The Vaticinator

13. The Awkward Me

The overwhelming tension in the air has me feeling queasy. I am thankful that Aakir has allowed me to drive otherwise I may have been fidgeting incessantly. Even now with the steering wheel in my hand, I find myself squirming slightly once in a while. Aakir is sitting in the front, beside me. Neal, who sat in the back seat, has been suspiciously silent. He has spoken not one word since we left the house and now we are almost about to reach Neal’s house. He has been stoically looking outside the window, his stance more than suggesting that he is not in a good mood. Aakir is almost as impassive as Neal but manages to look a little anxious, almost. I am quite sure that they have forgotten about the ‘partner’ discussion and are in turn worrying about their newly learned…statuses. It almost seems surreal how much different these two days have made the situation. Just two days back I was looking for excuses to hang around Neal. Now the said person is sitting right behind me for all the unwanted reasons. But I think the most shocking is to learn of Aakir. It’s bizarre to realize that the guy I have spent my whole life with, the guy who knows almost everything about me and about whom I know everything, that guy has been suddenly recognized as some long lost savior.

But knowing Aakir, I am sure he isn’t taking it as a very big deal. It’s Aakir we are talking about, who was most placid at knowing of my partner. I believe it will take a lot more to mentally shake Aakir than just learning the reason behind his weird eyes. For all I know he may be feeling almost giddy to be someone of importance. Not to mention, his fascination with Neal’s aura has been explained largely, for which he must be quite content.

I hear Neal sigh heavily at the back, probably a signal that he is about to speak. But he doesn’t say anything.

“This all is actually kind of cool.” Aakir blurts when Neal says nothing.

Neal scoffs quietly, “Yeah, right.”

Aakir frowns as he turns back to look at Neal, “Seriously?” he says to Neal, “Aren’t you the least bit excited to know that you’re somewhat important?”

I watch in the rearview mirror as Neal gives a perplexed and a confounded look to Aakir. “Are you kidding me?” he says quietly.

Aakir sighs, “You don’t feel…I don’t know, man. I feel kind of surprised. On a good end, you know? I mean I was just a vague kid two days back. And now,” he grins, “I am a bodyguard of a fortune teller.”

“Yeah,” Neal says, “I may have been surprised had I not known what I can do.” He sighs.

“Yeah, I am surprised that you knew.” Aakir says quietly.

Neal shrugs. He then frowns at Aakir, “You’re awfully fine after meeting your aunt.” He points out, drawling the word ‘aunt’.

Aakir shrugs, “I don’t see why she should be affecting me.” he says in a careful tone, “She is practically a stranger, irrespective of what relationship we share.”

Neal appraises Aakir for a moment, his mouth agape then he nods slowly. He says nothing and simply turns away to look outside the window, reclining back into his previous stance. Aakir and I exchange stolid glances. The next ten minutes are spent in awkward silence, with me driving. As I turn into the dirt road that leads to the beach house in the far distance, Neal decides to break the silence.

“So,” he starts, turning to look at Aakir and I. Aakir shifts slightly so to be diagonally inclined in his seat while I look at Neal through the rearview mirror. Neal makes sure he catches my eye in the mirror and then, “We are partners for what?”

I remain silent for a minute, choosing to keep my eyes on the dirt road in the front. When I look in the rearview mirror again, I am greeted by Neal’s demandingly inquisitive face, his eyebrows crawling for his hairline. He looks suspicious.