•V o t e • C o m m e n t • I n l i n e C o m m e n t • S h a r e•

N A N D I N I

Tightening my ponytail I start jogging, plugging in my favourite headphones. Music always electrifies my early mornings and working out has always been my priority in life. Not because I want to have a Gigi Hadid body but since childhood my father always taught me the importance of taking care of yourself. This has got to a point where if I don't run on a particular day, my day doesn't really feel started. Just as expected while I am here running, I can very well witness Manik sitting on his usual bench facing the lake and a huge canvas in between.

"Hi!" I jogged till him.

"Hello, Doc." He mutters when his eyes are still engrossed at the same face which he paints everyday. I won't call it a major improvement but the fact that he's not running away from me has to mean something, doesn't it?

"Let me see." Unlike other times, when I lean close to see the painting he doesn't flinch hiding his obsession from me.

"Her eyes, you know, had this electricity in them but I'm just not able to capture it..." Progress no.2 - sharing stuffs with me.

"Maybe an electrician can help you with that." I utter settling on the opposite bench tying laces of my sneakers when suddenly I notice him flashing a displeased look. "What?" Shrugging my shoulders, I ask to which he chooses not to reply.

"Hey? Would you like some ice cream?" He frowns glancing over me and then his wristwatch.

"It's bloody 6 in the morning?" He looks at me with lack of confidence in me.

"I didn't know there's a manual for savouring an ice cream." My lips squint in a taunt.

"I don't have the energy to get into a debate with you early this morning. You can go and eat whatever you want." He carries on with his sketching and after waiting for him to change his mind, I decide to walk up to the vendor alone. Of course, I don't forget rolling my eyes at him.

The vendor looks utterly surprised seeing me ask him for a mint chocolate and embarrassment for me heightens to another level, when he too takes a glance over his wristwatch. Moron!

"Are you sure that you don't want anything?" From here, I increase my volume to check if he's changed his mind.

"No, thank you." Without glancing my way, he replies. Rude!

Feeling a tap on my shoulder, I turn around to find out my college mate standing there, grinning. God, he was one of my first friends back in the college days and we had some crazy times boozing and pranking on people. He was such a sweetheart.

"Hey Kunal!" I grin.

"What's up Dr.Murthy?" His smile grows twice bigger than mine. "God, it's been so long! How have you been, teapot?" I giggle but had it been few years back, I'd have smacked him for calling me that.

I'm just about to reply but this stupid vendor has to ruin the moment by asking me if I want anything else. When I ask Kunal if he'd like to have an ice cream, he readily agrees and quickly I have the desire to know what Manik is doing. I find Manik stealing his eyes from me whenever I'm catching him looking our way.

Meeting your college friend is one of the greatest feelings ever. We have so much to catch up and topics are just flying from one to another. I didn't even notice we spent twenty minutes talking and laughing reminiscing those treasured memories promising to catch up real soon but when I arrive at Manik's bench, his usual spot, I find it empty. It'd be foolish for me to keep waiting for him thinking he might have a wee or something but no, his articles are gone too. Worry envelopes me if he is stressing himself for not being able to paint Kiara's eyes or whatever perfectly and as I'm about to call him, I get a call from hospital which needs my immediate presence there.

M A N I K

The orangish hue of the sunset peeping through my window paints me in the same colour when I'm standing by it watching its beauty. The yellow ball of fire changes to hues of orange, and then almost tangerine. The sun casts its golden rays down upon the clouds of billowing smoke, turning them bright red; fire red. I wonder what Kiara might be doing now. Is she happy now that I'm not around her?

My eyes move towards the canvas kept beside the window and it's ethereal to watch how the fire red rays are painting her sketch, in ways I can't. Caressing her face tenderly, I lay down on the bed hugging her photo frame. Why did you have to leave? I could give you my entire life and all you had to do was just ask. I bloody miss you, love.

My eyelids start feeling heavy and I hold her tighter fearing to lose her again in my sleep. She's always been that mirage for me; the one I craved the most knowing I'd never ever reach.

