It was so cold. The chilling winds hit my skin making me regret. I could have worn a jacket or sweater before leaving, but I did not.

I had my phone in my hand because there is no pocket in a salwar. Yes, I wear the classic Jab We Met salwar and top at night.

My teeth were chattering as I typed the message.

Me: At least open your balcony door

Me: It's cold out here

The single tick turned into double-tick and then to a blue double-tick.

A few nanoseconds later the curtains slid away and the light coming from inside irritated my eyes.
I blinked rapidly, trying to fix my vision.

His silhouette slid opened the glass door. He gripped me by arms and pulled me inside quickly. He slid the door close behind me.

He looked at me and after a few silent seconds later he said, "You're insane!"

"I know! Isn't it great?"

"Look at your...just red nose." He emphasized on the later part.

I rolled my eyes.

"What were you doing?" I asked him as I threw my phone on his study table. I threw it gently, may I add.

"Nothing much. Some boring physics assignment" he pointed at the books and notebooks and papers scattered on the table.

"Why are you here?" he questioned.

"I was bored!"

"Seriously!" he was looking at my outfit now. I wasn't sure if that seriously was for my reply or for my outfit.

"You promised that you will answer my questions." I sat on his bed and wrapped the already open blanket around myself.

"Yes," he sat on his study chair and rotated it towards me.

"So-" I started.

"So?"

"Let me speak"

"Okay"

"Do you think-"

"All the time. I am a good thinker, you know"

"That's not what I was meaning. Do you think-"

"Yep"

"Will you quit that. I'm trying to ask you something"

"Ask away"

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Ugh! Now I forgot what I was going to say!" I grabbed the pillow lying at the side at threw it on his face.

And since we were sitting close to each other it bounced back to hit me.

"ouch!"

"So how do you know Jayant" I finally completed a sentence.

"I was in his class, in seventh grade"

"I never saw you" there was no Dhruv Mathur in our class "oh right! I left that school" I said before he could give me a reply.

"Why did you change your school?" he asked.

"I was bullied by some kids back then, cause...I was fat."

"A bully was bullied herself" he smirked after completing the sentence.

"I was a bully only to Jayant. He was scared of me and the weakest of all" I felt bad for young Jayant when I said it out loud.

"When I grew up I realized how bad I was back then, cruel and cold-hearted."

"I left the school because-" it felt good that someone could be such a good listener.

"I used to come back from school throw my bag and go straight to the terrace. My mom was usually busy with work and when she noticed me, I would say I am going to play. The reality was that no one wanted to play with me, I had something that repelled everyone."

"What would you do on the terrace?" he tilted his head to look at me but my eyes were lowered

"I cried"

"Or I would look at the clouds and think of a possible reason for them to hate me, the clouds were my only friends." I remembered making figures in the clouds "One day my mom came up and saw me crying"

"She asked me about it, and I told her that I won't go to school. She thought for a while and then asked me if I will go to another school, a new school."

"I only went to school on exam days. It was my luck that the syllabus at the school was almost complete before I left it."

"Mum would take me on a job every morning. She gave me over-healthy food to eat. I lost weight before the new school year started. No one bullied me anymore."

"I guess she knew why the kids bullied me."

I wanted to cry but I controlled it somehow.

~

Teaser: I took a step forward.

Where was that confidence coming from?