3. The Bloom (II)

She is pure chaos!'''

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"Yeh Jo halka halka suroor Hai by Farhan Saeed Listen to it at the end when you’re done reading! (:"

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A hiss escaped his lips as the freezing water ran down the back of his hands and arm.

"You alright, man?" Kabir's concerned voice asked.

A smile was stretched wide on Abraham's lips. Kabir probably thought he had gone mad. He was in pain but was smiling so heartily. Kabir was staring at him.

"What happened to your hand? You got in an accident?" He asked worriedly, seeing trails of water dripping from his hand that was scratched brutally.

"Tigress' paws!" Abraham muttered under his breath with a smile.

Kabir was sure his friend had hit his head hard.

After cleaning his hands and arms, he wrapped a handkerchief around it and turned towards Kabir.

"Yaar, she was engaged in a death race with some idiotic fucker. When I saw her, I asked her to back off but she refused so I had to take control of the car."

Kabir's face changed color.

"She began scratching my arms and hands. We were almost about to fall in a ditch if I hadn't thrown her in the passenger seat."

"You two were on the same seat?" Kabir's eyes widened to such an extent that it seemed they might pop out.

Abraham grinned proudly.

"In my lap. She was sitting in my lap."

"It's called true friendship." Kabir grinned haughtily.

Abraham raised an eyebrow at him.

"I was the one who challenged her." He claimed with pride. And before Abraham could process his words thoroughly, he was running towards the camps.

"You fucking bastard. How dare you?" Abraham ran after him.

***

Minahil was setting up her camp angrily. She was angry at Yara for not being with her. Even though she herself hadn't brought her along but still it was Yara's fault that she had gone to Abraham's party and had angered Minahil. Second, she was angry at Kabir who had challenged her and then hadn't participated himself. He just wanted to laugh at her for her knack of accepting challenges. She could’ve killed herself, and he was there enjoying himself! Third, she was angry at Abraham, the dumb Gora, for intervening in her matter and on top of that for scolding her and manhandling her.

How dare he! Minahil thought bitterly.

They were on the top of the mountains. At the back side there were dense trees and the front was vacant. The whole city was visible from there. The freezing cold wind was blowing. There were no predictions of snowfall for which they were grateful for it would have been difficult if it had snowed.

After setting up her camp, she went towards her car and saw Kabir was leaning on it and Abraham had both of his palms placed on either side of his head.

They looked to be engaged in a special moment.

Minahil wanted to laugh out loud but refrained herself.

She cleared her throat to gain their attention.

Seeing Minahil, Abraham immediately backed away. Kabir was still glued to the passenger door.

She went to the back of the car and began taking out her stuff.

"Let me help!" Kabir reached forwarded to take the bag from her hands.

Now Abraham had taken Kabir's place and was watching her actions the way a hawk watches its prey.

"Stay the fuck away from me!" She yelled at Kabir's face and kicked his knees with her muddy boots.

"Ahhhh.." he bent forward groaning with pain.

"And you too, Mister. Get away from my car." She said whilst looking at Abraham and walked away.

"Let me help!" Abraham mimicked Kabir and then punched him in the gut.

"Ahh.." Kabir screamed once again. "Bastard, I'll beat you to death," he cried loudly.

"This was for challenging her for that fucking race." Abraham pointed to him who was clutching his abdomen.

"This is for acting over smart." Before Kabir could understand he felt his head being whipped to the other direction. A sharp pain erupted in his jaw.

Abraham had punched him. In the jaw now.

Kabir was bent over, whilst clutching his abdomen and jaw.

"Bloody hell, Abraham," he yelled and wiped his bloody mouth.

Abraham lent Kabir a hand.

"Let's go," he said.

"Where to?"

"To retrieve my car. It’s not even locked."

Kabir got up and sat in the passenger seat. Abraham settled in the driving seat of Kabir's car and they reversed.

Abraham's Lamborghini was still parked at the place where he had left it.

***

All the students were scattered on the mountain peak in the form of small groups. The night had prevailed with all its darkness and cold. The teachers had scolded the students who hadn't followed the rules but there was nothing much they could do about it because no one was willing to listen to them.

"Minahil," Yara was calling her from outside who had zipped up herself in her tent and hadn't come out once since they had come here. Yara was unaware of her racing and her encounter with Abraham.

"Minahil please let me in or come outside. I'm sorry." She pleaded once again.

"I don't want to talk right now, Yara. Please leave me alone."

