November 2005

Vikram watched in amusement as Aditya played with his fingers. He entangled them with his own, then ran his fingers along Vikram's then curled them up in his hand and did just about any random think he could think of. There was something so affectionate about the way he was letting Vikram know that he wanted to stay connected to him that it driving Vikram crazy.

"Aditya..." Vikram said after a while and everyone else was gone.

"Yes?"

"What happens now?"

Aditya mused. "Hmm. Well, you see, when two people like each other, they start dating, they go out together, eat together, talk all the time..."

Vikram grunted at him. "I meant with us. What happens now? What if someone finds out?"

Aditya held his hand lightly. "I don't care but I know you do, so we can keep it to ourselves, and, of course, Ruvee. It's scary how she knows everything."

Vikram laughed. That was true- Ruvee did know everything.

After that, they Vikram and Aditya talked for a long time. Vikram told him about Tanuja and his visit to the office, that he met Diksha Patil, whom Aditya refused to recognize, he told him that he had been reading up on photojournalism and that for the first time ever, Vikram knew what he wanted to do in life.

Sometime in between, a nurse walked in to check on Aditya and he let go of Vikram's hand. Vikram immediately began missing the warmth of Aditya's hand on his. The nurse changed Aditya's IV pack, checked his blood pressure and left and Aditya got back to flirting with Vikram's fingers like it was a habit that had already formed.

Then, they talked some more about anything and everything and Vikram realized how much he had missed just being with Aditya like this, like the only two of them mattered in the entire world. Aditya told Vikram of how he would soon move out of the house he was living in. He told Vikram that his uncle probably had sensed that Aditya wouldn't stick around for long and that he had started spending more and more time away from home. But what surprised Vikram was the fact that Aditya had found his uncle sober on some days.

"So he's turning his life around, huh?" Vikram asked.

"I don't know yet." Aditya answered. "He is still drunk when I see him around but whenever he comes back from wherever he goes to, he stays clean for a day or two at the least."

"Where does he go to?"

"I am not sure but I am assuming it's his family." Aditya said. "They moved away when the business failed and my uncle couldn't stop drinking. I saw him talking to his wife the other day so maybe he goes and visits them when he's not here."

"Does he know you'll move out once you have the custody of your house?"

Aditya nodded slowly, careful of the neck-brace he was wearing. "I think he does. And I think he is planning to move back to his family soon after that too."

"That would be nice."

"Only if he stop drinking. Or my aunt would kick him out the moment he goes back to his old habits." Aditya said and laughed a little, only to realize the pain in his neck was still there.

As the conversation continued, Vikram and Aditya had no measurement of time because afternoon turned into evening and they continued to laugh and talk and just be. They only realized how long they'd been like that when a sudden knock on the door interrupted them.

Vikram got up and shifted to the couch immediately, and Aditya gave him an apologetic smile like it was his fault Vikram had to move.

The door opened and to their surprise, it was Vikram's mom and brother. Vaibhav carried a big lunch box with him and Meera followed right after.

"Namaste aunty." Aditya immediately said and waved his hand at Vaibhav after.

Meera smiled at Aditya as he tried to sit up straight.

"No, no, you keep resting." Meera said. "How are you feeling?"

"Better." Aditya said with a smile. He hadn't expected them to show up, at all.

"What did the doctor say?" Vaibhav asked.

"It's just a mild sprain. They'll observe me tonight and release me tomorrow."

Vaibhav nodded and placed the lunch box on the table.

"I just thought I'd bring you guys something to eat." Meera said, walking over and sitting to the couch next to Vikram.

"You didn't have to." Aditya said, feeling a little guilty that he had made her come all the way to the hospital.

"Nonsense." Meera said sternly but even Vikram could sense some affection in her words. She then turned to Vikram. "You could have informed us." she said.

Only then did Vikram realize that he hadn't told his family that he would stay overnight at the hospital. "Sorry I don't usually carry my phone to the school. And also I forgot with everything happening so fast."

"Thank god Ruvee called us and told what had happened."

"I have a meeting to attend." Meera said, getting up and turned to Vaibhav. "You can stay here and I'll pick you up on my way back."

Both Vaibhav and Vikram stared at Meera in shock. Did he just voluntarily offer to leave Vaibhav alone?

Vaibhav thought she might go back on her words so he quickly nodded. "Yes. Okay. Yes." he said.

Meera wished Aditya a speedy recovery and quickly left.

"What the hell just happened?" Vaibhav asked, still shocked from what Meera had said.

Vikram had no idea. It was as surprising to him as it was to Vaibhav. Aditya looked visibly confused, not being able to understand what was the big deal about this and Vikram realized that Aditya did not know about his mother's historical obsession with Vaibhav's health.

