Summer Blooms

Seeds

I woke up next morning still so sleepy with a funny feeling on my face. I immediately got up and checked the mirror in the room.
Yes, something was wrong , right side of my cheeks seemed a little swollen .
With a sudden suspicion I opened my mouth see what was wrong and at that moment my sleepiness was vanished in milliseconds .

I had nearly escaped a death .

I have fallen asleep with a rambutan seed in my mouth .  Luckily it was tightly secured between inner side of my cheeks and Outer side of teeth.
I got chills all over.
A slight movement last night could have make the seed go into my throat and choke me to death . 
I ran out of the room panicked .
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Only Sonu and Menul were in the living room.
" guys , guys, guys ,
you know what happened ? "

" Shane what's wrong?"
Sonu and Menul rushed to me seeing the look in my eyes.

" I had fallen asleep while eating rambutan. Today morning I found out this rambutan seed inside my mouth."

" oh my god Shane.. " tears wailed up in Sonu's eyes.
" It's a miracle you didn't choke it in sleep '' she looked terrified .

" Shane, Do you know how dangerous it is?? . Please don't do something like that again ". It was Menul . Face full of concern and worry.

At that moment Vinura entered the living room.

A teary Sonu was grabbing my hands and Menul's arm was around my shoulder . His eyes did a quick scan on three of us.

" what's going on?" His face was stern.

" Ayya, Shane fell asleep with a rambutan seed in the mouth. He only knew it now" Sonu explained.

" What!!!"
What a spine-chilling voice. I've never heard that voice before.

" And today morning, Felt my face swollen, thought I've got mumps or something. " I said with a silly laugh.
I wanted to make things lighter. But no one laughed.
Bad timing to make a joke.
Bad bad timing.

After that everything flashed in few seconds.
Vinura's fuming eyes!!
His quick strode towards me.
A Whack sound.
Me seeing stars before my eyes.
Throbbing pain of my cheeks.
"You think it's fucking funny??? !!"
Vinura's furious voice.

Yeah. I realized. He slapped me.

He stood in front of me. Furrowed eyebrows . Hands in fits.

" Hey, Vinura ayya, you don't have the right to hit him"
That was Menul.

That sentence from Menul changed the whole colour of the atmosphere.
Vinura's furrowed eyebrows changed its shape. Hands loosened. His facial expression changed from fury to shock.
His eyes drifted to Sonu's and Menul's hands that were holding me.
Then, in a hurry, he ran out of the house.

It took me a few moments to understand what's just happened.
Then I released myself from the grip of Sonu and Menul and ran out of the house in search for Vinura .
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......

He was sitting on the usual bench in the garden .
I reached there and sat beside him. He didn't look at me, but I knew he sensed it was me.

" I'm sorry Vinu "
It was him who slapped me.
But only apologizing to him made sense to me at the moment .

A little silence .
" you could've died , you know"
He finally said in a very low voice .

" yes, I know I'm sorry."

He nodded his head slightly .

Then again a wall of silence . I didn't know how to break it.
It was Vinura who spoke first . In a bearly audible voice .

" Can you ever forgive me Shane,? I never thought I would hit you "

" It's ok Vinu, I understand "

" You don't understand . " this time his words were shaky with emotion.

" I was terrified . Terrified . You could be dead for God's sake!! "

I was at loss for words.
" But it cannot justify what i did" he said again .

Then he got up from the bench.
I thought he was trying to leave . But he didn't . Instead he did something that rendered me speechless .
I was sitting on the bench . And he kneeled infront of me.

" Can you ever forgive me? "
he gently touched my cheeks, his eyes were glistening.

" Vinu, it's ok. Please get up now "

" I may be a hot tempered guy. But of all the people in the world , I had never thought that I'd raise my hand against you'

I felt so heavy in my heart.
" It's ok Vinu. I've already told you. Come sit here on the bench "

He got up and took his place on the bench , this time sitting nearer to me.
I placed my hand on his hand next to me.
He swiftly entwined our fingers .
My heart beat was rising ..
After such an emotional hurricane , this close proximity to him was killing me.

" I'm sorry Shane . It will never happen again ."
he was apologizing again .

I couldn't take it anymore

" Oh Vinura . Shut up"

Like a reflex,
before getting registered in any part of brain,
even without realizing what I am doing ,
I grabbed his face and kissed him.
On the lips. ..