"What's going on?" It was Kabir.

Before Yara could reply, Minahil screeched from the inside.

"Keep this dickhead ten miles away from my camp."

Yara looked at Kabir with wonder and asked what was the matter.

"Eh... Actually!" Kabir started rambling. "I challenged her to a race, but didn't participate in it myself and then- her rival stepped in and things happened between them." He scratched the back of his head.

"Things? Like what things?" A huge grin was slowly breaking on Yara's lips.

"I don't know man." Kabir glared at Yara to shut her enthusiasm.

"Yara shut him off," Minahil barked.

Yara winked at Kabir and said, "On one condition. If you come out."

"If I come out, I'll beat this pussy to death," Minahil said again.

"Minahil!" Both Yara and Kabir called her name, extremely shocked.

Slowly a smirk overtook Kabir's physiognomy. "See you guys around," saying this, he went away.

"Minahil, since when have you become so vulgar," Yara commented.

"Since always," Minahil's sharp voice served her another electric bolt.

"Will you please come-" before she could complete her sentence, Minahil unzipped her tent and stepped out.

"Thank God," Yara exclaimed and crushed her in a hug.

"I'm sorry, Minnie," she said and was going to pinch her cheeks when Minahil slapped her hand away.

"Now don't be so formal. I don't want you to apologise to me Yara," she sighed loudly. "You know you are the only friend I ever had. You are the one whom I can bear. All others are just- just a headache."

"I know darling," Yara said with a grin and put an arm around Minahil's shoulder.

"Let me zip up the camp."

After closing the tent, both of them walked towards the group of their class fellows.

"Hey, Minahil." Zaviar waved her over to the other side where he was sitting and where a small bonfire was lit.

Majority of the students were now gathered there. Minahil reluctantly stood in the middle.

Yara pushed her from behind to walk. "C'mon, Saad is going to sing, let's go."

Saad was their senior who had a super melodic voice and whom everyone was pestering to sing a song.

Minahil had seen Abraham, Kabir and their group there due to which she didn't want to go there. But for Yara she dragged herself to them.

When they approached, Zaviar made place for them beside himself. Minahil sat down and began enjoying the warmth of the fire and Saad's lovely voice.

"Yeh Jo halka halka saroor hai,

Ye teri nazar ka kasoor hai,

Ke sharaab peena,

Sikha diya,

Ke sharaab peena,

Sikha diya,"

(This light-sweet intoxication

Is the crime of your eyes

That has taught me drinking wine

That has taught me drinking wine)

With each verse, silence began to descend upon them.

Saad is blessed to have such a good voice, Minahil recalled to herself and she too began to hum along with him. Someone began to play a guitar as well.

The night was becoming simply beautiful.

"Tere pyaar ne

Teri chah ne,

Teri ...Bahki bahki nigaah ne

Mujhe.... Ek sharabi bana diya,

Ke sharaab peena,

Sikha diya,"

(Your love, your desire

Your intoxicating eyes

Has made me a drunkard)

She looked behind Saad, and saw a very familiar face and all of a sudden, her hidden anger resurfaced. She wanted to wipe that satisfiying, sophisticated smile off his face. All of a sudden, their eyes locked and Saad began again.

"Sharaab kaisi, khumaar kaisa,

Ye sab tumhari,

Navaazishen hey,

Pilaayi hay,

Kis nazar se tunne,

Ke mujhko apni,

Khabar nahi hai..!"

(What is wine, what is intoxication

These all are your blessings

By what eyes have you made me drink

That I don't even know about myself now)

As their eyes gazed into each other's depths, Abraham felt as if this song was written solely for them. He wasn't sure about his own feelings but he knew there was something inexplicably strong between them.

He felt his heart beat accelerate when she whipped her head away, her nostrils flaring.

He walked towards Kabir who was playing the guitar, and reached over to take it. When the crowd saw him with the guitar, they began cheering loudly.

Minahil looked at him again, who was still smiling.

He first produced a blissful note by playing with strings on the guitar, then he walked around and sang:

"Tere pyaar ne,

Teri chah ne,

Teri ...Bahki bahki nigaah ne

Mujhe.... Ek sharabi bana diya,

Ke sharaab peena,

Sikha diyaa..!"

(Your love, your desire

Your intoxicating eyes

Has made me a drunkard

That has taught me drinking wine)

‘”Abraham's voice is even more beautiful than Saad's,” someone said behind her and she was not ready to agree.

