Chapter 17: Chapter 17

Sheila's POV:

"I'm sorry okay, don't create too much scene." I scolded him and as a response, he narrowed his eyes at me before folding his hands in front of his chest.

"Really?!" He raised his eyebrow, his tone held accusation.

"Who is creating a scene here? You or-- me?" He pointed a finger at his chest when he said the word me.

"You have been absent for a month and you didn't even attend my call." He snarled like a Rhinoceros.

"Oh, God! Tammy. Don't be a drama queen. I just absent for a week and it's my hundred times I'm telling you that I gave my phone to my brother for his project work. Can't you understand?" I asked him placing both my hands on my hips.

"Okay! As you said you gave him your phone--" Even before he could complete his slogans I nodded my head like a child followed by a curious 'yes' as I thought he finally understood me but the disappointment in his look strike down my hope in an instant.

"Okay leave it. That's not a problem but that doesn't mean you can't call me. Right?" He inquired.

Ahh... How I am supposed to explain everything to him that I have one phone but it will not receive any call, instead, it uses only for outgoing.

That was my first phone my dad presented on my 18th birthday and the next day it accidentally slipped down into the water while I was washing the dish.

What can I say? Instead of putting plates into the sink, I put my phone. From that day it wasn't working properly. I cried for a month because that was the first gift I received from my dad; something he got me from his hard saved money but it all went futile.

"Tammy, I have one but it was not working properly. What made you think that I didn't try to call you? Lots of time I had tried to call you but the line went busy. Then how come I do contact you?" I lied.

Please fall into my trap. No more question Tammy!!! Framing lies were no easy task for me. Please! Don't push me further. I prayed internally.

And it worked on him.

His facial expression was unbearable. I bit my tongue to prevent the maniac laugh which will break our friendship bond anytime soon. His eyes widen in surprise like a Panda before he spoke.

"Sheila, trust me." He put both his hand on his chest. "I was not busy with my phone. I barely talked to my girl. Maybe twice a day!" he exclaimed.

"Tammy that's what I'm saying. My phone is not working properly." I shrugged my shoulders. I feel bad for lying to him, but he left me no choice. If I told him the truth, he would have played the ghost dance. So it is better to come with a lie.

Sometimes a simple lie can save a good friendship.

"I understand---" He nodded his head as a comprehension.

"What about pizza?" I asked him to divert his mind. He seemed to think a moment and smiled showing his perfect white teeth.

"Sounds good." I clapped both my hands like a little kid who was eagerly waiting for her chocolate. I dragged him out of the campus and we both went to Pizza Hut.

Once I reached my room, I changed into my pajamas and jumped on the bed. Today incidents were started to play in my mind and I let out a defeated sigh. Seems convincing Harry is difficult than I thought.

Doesn't he think he is overreacting? Should I call him? What if he avoids my call or--- what if he's trying to call me? Shit! Shit! Shit! I cursed myself a hundred times.

My phone is not working. He didn't even give me a chance to explain to him. Should I call Quinn and explain everything? But... no. It's better to talk to her in person.

I did not see Quinn and Kevin after the encounter with Harry. I think they too angry with me. Shuuu! I let out a long sigh.

A big storm is waiting for tomorrow.

"Six, seven, eight....." the numbers are still going but they did not convince and I'm continuing my sit-ups. "Twenty, twenty-one..., guys please-- I can't do this anymore." I inhaled deeply to grasp the fresh air in one breath.

"Sheila! Don't you think whatever you are doing is childish?" Quinn asked folding both her hand in front of her chest.

Yes! It is!

I scratched the back of my neck, "I know this is childish but what can I do? You guys left me no choice." I whined like a child causing her to roll her eyes.

"You barely broke our friendship bond." This time Kevin spoke. I looked at him pleadingly, silently saying 'Don't pour oil in the burning fire.' Somehow he noticed my pleading eyes and looked at Quinn.

"Quinn, why don't we give her a chance this time? After all, everyone deserves a chance to prove their guiltiness. She forgave us for our mistake. Don't you remember?" He pointed out.

Hearing his words, the dying hope in my heart arose and I looked at Quinn with full of expectation but she twisted her lips and seemed to be in her deep thoughts.

"Okay... So promise me don't repeat the mistake next time. It's not we want to know your whereabouts. It's because we were worried about you-- that's what friends normally do, right?" She asked, her eyes dangled with mine.

"Of course! I won't. Pinky promise." I hugged both Quinn and Kevin.

Kevin is like my older brother. He is so sweet and handled the situation so smoothly. "Thank you, guys! Now I'm feeling relieved."

"Relieved?!" She raised her brow amusingly.

"What?" I asked innocently.

"Are you sure? What about Harry? Aren't you going to convince him?"

"Ahh.....How was he? Still mad at me?" I asked worriedly.

"Maybe..." She shrugged her shoulder.

Argh!! Her attitude is not helping!

"Well..... Speaking of him where is he? I didn't see him the entire day." I asked them.

"He left already," Kevin replied blankly.

"Where?" We both asked in unison.

"Exactly don't know, maybe a club or whatever..." He bit the corner of his lips and eyed Quinn as telling her the exact truth.

Before I asked him to spit the truth, Quinn interrupted me. "Sheila, what happened to your phone? I called you more time but it didn't reach."

Here we go again!

It became a routine for me to telling everyone that I gave my phone to my brother for his project work.

Awk...ward... I explained everything from the beginning to them and let out a sigh of relief.  "What? I promise. This is what happened and..." She cut me off again. "What is this?" She pointed a finger at my hand.

