Fist Bump

Chapter 9

The elevator door opened and Jai and I walked to the tenth-floor corridor. The key was under the flower pot as usual. I opened the door of our apartment. I sighed. I really did not want to walk inside. Jai gave me a push and we walked inside. I took out my mobile and texted my mom.

'I got home.' – I messaged mom.

'Oh good. See you at dinner, dear.' She texted back. 'I am hoping I can get off at 9. See you then. There is food in the fridge. Or feel free to take the money in the kitchen drawer and order some pizza. Love you.'

"You have unlimited access to the empty house till 9 pm." I declared to Jai.

"Oh good. Because I had been obsessing over about getting a house all to myself for two years..." She joked. "Show me your room." She said.

"My room is Room no. 305. In the boys' hostel of St. Xavier's School, Dehradun. And FYI, we are miles away from that place."

"Ugh..." She grunted and went in to explore the house. I followed her.

"I mean it," I said. "I mean, that had been my room since I was 8."

Jai opened the door to my parents' room. "Is this your room?"

"Nope. My parents' room." She looked inside. "Hm... Looks way too neat." She said.

"Yeah. They are barely home." I told her. "They practically sleep in the hospital" I went to my room and held it open. "This is my room." Jai went inside. I dropped our bags to the floor. She was looking around the room. There was nothing much in the room for her to look. I keep most of my stuff in the hostel itself. There was a basketball on the desk and a few books and stuff. Then Jai's eyes landed on the bed.

"Oh, you can use the guest room," I told her. There is only one bed in the room. And I am NOT going to sleep with Jai in one bed again. Her being that close threatens the lock on something I have locked away in the deep dark corner of my heart.

"So...we have the house to ourselves till 9. What do you want to do?" I asked.

Jai shrugged. "It's your house." She said.

"Are you hungry? We could order a pizza...or go out and eat. Watch TV. Or play basketball."

"TV and pizza sound good," Jai said.

"Cool." 

We were lazing around on the couch, watching a football game on ESPN, eating from one packet of chips when the first door opened and my mom came in. I looked at the clock. It was 9:30 pm.

"Hey... Veer," Mom said. Mom looked tired. She always looks tired.

I got up and hugged her. Even when I hate my parents I kind of love them too. I mean, mom is my mom. She gave birth to me. "Look at you..." She said drawing back from me, "Did you get taller? You keep growing so much. And you've got a beard." Mom's eyes rolled. I think she still pictures me as a kid. I moved my hand through my stubbles.

"Hai, Jai..." Mom beamed at Jai. Jai got up from the couch.

"Thank you for having me here these holidays, aunty," Jai said.

"Oh come on. You are more than welcome here. You are like Veer's brother." Mom squeezed my shoulder. "Did you boys have any dinner?"

"We ate a pizza at 6," I told mom.

"I will fix you something." Mom said. 

"No. Aunty..." I said suddenly. She looked so tired. She probably had some surgery or something the whole day. She need not come home and make dinner as well. "We will get our own food. We can make it." I offered her.