Can't I Touch Your Heart?

Chapter 11 Uninvited Neighbourhood

Mr Helberg opened a file as Ember stood before him, with his hands behind his back.

"You didn't accompany Loraine to the meeting?" Mr Helberg asked.
"You didn't either," Ember said.
"I'm busy with work,"
"I'm busy too,"
"With what? Chasing country girls?"

Ember looked at Zed.

"Look at me, Ember," His father said, "This file is incomplete. Get it done by the end of this week," He threw the file at Ember and Zed covered his smile with his hands. Ember got down to pick up the pages and left the room.
"Keep an eye on him,"

Ember kept the file in his room and went to drink some coffee outside the office, "You ain't gonna work on that file?"
"I'll do it when I feel like it," Ember said.
"Your dad would be very mad,"
"Can you mind your own business?"

"Making sure you work is my business. And so is keeping you away from Indian girls. Who knows if she AIDS or something-"
Ember poured the coffee on his head and everyone in the office gasped. Ember kept the cup aside and kept a few dollar bills in his coat's pocket, "Get yourself cleaned inside out," And he left the room. Zed felt humiliated and furious.

"You brat..."

. . .

Mrs Laghari tied her hair into a ponytail and applied some light make-up on her face. She applied a pink lipstick and some kajal under her eyes.
"Rhea, get ready, we're going out" She said.
"Why?" Rhea asked as she looked away from her Nason pre volume 21st edition.

"We've got my boss' family shifted to the opposite building. Let's go greet them" Mrs Laghari said as she smiled and applied that really expensive perfume every Asian mom had in their closet. And no one but she was allowed to touch it.
"Let's go," She got up. She wore a long skirt and a lace top with black shoes.

"Mom, why didn't you bring Noor with you instead of me?" Rhea asked as they walked through the street. She was just trying to distract herself. "Rhea, I want to befriend my boss, not become sworn enemies with her!"
They finally reached the doorstep to their apartment and pressed the doorbell. A fat, middle aged woman opened the door.

They greeted each other with a smile and she asked them to come outside. She was soft-spoken, with a smile always covering her face. Her face was round and her cheeks were red, which highlighted her green eyes and gentle smile. All of them sat on the sofa and both the woman started talking "It's been one week since we got our stuff here and arranged it. We only came to live here starting yesterday" She said. Rhea called her Mrs Dewan.

She had already prepared tea and snacks. As they talked, Rhea focused on the food. "I have a son of about the same age as you and a daughter, my daughter's the elder one,"
"That's good, where are they right now?" Mrs Laghari asked.
"It's Sunday so, my husband and my daughter have gone out with some friends. My son has gone out for groceries," Suddenly, they heard a loud thump of the door.

"Mom, I'm back!" They heard as the main door closed.
"Oh, he's here. Welcome home, dear! Come here in the drawing-room, we have guests" She said. Soon, he entered the room. Rhea looked at him and shouted his name. It was bloody Neel! Even he was surprised after seeing Rhea. His green eyes opened wide. 

"Do you both know each other?" Mrs Dewan asked.
"Yes, she's the one who ruined my shirt," Neel replied.
"It was an accident!" Rhea said.
"Shut up, you donkey,"
"Neel," Mrs Dewan gave him the Asian mom look and he just shrugged his shoulders, "Sorry,"

"Why don't you show your room to Rhea?" Mrs. Dewan ordered politely. Neel agreed and took Rhea to his room. She felt awkward. Why out of all people, did that guy have to shift right in front of her house. And it was his balcony that was right before her balcony. 

"Do you want some orange juice?" He poured some juice in a glass. She didn't hear him until he said it thrice.
"Don't tell me that's your room?" He asked.
"No way!" Rhea turned and accidentally slapped the glass in Neel's hand. Not too later, his shirt was covered with orange juice.

Rhea apologised frantically. This was the second time it was happening. Neel seemed tired of this already. "Why do always end up spilling something on me? Have you got a grudge against my clothes?"

Neel wasn't angry,
But he wasn't too happy either and Rhea knew what was coming for her. Reality came crashing back, choking her like a plastic bag. She looked at Neel's shirt which had been spoilt and he was complaining about it for five minutes now.

But weren't guests like Gods in India? Which means that even if she spits on him, he should never say anything and accept that as karma!

Yeah right. As if that's how life works. It was Rhea who was joining her hands and asking for forgiveness as if he were the God!
"It feels like a déjà vu" Neel looked at himself "Sorry for serving you orange juice. I just realized that I should've served you some paint instead...In your ass" Neel removed his shirt. Rhea thought that he was a genius but now it seemed otherwise. It was just a shirt and he was acting as if she made him age faster after throwing that drink on him.

Rhea's eyes that moved from his face to his bare chest. She had ninety nine problems, and she caused all of them.
""Different day, same dumb bitch," Neel said as he picked up his towel and threw some water on it from a water bottle. No need to get aggressive there, Neel.
"I'd rather die than see that again!" Rhea yelled.

"It's my room. You shouldn't mind even if I remove my pants" Neel said.
"You raggedy bitch, you on some weird shit!" Rhea said.

"Damn, I kinda don't care," Neel wiped the towel over his chest.
"You know how annoying you are?" Rhea asked, "Even my brother seems better than you at this point,"
"That's crazy bro!" Neel kept the towel aside "But who the fuck asked? That's right, no one! So, shut your bitch ass up and get me a new shirt from my cupboard"
Rhea shook her head and moved towards the cupboard .She opened it and looked at a pile of underwears.

"My virgin eyes," Rhea shook her head.
"Is that a dumbass bitch that always got something to say?"
"Are you talking about yourself?"

"Shut up and gimme a sweatshirt, it's in the second drawer" Neel ordered. She opened the second drawer and took a blue shirt which said "Bid gick"
"What does bid gick-Nevermind, I think I got it" She said and turned towards him. He didn't give off an air to care about this world, "Press F for respect" Was what the next shirt read.

"You've surely got a weird taste" Rhea said as she looked at all the shirts "My sister is a graphic designer. She makes these. She gave some of them for promotion. Like hell am I ever wearing that" Neel said as he looked into his phone. 
'A graphic designer!' Rhea's eyes widened, "Can I meet her?"
"No, fuck off,"

"...And what is there in this drawer?" Rhea asked as she slowly opened the first drawer.
"That's where I keep my porn magazines just in case I need them, idiot," Neel said without batting an eye. Rhea quickly slammed the drawer. 

She threw a sweatshirt on Neel's face and left his room. He wore it and looked at the graffiti on it which read "Bid gick" He looked into the mirror for a while "You know what, this isn't really so bad. It makes me feel confident" He paused "And big"

"Mom, I'm going home," Rhea went out while her mom was still talking to Mrs Dewan. She walked towards her apartment, "I hate him so much! Yeah, I am an idiot, but at least I'm not stupid!" She stopped walking, "Wait,"

Why is our brain always so mean to us?

-To be continued

Neel Dewan
Can't I Touch Your Heart