Vaibhav gave Aditya the short version of the story to Aditya and it finally made sense to him.

"This reminds me..." Vaibhav said and turned to Vikram. "When are you going to talk to mom about me going to school?"

Vikram hadn't really had the time or the right opportunity to talk to his mom about it, considering how his own life had been a mess for months, but now that at least some of it had been settled, he presumed he should.

"I'll try as soon as possible." Vikram said.

"Good." Vaibhav said, "Because if you don't, I am prepared to run away from home."

This made Vikram laugh. "Are you?"

"Yes." Vaibhav said seriously.

"I've saved up enough to get me into a school if she doesn't agree."

"And where will you live?" Aditya asked.

"I have a friend who's willing to find me a place to stay. He says the owner owes him money so I can stay rent free."

Vikram's eyes widened. "What kind of people are you friends with? The mafia?"

"Yes, if you're ever in trouble, don't worry. My friends can help you get out of it."

Hearing this Aditya laughed and Vikram looked at him in shock. "Don't encourage him." he said.

"Sorry." Aditya replied. "It's just funny that your younger brother is more resourceful than you are."

Vikram scowled and turned to Vaibhav. "Just... don't run away from home and stop being friends with... whoever you're friends with. I'll talk to mom."

Aditya was discharged close to 5pm the next day and Ruvee's dad had told him exactly what Ruvee had said- to rest for a week before resuming anything apart from school. The sprain on his neck was almost gone so Aditya diced to leave the neck brace at the hospital before he left.

Vikram accompanied Aditya back to his house when he was discharged, in the car with the driver that his mother had so generously provided. Once they were there, Vikram asked for the car to go back and inform his mom that he'll be home by dinner.

Aditya opened the door to his house and found it pleasingly empty. His uncle wasn't there and it was such a relief because he didn't have the energy to deal with him right now.

They walked in and Aditya shut the door behind him before they went to Aditya's room.

"Did you sleep well at the hospital?" Aditya asked Vikram once they were inside.

"Yeah." Vikram said. "It was a little uncomfortable but I slept nonetheless."

Aditya nodded and walked to the corner of his room. He picked up fresh pair of clothes and handed them to Vikram.

"Wash up and change." he said.

"I am fine." Vikram protested. "I can go take a bath once I am back home."

"You smell more like hospital than I do." Aditya said and pushed the clothes at him. "Go take a bath and I'll go get something for you to eat."

"You don't have to, Aditya. I am really fine."

"You haven't eaten anything since dinner last night." Aditya said. "Plus, I am hungry too."

Vikram had to admit, he was feeling shyer than he had imagined he would when it was just the two of them in Aditya's room. So he nodded frantically and picked up the towel and spare clothes Aditya had laid out for him before rushing into the washroom for a quick shower.

By the time he came out, Aditya was already back.

"You done?" he asked and Vikram nodded.

Aditya was sitting on the floor with newspapers spread out and assortment of food on them. His stomach growled and only then did he realize that he too was hungry.

"Sorry this isn't exactly a five star arrangement."

Vikram shook his head. "I don't mind." he said and joined Aditya on the floor.

"I wish I could have cooked you something." Aditya said, a little regretfully.

Vikram took the first bite. "I am sure I will give you the opportunity to serve me someday."

Aditya laughed and dug in.

"You planning to talk to your mom about Vaibhav today?" he asked after a while.

Vikram shrugged. "I don't know. I'll have to first make sure she's in a good mood or it could backfire."

Aditya nodded. "I hope it works out well."

"Me too." Vikram said.

"And did you get to talk to your dad..." he asked, "after that day?"

Vikram knew Aditya was talking about the day he had yelled at his dad with those unpleasant words. He nodded slowly. "He was lucid a couple of days ago." he said in a low voice.

"Did you tell him what you wanted to?"

Vikram hesitated but then slowly shook his head. "I chickened out." he said. Vikram would have given reasons for why he had chickened out but he decided not to. He didn't want to give excuses.

"It's okay." Aditya said. "It happens."

Vikram looked at him in surprise. He had expected Aditya to tell him things like he should have apologized when he had the chance but he had not.

"I am sure there will other days when you can say what you want to him."

"What if I am not able to?" Vikram asked. "That day he was sitting next to me, reading a newspaper and I could have easily apologized but I didn't."

"But you wanted to, didn't you?"

Vikram nodded.

"Then that's fine. I am sure you'll get another chance."

Vikram breathed. "What if chicken out again?"

"Then you try again."

"And if I fail then too?"