The sun is burning. The sun is leaving. And, the sun is dying. I'm calling her with my whole existence while she is running on her tune, swaying and spreading both of her hands touching the colourful daffodils in the field. The heads of the beautiful flowers are bending like a bell under the gentle breeze while I run behind to catch her. Her laughter increases and I notice how bright red her hair looks as she's running away from me laughing as if it is the sun which has left a piece of it in her spirit. She's frolicking and I want to seize this moment forever. I want to seize her laughter and those playful eyes forever. I'd love to capture the redness in her hair when everything around us is orange under the sky and  most essentially, I'd die to seize her, my love, forever.

"Kiara wait!" I stumble in an attempt to catch her as she takes a detour in the field of flowers, giggling. My ears are telling me stories of nights when they missed this sound so much.

"Wait, baby!" I struggle to hold her just once in my arms.

Quickly, I'm able to grab her wrist and spin her in my arms. Putting my hand on her head which is on my chest, I ensure she's able to hear how fast my heart beats because of her. The smile on my lips widen as I keep kissing her head often.

Her giggles echo in the air, "I told you I'd catch you, babe." I whisper.

Her giggles vibrate through my ribs and kissing her again, I lift her head to see that beautiful face which I missed like missing oxygen when suddenly an electricity burns through my body seeing the face not belonging to Kiara. Her eyes are not as mischievous as hers in fact, there is so much of innocence there and the hair, it's as black as the night. She's nothing like my Kiara because she's Nandini. She giggles dancing her brows and my eyes flutter open and before I realise Kiara's photo frame slip and break.

It takes me a lot of time to come out of the shock as pushing myself up, I realise it was just a dream but the broken photo at the floor starts to haunt me. What the hell! How can Nandini replace Kiara in my dream and what does that even mean?

It's eight in the evening and like a halfwit, I'm sitting on my bed end with a pounding heart and crashed soul. But the orangish hue on Nandini's face in that daffodil field when I held her in between my palms is hard to be rubbed off my mind. I scream, I tug my hair, punch the mirror but she doesn't go from my mind. How do I even console myself as my words too are mundane and I wish I could rip my heart out of my chest and let it bleed out till flashes of Nandini's face get erased.

••

Parking my motorcycle outside my tattoo studio, I shrug my jacket off the handlebar hugging it around my body and rest the helmet on it. I take a mental note to never meet Nandini again or say the least, stay far away from her. Avoiding her shouldn't be that hard. Nodding my head understanding that I'm fully capable of doing so, I enter the studio with a positive outlook on things.

"Hey Maya!" It is very unlikely of me to greet people at work and thus Maya seems too baffled to react right now but she somehow waves her hand awkwardly.

"Hey Casey!" I wave grinning.

"Hey dude! We've a client waiting for you." I flash a confident look.

"I got this." I assure before removing the thick curtains into the tattoo room but instantly jump two steps out of the room with a smiling Nandini Murthy stepping out. No, this can't be true. Not that I'm not going to avoid her now but her following me everywhere is becoming too sick.

"You-you're the client?" I ask hoping she'd say no.

"I got so inspired after getting my first tattoo that I'm here for the second one." She winks. No. God no. Please.

I glance around. "Nandini, look you have to leave."

"Wait, what?" She asks with an amused face shortly opening her mouth in an 'o' like she solved a jigsaw puzzle. "Oh I get it. I get it. If you're stressed because this is your workplace then don't worry, I haven't told anyone that I'm your girlfriend."

"No, I'm not on that. Wait-what? No, I mean I..." I don't know what to say since she always confuses me.

Holding her hand, I escort her out of the studio and now we are standing on the cold streets where she's giving me all sorts of annoyed looks.

"You can't come here. Not only here, anywhere. You have to stay away from me." She frowns, confused.

"Have you drugged yourself early in the evening?" I exhale in frustration.

"Listen, I.. I can't explain anything to you but whatever it is, it's dangerous for me. I know you're concerned about me but please Nandini, for my sake try not coming before me anytime soon. Maintain as much distance as you can. Just-just for once without imposing your thoughts try understanding my point of view as a human being. I promise to you I won't do anything stupid that can harm me but please please please for once, just for once, agree. I'm not requesting you. I'm begging. Please be a little compassionate and give me what I want. I can't put everything to you in words since I'm more confused than you are but know, there's a reason for which I'm saying all this. I genuinely am begging you, Nandini. Please have mercy." Her face falls as she repeats everything I said in her mind.

"Are you breaking up with me?" She appears dispirited.

Since when were we in a relationship to begin with?

