"Living here is worth, really," Sony said. "I feel envious. Every corner looks like a photo spot. I think it's all sold out but yet to be occupied."
"I guess so too. Clubhouses also looked huge. There are even multiple pools here." Naila acknowledged.
"It must be all rich people residing here," Sony said and sighed. "Come, let's go home."
The two reached Sony's home. A row house neighborhood it was, with small pavements. "Nobody owns cars here," Sony said. "You cannot bring it home. So people own only scooters or bikes," she smiled. "This is known to be a little out of fashion neighborhood in this Valley," Sony went on. "People who lost everything in the landslide 15 years ago, shifted to the safest side of the valley. Nobody had money and built houses with the fund government provided. Neither the local government nor any families could afford stand alone houses. So with the small piece of land alloted for each family, the rich and poor, all built same houses, lived the same way, equally, with whatever was left," Sony explained the history. "It was the only landslide that ever occurred in the Valley. But a lot of lives were lost. Everybody was asleep when it happened. So people died when they were sleeping peacefully and very less people woke up and ran away. Whoever were rescued, lived on. All of us lost someone we loved, someone we knew, someone we were close with. My parents lost some of their family members and relatives. Did not get time to alert them. I lost my puppy too." Naila nodded and remained quiet. She did not know what to say. Naila and Sony walked around the neighborhood for sometime, greeted some neighbors and walked into Sony's home. It was two- storied row house but the upstairs had two bedroom and downstairs a kitchen, a washroom, and a living room.
Naila sat on the sofa while Sony called her mother to come downstairs and greet Naila. Sony and her mother looked exactly the same. "Hello my chold, Sony has said a lot about you," she said, shaking hands and patting Naila's shoulder.
"Alright alright, I got it," Sony smiled. "Thank you for helping me," Sony thanked Naila.
"No problem, take care," Naila said and stood up to leave. She stepped out of the house. "Aunty, I will come some other time and greet you properly, maybe eat too," Naila assured Sony's mother.
"Sure, my dear. Get home before it gets dark." Naila nodded to it and walked towards the bus stop.
"Did you girls have lunch?" Sony's mother asked.
"I'm fine. I actually have to hurry Sony. There is class tomorrow and I have to prepare some learning aids," Naila said.
"But eat something," Sony insisted
"I told you right, I'm feeling nauseous. If i eat something, then I will fall sick while traveling. So, I cannot," Naila explained. "If I leave now, I will reach the dorm by 4 or 5 at least. You take rest. Don't walk. We walked too much today," Naila reminded her.
She sat there at the stop, waiting. It looked like she has to wait for another 15 minutes for the bus, then do an interchange, board another, to reach the school. Naila took a deep breath and sat there observing the surrounding. It indeed felt cold like Sony said. Suddenly a familiar BMW SUV stopped in front if the stop.
"Get in quick," the window was rolled down.
"Luke," Baila stood up.
"Quick," he hurried her.
"No, I will board the bus," she declined.
"Quick, before a vehicle comes and honks," he said again and Naila heard a honk exactly at that time. A truck coming towards their direction.
Naila immediately got in and Luke stepped on the accelerator. "What are you doing here?"
"I had some business here," he lied. He just followed and waited for Naila to walk back to the bus stop so that he could pick up. The two sat in complete silence for some distance.
"I.." Naila started.
"How.." Luke also started at the same time.
"You go," Naila said.
"How are you feeling? Everything okay?" Luke sounded concerned.
"Yes." Naila said, playing her fingers. She lifted her head and looked at him. "Yes, all good," she lied too.
"Believing what you said is my only option," Luke replied.
"Then believe it," she said and looked at him.
"I was shocked when I saw you at that beach, finding you like that," he started.
"Like I said, I don't know what happened and I don't know,I.. that was not my intention either. I know a minute's difference would have cost me my life, but I am grateful to you. Thank you," Naila finally spoke. She thanked him but sounded strict. "I don't want to be reminded of it again," she put a fullstop.
Luke did not say anything further. He understood that she is drawing the line. He remained quiet. Five minutes later Naila spoke again. "Can you stop for a minute?" She requested.
Luke looked at her and slowly stopped the vehicle on the side id the road. "Are you sick?" He asked. But Naila had opened the door and rushed to the side of the road covering her mouth. Luke got down and rushed behind her. Naila placed her hands on her knees and started vomiting.
"Naila," he called. He immediately held her arms and patted her back.
"Water," she asked.
"I have it, let me take it," Luke ran towards the car, picked up the bottle. Naila felt extremely weird after it. She drank water and managed to somehow get back in the car and looked at Luke. Luke drove to the only hospital in the valley.
"Why are we at the hospital for a nausea?" Asked Naila.
"You look pale and weak," Luke remarked.
He parked the car, stepped out, and walked around to open the door for Naila. He extended his hand toward her. Naila looked up at him, then down at his hand.
"Come," he said softly.
Before she could react, Luke reached for her hand himself, his fingers closing firmly around hers. Naila's heart seemed to drop into her stomach, sending a strange flutter through her entire body. She glanced down at their intertwined hands, and Luke noticed.
He said nothing. Instead, he simply held on and walked beside her.