Chapter 25

A Little More Than A friend

All good things come in small packages.

However little the gesture of love is, it brings a friend closer, touches our heart and makes us feel blessed

“I love to see you in the kitchen when I am home” Carlos murmured as he hugged Ro from behind inhaling the vanilla scent from her hair, unruly yet pretty.

Ro smiled halfheartedly “You got to get used to it.” As she ran a spatula into some curry that she was making.

“Nay, I like my usual feisty Rosaline.” Carlos switched off the knob of the cook top and pulled Ro to one of the couches in the living room.

“She’s gone.” Ro said inaudibly, her face held down in defeat.

“So I am getting her upgraded. She’s not gone only outdated just like my ios system.” Carlos said as he fiddled with his mobile.

“You are getting crazier each day.” Ro said irritably ‘I am not a device that has a system upgrade. I am a human, worthless and good for nothing.

“Now shut up” Carlos snapped “look you have interviews lined up for tomorrow”

Ro’s eyes widened at the thoughtfulness of the male species that she’d endured to hate or dislike all her life.

He’d gone out of the way to hunt job for her when she herself had given up only after few queries.

After the not so meeting with D when she found her happy and gay and few eff bee uploads of her happy family and the status that always said “Happy family are we.

Its destiny that we have great life partners”

“Learning to love is the essence of life”

and daily posted pictures of Joey and D in which of them look happy and smiling at each other.

Then there were pics of Susane’s birthday, Ro too had sent flowers for the same but did not get any acknowledgement from D rather when she called up to wish Susane the phone went on voice mail stating that she was busy at the moment and the person can leave a message.

Ro hung the phone because she couldn’t think of a message that’s he could narrate without a sob in her voice so she preferred to be silent.

Carlos had once asked her “D got your job immediately after you were terminated. Do you think that it was planned or a coincidence?’

Ro gave one glaring look at Carlos that stated Shut up and he immediately backed up.

But the seeds of D being a fraud were deeply sown in her heart.

She had put faith in a wrong person.

It was a first that she didn’t judge a person well or her decision went wrong, so went her confidence to a depleting level.

It is not like she did not try new jobs but everytime she filled in the forms, she screwed up big time either leaving certain details or giving ardent expectations of the pay scale, more than that she’d always procrastinate her way towards the venue and then miss it.

She actually did not have the courage to see the office building with professional faces behind the chair; one of those professional faces had deceived her long time.

And now when Carlos shows her the list of mails of her interviews expectantly with hopes burning in his eyes, hopes of her fulgent future of the little rebellious girl who grew up with him, she couldn’t deny.

“Okay” he rubs his palm playfully “the interviews are lined up this Monday and we have a whole weekend to ourselves”

Ro simply nodded to what Carlos was saying lost in her own reverie ‘how could she disappoint this cute guy who’d been nothing but kind, humble and patient with her who took all her bawling, tantrums and mood swings with a mere smile on his face.’

“Do you wanna change or..” Carlos offered her a hand to take.

And like a reflex that she’d always used whenever he would ask if she was okay and she replied “I m good”

Looking at her sweatpants and mentally informing himself that she’s always been like this carefree Carlos dragged her out of the doors for the sight seeing that he was talking about.

Ro stands in the middle of the beach, violent breeze swaying her tendrils that had managed to escape out of her untidy bun, her chest a little broadened as she took in the calming salty breath and the tiny sprinklers of sand escaping beneath her feet, her eyes closing and opening and the browns looking far far away

“Out door suits you” Carlos stated friendly as she pushed the lose tendril that was disturbing her behind her ears and smiled.

Ro smiled for the first time in weeks. They held hands in hands as they moved around the coast line talking about everything and anything keeping both their love life; his’s with Ro and Ro’s with D’s and they talked endlessly till the blue sky turned gray and the twinkle appeared on the clear cloudless sky.

 Carlos looked upstairs marveling at the beauty of the nature and thanking the Big man above for returning him back his best friend.

Next day they enrolled themselves for the city tour on an open bus.

The site of the busy city that was not so busy on a weekend day with tall skyscrapers all around, even the concrete jungle felt different as they stood open arms gushing the winds through the speeding bus and they were enjoying thoroughly “I cant believe it” Ro shouted with the noisy traffic “years in this city and I did not do this”

“We are doing it” Carlos shouted close in her ears making her flush and Carlos blush, he never intended to be that intimate. It was an accident.

While Carlos yawned out of boredom in the city museum Ro sashayed excited beaming at everything that was ancient , dirty and still worth millions.

Both of them were exhilarated when they found one of the oldest balls from the world cup brought by one of the players in the olden times as a souvenir.

The butterfly garden was enchanting when the two gashed the beauty of the tiny insects in varied colors.

Last not the least when the bus landed at a very ancient seven star hotel with both historical and exquisite significance.

Though the menu was exorbitant still they treated each other with one of the most delectable cocktail enjoying the view of the ocean from 25th floor of the restaurant clicking glasses and cheering to the most wonderful day that had spent together.

Not being contended with the mild drink they crashed to the nearby bar till they were drunk and tipsy and giggling all the time

“You know if you had taken me to this tour earlier” Ro hiccupped which was followed by a tiny giggle “I would have married you instead of that bitch”

Carlos’s eyes turned wide like a saucers as he sunk in the words of Ro and with another loud hiccup “Had I known it would take couple of drinks to accept my marriage proposal” he laughed animatedly “I would have always brought a bottle of beer with me instead of cookies.”

