to the Voice, It was Austin's, He said it pointing to the Computer.

    "Yeah, but not serious issue, just rechecking" I said replied to Austin,

    "Rechecking? Great, sometimes they take a day to send technicians for urgent services, now they started rechecking resolved issues, you guys are improving I must say." Austin said, looking at Denver.

    "Special users, Special services" Denver replied, looking at us.

    Austin immediately looked at me, figuring out what did Denver mean.

    "He must be talking about ADC. He is Lucas's replacement, newly joined, Must be trying to impress ADC's supervisor." I replied, making sure Austin is fully convinced. 

    "Ohh" Austin replied. Denver got back in pretending to work.

    "Coffee, in my cabin?  Austin asked me, changing the topic.

    I looked at the computer, thinking of an excuse in my mind, my last visit in his cabin was not so good, I just don't want to go there again, at least for now.

    "Chill, it will take time I guess" Austin continued, seeing me looking at the computer.

    "No, it's almost done," Denver said, jumping in conversation.

    I immediately turned to Austin, "Yeah, but I am done with my today's work, you go, I am joining you in a few minutes" just to get him apart from Denver.

    "Fine, I am waiting inside," Austin replied and left.

    "Don't trouble me please" I whispered to Denver, taking my phone kept near the keyboard.

                                                                                     ***

    "May I come in?" I asked Austin standing at the door of his cabin.

    "Please" Austin stood up and came to me.

    "It smells nice" the fragrance of his cabin attracted me, "Which fragrance?"

    "Glad you liked it, velvet rose"

    "Nice" I replied. We sat on chairs, facing each other, with mugs in our hands, taking sips at intervals.

    "Don't you ever miss us?" 

    "Please Austin, you get into my nerves when you talk all these" I replied, suddenly raising my voice.

    "Sorry" He replied in a lowered voice.

    "I am sorry, I didn't mean it" I said in an apologetic tone, "Austin, I know you want us to be together, but I want to be with someone whom I love, I don't love you and you know it."

    "Do you love someone else?" He asked.

    "No, I mean not yet, may be soon or may be never, but I hope you know what I mean"

    "I will wait, I will wait for you to fall in love, with me or else, We will talk about love then" He replied, smiling sarcastically.

                                                                                    ***

     "Are you done?" I asked Linda. With my bag in hand, 

    "Give me a minute" She replied, with her eyes on the Computer Screen. I hate her acting like Employee of the month. 

    I was looking around waiting for Linda to pack up, I saw Austin's door was closed, lights on, He usually leaves early, but today he was still working. I regret what I said to him in the afternoon.

    I and Linda stepped out of the exit door, I pressed the Button of Elevator, Linda was stuck on her phone, texting someone. Door of the lift was half opened when I exclaimed "You"

    Denver was inside, me and Linda stepped in, 

    "I work above, if you remember," He replied.

    Linda gave us a strange look, standing between us. As she did not know me knowing Denver.

    "He is Lucas's friend" I told Linda, giving an explanation without her asking.

    "Yeah, I know" She replied, giving a weird expression. "So, how's experience in ADC?" she asked in Denver.

    "Great it was" He replied, looking at Linda.

    "You will get used to it." Linda replied to him.

    "No, I don't have to. It's my last day, I asked for my transfer to their other branch" He replied, looking both at us.

    "But why? I mean you are new here, give some time." Linda asked curiously.

    "I trouble people here," He said, ignoring me.

    "Isn't it a silly reason?" I asked, Jumping into conversation.

    "When people are new to you, never bother them again,  if you trouble them" He answered my question, but looking at Linda.

    We stepped out of premises, Denver turned to Parking, and me and Linda turned to exit, 

    "Linda, actually I had to ask him about my laptop, I told you it gets heated sometimes while using it." I immediately turned, Linda was waiting for me standing there only, and stopped Denver  "Hey"

    "Yes?" He replied, being formal to me, maybe to show of his anger.

    "Can I have your number, actually My laptop shows some issue, if you can help me with it" I asked formally, though Linda could hardly hear us, but her staring at me made me behave like this.

    "You can call Lucas, He can help you better, I am new in this job" he replied and turned to leave. 

I     saw Linda, again busy with her texting. I stopped Denver again and handed my phone to him firmly, and whispered     "Dial your number"

    I took my phone back and we left. 

    I thought to text him or call him every single minute after reaching home. But I don't want to look desperate at all. But I just wanted to make sure that he was teasing me about applying for a transfer. Even if he really has applied, it is not possible that he would get it immediately on the next day. I will convince him to stay by meeting him personally tomorrow. I controlled myself all night not to text him, but keep changing position all night and thinking of him.

                                                                                            ***

    I need to meet and convince Denver to not to apply for transfer. I don't have personal concern for his job, his attitude towards job and the way he dresses like a rapper in his job place will make him lose it anyway. But I don't want him to get transferred because of me. Also saying that he troubled me was rude of me

    I pulled a landline towards me, but I remember a guy on the other side saying "No personal calls", and then Denver embarrassed me for that. Bad idea. I pushed Landline back. I called him on his mobile number.

    "Hello" he sounds seductive on call.

