EMBRACE OF MISTS by Sowmya Latha (important of reading books .TXT) 📕

box. I drove to school to see her waiting for me dressed in gorgeous pink.

“Jake, Happy Birthday! Did you find my present?” she asked enthusiastically.

“Yup” I said solemnly.

“Did you like it?”

“I consider it a waste of money, Emily”

“It is ok. Just for you. Aren’t you going to wear it?”She asked hopefully.

“Er….It does not fit me. May be a bigger one.” I lied.

“Oh. May be I could get you another” she replied, again hopefully.

“No thanks. Let me just do something, show me your palm”, I told her. When she held her palm, I took out the ring from my pocket and kept it on her palm. She looked stunned and stared at the ring while I made my way to the class. She did not speak a word to me for the rest of the day. When she was about to take her car from the parking, I rushed up to her. She looked confused and tried to smile.

“I want to ask you something. How did you know where you live?” I asked her. She kept her eyes down and said, “I followed you yesterday.” What does she think in her mind? I got to stop this.

“Don’t do that again. It is dangerous” I told her softly.

“Why? I don’t care” she replied stubbornly. I thought for a moment and came up with an idea.

“You asked me for a movie last week right?”

“Ya” she said dully.

“Why don’t you get ready tonight? I will pick you up at sharp eight.” Her face lit up.

“Really?” she asked keeping her voice down. Of course she would not believe me.

“Yes dear.” She looked at me for a long time and then smiled beautifully.

“I will be waiting for you” she held my hand and said. After she had gone, I made a phone call.

I went to see Ashley, Valentina’s best friend. After Val had died, I had stopped all contacts which might remind me of her. Now I needed Ashley to do me a favour. Ashley was a very modern girl with a broad mind. She speaks freely and is a kind helping hearted person. I knew she would be of best help to me. I made all the arrangements with Ashley and went at eight to pick up Emi at her home. When we reached the theatre I went to buy the tickets while she stood near the counter. I made a ring to Ashley after buying the tickets and stood beside Emi.

“Jacob!!” Both Emi and I turned towards the direction of call. I pretended to be stunned on seeing the approaching person.

“VAL?!!” I shouted in disbelief. Emi was shocked to hear me and her eyes immediately looked at the opposite person who was none other than Ashley whom I had asked to act as Valentina. Ash pushed her way through the crowd and came running to me. She stopped and hugged me tightly. I was not prepared for that but she whispered to me to act properly. I embraced her and kissed her forehead. I could not do it but I had to make Emi believe my act. I wanted her to forget her love on me.

“Jake, what are you doing here? Come, let us go home. I have got lots to talk to you. I am sorry Jake that I left you and I can never leave you ever again. Love you Jake” she kissed me on my cheek and I felt sure that such a worse situation had never attacked me before.

Without turning to Emi, pretending I had forgotten her, I caught Ash by her waist and walked off the theatre with her. At the corner of my eye, I could see Emi deep rooted to the counter. Her face stroked me hard. Her pain killed me but I controlled myself from running back to her to comfort her. To shout to her that I was playing with her. My hands, legs and tongue were tied with invisible string and I quietly left Ashley at her home thanking her. I rushed to my place heeding no traffic rules and dumped myself into my room. For the second time in my life I cried. Once for Val and now for Emi. I asked thousands of sorry to her in my heart. I punched myself hard but I felt it was nothing compared to her pain. I loaded a large dose and drifted into unconsciousness. But still I could feel the monstrous pain in me. The pain struck face of hers did not allow me to sleep.

The next morning, I debated with myself on going to school or not. I have to see the damage I had done to Emily. So I dressed and went to school. Emi’s car was not there. I waited until the third bell rang. Then I drove to her house wondering what had happened to her. I parked the bike near her house, behind a tree. I watched her house for any sort of movements but found none. No one was at home and I returned back to school.

One week had gone and still no sign of Emi. I hanged around her house every evening to catch a glimpse of her. Finally I lost hope. Something dreadful must have happened to her. I avoided those fearing thoughts and waited for her to return back. Atlast I went to school as usual and I found Emi with Harry. My heart thumped in excitement on seeing her. She looked pale and thin and something was missing on her face. Her smile. I noticed another difference too. Usually, her eyes rolled whenever she spoke but now her eyes said nothing. They were lifeless and stayed fixed somewhere while Harry went on speaking to her. She was not lively or energetic. I went near them and as Harry saw me approaching them, he glared at me with hatred. Then he looked at Emi and left her alone with me. He must be angry, of course, for killing his friend’s charm. I focused on Emi’s face but she was still looking in the direction where she was fixed at.