"I know you're a very matured girl but please don't ask me why-"

"I won't ask you why, Manik because I know it must be something really difficult which has got you to beg before me." She inhales loading her face with the missing positivity. "Fine. I won't come near or before you but I'll check on you once in a while to assure myself that you're doing fine." I want to say no but I know that'll only make her stubborn.

"You may." I sigh.

"Okay then... it's a goodbye, I guess?" I recall the giggling face of hers I saw in my dream and my words freeze.

••

"Thanks for giving me a lift, bro. It's my mum's birthday and she'd have kicked me out of home if you weren't willing to help." Mike thanks me again as I hand over the spare helmet to him not saying much.

He keeps on blabbering about how his mother hates his girlfriend and like a robot, I keep functioning which is so usual of me. Rotating the keys, I turn the headlight on and sigh.

"Mike, I'm afraid you'll have to find another ride home." I speak.

"What? Is it because I'm talking too much? Gosh, please don't kick me off your bike. I swear to keep quiet but if I don't reach home on time, I'll have to start looking for a new home from tomorrow. Why do I even talk so much?" He mumbles while I turn the headlight off.

"I have a friend to drop." His worried eyes travel to Nandini who being unaware of all this is eating a huge burger sitting on a step.

"What happened to bros before hoes, man?" I roll my eyes.

"I said get the fuck down my goddamn bike!" I hiss and he steps down frowning.

"There's a reason why they call you a psycho." Spitting the words, he scurries away while I get off my motorbike to walk towards her. She still doesn't notice me as she's too busy eating and savouring the mayonnaise rolling down the corner of her lips.

"What, you are overeating now because of a breakup?" She looks up at my taunt as I eye the giant carry bag of food still left untouched.

"I ordered this for the two of us since I figured we'd be hanging out." I exhale taking a seat beside her on the step resting my tangled fingers on knees. "I guess, now that you've broken up with me, you won't be interested to share some fries or even a coke?"

I know I made this decision and that it is not right but somehow being with her has started to become comfortable since opening up my pains to her is easy nowadays.

"I don't like wasting food. I wish God gave me a larger appetite." Saying to herself, she is back to biting her burger.

"You can give it to some homeless." I advise.

"Would you consider yourself that homeless and eat them?" She asks nonchalantly.

"Hey?" I frown and she stretches her bottom lip understanding her mistake.

"I mean, it's just a burger..." she glances over the parcel. "..and some fries and nuggets and cokes?"

Without saying a word, I dig my hand into the bag pulling out a burger for me but she fails to react as she's busy licking the mayonnaise from her thumb.

••

"I can give you a ride home since it's getting late and this area gets a little creepy bit later." I know and I'm still sticking to my earlier decision but not dropping her off would mean tampering with her safety and she's too nice of a girl to get harmed. More or less, it's not like it's gonna change anything.

She jumps up patting her denim to dust all the residues, grinning. "I never say no to free food and ride."

Shaking my head at her impossibility, I hop on the bike shoving the spare helmet in her hand and soon the weight of the vehicle changes with hers on it.

15 minutes later:

"So yeah, this is how I got that scar on my back. Come on, I was too little of a girl and at that time I didn't know how to summersault properly." She giggles thinking I'm paying attention to her but in reality, all she's doing is telling stories to herself only. I don't mind actually since tomorrow onwards these conversations are only going to become history. A night wouldn't harm.

"Wait wait wait wait wait!" I halt the bike and she leans on my back at the sudden pause in motion.

"Did you drop anything?" I question looking here and there.

Tapping on my back, she indicates me to look at somewhere into the distance and as I do, I see a posh marriage reception to be going on.

"What..?" I take no shame in admitting this girl leaves me with no clue.

"It's my ex boyfriend's wedding." She squints her eyes as if she's planning a scheme in her mind which sure is the cause of my recent apprehension.

"You mean ex ex boyfriend?" Since she was considering me an ex too.

"Ex ex ex boyfriend." She clarifies. Jesus! "We should do something!"

"Yea, like heading home." I turn the keys on but much to my poor luck, she's already on the ground.

"C'mon Manik, don't be a pussy! We'll just go inside, congratulate them and leave." I carefully observe her face.

"The look on your face doesn't seem so simple. Just get back on, we're leaving." My eyes widen as she starts to pull my hand.