    "Is this Mr. Denver White" I asked, trying to be formal.

    "Yes, whom am I Speaking to?" 

    "This is Helena Smith, Cubicle 388, my computer is not working, I want you to be here for service" I tried to act more professional.

    "No professional call on this number madam." He cut off the call.

    Damn, this was very rude of him, as per my current mood I am literally thinking of blocking him permanently. But I know I will regret it later. I called him again.

    "Hello" He picked up the call.    

    "What was that?"

    "I don't take calls for work on this number."

    "You could have said it in a better way. I want you to be here right now."

    "I am in another branch. I am not working in ADC anymore."

    "But why, I know calling you a trouble is not the reason, tell me what happened"

    "I don't owe you answer, you can call and they will send someone else to help you"

    "That's really nice of you, but I will manage" I cut off the call. This was the biggest insult I have ever felt. I know I made a mistake but it wasn't that big for him to behave like this. 

                                                                                        ***

    It's been 8.pm, I am sitting on sand, at Vigora Beach, pouring red wine in my mouth. This is my favorite place in the city. Today was hard day for me, I hardly slept last night, hence I was feeling whole day sleepy, and then that stupid call with Denver. I badly needed my time. This is the only place which can calm my brain, also I will have some beachside street food while returning. Not a perfect day, but maybe a perfect evening. 

    I feel my phone vibrating in the bag, it was Denver's Call. I controlled and did not receive his call. He called again, I cut the call off. I saw his text on screen, 

    "I am at entry, come down" 

    I immediately called him back, "hello"

    "Do not ignore my call ever again. I warn you" He said, raising his voice.

    "My phone, my wish" I replied sarcastically.

    "Come down right now, otherwise I will come there"

    "I am not at home, but you can go, and there are some dishes in the sink, please do it before you leave." I laughed. I was somewhere happy inside that he regretted what he said in the afternoon, maybe that's what brought him to my place.

    "Ha Ha Funny" he said sarcastically, and continued "Where are you, tell me I am coming to pick you."

    "I am in my Me Time. Please, I am not coming anywhere" I said in a requesting tone, convincing him.

    "Are you with Austin?" He asked, in a doubtful tone.

    "I don't owe you an answer" I replied, reminding him of his own words.

    "I am sorry, Please" 

    This was the third incident in which he apologized to me, His sorry and please melted me again. "Vigora Beach"

    He already had taken my time at the garden, now he is coming here too, he is coming in my life's every place and time, where I used to be alone and never let anyone be part of it, even Linda.

    "Austin left?" Denver asked me in a teasing tone.

    I turned to him, to welcome. He was wearing a brown skin fit t shirt, and blue denim. He looks handsome in skin fit clothes. I wonder why he wears those rapper type , oversized clothes in the office. Though these clothes are not formal, it suits him better than rapper one.

    "Yeah he don't shares beach with technicians" I replied in sarcastic tone and continued "So, how was first day at new company"

    "Much better than ADC" he winked at me. 

    "Yeah, ADC sucks, who knows better than me?" I said, looking away from him.

    "Really, But why, I mean my boss is your friend, your boss is your boyfriend, you must be employee of the month every time."

    "I lied, your boss is not my friend, I have seen him only once, also, Austin is my ex and ADC was always the same, even when we used to date." I replied in vanilla tone, without looking at him.

    "Great Miss Self Made girl" he tapped my back and smiled, I smiled back.

    "Wine?" 

    "I need to drive," He replied. "What brought you here?"

    "This is my favorite place in this city, it reminds me of my childhood"

    "Great, even though I used to come here with my dad in my childhood."

    "I used to live in Frido, not here, but whenever I used to meet my mom, we used to go beach there"

    "Whenever?" he asked shockingly,

    "Yeah, My parents were separated when I was 6, my dad always used to trouble my mom for my custody, my mom admitted me in School Hostel, I grown up there, she used to visit me once in month, then we used to go beach that day, but soon my mom moved in with her boyfriend, so she stopped visiting me as he never liked me. So it all ruined my childhood, the only good memory of childhood is me running on the beach, collecting shells" I said in a numb voice.

    "Then after school, you never lived with your parents?" 

    "After school, I come to know my mom got married to his boyfriend, they have 2 children, they don't like me anyway, and  they were shifted in Russia, so I never moved in with them, I used to live with Emily Aunt, my mom's best friend, who used to come for my school formalities as guardian, but when her son intended to moved with her again, after his graduation, I shifted here, I did not want to face same hatred as my step sibling's."

    "So you live here alone?"

    "Yeah, but I am shifting to Frido back, not with my aunt but somewhere near her, so I will have family  and old graduation friends there. I have no one here."

    "Why are you leaving, you have Linda as family, me as friend"

    "Linda will be moving to abroad soon, for her masters"

    "And me? You don't count me as friend"

    I smiled but did not reply. I stood up to leave, he followed me, screaming,"You need to answer meee"

    "A friend, who gets transferred himself away from me" I replied, stepping forward

    "I was teasing you, I have not applied for any transfer, I was on leave today" he caught me, we started stepping together.

    "Good for you" I smiled