An Embrace

"Heyyyyyyy"

she typed in.

That notification from Instagram must have been the happiest moment of my life.

I opened up her chat and typed back.

"Hey. You still up?"

"Yeah I can't sleep" she replied.

"Anything bothering you?"

"No, I don't think so. Just wanted to talk to you."

she said.

"I'm all ears, Aisha."

"Thank you, Ravi," she replied.

"What for?"

"For caring"

These lines were the sweetest things I had ever heard.

My soul was striving for, begging for Aisha. I couldn't seem to get her out of my mind.

"Does she like me too?"

That question went over and over in my head.

"I always will." I typed back.

"Ravi"

she replied.

"Yeah?"

"Are you home alone?"

she replied.

I was confused, it was the first time a girl had asked me that. I couldn't seem to digest what she had just said.

I needed, needed someone to guide me now. I didn't know how to respond to her question. And the only person that came to my mind was Sayed. He is a night person, he should be awake.

So I called up Sayed.

After a couple of rings, he picked up,

"Hey I need your help with something Sayed"

"Bol," he said.

"So I texted that girl, Aisha and we have been texting each other for a while now."

"So? What should I do?"

he said.

"Sunn toh"

"She asked me if I was home alone. How should I respond to that?"

"Are you home alone?" he said.

"Well I-I....I am"

"So isn't the answer obvious?" he said pitifully.

"But doesn't it seem strange?"

"It doesn't. This isn't your average horror story Ravi."

he said.

"Uhh, that's not what I meant. Like we just started talking. It's strange."

"Hey I got an idea," he said excitingly.

"Yea tell me." I tried matching his excitement.

He yelled at me

"Ma chuda"

and hung up.

Seems like Sayed isn't in the mood to talk. He's pretty unpredictable.

"Yea I'm alone most of the time." I texted her back.

"Really. Don't your parents live with you?" she typed back.

"No, I live alone. My parents are back in Delhi."

"Okay, Ravi,"

she said.

"You live with your parents ?"

"I live with my dad but he's not home that much. He's always on trips and stuffs with his girlfriend. Basically, I live alone."

"Oh alright"

"Alright!!!?"

she typed back.

"Uhm what? I'm sorry if I said anything wrong."

She left me on seen for a couple of minutes.

I typed in again.

"Are you gonna murder me?"

"Yes. Come over to my place tomorrow and don't contact the police."

she finally responded.

"Your the first murderer I've ever seen who calls over her victim, with them knowing that you're gonna murder them."

"I might be the last murderer you ever see,"

she said.

"Glad to die by your hands"

"I'll be waiting for you"

she said.

"And where do you live?"

"Under your bed"

she typed back.

"Please spare me O' great angel."

"Angels don't live under the bed, Ravi. They live inside your heart."

she typed back.

I had a trick up my sleeve to reel her in closer. But was that the moment to use it? I gathered all my courage and typed back. My hands shook as I typed the last words of the sentence.

"Should I send it?"

I asked myself over and over again.

I took a deep breath and with the mighty strength of my heart, I sent it.

"So will you reside in my heart?"

She took a while to respond and that was what I feared.

Will she block me?

Did I confess too soon?

Then after an hour of waiting a notification popped up.

" I want to meet you, Ravi. I know it sounds strange but I want to meet you.

Will you come over tomorrow? My place at 6 p.m."

"Is she really gonna murder me?"

I said to myself.

I texted back

"Is it really you? Aisha??"

"SPR Imperial Estate. Don't be late. Bye!

she replied.

A girl invited me over to her place.

I re-read the texts over and over again. I couldn't control my excitement.

I didn't know how to reply to her message.

SPR Imperial Estate? She lived just ten minutes away from my place.

I needed a bit of guidance over this. I had to tell someone.

I scrolled through my contacts, looking for her name. It had been a while since we've talked. It might seem selfish of me, as I only called out to her in time of need. She was the only one who could assist me then.

'Calling Siddhi'

Flashed upon my screen.

I waited nervously for her to pick up.

"Please pick up. Please"

I said over and over to myself.

After a long wait, she picked up.

"Ravi what the fuck it's midnight. Are you okay? You sane right?"

she said in a low hoarse voice.

"Are you doing okay Siddhi?"

"Why do you care. I-no why did you call me up in the middle of the night"

she said.

"I-I-umm I need your help"

"what do you want me to do at this hour?" she asked.

"I'm really sorry for bothering you but would you tell me how I should respond to someone without sounding like a-a nothing- an idiot..."