"Please please Manik! I obeyed to you and now it's your turn. It's not like we're causing a scene there. Please? From tomorrow we aren't even seeing each other so what's the trouble?" She sounds plausible and it's not like I'll order her to get on the motorbike and she'll readily agree. She'll stretch it till the moon sets and till then we'll already be done visiting the venue. Some parts of me urge to not give in to her puppy eyes but the way she's now jumping enjoining her hands is creepier.

"Not more than 5 minutes." She grins nodding readily.

The entire place is buzzing with excited chatter and children running between the tables in a good natured game of tag. We're offered with lavender garlands and though I'm acting all awkward to this reception, Nandini is grinning overconfidently like it's her own wedding. People start giving weird looks seeing our outfits because obviously I didn't dress up to gatecrash a wedding. When asked, Nandini spontaneously and unequivocally lied that we were on the guest list describing us Mr & Mrs. Smith since there's always a Smith in every party in America.

"I think we should leave. I don't feel right." I tell her and she picks up a cupcake dashing it in her mouth.

"What the hell? Put it down!" I grit but she's already consumed it.

"I don't believe this!" Why did she lie about our identities if she's having noble intentions?

"Some champagne for my husband, please?" She asks the server who starts looking up and down my casual apparel. Clearing my throat, I nod at him confidently and he hands me one glass of sparkling drink.

Grabbing my fake wife's elbow, I bring her to one corner. "Have you gone insane? What are you up to? I'm leaving you here, I'm telling you." Placing the glass on the window shelf, I glare.

"Tch. Can't you like have fun in life for two straight minutes? You need to loosen up a little you understand, husband?" She runs her fingers on my shoulders as if she's straightening the creases on my jacket.

Seeing me not tone down my glare, she sighs. "Fine. We'll leave but in like 10 minutes. Let me go and congratulate the couple and then we're good to go." Picking up my untouched champagne, she starts to walk away but I hold her to stop.

"Wait, are you seriously leaving me here alone in the bunch of these idiotic shitheads?" She narrows her eyebrows.

"Aww. Is my ex boyfriend already worried? How will he survive from tomorrow then?" Gulping, I loosen my grip on her arm and she giggles making her way away from me.

I tap my foot.

10 minutes later:

I won't say this is the worst party I have been in but this sure is turning out to be the weirdest as all kinds of men from different age groups are hitting on me. Generally speaking when a girl hits on a guy, it boosts his confidence but being the straight man that I am, this is really freaking me out.

I stand on my tippy toes instead of being the tallest in here to see if Nandini's face is traceable anywhere but no, she's always missing in the hours of need. Did she abandon me here? No, she can't. Sidetracking those flirtatious men, I keep on looking for her when suddenly her laughing face captures my desperate eyes. It's not that I'm complimenting her but she looks good when she laughs although it sounds irritating because mostly she does that at my expense.

"Psst! Nandini!" I whisper clicking my fingers but she's lost in chatting with another man.

"So, on whose side you are, gentleman?" A man asks for the third time.

"Uhh.. the-the groom." I try to not look too scattered which obviously I am right now.

"Even me. How do you know Clive?" So the idiot's name is Clive. Cool.

"Um.." I scratch side of my forehead. "Actually he's my friend's ex boyfriend." Suddenly, his jaw drops.

"What did you just say?" A man in a blue tux with perfect everything moves the man I replied to aside to question.

"What?" I counter question without a care.

"I'm the brother of the groom." His answer shoots my eyebrows up. "So you said, Clive dated your friend? How can that be possible?"

"Um I'm not too sure anymore." I leave the spot in search of Nandini again but as I turn back, I can see those men grouping and whispering having eyes on me and by whisper, I mean that appears like some serious business.

As I'm pushing through the groups of happy men, my eyes fall on the banner of the ceremony and a curse automatically falls out. What the fuck?

Nandini is happily chatting to a man with a pink tie and when I interrupt, she feels utterly disturbed.

"He's my husband. He can't just help missing me even for 2 minutes." She grins explaining the man while I frown. How can this girl lie so much in one evening?

"Asshole!" She mutters to me but the man and I both hear her.

The moment Nandini realises she got caught, she smiles. "Uh it's our husband-wife thing you know, he calls me bitch and I call him an asshole. It's all in love." Yea whatever! The man seems happy buying her bullshit while here I'm growing impatient.

