Meet Me in the Middle

Chapter 1

August 2015

"What do you think is it about me, that says 'scary'"? A thought suddenly hits me as I get out of the pool and towel dry my hair.

"Why do you ask?", he's clearly bored and is content to just lay there in the sun with his over-the-top Gucci shades and soak up the sun.

"Simply wondering. These people back at the institute treat me as if I'm a ticking bomb that's gonna go off any second."

"They're not wrong. You are pretty moody. Like a kitten, remember?"

"I'm serious. Tell me." I pull on my aviators and sit beside him. It's too hot for a dumbass like him to be lounging out here. This isn't fucking Goa. This is Kota, for fuck's sake.

"Well, let's see. Outside of the uniform, people have only seen you in black, grey or blue. And even the blue is from your denims, most of the times. You glare at every random person that you look at as if their existence insults you, you badly roast those guys who dare to come talk to you, you've rejected 8 proposals..."

"It's 10 now. And I don't understand why they keep coming to me, despite the glaring."

"Guys get turned on by an alpha female. It's a basic fact. You should know that."

"I thought guys preferred submissive natures."

"Some do. But I've never seen a guy not be attracted to a strong and powerful girl."

"Do you?" I try to edge him on.

"Ewww no. You're not my type." He says. "Besides, it would be too weird for dad to suddenly have to consider the girl he considers as a daughter, like a daughter-in-law."

"Gross."

"Exactly." Mrs. Lalwani comes out and calls us inside for lunch. Mr. and Mrs. Lalwani are the caretakers of the property.

The dumbass I'm sitting next to here, is Anuj Kashyap. My best friend since childhood. Since the time I used to make my hair into pigtails and wear short blue skirts and pink frilly tops. Since I used to have Hello Kitty hair clips and Barbie stickers on my notebooks. Coincidentally, also the time when my first childhood trauma had taken place.

It wasn't all smooth sailing though. We were sworn enemies. From the first day of school. Rivals, competitors, whatever you wanted to call us. We hated each other and took every opportunity to show it to each other. He used to hog the swings in the school playground and always make fun of me. He would pull my pigtails and pinch me out of nowhere. He loosened the screws of the support wheels on my bicycle and then pushed me into a puddle. I once pushed him on the swings and he landed on the ground with the bleeding nose. Nevertheless, I was the one who took him to the infirmary. My parents loved him and his loved me. He had a golden retriever named Bruno that I always wanted to play with, but he never let me. There's only so much, 9 year olds who hate each can do in the name of "hate".

But eventually, he was the one who taught me how to ride a bicycle without support wheels, how to fight off bullies using more brain than body, how to stand up for myself and never let anyone belittle me. Once we became friends, we would play with Bruno, eat at each other's house almost every other day. His home was in the next street as mine. We were already going to the same dance class, school and karate class. We simply realized that it would be far more profitable for us to just be friends.

I think of all of that as he sits next to me on the dining table and grossly tears off a chicken leg piece.

"Would it hurt you to have some fucking etiquettes?" I make a face of disgust at him.

"Aish yaaaaar, I get tired of maintaining my image all the time back in Delhi. If I can get you out of that horrendous hostel of yours, cut me some slack. LIVE AND LET LIVE BITCH!"

We're in his farmhouse on the outskirts of Kota. My family thinks I'm in the hostel and my warden assumes that I'm at home. This was his dumbass idea of course. One day he suddenly decided that both him and I needed a break and he came down to Kota. Thankfully, his dad loved buying property and he had one down here too. This was also the time we met after 5 years. After a year in Jhansi, I had moved back to Ahmedabad and we haven't met since. It was overwhelming.

I look at the scar on his nose and chuckle to myself as he grossly berates another chicken piece. If someone is up there, please apologize to the chicken on my behalf. My most sincere condolences.

We spend the day gaming on the PS3 in the basement. Yes, he's absolutely fancy and extra. And I hate him for it. That night, as we sit on the balcony and talk about our old memories and new experiences we had without each other, I realize that he's probably the best kind of human that exists there. He's kind, caring, surprisingly smart, compassionate and has a great sense of humor. He's seen me at my worst and still thinks the best of me. I've never had to pretend in front of him and he understands me. I guess that's what happens when you grow up with a person. The bond is unbreakable once you go from yellow sunflower tops to leather jackets with someone. They know who you are on the inside, despite what you show to the world. And yes, we're also those type of friends that get mistaken for a couple almost every time.

He's the only person I trust in the entire world and I realize I'm incredibly lucky to have someone like him in my life. I can't imagine ever losing him.