"Uh-" she sighed.

"Ladki ka chakar?"

she said.

"I-I no, I mean-"

I was interrupted by her.

"Just follow your heart, Ravi. You overthink about a-a-lot of things. Don't overthink it, just do it."

Siddhi is such an angel, always cheering me up, assisting me.

She's been by my side since kindergarten.

Our parents were college friends, so it was destined for us to be friends. She confessed her love for me in ninth grade. We dated for two complete years, but decided to part and just be friends. It wasn't her fault, as I am the one who wanted that relationship to end.

Siddhi, a black-haired, cute heightened girl.The girl of every Indian guy's dream.

Times were hard after the separation. We fought over each and everything. Our friendship wasn't like before.

"Thank you, Siddhi..."

"You should often call me Ravi. It feels nice talking to you."

She said.

"Am a selfish guy innit?"

"Yup you are but you are still my bff"

she said.

"So who's the girl"

she asked.

"There's this girl I'm attracted to, Aisha. She called me over to her place tomorrow ."

"Oh um alright, how long have you known each other? Does she like you?"

she said in a low voice.

"We met a couple of hours ago at a party"

"Huh? Is she like a one night st-"

I interrupted her

"Not at all Siddhi. I know it sounds strange but I am just very attracted to her."

"Okay! You already told me before, that you like her."

she yelled.

"Yeah...so how should I reply to her message?"

"Listen, Ravi, I suggest you don't go. You just met her and she called you over tomorrow. I think it's strange." she said.

"You're scaring me now. Although she did tell me she would murder me tomorrow."

"Oh, nice. Finally, you'll leave me alone"

she said.

"That hurt, Siddhi"

"Sorry.."

she said in low voice.

"So what should I do? I mean how should I approve of it?"

"It's simple Ravi. Don't go!"

And she hung up

That was unexpected.

I am always left out when I require help.

"I'll be there Aisha."

I said to myself as I closed my eyes.

I woke up late the next day.

It was already 3 p.m.I had over a million notifications on my phone screen. It was from Siddhi.

I opened up her chat. All of the messages she sent were apologetic messages. But why was she apologising? I gave her a call. She picked up early this time.

"Are you okay?"

"Ravi sorry for last night. I wasn't feeling good. I yelled at you. I'm sorry"

She said.

"Siddhi it's fine, no need to apologise for that."

"Ravi I-I...it's your life, go meet her"

She said.

"Uh, I was going to go anyway."

"You meanie" she chuckled.

"Sorry "

"Hey, you wanna meet up sometime? Some other day?Just like before.."

she said.

"Sure we'll plan something"

"You can come over now if you want." she said.

"But I-"

she interrupted me.

"Huh, n-nevermind you should go meet that girl today. We'll plan something later."

"Yea..alright Siddhi"

"Alright talk to you later, Ravi"

And she hung up.

Some people would call me a traitor in love but it's just that I never had love-filled emotions for Siddhi. I had always considered her as my bff since childhood. I only dated her because I didn't wanna break her heart but I only broke her more when I started thinking about myself. I realised after a year of dating her that I am only lying to myself and her. I should have told her that I didn't ever want to be in a relationship with her. All of it was for her happiness. I couldn't keep living with that lie.

I sat down on the kitchen counter with my bitter cup of coffee. Slurping away I thought only of Aisha. She has been on my mind since last night. Though we've known each other just for a day, I couldn't get her off my mind.

It felt like she had put a spell on me.

After finishing my cup of coffee and taking a cold shower I left for Aisha's place. It was almost 6 by then.

When I reached SPR Imperial Estate, Aisha was waiting at the entry gate. She was wearing a large size black t-shirt and denim jeans. She had a messy bun and was wearing a nose ring. I wanted to hug her for giving me

an eyegasm.

"A minute left for six. You're one punctual guy Ravi. I like it."

she said.

"Yeah, so what is it you called me here for?"

"Straight to the point?"

she said.

"Yeah"

"Aisha you're looking cute. I like how you did your hair."

"Such flattery! It makes me wanna hug you."

she said.

"Then, hug me. What are you waiting for?"

"Could we hug at my place?"

she said.

"Why not here?"

"I don't like it when people stare"

she said.

"Let them stare, it's their job to do so. Since we live in India it's bound to happen "

"I like the way you think"

she said.

"No, you just like me"

"You're making me blush Ravi."

"I know."

There was a moment of silence, we just looked at each other.