“Emi…ly” I decided to use her full name. She turned to look at me. A lightning of pain crossed her eyes and then they showed nothing. She took her bag and went without a word. I was wordless. Why did not she talk to me? Not even a disgusted smile at me? She just left. This was what I wanted but now I feel I had lost and losing her was awful.

That was the end of it. Emily did not bother me anymore. She did not even look at me or consider me as a person. Day by day the gap widened between us and I returned to my loneliness. Ashley joined me sometimes. She made me do shopping, helped me to clean my house and also with my homework. She drove me to school, took me out to lunch and dinner. She made sure that loneliness did not empower me. This lessened the pain of losing Emi. She usually found us roaming together but never showed any reaction. That’s it. Jacob- Emily love would never exist anymore.

MELINDA

 

August 1996, Malaysia

I did not allow Angel to argue with me as I got to think. Without Jared, I cannot find happiness. Now that I had tasted happiness I can never go back to loneliness. I did not sleep the full night. I don’t love Jared but he means a lot to me. Angel loves Jared. There was no way. I cannot live without both. The clock struck three in the morning. I got up and now that I had made my decision, I knocked Jared’s door. He opened without delay and his eyes were sore with sleeplessness. I allowed Angel to speak for me. Without hesitation, I hugged him and he kissed me again. He made me sit on his bed and turned the lamp towards my face.

“So you love me?” He asked playfully.

“Yes.” Of course Angel replied him. He kissed me again and with Angel responding to him, I could do nothing.

“Come on now. You should get some sleep. We have to go to New York tomorrow. He made me lie on his chest and slowly the heaviness of my eyes made them to close.

August 1996, New York

We booked the evening flight to New York. When we arrived to Jared’s house, I saw an untidy boy sleeping on the floor. The room was awkward, a full mess. I saw Jared carefully lifting the boy and laying him on the bed.

“That’s my brother, Jacob Stryder. He is a bit sick. Come on in Mel dear” he was picking up the rubbish on the floor. I helped him clean the house and made coffee for the three of us, while Jared attended to his brother. I realized he had been using drugs but remained silent to Jared.

When Jacob woke up, he was delighted to see his brother and hugged him. He cried out himself to Jared like a baby. Jared comforted him and made him have his shave and bath. He helped him get dressed. I could see Jared’s love towards his brother and was proud of him. When they came into the dining room, there were four chairs. I wondered whose the other two chairs belonged. Jacob saw me and then looked at Jared. Jared nodded to him and Jacob lifted his hands for a shake. I shook my hands with him and served them their breakfast.

“What happened Jake? Why are you dull?” Jared began questioning Jacob.

“It is nothing Jared… And she is beautiful. Congrats” he smiled at him. Now I found that he was looking terrifically handsome.

“She is Melinda Parker. But that was not what we were talking about” Jared scrutinized Jacob.

“Maybe I will go clean the dishes.” I got up to give them their privacy. Jared smiled at me while Jacob shook his head.

“It isn’t anything Melinda. You can stay” he gestured me to sit.

“Jake…” Jared started it again when I touched his hand. Angel grunted to see me touch him. He looked up at me and I asked Jared not to push him further for the moment. He took my words and left the topic. Finally they ended in talking about me. I felt worse but Angel enjoyed this conversation as much as they did. Jacob preferred to stay alone in his room so Jared took me out and showed me many places. He took me to the art exhibition which I fancied very much. In the evenings, we usually take walk in the park.
“I am very worried about Jake. He is not normal. He has never been a man like this before. He looks like a corpse, Mel. I am scared” he said. Our hands were twined.

“It will be alright soon. Don’t worry” I tried hard to comfort him while Angel remained silent thinking of the intertwined hands

“Don’t do it Angel. He is miserable” I reminded her. She realized it and plunged into our conversation.

“Maybe I should ask Mike and Alvin to return home” he continued.

“Who are they?”

“They are my friends. They have gone on a holiday” his voice hiding something.

“What work you do?” I enquired him.

“All sorts” he replied casually.

“Means?” I pushed him further.

“Murder, kidnapping, robbery…anything for money” he showed his teeth. He seemed to enjoy my shock. What? Am I in the middle of a gang of murderers? Even Angel was in a shock.

“Everything seemed right to me. Now that you have shown me it is wrong, I promise you that I would stop everything. Only for you… Please don’t hate me, Mel” he begged.

“I don’t know what to say. I can never hate you Jared but I am happy for you to turn over a new leaf” the words which Angel and I together spoke. He smiled earnestly and said, “I love you, Mel”

“I love you too” Angel replied him. I was the odd one out there.

That night I was alone as Jared was with Jacob.

“Angel, can