The Misblown Wind

CHAPTER 8 - Love upside down

It has been a week since Jas left. It wasn't an exact carbon copy of what was before. I wouldn't anymore get 'Good night! Catch you tomorrow!' messages. Though it's only a few words, it'll give me a sense of contentment that someone is there for me at the end of the day. And I had pinned my hopes high on those.

Jas pinged me once he reached the Empire city. He was so enlivened by the beauty of an evolving and exhilarating New York. For about half the time, he was blabbering about the majestic and artistic look of the twin towers and how the East River shimmered in the glistering light of the Manhattan Bridge. My ears got exhausted to some extent. I was sometimes relieved from him when he roamed the fast-paced city with his aunt.

I at times had a little chit-chat with his aunt. It lightened me up with the hope that she'll be on guard for Jas on his worst, darkest nights.

At the same time, I was floating high in joyous air as he was feeling thrilled and at least getting diverted from his usual pensive life.

Yet, here without him, this summer was too vague and seemed like an incessant one. Everyone was so busy with their admissions and stuff. But here I was, lying much more relaxed, watching every series and movie this universe tries to retain with a mouthful of Orville Redenbacher's ultimate butter popcorn since UC Berkeley got my back.

"Dude, don't forget these weekend plans." Larry's message jogged my memory.

"Shit! Shit! Shit! How did I forget that?" I hopped out of shock. "No worries, Larry. You've got my aid." I replied to him as if I hadn't let it slip away from my hippocampus. How can I tell him that I forgot his girlfriend's birthday party? It'll be a bit awkward, right?

It's as rare as hen's teeth that both Clara and Hazel's birthdays fall on the same day. It showers me with double ecstasy, like the one I get when the vendor luckily drops out two candies, though I had inserted the coin for a single.

But the one heck of the birthday parties are the gifts. To pick the gift that would put a childlike grin on their face demands more of an uphill struggle than one could ever imagine. And now, for me, it's doubled too.

I soon grabbed my MacBook and typed my password. I started my hunt by googling every possible gift one could give to a birthday girl. Yet, even after prying deep into everything that was displayed, nothing matched my expectations. What am I going to do? The enthusiasm I possessed before oozed out along with my sweat.

I dug into my memory bank to remember anything that would make Clara happy. "Argh! How come I missed it?" I hit my forehead with my palm.

Clara was once so obsessed with a long-sleeve polka-dot white maxi dress that I wore to Samohi Band's winter concert. It's a fab idea! I got excited and ordered one similar to that in the hope that her face would bloom once she got to see it.

I was so proud of myself for figuring it out, as if I had resolved a mysterious case like Sherlock Holmes. I'll patently go to hell for comparing myself to Sherlock.

"Okay, El. Stop praising yourself. And find one for Hazel. But what will I give her? I don't know much about her and her wants." I began soliloquizing.

Even after squeezing my brain for half an hour, I couldn't finalize anything. "At last, I think I should wrap Larry in a package and gift it to her. It's the only way," I disgusted. "Actually, it wasn't a bad idea." Soon, I realized.

I took my mobile and called Larry. He picked up the call in a few seconds. "Hey, El!" He exclaimed.

"How many hours can you hold your breath?" I asked him out of the blue. "What! Are you crazy? How can one hold breath for hours?" He was stunned by my imbecile doubt.