"Hi. Can I borrow her for a minute?" The man politely smiles leaving immediately and Nandini is giving me looks as if I'm seriously missing her. As if!

"What the fuck Nandini? You told me it's your ex boyfriend's wedding?" I speak through my gritted teeth, worried.

"Yea..it is. Did I tell you about the story when he and I.."

"Shut the fuck up!" I yell in a whisper. "Are you telling me that you dated a gay man?"

"What?" She spits the drink into the glass but when I gesture with my eyes to look at the banner, it seems her eyes will fall of their sockets.

"Um.. Clive weds Jacob?" She reads the names again and gulps.

"What's your story now?" I ask crossing my arms.

"Um um he came out as a gay after our breakup. He was perfect when we were together. What has my sadness made him!" She curls her bottom lip up in sympathy which I know is fake.

"God, you can't be serious. I don't believe you tricked me to gatecrash some unknown people's wedding. And what the hell are you holding?" I try tugging the silvery wrapped box from her hand but she hardly loosens her grip.

"It's a gift for guests." She frowns.

"Wh- You're not even a guest here." I miff thinking she'd keep it back from where she took it.

"No! The man I was talking to asked me to choose anything from the gift corner as a token of welcome and I'm not putting it back now. It'll make people suspicious." She whispers the last part guarding her mouth with a palm.

Clicking my tongue I look around but my back stiffens seeing the group of men who earlier were whispering have now gathered more in number in their assembly and are now heading towards us. Shit.

"Nandini, let's go" Holding her hand, I try escorting her but she jerks my hand away.

"You always ruin the fun. I'm staying her for longer." She pouts angrily.

"Listen, you don't-"

"Your social phobia is making you do all this. Fine, but I don't have such phobia so I'll stay." I press my lips vexatiously and look behind her head to see them arrive closer.

"Fine. Best of luck to you with your upcoming adventure." Her jaw drops as she sees me seriously exiting the door without paying her another glance.

N A N D I N I

What the fuck? Did that idiot actually leave me here? I shake my head picking up another glass of sparkling wine when I see a group of not-so-happy men nearing me with one of them pointing his finger at me. I look behind me but no, it's me only he's pointing at. Double what the fuck!

I can stay here to watch the mystery unfold but the little devil in me is asking me to leave and so I do. Dabbing corner of my lips with a tissue, I'm leaving looking and smiling at people who aren't even noticing me just to give the impression that I'm not fucked up inside. Squeezing my eyebrows as I turn behind, I watch them start to jog asking the guard to block the exit when I'm two steps away from it. Is gatecrashing a party a punishable offence? Are they going to get me arrested?

Bloody Manik Malhotra!

Before the security has grasped the information of who exactly to block seemingly in a state of dilemma, I run beneath his arm blocking the door and shouting behind me begins as if I murdered the groom.

The place outside is absolutely unfamiliar to me and I can't believe Manik actually ditched me at this crucial moment. While I'm jogging, I turn around finding the group of men sprint after me shouting to stop and I'm left with no other alternative than to run faster; advantages of being a little ahead. Shit, did they have my presence recorded in the CCTV? I'm losing my breath but I must continue running if I don't want to land up at the Sheriff's office right now when suddenly I'm hearing a vehicle honk with a man desperately yelling at me.

Good heavens! It's Manik on his motorbike and I cannot be happier in life than this moment when he's waving at me to hop on. When I jump on his vehicle, he starts running it like it's the last day on earth.

To be sure I look behind and alas, they too are now following us in a car. So filmy! "Why the fuck are they still following us? Do they want us to pay for the food and drinks now or something?" I fret.

"Anyone would knowing there's a girl out there to ruin a wedding calling herself an ex girlfriend of a gay man." His speeds up while I curse again looking behind at their vehicle.

"What the hell? Did you actually tell them that?" I am shocked.

"How the hell would I know you're an expert at lying?" He screeches and I hold his broad shoulders tighter apprehending breaking my bones at this speed.

"You seriously are an asshole, you know that?" I hit his back with my hand which still holds the silvery gift box.

"Are you still carrying that shit? Get rid of that!" Seeing me not react to it, he barks again. "At least, read the tag?"

"I'm sure it's nothing that great. The party sucked anyway." I manage to turn the tag. "It's just written with love....to-to.....bride." I read the last portion slowly not wanting Manik to hear.

