Hot Chocolate

"Please leave me, Sweetheart," she said, looking directly into my eyes. Her gaze pierced through me, but my heart ached at the thought of letting her go. After all these years, having her so close felt like a dream I didn't want to end.

What are you waiting for? Just tell her you still love her and that all of this was a big misunderstanding...

My inner voice was relentless, urging me to speak up.

"Beautiful... I want to say..." I started, my voice trembling with emotion, but just as I was about to pour my heart out, her phone rang.

The timing couldn't have been worse!

I reluctantly let go of her, and she stepped away to pick up her phone from the table.

"Err... Excuse me, please," she said, flashing me an innocent smile that tugged at my heartstrings.

I nodded, watching her leave the room. As the door closed behind her, I felt a wave of regret and longing wash over me.

I walked back to my seat, sinking into it as memories flooded my mind. The room still held her scent, and the echo of our brief, intense interaction lingered in the air. I couldn't help but replay the moments that had just unfolded, a bittersweet smile spreading across my lips.

I had purposely ordered two cups of hot chocolate, a gesture laden with memories. Her reaction had told me everything. I saw the flicker of recognition in her eyes. She remembered that day, the day we had fought over my smoking habits. It was a trivial argument, yet it had left a mark on both of us.

"You know what, Abid? You are stupid," she said, still angry at me because she caught me smoking.

"Oh, come on, Areena. You’re still on that topic? By the way, I am not stupid. I know what I am doing."

"Yes, you are, Abid. You’re just finishing your life for temporary pleasure."

"Don’t you think, Beautiful, you are overreacting?"

"I am overreacting? Who was the one who promised me last night that he would never smoke again? You know wh—"

I didn’t let her complete her sentence.

"Sshhhhh," I put my finger on her lips. "I didn't know you were that damn crazy about me smoking because it's my choice," I said, a bit angrily.

She kept her mouth shut. I waited for her reply, but she didn’t say anything.

I ordered two cups of hot chocolate.

After half an hour, we were still sitting silently. I finished my cup, and she was still playing with hers, tracing her fingers around the edges.

"Beautiful," I said.

"Hmmm?"

"What's wrong with you? You—"

This time, she looked at me.

"Let's have some fun, Abid."

"Fun?"

"Yeah, there’s a bar at the end of the street."

"Redwing Bar?"

"Yeah, that bar. Come on, let’s go."

She suddenly stood up, picked up her cup, and left the coffee shop. I just sat there for a moment, trying to digest what had just happened.

I called the waiter, paid my bill, and left the shop. When I came outside, she was nowhere to be seen. She didn’t even wait for me. Oh, this girl!

She was really getting on my nerves. How dare she go to a bar alone? Didn’t she know how dangerous that was?

I reached the bar and entered. The smell of wine filled my breath. I never drank in my life, and I really didn’t want to. I knew I smoked, but that was different.

I moved inside, finding people fully drunk. Where the hell is she?

Now, I started to panic a little because the atmosphere inside was not good, and she was not in sight.

Maybe she didn’t come here. Maybe she was in the parking lot, and my heart felt some relief at that thought.

I moved my gaze around for a last look. But she was not there.

I turned to leave when I heard a voice.

"Do you all want some fun, guys?"

"Yes!" the crowd replied.

But the thing was, "That Voice."

I turned to find her standing on a table, surrounded by drunken men.

Anger boiled inside me. What the hell is she doing?

I quickly reached her and got the shock of my life. She smelled awful, and she was not in her right mind. She was totally drunk.

I grabbed her hand and faced her.

"What the hell do you think you are doing?"

"Darling... you are here... Why are you so late? See, everything is so funny here," she giggled. She was completely out of her mind.

"Come, we are leaving this place."

"No!"

She jerked my hand away.

"I am not leaving. I love this place!"

Anger inside me crossed its limits.

She is not in her senses, my inner voice told me.

I knew, but why did she have to drink in the first place? She never drank. Oh God, help me!

When I managed to control myself enough to talk to her, she was not there.

She was sitting on a bar stool, ordering something.

Gosh, no.

I ran to her, but she gulped down her drink in one go.

This was too much.

I held her hand tightly.

"We are leaving," I said angrily.

