PETITE BICKERING
Zakai saw one door which was near the dead end of the hall.
He ran there avoiding any of the gang members.
Standing near the door, he placed his ear attached to the door and started to eavesdrop.
Luckily he could hear some faint sounds.
The faint sounds weren’t enough for him to get any idea of what was going inside the meeting room.
Curious as fu*k, he got an intense, overwhelming urge to find out or understand the situation inside that room.
Unknown about this surrounding, Zakai was fully keen on other matter when someone patted him on his shoulder.
And obviously he jumped up startled by the sudden touch of a strange hand.
When Zakai looked back, he was more startled.
It was because next to him stood Opel who should have been inside the meeting room with Scorn.
“Sir…sir…I…umm…I…” Zakai startled to fumble with anxiousness.
“I see you’re perky now.
Got a good sleep?” Opel asked with a smile on his face.
Zakai brushed his dry lips with his tongue.
“I…I…”
“Kid!
Why are you so tensed?” Opel asked brushing his hand into Zakai’s hairs.
However Zakai didn’t look playful, instead he pushed back Opel’s hand and shook his head.
“Don’t mess with my hair.
I don’t like someone touching it.” His eyes looked dead but with rage.
“Fine!
Fine!” Opel laughed it off.
This time he held Zakai’s hand, “Come with me kid.” He pulled Zakai and took him to a small passage that led to the terrace of the cafe.
It was a quiet place; few chairs kept aside and a beverage vending machine fixed at the corner.
Opel went near the vending machine.
Putting a few coins inside it, he bought two lemon soft drinks.
He handed one to Zakai and opened the other can.
Taking a sip from his can, Opel looked at Zakai.
Zakai took the can and the next moment he threw it into the bin next to him.
Astonished at Zakai’s behaviour, Opel asked him, “What happened?
Still sleepy?”
“I don’t like lemon flavour.” Zakai replied with a straight face.
He was already raged at Opel for not letting him hear what was going on inside that meeting room.
“Then you should have told me.”
“Did you ask me before buying it?” Zakai asked with the same poker face.
“But you saw me.
I won’t buy two same flavoured drinks at the same time right?” This time Opel asked.
“Sir!
If you have nothing else, I must leave now.” Zakai bowed.
Then he rolled his eyes and started to walk off.
From behind Opel pulled his hand, “I have a message.”
Zakai took a deep sigh and turned towards Opel.
“From?”
“Mr.
Scorn has personally asked me to guide you since you’re young as well as new to our group.
If you have any query or if you get any disturbance in your allotted area, you have to immediately come to me.” Opel answered.
Then he took a sip from his can having a direct eye contact with Zakai.
Zakai slided both his hands inside his coat’s pocket.
But the moment his hand got a grip of something inside his pocket, his brows curved.
He pulled back his hand and looked at the thing.
He discovered a packet of cigar and without wasting any time, he tossed it away.
Perhaps it was not the thing he was searching for.
And then he again put back his hand inside the pocket and continued to search for that thing.
At once he pulled back his hand.
And this time he was holding his cell phone.
He raised his hand and moved it towards Opel.
“Sir!
Let’s exchange our numbers.”
Opel’s eyes were already fixed at Zakai from the time he threw the cigar packet that Opel put inside his pocket few minutes ago.
“Why did you throw it?
You should have taken it as refreshment.
Or do you not like this brand?”
“——” Zakai chose to keep silent.
He simply gazed at Opel’s eyes.
“By the way I must tell you, it’s a good and reputed brand and holds its position for decades.
It has varied crush options like clove crush, crush tropical and crush fennel.
Mind you, it also offers tobacco-free and nicotine –free alternatives in flavours like mint and blueberry.
Their yellow and blue packs are top sellers and you just threw one of them.
You’ll get addicted to it when…”
“Sir!
Your number!” Zakai cut off Opel’s unnecessary knowledge.
“Hugh!” Opel scoffed off.
“You see…I don’t usually leak my real number to anyone in the gang unless they have been allotted some good positions as they are usually under the surveillance of police cyber cells.” Opel answered stating the facts.
He looked at Zakai with his persuasive gaze making sure that he doesn’t misunderstand the situation.
Zakai nodded his head, slided his phone back into his coat’s pocket and turned around.
Without any word, he simply walked away towards the exit of the terrace.
Opel stood there in wonder.
After walking a few inches away from where Opel still stood motionless, Zakai turned back.
He came back towards Opel again.
This time, with some kind resolute in his eyes.
He was no more looking sleepy now.
He came near Opel and locked his eyes.
Gently, he grabbed the can that Opel was holding and sipped some of the drink.
GULP!
GULP!
GULP!
Opel stared wide-eye; he could see Zakai’s lips placed on the same metallic area of the can from where he was drinking.
At once his eyes shifted to Zakai’s adam’s apple the moment he started to swallow the drink.
Opel looked with fixed, intent and serious look.
That visible bump at the front of his neck shifted up and down every time he gulped down the drink.
This wasn’t something that Opel wasn’t aware of but the way he gazed at it looked as if it was something new and also very appealing.
After emptying the can, Zakai gave it back to Opel, who was still wondering the whole scenario and the performance.
“You said…you don’t like this flavour.” Opel asked wonderstruck.
“Preferences can be changed.”
Like a shot, Zakai rushed inside back to the room leaving Opel discombobulate; Opel stood perplexed, trauma and in a state of complete confusion and being lost of words.