Page 38 of Love Locked
“How someone can adore cactus is beyond me. It’s odd.”
“It isn’t strange. It implies that I value beauty in various forms.”
He smiled, “I guess that’s one way to put it. I remember Mira telling us you wanted a kitty when you were in high school.”
“Oh, yeah. Mom and Dad were actually thinking of getting me a kitty before the shit hit the fan with Adil and Mira’s wedding...” They both stopped speaking as Kyra stumbled.
The days leading to Adil and Mira’s wedding were stressful for all of them, considering how Mira had given in to her father’s demands. Even though it had all worked out in the end, it was still a ludicrous proposition. But in retrospect, she was overjoyed that her sister had found someone like Adil, who loved her more than anything in the world.
“So, how come you’ve got a two-year-old pet? I mean, people usually go for pups.” Kyra sounded befuddled.
“Now, That’s a long story.” He stole a glance at Kyra, who was staring at him.
“And we have a long night. Try me.” Silky tresses ringed her oval face. She looked ethereal and radiant. Her exquisite features were bathed in the bright yellow light, enhancing her beauty tenfold.
“You look beautiful, princess.” He wanted to take the words back, but they were out in the open.
Her cheeks were slightly flushed. She wrapped her hands around her knees and dragged them to her chin. “Let’s get the story started.”
Kabir breathed out loud. “After Raina and I broke up, I made some really crappy decisions.”
“What level of crappy are we discussing?” Kyra questioned. The way she spoke radiated kindness and a willingness to listen. He hadn’t heard anyone talk to him like this for a long time. Almost subconsciously, the words spilled out of his mouth without much thought.
“I went off the grid to assess what the fuck I would do with my life, given the current state of things. As far as I was concerned, I knew everything. I had my life planned to the T, and it terrified me how it all vanished into thin air.”
“It’s a part of life, Kabir. Sometimes things fall apart in order to bring meaning to our lives.”
“I wasn’t thinking that way. I wanted to make my life better. I wanted to forget all the chaos happening in my life. But my strategy backfired, and I got drunk more nights than not.”
His voice was tinged with hidden pain. Kyra knew Kabir was capable of feeling mountains of emotions, but he suppressed them all. No one in the world was immune to pain.
“I... I have never talked to anyone about such deep and personal subjects before.” Kabir licked his dried lips.
In an almost unconscious motion, Kyra shifted a little closer to Kabir while biting her lip in worry.
Her thigh was flushed next to Kabir’s as he continued to speak. “Some months ago, I was in the neighbourhood bar all alone. I knew I was a bit drunk and shouldn’t have driven back home, but I thought the roads would be deserted. I was barely halfway across the town when I spotted this dark, blur dart across the road. I didn’t brake quickly enough and heard this horrible, painful yelp of some creature.”
“Shit,” Kyra whispered, her face paling slightly.
“I rushed out, and this beautiful black dog was lying on the road not far from my car. Even I could tell his back leg was fractured because he could not get up on his own. I pulled the car off the road and picked him up; unfortunately, he bit the shit out of me. I deserved that.”
“What did you do then?”
“Well, I called Vaayu and Adil. They were prepared to fire missiles at my ass for drunk driving. But, once I apologised, they gave me one final chance to get my shit together. Vaayu has a buddy who is a vet. At two in the morning, I was there with my brothers and a grown-ass dog in my arms, feeling as wasted as a skunk. That night, I finally realised that this dog was destined to be mine regardless of what happened. Perhaps fate was trying to tell me that life was very unpredictable and to put an end to the wild drunken escapades. I realised I had a house while the dog was without one. So, I brought it home with me. That’s how I have Woofer.” Kabir concluded, beaming.
“You’re a good man, Kabir.” She turned on her side to look into his eyes. “I’m sorry you had to go through the shitty breakup. Raina is a dumb fucking idiot. You deserve better.” She trailed a finger over his cheek down to his chin.
Kabir held her finger in his palm, halting her exploration and stared hard at her. “I wish we would have met in a different situation.”
“Why is that?” Kyra held her breath.
“Because when I look at you, I think what a wonderful girl you are.” His words were slurred as he said, “I see how life with someone like you would be so much more enjoyable. I wish I could freeze time and let this moment live on forever.”
“You can’t say such things.” A beautiful smile covered her face as she blushed hard.
“Oh my, what have I done to deserve such a beautiful smile?”
“You’re being all cute and sweet.”
