by Flame Dragon
“What?” Natasha asked.
“Wait…wait that’s a lie Natasha don’t listen to him,” Sakshi said flustered.
“She has me under surveillance,” Mathew said.
“Look that’s my dad’s idea okay? I got nothing to do with it,” Sakshi said trying to shift the blame.
“Unbelievable you are actually blaming your dad to save your skin?” Mathew said amused.
“Well….okay it was her dad’s idea he ordered us to—” Sakshi said pointing to Natasha.
“Excuse me! What do you think your doing?” Natasha asked her angrily.
“Look it’s the truth,” Sakshi said.
“You just changed your story three times already, how can you say it’s the truth?” Natasha asked her.
“But….but,” Sakshi searched for words to blabber.
“Enough lets go!” Natasha said.
“Where?” Mathew asked.
“To the toddy farm,” Natasha answered.
And so the three of them walked down through some trees until they reached the spot.
They were some 20 coconut trees planted neatly in row’s and column’s some were short some were tall apparently there were many subspecies of coconut trees planted together.
Natasha clapped three times and just then a macaque came down from one of the trees.
“See Mr Brown!” Natasha said introducing him to Mathew.
“Its a monkey!” Mathew said half insulted.
“Yep its a monkey,” Natasha answered.
“Why did I think it would be a man then? Oh ya you called him Mr,” Mathew said “It’s a monkey refer to that thing as an it not a him,” Mathew added.
“Your so cruel he is part of our family and we call him Mr,” Natasha corrected him.
The monkey then grabbing her skirt jumped nimbly onto her shoulder and began messing her hair.
“Ow! I cleaned my hair you wont find any lice here,” Natasha said.
The monkey screamed in displeasure and then jumped onto Sakshi who was standing nearby.
“Hey buddy waz up,” Sakshi asked as she grabbed him and began cuddling him.
“Sakshi I won the bet yesterday remember?” Natasha warned her.
“He likes me more,” Sakshi mocked her showing her tongue out.
“You made me climb up and down last night for this?” Mathew thought remembering yesterday’s bet.
“So what’s his problem?” Mathew asked finally as they were playing with him.
“Hmm lets have a look,” Sakshi said as they went further to the farm with Mr brown on Natasha’s shoulder.
“Look up there!” Sakshi pointed out at another monkey sitting high up in the trees.
“Look like he has a friend,” Natasha said.
“A family I think, its carrying a baby on its stomach look closely,” Mathew clarified.
Both the girls gasped.
“Your right look!” Natasha said.
“No wonder he was on the defensive,” Sakshi said.
“Yep he was protecting them I guess they usually chase other monkey’s,” Mathew told them.
“How did he manage to hide them all this while?” Natasha wondered.
“Maybe its injured that’s why its stuck here!” Mathew said suddenly realizing.
“And that’s why he has been chasing everyone away!” Sakshi added.
“What are we gonna do?” Mathew asked them.
“Well it’s looks like we will have to get it down first, maybe it hurt its leg or something it could be bad,” Natasha said peering through the leaves that hid the monkey.
“Why did you keep it anyway?” Mathew asked pointing to Mr Brown.
“Well he plucks coconuts and other fruits for us, saves us the time to hire a person you know,” Natasha informed him.
“But why is he is called Mr brown couldn’t you find it a better name?” Mathew questioned her.
“Well because he is brown?” Natasha said not sure why she kept him that name.
“Ah yeah right silly me,” Mathew said “For forgetting how silly you are,” he thought.
“So Mathew can you climb a tree?” Sakshi asked him.
“Can you?” Sakshi asked her.
“You’re a guy aren’t men supposed to do all the hard work?” Sakshi asked him.
“How convenient of you to say that,” Mathew replied.
“Well can you or can you not?” Sakshi asked him.
“I was born in a city we don’t have trees there exactly and definitely not coconut trees,” Mathew replied.
“Use a bait,” Natasha said.
“Awesome! A banana maybe?” Sakshi said looking at Mathew.
“Great,” Mathew thought as he left them.
“Its over there!” Sakshi said pointing at the banana plantation a few yards away.
By the time Mathew returned Natasha was talking on the phone.
“Okay it’s done the vet will be here by afternoon,” Natasha said.
“Will he let them near it,” Mathew asked.
“Mr brown trusts us we raised him literally,” Sakshi said with confidence as she stroked its head.
It took some time but with patience they finally managed to get the other monkey down from the tree with Mr Browns help. It was limping and had difficulty moving to fast so the other employees had no difficultly catching it. With the girls supervision they managed to get it to a nearby shed were the vets arrived to have it treated Mr brown on the other hand was much calmer now that Natasha and Sakshi were with him.
As for Mr Rodriguez he was in a jolly mood now that his toddy was back on the table. And so it didn’t take long for Natasha and Sakshi to convince him to forgive the Mr Brown for his transgressions, he even let the other monkey stay along with Mr Brown.