“Aw cookies.. I love them” Ro giggled “thanks for getting them for me. You are such a cutie” she stretched to peck him on his cheeks and he moved instantaneously unaware of her actions. They were close, extreme close and there was electricity between them.

Carlos sobered up immediately, he knew he had a line forbidden to cross and stood to leave “Ro its late I cannot miss the show tomorrow” and he giggled once again.

Flushed by her actions Ro too followed his suit and walked home besides him.

Tumbling and shaking unable to maintain her balance with her dizzy head she finally held Carlos’s hand who was trying to walk a step ahead of her; thousands of thoughts running in his head, he now wanted her more and in conscious state.

He smiled when he felt the familiar warm and not so soft touch, yeah Ro did not have soft girly hands and he liked to hold these hands that were rough and strong with the football that she’d played and the hardships she faced all her life.

''''''''

“We are good?” was the first thing that Ro asked first thing in the morning when Carlos offered her a cup of tea, his morning ritual

“Yeah amazing” Carlos shrugged “I enjoyed yesterday” he admitted honestly but bit back the words that he wanted to say every bit of the yesterday

“Me too” Ro murmured before she blew a soft air to the hot tea and licked the rim of the mug to start her day “movie day then” she stated excitedly and Carlos matched her grin

'''''''''''

“I cant do this, I’ll fail” Ro was all jittery and not ready to leave the house.

“No you wont, you are much stronger than you apprehend yourself to be” Carlos encouraged her, he’d been pep talking her since morning trying to make her feel confident about the interview.

“I am not the same Ro that you used to know.” Ro stated, tears brimming her eyes.

Carlos bent to his knees facing her face to face “Yes you are not, you are better, you are polished. You have seen worst. And that makes you so strong, so beautiful” he moved his hands on her cheeks.

“But I am tainted now” Ro stared at her laps fiddling her fingers nervously “I got attracted to a girl and I fell in love with her. We got married and what could be worse. She ditched me.” tears flowing freely now.

“Hey hey stop crying” he offered her the box of tissues and continued more seriously “ let me share one of my life’s forbidden secret with you. I did not like this part of my life and had buried deep in my memories” Carlos shifted uncomfortably not happy with what he was about to say “I was rather embarrassed about it.”

Ro did not show if she was listening eagerly but her sniffling stopped and Carlos knew she was trying to concentrate.

He continued “I was in first year sophomore and then I was part of the football team, the school had an excellent football player who had earned highest number of goals in Nationals, his name was Tom Jordan.

He had that tough tomboy look, stout muscles, tattoos, abs and very tall body and his body radiated with power and confidence. I .. umm” Carlos paused reluctant to admit.

“You, I mean” Ro shrieked excited for the first time.

“Yes” Carlos admitted seeing Ro excited for the first time in days “yes I got attracted by him, his aura, his personality, game and yes the way he would talk to people so groomed yet humble. And he was very humble with me, helped me a lot in the game, I too was serving him like a friend, a slave rather hanging on to each and every word. Some times he’d amused by my behavior but most of the times he’d ignore.”

“I can’t believe it” Ro said enthusiastically “You proposed him?” she couldn’t contain her anxiety.

“No” Carlos chuckled “He had girlfriends, rather new ones every week” he added sadly.

“Bastard “ Ro murmured

“But I was permanent’ Carlos said proudly “I was jealous of those kinky girls around him but did not understand why yet I was happy that he was kind to me.”

“Then..” Ro could not wait for the happy ending

“Then he got selected for the international Nba federation and he left.” He finished unaffected but yes a tinge of emotion still strayed his molten eyes.

“Oh so you never confessed” Ro’s mouth forming an ‘o’

“I cried the whole night when he left. He hugged me final goodbye. I realized I loved him, rather I got scared that I was gay” Carlos chuckled lightly.

“Really you.. umm… “ she smiled “no offences though”

“NO” Carlos shrieked, “I am straight. It was only a phase and it passed”

“And how did you realize?” Ro folded her hands.

Carlos pinched her nose adoring her childish behavior “how did I realize that I was straight?” he repeated and something bold endured him as he lifted her hand and put it in his crotch “can you feel this. When I saw you there” he whispered. Ro was too shocked to react “in those tight skirts and high heels all bending because I barked softly in your ears and you got scared dropping the documents in your hand. You bent to pick them, your ass facing my face and I was hard.”

Something stirred and it wasn’t Carlos’s delirious organ but also something in Ro’s left side of her chest but she chose to ignore.

Fiddling with her tote she murmured a quick thanks “I am feeling better” and stood to leave.

“And I am sure you’d nail it.” Carlos said confidently.

Ignoring or surpassing the small intimacy between the two Ro smiled a genuine smile at her friend and saluted him adding a courtesy lunge towards him.

“Friend” she thought then smiled embarrassed ‘A little more than friend’

So what do my lovely readers have to say in their relationship?

Is the little more worth?

Or it is Ro using Carlos as a move on therapy?

Would they ever be able to move ahead from a little more to lot more?

To know read more and vote more…

How about a quick update if I get more votes?......