PART-09 - THE UNSEEN BY AUTHOR MAHIZHAVATHANA (Author. M)
BREAK WHERE SHE SPILLED THE BEANS:
Murali has loved cardamom tea since his teenage years. He likes it for all the flavours of the tea leaves, the way the dried cardamom is boiled in the red dye, and how it suffers throughout the process. Slowly, it releases its aroma and calls not only tea lovers but also those who love to drink it through the nose. He had his cardamom tea sip by sip, He and his only tea, he believed. His back got slammed by Goshan, who stuffed his morning snack plate.” Enjoying the time alone, huh? Imagine yourself as a bigshot?” entered his chaos close to his heart. Goshan was almost ready to have his most enjoyable time of the day. But never alone, it is always with his friend Murali.
“Why don’t you try ginger tea or tulasi ones? It is boring to have the same all the time,” exhausted Goshan. “Would you love to erase your childhood memories from your brain? It tastes good even though the years rolled by, right?” stressed Murali. Poor boy, he just wanted to chew his good old days whenever he had alone time. Himaye rushed to get her filter coffee with double decoction, definitely the strong one. Her eyes wandered, finding a good space to enjoy her beloved coffee. Goshan raised his arms quicker than Murali noticed her. His eyes opened wider as he saw Himaye in the broad spectrum daylight with a floating outfit, slightly loose and comfortable pants, which caught his heart as she chose her comfort over being unfit, trend following, random girl. And it was very surprising that his crack head is inviting her to sit next to him. Murali could neither nod his head nor take his eyes off. Himaye was called by another woman who looked friendly to her, and she had already met her. Hima chose the woman-to-woman rather than sitting and chatting with the boys. Amy was very curious to know about her. She started asking questions like the one she had faced in the interview as soon as she sat next to her.
“Oh, I saw you on that day; it seems like you work here too.” Himaye was trying to be a nice girl with a voice which had speed breakers, as she had social anxiety. ‘Yeah, see we are friends now, how is it going, everything is fine?’ by dragging the tone, Amy glanced over Murali while her body was there with Himaye, but her consciousness was on where Goshan and Murali were sitting. They could literally listen to everything they were speaking with each other the whole time, which made the period very uncomfortable for those two.
Murali rubbed his forehead between those thick eyebrows and thought of leaving the place. He was called by Amy demanding to join them. “Joining them! Joining Amy? I don’t feel good, “ said Goshan. “Neither do I,” he blew the air slowly to ease the situation and went near the table,” Heyy, how is it going? “ asked Murali quivering. “Quite good,” said Himaye in a soft voice as if she had all the air in. Amy was keenly picking up Murali’s body language around Himaye. “Ain’t I worth asking for a Hi Murali?’ Interrupted Amy. “The minute is getting over, and you are asking for Hi and hello in a sarcastic way? , Seems like your joke peeps out only at the end of the play,” teased Goshan. People slowly moved away from the snack corner as their desks were calling for them. “Ok then, see you guys later, “ said Himaye and left like she had a debt to pay. Goshan had already started his engine and moved away; he didn’t want to witness the awkward situation his friend had been caught in. Amy got up with a fixed and manipulative look at Murali,” Ok, I'm leaving too, but not that soon..,” Murali got the threat in an instant, his brain decoded what she meant.
Amy chased Himaye and gave a hug. Himaye was pleased. Amy whispered, “It is good to be in a place where we get kept, right Hima?’ By raising both eyebrows and giving a sharp look with a smile. Himaye can’t catch it as soon as Murali did. She was confused, “Why would Amy chase her? Came running, away from her department? What did she even mean? What is wrong here? Did I hurt her feelings?” So many questions in her already stirred mind.
