Hey Sarge

Chapter 3 : Where to go (Part one)

(A/N : Sorry it took so long! My summer's been busy so it's been kind of in the back burner and I've felt so bad about not posting that I posting the first half of the chapter now to not keep you guys waiting. There also may be some spelling or grammar errors, due to me not reviewing the text before posting like I normally do 😂) 

(Also WHAT DO YOU GUYS THINK OF THE CASTING!!! IM SO EXCITED!!!)

Even though she was only 64 miles away, It felt like she'd been worlds out Ravi's reach. And once he got off the train, he realized how close she really was.

Good thing he hadn't made this realization early. If he had, it would probably have ended badly. Something along the lines of tears, confusion, and a beer but now Ravi was quite sable.

At the beginning of the mess, Ravi had developed an unhealthy relationship with alcohol. It would be the only thing that would keep him from admitting the truth. But it would concluded in him making bad decisions like getting angry at his mom for any small comment or wrecking his room.

Nisha and Mohan had assumed something had happened between him and Pip but they never asked. It would be better that way. But they didn't know it would bring him back into his bad habits. See, it wasn't the first time that Ravi had used alcohol as a crutch. This had happened when Sal had died. Ravi would go to a local bar daily. The bartender knew he had a fake ID and that he shouldn't be serving him but he just looked so desperate for an escape. At some point, the bartender did stop and had told Ravi that he wasn't okay but that didn't stop Ravi. He started taking some of his dad's scotches, going places with a flask and well, going to school drunk. He had irrational choices but he couldn't take the pain without it. Eventually, it landed in rehab. There, he found that he needed to let go and let his pain out. For 3 days, he cried all his tears out and swore that he'd stay sober. But, he then changed it to only drinking on occasion. But no beer, nor scotch.

But of course, losing his life source led him to relapse. This time, being stopped by Mohan in tears. Telling Ravi that he didn't want to lose another son. That drew Ravi to the conclusion to follow sobriety and stay away from alcohol at all costs.

As walked out of Grand central station, he'd realized that he probably should have brought an umbrella. It was such a spur of the moment, this little New York adventure, that he'd forgotten to bring one. Which then led him to his next problem, a place to stay.

Ravi pulled out his phone and looked at hotels but money was tight and this was definitely out of his budget. God, he should've thought this through.

Okay, did he know anyone, other than 'you know who', living in New York? Nope, no one.

Ravi was now, walking anxiously around Manhattan, wondering what he was going to do. Maybe he just needed a coffee. Yeah, a coffee would help.

He walked into a small cafe and got in line. Once he got to the front of line, he noticed that the tiny shop reminded him a little of the cafe in Fairview.

"Hello?"

Ravi looked up and noticed he was up.

"Oh, Sorry. Can I have a...um..iced vanilla latte?"

"Yeah, sure, coming right up." the barista said sarcastically

Ravi stood to the side, looking at his phone for a while , trying to look for a place to stay.

"Iced vanilla latte for..Ravi"

Ravi walked up to the girl holding his drink, looking up from his phone to thank her. Catching a glimpse of her name tag.

"Thank you-"

And then it clicked.

—

Ravi knocked on the apartment door several times, hoping someone would be inside. But nobody was coming. Ravi had given up and started walking away.

"Ravi?"

Ravi spun around and saw his brother's best friend. Naomi Ward.

"Hi Naomi." Ravi said, walking back near the door frame. Putting on a nice smile, for persuasion proposes. Ravi had known Naomi for forever. Maybe the person who's known her longest, given that he'd known her since before Cara was born and when her and his brother would have playdates. Ravi would say this to anyone but Ravi saw Naomi as a sister.

"What are you doing here, Ravi?" Naomi said, knowing that he needed something. She had that sibling sense.

"I need a place to stay."

"And why is that? You should be at school right now."

"Taking a break?"

"It's Yale Law, Ravi! You love it there even though it's quite an unlovable place of stuck up snobs and smart kids who were forced to go by their parents. You chose to go there willingly and everytime we meet up, you all tell our friends if we can meet up there. You aren't here by some willy nilly chance. You're here for a reason and I'm asking why."

"Wow, fine, Judge Judy. I'm here to see a friend."

"Okay...a friend, uh? And when did you meet this? I've known you for, god knows how many years and I've never heard you mention a friend from New York."

Naomi knew what he was here for. But she wanted to see how far she'd dig her nails until he'd burst.

"Yeah, new friend from Uni"

"Then why aren't they at Uni?"

"I met them at a frat party when they were visiting the campus!"

"That's bullshit, Ravi! I know why you're here!"

"Oh yeah? So why wouldn't you let me in and help me?"

"Oh, I'll help you, I just wanted to see how much you'd squirm about it." Naomi led him into her apartment with a grin on her face.

Naomi had moved to Brooklyn about 8 months ago when she got a job offer. Obviously she took it but she also needed a new environment after Fairview so New York seemed pretty fitting.

"Okay Rav, let's cut to the chase. What are you planning?"