Eighteen Minus (COMPLETED)

Chapter 20

VANSHIKA
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My heart was in my mouth thinking he would drown or worse getting carried away due to the force of water but within minutes Tikki swam across and grabbed onto a stone and was laughing like a maniac. I had tears in my eyes. He slowly swam closer to me and said

'Looks like this was a bad idea!!! It's too deep here-' but before he could continue I threw my arms across his neck pulling him into a bone crushing hug and he froze.

'I am so sorry Tikki...I got scared...I swear if something would happen to you, I don't know what I would have done to myself!!! You scared me Tikki...I am an idiot!!! Why did I come to this forest at this odd hour. This is so stupid-' and before I could say another word I felt his index finger on my lips and I shuddered at our sudden proximity.

It's not like we have never been so close to each other. We have kicked, pinched, kissed and slapped each other. A hug or two has never been an issue at all but this was the first time when I was feeling a twisted weird sensation in my entire body. Seeing Karthik drown in the stream had scared the hell out of me.

Cupping my face in both his palms he slowly whispered 'I can swim Shikanji. How did you forget? Calm down!!! Shhh!!!' he slowly caressed my cheek and I rubbed my nose saying

'I got scared!!! It's all so wrong and stupid!!! I hate myself for-'

'No!!! It's my mistake. I overreacted. I don't know what happened to me seeing Ganni feed you food in the garden!!! I didn't like it!' he confessed honestly leaving me shocked. I didn't know what to say and I looked elsewhere when he added

'And I don't like that lady!!! She maybe my so-called father's mother but she is toxic!!!' and I looked at the pain and anger in his eyes.

'People change with time Karthik!!!' I try to tell him but he quickly interrupts saying 'Its getting late!!! We must cross the stream. The jungle gets colder at nights!!!'. I didn't want to argue with him further. We walked a little further and finally he found the area which had enough stones and the water was only until waist length. Holding each other's hands we crossed the stream and reached the other side of the stream.

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'Shit!!! This is locked. You said someone lives here!!!' I asked him. It was ticking almost 10 pm in the night now and the house we came in search was locked. But we were lucky there was a bulb glowing outside the house. Something is better than nothing. While I was wondering what to do I noticed Karthik carrying a big stone and I got scared. What the hell?Is he possessed? Just when I was about to scream out loudly he pushed me slightly and broke the tiny lock with the huge stone and he opened the door.

'That is so unethical Tikki!!! We can't break into anyone's house like that!!!' I argued when he switched on the light and a light yellow bulb glowed brightly.

'Desperate time desperate measures and I'm sure Chinna won't mind. He was a childhood buddy. We have robbed a lot of mangoes from a lot of neighbouring estates, that asshole anyways has to repay for a lot of mangoes!!!' he said trying to look for something and then I saw a smile on his face.

He took a deep breath and said 'Thank God!!!' and I turned around to see him running towards the landline phone. He quickly dialled onto Ganni's number and informed him that we were fine. Ganni offered to come here to take us along but Karthik denied saying we are safe and it was too late at night. Ganni told he would be here to pick us up early in the morning. Karthik kept talking to him when I took a fair look at the small house. It was made of Mangalorean tiles and had open windows with iron rods. It looked like a 1bhk home. Although there was a bedroom I didn't feel like going inside although I peeped in but didn't go inside.