Divulging Remorse ✔

Chapter 14

He stood still, without turning around, tilted his head to glance at her. Riya was being sorry? For what? How come he was seeing a totally different shade to her all of a sudden?

"And thank you for the phone," she briefly looked up at his back and averted her gaze.

Oh, the credulity of illusions! She thinks the phone is from me, Moutasim threshed out in his mind and rolled his eyes. He turned to face her, she was still bent over, looking away. He hadn't yet absorbed her apology when she threw gratitude along with it, he was caught off guard and a little offended. Riya had apologized later, just because when she thought he had done a favour to her.

"Hello Ms, your father has sent this phone with my Mum. So, thank him and whatever reason you're being sorry for, I don't need it. My life certainly didn't stop after you slapped me, nor did I kill myself crying over it. I've got much better things to do." He gave her the apparent, anonymous reason himself, tearing on to her with bitterness filled in his voice.

She stood up and looked deep in his eyes, so he knew it all. He knows everything, always, doesn't he? She thought to herself.

"Where were you, then? You're home after three days, Moutasim," she asked curiously, unaffected by his outburst.

"I'm not answerable to you," his tone was low.

She wanted to say something but her mouth snapped shut as his eyes burned with fury.

He gave her a once-over, went inside and closed the door with a bang.

Riya stood on the steps, staring at the door, stumped. She crossed her arms over her chest and took a deep breath.

"Stupid," she muttered and turned away when a squirrel caught her eye.

The trees were grown tall, way beyond the walls and some of their lower branches were splayed on it. The squirrel hopped on the rim of the wall, it's bushy tail sweeping behind. It yanked an acorn, dropped from the huge tree overhead and swiftly started nibbling on it to get to the nut.

Riya heard as the squirrel cracked opened the nutshell and ran across the edge of the wall, scampering behind the tree leaves. After a few seconds, it was back with another one chasing behind, they spiralled down the tree trunk and skittered on the grass.

She took in the scene of two little squirrels darting across the fallen leaves, fighting over a nut. One nipped on the other to snatch the acorn away. It threw the nutshell and ran away, the other picked it up and found it empty. Annoyed, it went after the 'stealer' to get even, because this poor thing had found the acorn first and had gone behind the leaves to eat in hiding when the other mischievous squirrel broke the peace, eventually stealing it.

It reminded her of Moutasim and herself as kids, they fought over toys, candies, taking turns on swings, who'd sit by the window in cars and even over Agha Jaan; Riya wanted him to tell them a particular story while Moutasim demanded a totally different one. They'd fought over everything, their parents were fed up with their high jinks and shenanigans.

Mainly, it was her who used to start fussing and even as four years younger to him, she'd never lag behind to get back at him when he avenged. She'd beat the sh*t out of him, only making him regret to have got in the fight himself.

After long quarrels and tit for tats, at the end of the day, Moutasim always said sorry to her, though reluctantly but upon his Mom's force, he still said it. This made Riya happy to the core that he had to be sorry even though he wasn't the one at fault and that Aunty Kashmala loved her more than she loved her own son.

A gust of wind ruffled her hair and she dug her hands deep down in her pockets. She thought about his behaviour towards her now, it had turned plain rude. As if she was sweet to him but his ignorance was irking her to a point which she didn't understand herself. Even though she had been sorry for slapping him, he showed no signs of mellowing. He was still being mean, terse and accusive.