"Tera pyaar hai meri zindagi,

Tera pyaar hai meri zindagi,

Bus meri zindagi,

Tera pyaar, bus meri zindagi,

Tera pyaar,"

(Your love is my life 4X)

The whole crowd was now singing with Abraham and Saad. Kabir and another boy got up and began doing a couple dance.

Abraham walked towards them and sat beside Yara such that Yara was between him and Minahil.

He glanced at her again, who was now clenching and unclenching her jaw, her gaze steady on the bonfire.

He smiled before beginning to sing again while producing a different note this time.

"Mere baad kisko sataoge,

Mere baad kisko sataoge,

Mujhe kis trah mitaoge,

Mujhko toh barbaad kiya hai,

Aur kise barbaad kroge,

Ro-ro ke faryaad kroge,

Aur kise barbaad kroge,"

(Who will you agrieve after me

How will you remove me from your memory

You have destroyed me

Who else will you destroy

You will cry and beg for me)

Yara playfully hit her shoulder and whispered, "What's cooking, girl?"

She glanced up to glare at Yara but instead came across his heated eyes. When she glared at him, he resumed while shaking his head.

"Teri yeh adda ye behrukhi,

Keh rahi hai humse aur pee,

Ke sharaab peena seekha diya

Mujhe.... Ek sharabi bana diya,"

(This apathy of yours is forcing me

to drink more

Has made me a drunkard

That has taught me drinking wine)

His bright smile wasn’t faltering. Whenever he would swerve his head to the beat, his blonde hair would set differently on his forehead.

He got up from the ground and began circling the bonfire with Saad. Except Minahil and Zaviar, the whole crowd was chanting along with them.

"Mast mast mast

Sara jahaan mast

Mast mast mast

Poori kainaat mast

Mast mast mast

Sara jahaan mast

Mast mast mast

Poori kainaat mast"

(I'm absorbed in you

The whole universe is captivated by your beauty)

The night had simply become beautiful now.

All the boys and girls got up and began dancing and singing in their own weird ways. Minahil too stood up and began making her way out of there.

"Where you going?" Yara asked her loudly over the noise.

"I'm going back to my camp, will see you tomorrow," Minahil muttered, and left.

Two pairs of eyes followed her until she disappeared altogether.

"Heya!" After half an hour someone began calling everyone to attention.

All faces turned towards the source and Kabir grinned at the attention he was suddenly given.

"Tonight's dinner is from us. Your seniors!" He said and then tried to bow in a dramatic fashion, placing his hand on her heart.

"Thank you!" The whole crowd yelled. From seniors, only Abraham, Kabir and some ten other girls and boys had come. And this treat was exclusively being given by Abraham.

There were different suggestions from different people. Some wanted to have Barbeque, while others wanted to order something else. At last it was settled that they would go to the main city and eat in a restaurant. It was almost 1 am, but fun was at its peak.

Abraham looked around but she was nowhere to be seen. He sighed loudly and walked towards the camps. Only one camp was lit from the inside. He knew it was her.

"Minahil." He stood outside and called to her. He usually called her Miss Khan, but tonight was a night of miracles.

She probably had recognized his voice and therefore did not reply. She did not want to talk to him.

"We are going down to a restaurant. Come with us," he stated.

"I'm not interested in going anywhere. You can leave," her sharp voice resounded in an instant.

"You'll be alone here," he claimed.

"So what?" Her outrageous tone perfectly implied that she won't be coming out anytime soon.

Before he could reply, Yara arrived. She had a suspicious look on her face.

"Abraham, what are you doing here?" She asked.

"I saw this camp was lit so I came to inform the person that we were going down to a restuarant." He didn't wait for her answer and stormed away.

"Minahil, come with us, we are going downtown."

"You go, I'm fine here."

"You won't be coming?"

"No!" After a few moments, she snapped, as if fed up.

"Okay, fine. At least let me in!"

At this Minahil unzipped the flap of her camp and let Yara in.

Abraham saw this proceeding from a distance. When he saw Yara getting into Minahil’s camp, he unlocked his phone and called Kabir.

"I won't be going with you guys. Make sure to bring plenty of food."

"Why ain't you coming?" Kabir asked. His tone was laced with qualm.

Abraham didn't reply and was about to cut the call when Kabir's jolly voice exclaimed. "Or is it because of Miss Khan."

"None of your business!" Abraham said curtly, but a smile began to play on his lips.

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