Side story 4: Laika's Push

Vira, Laika and Roma sometimes took classes at school, sometimes in the assembly hall inside the  temple. The classes were after six and went on till nine at night.

Weekends did not suit the kids who spent their time helping their parents, so they had weekends to themselves.

When Laika heard from Saka that Saka had accepted the course, he rushed back to school to see Vira. This was an opportunity of a lifetime that Vira needed to grab with both his hands, Laika felt.

He drew Vira to a side and whispered, "Saka has accepted it!"

Vira stared at him blankly. "Accepted what?"

Laika gave a sigh. "He accepted the course!"

Vira felt glad. "Ah! Great! I knew he would like it!"

Laika stared at him. Okay. Vira wasn't really that genius people made him out to be.

He continued with hinting, "he will need to buy books."

"Oh, well he has a week. I think we can order it. When is the mail service to Mann?"

Laika gave an exasperated sigh. He couldn't believe a guy in love could afford to be this obtuse. He was very verbal about it.

"Vira! Can you get any more stupider?"

Vira blanked out. The fact his junior called him stupid did not register. Only the stupid part did. That was a good thing.

"Er.. why am I stupid?" He asked genuinely puzzled.

"You have a weekend you can spend with exclusively, with your boyfriend, and show off your good parts. It is a dating opportunity for heaven's sake! And here you are, talking about buying books online! How stupid are you?"

Vira still didn't get it. "I can't date without confessing right? We are still not in a relationship."

"Dude!" Clearly Laika was losing his patience.

"Let me spell it out for you. This is your chance to spend some lone time with Saka, bond with him, get him to see that side of you which will make him swoon! You confess when you want, but shouldn't you make sure he'll accept it? Or would you prefer he has no interest in an old man like you?"

Vira was processing the biting words thrown at him by Laika.

"Take him shopping, get him good food, sleep with him."

"Laika!" Vira blushed, shocked by the suggestion.

"I mean sleep next to him, tell him about your childhood or something." Laika continued.

"That way you mean." Vira relaxed.

"Don't forget to take him around the college campus. This is the first time, he is new to the city, he is going to be scared, even if he doesn't tell it out or show it. He'll appreciate your kind gesture."

Vira knew what he meant. He had felt sick to his stomach the first time he went to college. Being the smartest didn't make his life any easy. He felt lonely, and he wasn't really a loner. He didn't want Saka to feel that way.

He was confident Saka could make a lot of friends, Saka had that bright personality that Vira lacked, but wanted to be the one to show him around the college.

Vira knew the layout of all the Institutions. He did visit them occasionally, during parents meet and annual days, occasions where he could just walk in without people questioning him.

His grandma had always wanted to introduce him officially, but he was a name without a face, just like how he maintained in his authored books. He didn't feel comfortable with people flocking around him just because he was rich, or sucking upto him because of his status. He wanted people to be genuine.

When the words sank in, Vira suddenly exclaimed,  "Laika, that is a brilliant idea!"

Will Saka like his college? Will he want to pursue his higher education? Vira would use the opportunity to show why Saka should study in Vayu.

Laika sighed. Thank god for small mercies, Vira got it, or atleast the gist of it.

"Now go and see Saka. I think he was mooning over his decision. Must have lost confidence. Go and give him the extra nudge."

"Now?" Vira asked.

"Should we wait for stars to align? Now ofcourse. If you want to spend the weekend with him, then Vira, obviously, you need to make sure he prepares himself for it. What if he changes his mind tomorrow? Or what if he catches the first boat and goes all alone, thinking he has no one for him?"

It only struck him then, what he'd miss out, if Saka didn't depend on him. He wanted Saka to lean on him, he wanted to be the first person Saka turned to, in case of troubles. And Saka wouldn't do that, if Vira didn't build that sort of a trust based relationship.

***

Vira stood quietly, watching Saka drink in the pleasant autumn breeze. He wished he could draw what he saw. Being a pathetic artist, he couldn't draw to save himself.

When he walked over to congratulations Saka, he did not expect him to burst into tears. But when he heard the reason, Vira fought hard to not hug him back and squeeze him tight. Everything about Saka seemed cute to him.

The only thing he felt for gratitude to Laika for that guidance.

He said something without thinking, "Stay with me." The words slipped out of his mouth. He realised he wanted Saka by his side.

He had casually continued with staying at his place would be easier for Saka in the city, quickly hiding the slip.

Later in the night he e-mailed his grandmother about them coming over to stay.

He doubted if he could sleep, the excitement he felt was indescribable.