“Honey I’ll be gone for a while I have a board meeting,” Mr Rodriguez said after breakfast.
“Shall I get the chopper ready?” Pramod asked him.
“Yes of course and please make sure the pilot is ready on time if I catch him being late again I’ll have to throw him out and get a new one,” Mr Rodriguez warned.
“Don’t worry boss! If he is late this time I’ll throw him into the river myself I heard there are plenty of crocodiles there,” Pramod said chuckling.
“Ahahaha! That’ll definitely chase away his laziness,” Mr Rodriguez said laughing.
“You two better not cause any trouble while I am gone,” he warned the two girls as they nodded obediently.
“I have a bad feeling about this,” Mathew thought wondering what mess will happen this time.
A Big Mistake
“Anyway I wanted to ask you something,” Mathew said one day as the three of them were strolling around the estate.
“What do you wanna ask?” Natasha answered.
“Why isn’t there a pool here…….I mean you guys have everything here cars, bikes, a gym, a tennis court, basketball court but no swimming pool?” Mathew asked her.
“Oh that!” Sakshi said remembering.
“Well my dad hates swimming apparently my grandfather used to throw him in the water everytime he got drunk they used to live near the river he couldn’t even swim back then,” Natasha said.
“In fact he hates everything that has water pools, rivers etc etc!” Sakshi added.
“Why?” Mathew asked.
“Well…..you see my grandpa murdered my grandma one day during one of his drunken brawls and threw her body into the river my dad couldn’t even reach her as her body washed away down the river,” Natasha said hesitantly.
“That’s terrible I am so sorry….I…….I didn’t know that,” Mathew answered.
“He grew up with his uncle after that while his dad rotted in prison,” Sakshi added.
“Except toddy he hates everything alcoholic especially whiskey and beer two of my grandpa’s favourite,” Natasha told him.
“He doesn’t drink much toddy does he? I have seen him take only a glass,” Mathew said remembering.
“Yep but it seems Sakshi apparently hasn’t followed him in his footsteps she has instead taken my grandpa’s as her role model,” Natasha said looking grimly at Sakshi.
“Hey he is not my dad why should I be like him?” Sakshi protested.
“Didn’t you boast to him how you were being a good girl concentrating only on studies?” Natasha teased her.
“You need to lie sometimes you know its good for you,” Sakshi advised her.
“Seriously she is worst than your grandpa when she is drunk,” Mathew said laughing.
“Shut the fuck up!” Sakshi roared.
“Hey no cursing!” Natasha scolded her.
“Ahh! I am so stressed whenever I am with him,” Sakshi told Natasha.
“Then go cool of at the gym then, try building some muscle in there it’ll be good for you,” Mathew said.
“Do I look like a guy to you?” Sakshi asked him.
“Wanna know a secret about guys?” Mathew asked her.
“What kind of secret?” Sakshi asked with all ears.
“The one which will make their heads turn towards you,” Mathew answered.
“Tell me!” Sakshi said pulling him closer holding his collar.
“Guys hate skinny girls but they love those with pleasing curves,” Mathew whispered.
“Really!” Sakshi whispered aloud.
“Yep get yourself some abs a bit of muscle will get you good curves,” Mathew whispered back.
“You perverts I can hear you guys you know!” Natasha addressed them both.
“I am hungry I’ll go get something to eat,” Sakshi said as she took off.
“You know why don’t we go down to the river maybe I can teach you how to swim,” Mathew asked her.
“But there are lots of crocodile’s there,” unsure if its safe there.
“I think it’s a lie trust me,” Mathew said.
“Are you sure?” she had half a mind to go there.
“Cmon!” he dragged her along.
And just as Mathew thought there was no crocodile’s there at all it had a few sand islands in the middle though. The river was wider than Mathew though, nearly a kilometre wide but most of it was relatively shallow especially on the coasts with small sand islands here and there.
“This is good,” Mathew said.
“Well so how do we do this I mean I don’t have a swim wear,” Natasha said.
“Oh ya about that…..you can remove your clothes,” Mathew said feeling awkward.
“Can’t I swim with my clothes on?” Natasha asked him nervously.
“Damn I feel like a creep for saying that,” Mathew though.
“Mathew?” she asked again.
“Oh ya….umm..……ya you have to, how are you gonna dry your clothes if it gets wet? Mathew said.
“Your not gonna do something creepy like you did last time are you?” She asked him suspiciously.
“Shit! She even remembers that? I thought she forgot about it, damn I am such an idiot!” Mathew thought.
“I’ll turn around,” he said as he turned to the other direction.
Mathew had never seen her so happy before than the day she learned to swim. But in truth it was also the day Mathew cherished the most as well. For the first time he had realized just how beautiful she was with her wet hair sticking to her face and water droplets running down her bosoms he couldn’t resist the urge to touch her pretty face. “Just once,” he thought as he placed his hands on her cheeks.
“What?” Natasha asked as she started at him clueless wondering why he looked at her that way.
“You smell like cinnamon,” he said.