"Fantastic! So you now stole the bride's gift too?" He taunts.

"Hey? I didn't steal?" Hitting his back again with my fist, I frown.

"Can you just tell me what does this silvery wrap have inside?" He asks looking through the glass watching the vehicle of those infuriated men still behind us.

"All right, wait." I try unwrapping it but the speed Manik is driving is blurring visions of a hospital before my eyes. "Can you-can you like slow the fuck down so I can see?"

"I'm too sorry, sweetheart but I can't slow the fuck down when there are goon like people behind us." Huffing, I tear up the wrapper with my teeth digging deeper into it.

"What is it?" Manik asks impatiently.

"Um...it's. It's nothing that special of a gift except a watch.." I gulp. "studded with" I gulp. "diamonds."

Manik halts the bike completely without an intimation having me shrieking. "So they're not trying to catch us but they're coming after this shit?" He points at the sparkling watch turning behind.

"Can you just keep driving? I'll figure out a way to return this." I think Perrie might help returning it without inviting criminal charges.

"They fucking think we're bloody thieves!" His screaming gets me to wince.

"Do you want us to go back now and tell them how pious of intentions we hold?" I screech in self defence.

We both see the vehicle which was lot behind us turning from a corner and it means jail. It can mean nothing else.

Snatching the gift out of my hand, Manik tosses it on the side of the street starting the engine to fly again.

"Hold me tighter." He instructs and I bunch the jacket on his back as we both are having eyes at behind.

"Tch! By tighter I mean this." Controlling my hands, he guides them to hug his body from behind and my senses start to flutter at our proximity. Did I ever mention how dangerous his cologne smells?

He starts the motorbike at the fastest speed possible and though I'm wearing the helmet he offered, my hairs and body still feel like I'll fly to the sky any moment and so I hug him tighter.

It's been almost fifteen minutes that we're riding at this maddening speed but now not only those men have stopped following us, my heart has too adjusted with the speed. As a proof, a gentle smile plays on my lips and I rub my forehead in his back trying to contain the overpowering laughter recalling the wedding. Clive weds Jacob, seriously Nandini?

Through the looking glass, Manik notices me laughing throwing my head back and all my hairs going wild. His expressions are too hard to be melting but I know, they are softening a degree as a smile he's trying to suppress is coming out of the veil of his arrogance. He halts the bike and as my body completely comes to this state of relief, I get off the bike clapping my hands and laughing with hands on my stomach. He shakes his head trying to look away but he doesn't need to admit that he too is smiling, it's evident.

"You're a troublemaker!" He rolls his eyes with a smile. "You could get us arrested?"

"But that was too funny." I laugh harder although my stomach is starting to ache.

"You're insane." He chuckled shaking his head.

"Yep" I nodded.

Sighing, I look around breathing hard because of all the laughter. "I kind of feel hungry." I state the fact since all the running and adrenaline rush took a toll on me.

"You still need food after all this?" He taunts.

"Come on, a girl needs to eat? And moreover, if you're not hungry then why is your hand on your stomach?" His face falls. "Come on, it's food? And even the greatest of enemies don't say no to food." Seeing his stubborn face, I tap my foot. "Oh please, all we have is this night. It's never gonna come back and a little trip to McDonalds isn't like gonna change your mantra in life. You'll still be the asshole you are. So pleaaasseee." I start jumping enjoining my palms.

"It's pointless to argue with you. But, two things. One, this eating together thing isn't gonna affect our decision of not seeing each other from tomorrow onwards."

"Right." I assure.

"Two, you aren't gonna do anything. I'll place the order and do everything and you'll just sit there without inviting another trouble because I've had enough action for one night. And remember, you lost my trust forever after tonight." I inhale deeply as if his last condition is a missile.

"If you're done with your conditions then I may open the gps to spot the nearest McDonalds now. May I?" He sighs rolling his eyes.

"It's on the Seventh Avenue." I inform looking at my phone.

"That's like 2kms from here." He replies hopping on his bike followed by his helmet hopping on his head.

"What are you looking at? Let's go?" He shrugs shoving the other helmet towards me and happily, I ride his bike grinning the widest. Within no time, he accelerates the bike and I hold him tight minus the awkwardness.

McDonalds, here we come.

[I love these two]