"Hmmm.... this is my other phone and..." Again she cut me off in my midst.

"Did you change your number?" Here she is back to her inquiring mode.

I shook my head and opened my mouth to explain but again she interrupted me. "Then why did we couldn't able to reach..."

"Quinn! Let her talk." This time Kevin spoke on behalf of me. I smiled weakly at him and began to explain the history of my phone.

"So..." She asked me again folding her arms in front of her chest and looked at me in a bored expression like I'm telling her one of the best boring stories ever.

"Quinn if you are not going to listen to what I'm telling then please don't question me, there is no use to explain everything." I scolded her and looked at Kevin hoping he would believe me but I was left with an open mouth.

"Kevin!!" I shrieked to gain his attention. If I was not in this situation trying to convince this queen, I would have laughed at him. He is playing PUBG on his mobile while we both are having a heated argument.

He glanced at me a second, then again went back to his phone to continue whatever he was doing before.

"Sorry girls the problem is yours and please don't involve me. I'm not coming into this game. I can't exactly say when will you two become inseparable penguins and shoot a dragger towards me. I think it's better to leave." He shoved his phone into his pocket before started to walk away.

"Yeah! It’s better to leave before I will smack your head," she yelled at him but he already reached the parking area. There is no doubt they will make a perfect couple in the future.

^^^^^^^

"Quinn, what flavour you need?" I asked while picking a random ice cream from the freezer.

"I need my ice cream in three sets of scope. The first one is vanilla, second chocolate and the third one is Strawberry and on top of that I need one grape," she yelled and turned her attention to her phone.

I ordered her ice cream and again went back to look for my favorite one. "Ahhh! I find you." I shrieked taking my favorite butterscotch ice cream. I kissed the tip of my ice cream and took a seat in front of her.

Currently, we are sitting in the ice cream shop which was located far away from our college. After Kevin left, we settled our complication and end up here in the ice cream shop.

"So you don't have any phone except this one." She asked pointing a finger at my phone.

"Yes!" I nodded my head. "And it won't receive any incoming call?" She raised her eyebrow. I nodded my head as a response while taking a bite from my ice cream and a vigorous moan escaped from my lips. The taste is so so so good.

"Quinn, do you know where he has gone?" I asked. Maybe she knows his whereabouts.

"I have no idea where he has gone but one thing I want to tell you that he has worried about you more than you thought. I know this is not a big issue but the matter is so sensitive, you have to deal with him more carefully, and please don't break his heart." She said sincerely.

"His life was such a mess and he even... ” She stopped in her midst and looked at me, an unknown expression flashed on her eyes.

Grabbing my hand she continued, "Just follow your heart. The solution is all yours. Don't ignore your feelings, you will find out the solution." She gave me a weak smile. I nodded at her statement and started to think about her words.

Her words have some deep meaning. I can't figure out exactly what she meant by saying those words. I shook my head and started to engage the conversation about our vacation.

She shared a lot of things that they did on their vacation and explained how they organized a charity event for children's education and showed me a photo of Her, Kevin and Harry.

My eyes fell on the particular photo of Harry where he looks so matured in his white Armani Suite.

He was holding a red whine and talking to someone, who seems in his mid-Fifties. They both shared the same features as he was a mini version of him.

"Quinn, who is this?" I pointed a finger at the man who was standing with Harry.

"He is his dad and my uncle, Mr. James Brooks," She answered.

Why does the name seem so familiar to me? "Sheila, what happen to you?" She asked noticing my confused state.

"Nothing, the name seemed to be familiar. So I am just thinking where I heard this name before." I replied honestly.

A flash of surprise crossed her face but she masked it with a smile. "Most of them have this name after all this is one of the common names all over the world," She explained and I nodded my head as a comprehension.

After saying goodbye and exchanging a warm hug to each other, I reached my room exactly at 10 PM.

~~~~~

These weeks were horrible than I thought. He was not talking to me. Whenever I call him he cut the call. I asked sorry for thousand times but he didn't accept any of one.

Stubborn much.

Whenever I tried to talk to him, he ignored me like I never existed and walked away as I have some viral fever which may affect him. Sometimes I want to punch his pretty face. Let's see how long he is going to be like this.

^^^^^^^

Currently, I'm in the church wanted to be alone, terrified from today's incident. I won't forgive him for what he did to me. It's too much for him. After that incident, I directly came here to get some peace.

I must have puffy eyes and to mention a red nose from the long times of crying. It's all because of him.

I admit I committed a sin and broke their heart but it was totally out of my hand. I didn't intentionally hurt him. Back then when I was studying in school and if I had happened to take any long leave I don't inform it to anyone even to my close friends as we are neighbours and they would easily figure out on the very first day of my absence why I didn't come to school.

So that I didn't find the reason to explain the dilemma to anyone and I was fed up with these unnatural habits of mine.

But here-- I forgot that they are not my neighbour and they are not the immature kids who don't care about their friends and it caused so much impact on our friendship bond.

It's 10: pm in the evening. I have been staying here for almost four hours but who cares. All I want is peace to my heart.

Sighing in defeat, I walked out of the church and immediately welcomed by the cold wind which caressed my body so affectionately.

I rubbed my hand trying to warm up my body and wrapped them around my small frame. Suddenly, a hand encouraged me for a tight hug leaving no space between us. I was alarmed by the sudden blow and let out a scream.

"Thank GOD!! You are safe." A voice said softly and I recognised whom this voice belongs to. His hands were wrapped around my waist possessively, his face rested on the crook of my neck.

"Harry, what happened to you?" I whispered and a gasp escaped from my mouth when I saw his horrible state.

*