That very instant before Natasha could reply he just kissed her on the lips. Natasha got a jolt like an electric shock she immediately pushed him away and slapped him on his right cheek, she reacted without even thinking.
The slap probably brought Mathew back to his senses and he just released what he had done but it was already too late.
“I….. I’m sorry….I’m so sorry….I….I gotta go,” he said as he took his clothes and ran off back to the mansion leaving Natasha behind.
The rest of the month went on quietly and awkwardly even Sakshi noticed the distance between them now, but she was more than happy to ignore it she didn’t like Mathew anyway.
A New Year A New Me
Natasha was starring at the painting in silence which hung on her wall. They had just returned from vacation and were now back at their room preparing for the new year celebration which the college students organised. They would be all kinds of performances from students and even a song from Sachin every girls favourite and a song from a mysterious rock band with a strange name “The losers”.
“I mean couldn’t they find a better name for their band….losers!” Sakshi said and then just laughed at her joke. Both being rock fans Sakshi thought they should have chosen a cooler name.
Natasha though just sat there in silence starring at the painting of herself the one Mathew had given her.
“The painting looks different today…….maybe it’s just me,” Natasha thought.
“Hey are you okay?” Sakshi asked peeping in from the door.
“I’m fine lets have a bath before we go!” Natasha said.
“Okay I’ll go in first,” Sakshi said.
“How did I not notice? Was he this way all along?” Natasha thought.
“Where the soap?” Sakshi shouted from the bathroom.
“In my blue bag,” Natasha shouted back.
“Was he really my friend or did he just want something else from me? I feel so betrayed,” Natasha thought sombrely.
Sakshi began humming from the bathroom.
“Are all guys like that, maybe even Sachin?” Natasha was having doubt’s now “Never mind that, it’s new year now so lets have fun and think about that later,” she finally said to herself.
Natasha and Sakshi had finally made it to the concert hall the biggest in the campus some of former students had donated the funds for its construction because the management thought it was a waste of money to have a specialized concert hall for performing college students who loved singing.
Natasha always felt guilty entering that hall because it represented her father’s failure to appreciate modern entertainment. Even as the structure was being build her father would complain at the dinner table everyday about the enormous waste of funds for what her father described useless, screaming, airheads.
The hall was already jam packed as they entered so they had to stand at the back. It was 11:00 pm and the new years party was underway in full swing. Someone was already singing but his voice was drowned as half the crowd booed him.
“Booo you bastard go fuck yourself!” Sakshi screamed along with everyone else.
But the guy remained adamant and defiantly stood there singing but his tune got even worse now partly because he was angry at being booed.
Sakshi screamed “Go home! Go home! Go home!” And encouraged everyone to join her soon the whole crowd began chanting “Go home! Go home!”
Finally some 4 guys climbed the stage and dragged him below from the stage and into the crowd, only the microphone returned back to the stage which was picked up by the next singer.
“Oh my god!” Sakshi screamed and there was a roar among the crowd.
“What is it?” Natasha screamed at Sakshi, screaming was the only way to be heard in such a noisy place.
The crowd began chanting “Sachin! Sachin! Sachin!”
Natasha’s heart started racing “Please don’t say anything about me,” Natasha pleaded by herself hoping Sachin would somehow magically know what she was thinking.
“This song is for a special someone,” Sachin said on the microphone.
“He is gonna say it!” Sakshi warned her.
“You know who?” he asked the frenzied crowd.
“Natasha!” they all yelled in reply.
“I can’t hear you,” Sachin said showing his left ear and pretending.
“N
atasha! Natasha! Natasha!” the crowd chanted in exhilaration.
“This is not happening,” Natasha thought as she placed both her hands on her ears trying to block the noise.
Luckily in the darkness nobody could really see her face. Soon the lights went out with only the stage being illuminated.
“I know your out there Natasha remember you’re the only one I will ever truly love and this so is for you,” Sachin said and soon the crowd fell silent and the background music started.
All I think about is you, you
All I think about is you, you
All I think about is yoouu
Sweety, sweety, where are you?
I wanna say, I love you
Were are your hiding, I already know
So don’t pretend, like you never knew
I don’t think you hate me yet
When I’m near you, you start to blush
Anyone can tell, by just looking at you
So lets just skip the, catch me if you can
All I think about is you, you
All I think about is you, you
All I think about is you
Its boring, its boring, don’t you get it?
Its boring, its boring, come now let’s end this
Its boring its, boring, don’t you get it
Its boring, its boring, come now let’s end this
Your killing me, by not telling me
Don’t you know, how much I’m missing you?
Your the only one, who can make me satisfied
With my life
So now C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, come hug me
C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, come kiss me
C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, don’t reject me
C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, lets end this now
C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, come hug me
C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, come kiss me
C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, don’t reject me
C’mon, C’mon, C’mon, C’mon lets end this now
It’s boring, it’s boring, don’t you know it
It’s boring, it’s boring, let’s just end this