Prejudice

9. Empathy

Diya was sitting on her bed, leaning on the wall with her eyes closed.
The incident that took place in the girls washroom, that afternoon, shook her to the core.
She had come to her dorm room, washed her face and had changed into her lounge wear.

She tried to ignore the ringing of her roommate's phone.

"Do you have a life Jay? People are trying to study." Monali asked playfully.

Diya felt her heartbeat rise and she tried to listen to Monali's conversation. But Monali suddenly went to whispering mode.

Diya felt a tap on her shoulder after a moment.
She opened her eyes to see Monali standing in front of her with her phone.

"Jay wants to talk to you."

Diya parted her lips and then gulped audibly. She then shook her head vigorously, with pleading eyes.

Monali could feel a pull in her heart. She nodded and walked away to the window to talk to Jay.

Diya was watching her with anticipation.

Monali disconnected the call and looked at her. She then walked to her and settled on her bed.
"He is waiting for you downstairs, in the parking. Just go and talk to him for a moment. Or he might barge in here to talk to you."

Diya sighed helplessly.
She looked at herself. Once, for a moment, she thought of changing, but other moment, she let the thought go and stepped down her bed.

Jay was waiting patiently, leaning on his car and twirling the key chain on his index finger. He had his gaze focused on exit, from where Diya was supposed to come. A smirk slithered on his lips when a dainty figure walked towards him, with tentative steps.

She came near his car and halted at a decent distance from him. He observed her. Her lounge wear was designer and evidently expensive.

"You decided to turn up from your words?" He asked mischievously.

She did not reply and looked away.

"What do you want from me?" She whisper asked.

"Just a cup of coffee. Is that too much to ask?"

She gulped.
"I will think about it." She tried to be confident.

"You already said yes. There is no point thinking on it."

"You tricked me." She said with wide eyes.

"And you fell for my charms. Come." He said, opening the door to the passenger seat.

She gasped.
"I can't...... Like this." she fumbled.

"You are looking pretty. Come." He motioned towards the seat.

She was left with no choice.

He closed the door when she was settled inside and walked around the car to the drivers seat.
"Put on the seat belt." he ordered and she complied.

Jay stopped his car at a small cozy and casual looking cafe. They settled on a farthest and a secluded table.

When the waiter approached them, he gestured him to take the order from Diya.

"Do you have a flat white?" She asked.

"Yes Ma'am." The waiter politely answered.

"One for me." She said looking at Jay.

"Plum slice cake, and a bottle of water." Jay placed his order.

There was a long silenced pause and Diya looked at her surroundings. The cafe was on a busy road and though they were at a secluded point, it was still out in the open seating area of the cafe, with the road, just a few steps away.
The waiter placed their order on the table and Diya looked at the tray. It had just one flat white and a small plate with four slices of rich plum cake and a bottle of water.

"Where is your coffee?" She asked.

"Who wants to drink coffee, when there is such an intoxication?" he asked, looking in her eyes.

Her eyes widened.
"Are you drunk? You know you should not drive while you are drunk." She could not hide the concern in her voice.

Jay chuckled. He was amused that she did not understand his innuendo.
"No. I am not drunk."

She pursed her lips and picked up her cup.

"Here. Have some." He forwarded the plate of cake.

She shook her head in denial.

"You are not eating properly. Eat them. Please." He requested.

She looked at him flabbergasted.

"I know." He answered her unasked question.

She blinked looking down and silently picked up a slice.

He could not stop himself as he watched her every move. The way she broke the slice into small piece and the way her eyes welled up for some reason.

He looked away, as he found his heart clenching for an unknown weird reason.

She took a sip of her coffee and licked her lips.

"I know how it feels to live without parents." he said out of nowhere and she looked up at him.

"I lost my Mom when I was six. Dad was left brooding alone. He stays in Canada since then."

She was listening to him intently.

He chuckled.
"I don't even remember her. There is this large picture in my brother's study room. And a few more around the house. That's all I know of my mother."

She was stunned by this new found information.

"My brother is all I have. I can stop breathing on his command." He said fondly.

She gave a small smile of her own.

"You know Diya, I never missed my parents. Dau was there to hold me. My all friends have both of their parents. But when I heard about you, I realized that even I am missing something crucial in my life. I am really sorry for your loss." he whispered the last part.

She blinked to get rid of the unshed tears.

"I know, Ajay does not have a very good opinion about me. But I don't mean any harm to you. I would not trouble you again. But I would not stop from looking out for you." 

She was shocked at his words.

That night, when Jay dropped her back to the hostel, she looked back at him and walked towards the dorm.
When she reached her room, she went to the window and he was still in his car.
He smiled and waved at her and skillfully maneuvered his car, out of the gates.

Diya felt a lot at ease, after the coffee date.

"All good?" Monali asked her.

"Yes." Diya smiled.

Monali was surprised. In last few weeks, that she knew this girl, Diya had, for the first time, shown that she could smile too.

Though Monali did not show, her heart was filled with fear.
Jay was not known to handle a relationship. It was not new for him to change girls like a pair of clothes.

All she wished was, a safe future to both of them. She did not want Diya to be trapped in Jay's charms and get her life spoiled.

She was well aware that Diya was still struggling with the loss of her parents. She will not be able to tolerate another blow.

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Another chapter up.

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