"Then you try one more time. You keep trying until you are sure you can do it."

Vikram looked conflicted, like he would cry any moment, so Aditya continued. "Apologies are difficult, Vikram. Sometimes they're hurtful too. But trust me, you'll feel better once the words are out than keeping them in. There is no bigger regret than an unsaid apology."

Vikram blinked. "Do you mean your dad?"

Aditya nodded. "I wish I could have apologized for failing to be there for him when he needed me. I wish I could have apologized for dishonoring his life by not accepting how he died."

"Aditya..." Vikram whispered. He had no idea Aditya was hurting so much on the inside. He wished he could take all this hurt away from Aditya but he didn't know how.

"It really eats you up." Aditya continued. "So it's important to apologize while you still can."

Vikram nodded. "I will try." he said. "I promise."

Aditya looked at him and smiled. "Now eat." he said. "The food's getting cold."

Vikram dug in and they continued to eat and talk until there was nothing left eat and they were more than full.

Once they were done, and had cleaned the place, Vikram and Aditya lied down on the floor with their heads stuck together as they lied in the opposite direction.

Aditya had taken his Walkman out of his desk drawer so they could listen to some music and just do nothing for a while and Vikram loved the idea. Vikram was lying on his back while Aditya rested on his side with his head rested on his hand.

He pulled the earphone and stuck one of the pods to his own ears before giving the other one to Vikram.

And then he hit play.

Vikram was immediately surprised to hear old classics. A faded intro played into a song called 'Yeh Nayan Dare Dare'

Vikram turned to his right to find Aditya looking at him. "You listen to old Bollywood songs?"

Aditya smiled. "Sometimes." he said.

"Who's the singer?"

"Hemant Kumar." Aditya answered softly.

Vikram turned back and closed his eyes as the song played on. He vaguely recognized the song that was playing. His mom was a big fan of old classics, but this was the first time Vikram was actively listening to one.

The song ended and another played and Vikram was surprised again to hear the same voice in another song. This one was 'Yeh Raat Yeh Chandni'. In all fairness, Aditya didn't look like he would listen to such songs. Vikram had always thought he was the heavy metal rock kind of person but this was completely opposite of that.

"Do you like these songs?" Aditya asked, "I can switch to something else if you like."

"No." Vikram said, "I like it."

As more and more songs played, Vikram realized that they were all by Hemant Kumar. There was something so affectionately intimate about listening to old classics while sharing earphones that Vikram didn't want the songs to ever end.

Then, a new song began and Vikram was immediately drawn to it. He closed his eyes again as the song 'Jaane Who Kaise Log The' played in his ear. Vikram had never heard this one before but something about it struck him very hard. There was something so tragically beautiful about the song and how it was sung that Vikram could feel the sadness in his heart when he heard it.

Once it ended, Vikram felt like a void had been left in his heart that he could not explain.

It was only when Aditya hit the rewind button on the Walkman did Vikram realize that the first side was done with.

"Why aren't you turning it over?" Vikram asked, wondering why Aditya didn't just switch to the other side.

"Because Side B has Kishore Kumar."

Vikram looked at him in confusion. "And?"

"And I don't like his songs."

Vikram laughed. "Don't let my mom hear that. She's a big fan."

Aditya joined in the laughter. "So was my dad." he said. "He made me this mix tape with my favorite songs on one side and his on the other, thinking I would listen to it."

"Did you?"

Aditya shook his head and laughed. "I remember when he gave me the cassette, we were in our living room and I put it on in my jukebox. He waited patiently for me to finish Side A and then turn the cassette over. But then, I just went on to rewind the entire thing instead of turning it over."

"You should have seen his face." Aditya continued, falling flat on his back. "If the person to invent rewinding was present there, I am sure my dad would have killed him right then."

Vikram joined in on the laughter. "I wish I could have met your dad. He sounds so fun."

"Oh he was." Aditya said and turned to his side again, facing Vikram. He reached out and ran his hand through Vikram's hair. "I wish he could have met you too. He would have liked you."

"Really?"

Aditya nodded. "I didn't have many good friends growing up and my dad always asked me to invite my friends over on a Sunday or during the holidays. But I never did. He would have been psyched to meet you. If he were here, you wouldn't have to eat street food on the floor. He would have prepared a buffet for you."

"I would have liked that." Vikram said, "But I didn't mind the street food on the floor either. I don't mind anything as long as you're here."

Aditya looked at him in a way that tugged at Vikram's heart, making it melt and beat faster at the same time.

"Damn you!" Aditya whispered and before Vikram would understand what he meant, Aditya leaned in until his lips met Vikram's in a warm embrace.