"No... I love—"

She started again, but I lifted her from her waist and put her over my shoulder.

She didn’t weigh much.

"Put me down... you monkey monster lobster..."

What the hell did she just say?

I carried her outside to the parking lot. She kept babbling nonsense the whole time. I placed her in the passenger seat and tried to buckle her seat belt, but she fought me on everything.

"Stop it. Just sit straight and keep quiet. It’s enough now. First, you went to a bar alone, and then you got yourself drunk. Are you an IDIOT?" I shouted.

And it worked. She sat straight and looked down.

I went to the other side, sat in the driver’s seat, and started driving.

She was completely silent. She didn’t utter a single word after that.

It made me tense. I couldn’t drop her at her house when she was in this state.

"Drop me at my house," she said suddenly.

I stopped the car mid-way. She was behaving so rationally. I looked at her, and she was looking outside.

"What did you just say?"

I asked, and then she looked at me.

"Drop me at my home. Please."

"You are not drunk."

She shook her head emphatically.

"Then why the hell did you behave like that?"

I shouted. What is wrong with this girl?

"I was just showing you how much it hurt when you smoked."

I shifted a little in my seat and looked at her.

"Areena... I..."

"I know you never drink in your life, and that’s why you don’t want me to drink. Because you know it’s not good for me, and you became angry seeing me like that."

I had nothing to say. So I kept my mouth shut and looked down. She lifted my chin and made me look at her.

"Abid... I love you and I care for you. And that’s why I didn’t like seeing you finish your life like that. Please stop before it's too late," she said, looking at me with her puppy-like eyes.

"I know it’s not easy for me to stop smoking. But I will do my best," I said.

And she smiled.

"I am with you, Sweetheart. Now can you please drop me at my house? It’s getting late."

"Yes, Ma’am."

I started driving again but stopped abruptly.

"What happened?"

"In the bar, you drank something in front of me. What was that?"

She laughed and traced her finger on my face.

"Oh, Darling!"

And she laughed again.

"It’s not funny, Areena. You went to a bar alone. You know how dangerous that is, and on top of that, you drank."

"Who said I drank, Abid?"

And she winked.

"Then...?"

"It was hot chocolate, Sweetheart. I bribed the waiter beforehand. How could you think that I would drink such a thing?"

And she giggled.

These memories were the only thing I had after she left. I wanted to create a lot of new memories with her. I checked the time—five minutes had already passed. Who could she be talking to for so long?

Someone's jealous.

Oh, shut up, I scolded my inner voice.

I stood up to check on Areena when the door opened, and Lucy walked in.

"Hello, Darling," she said with a false sweetness that made my skin crawl.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised.

She closed the door behind her and sauntered toward me, her eyes glinting with mischief. There was a time she was my friend, but now I just hate her. She was the one who caused this misunderstanding between me and Areena. She gave me drugs and took advantage of me that day. I wasn't in my stable mind until Areena kissed me. That kiss was like a cure to my every wound.

I took a step back, putting distance between us.

"What are you doing here, Lucy?" I demanded.

"Oh, Abid, you’re still so tense. Why don’t you relax a bit? Are you still hung up on your past?"

"Relax?" I scoffed. "After everything you did? You drugged me for God's sake. What do you mean by hung up? You made me lose someone precious for your selfish reasons. You know I love her, I told you everything dammit."

Lucy’s presence stirred up a storm of emotions. The sight of her brought back memories of betrayal, confusion, and regret. She had torn apart the most precious thing in my life with her deceit.

Lucy smirked, unbuttoning her top provocatively.

"You are more attractive like this," she said in a voice dripping with false seduction.

"Stop using your cheap tactics on me. I know you very well," I said, my voice firm. I wasn't going to let her manipulate me again.

"Oh, forget about it already," she said and came closer, trying to kiss me, putting all her weight on me.

Her sudden action made me lose my balance, and I fell back into my seat with her on top of me.

Just then, the door opened.

"I am so sorry. I took a lot of time, Abid..." Areena said, her voice trailing off as she took in the scene.

Her eyes widened in shock, and I saw the hurt forming in her gaze. She closed her eyes for a moment and opened them again.

She walked to the table and, while picking up her laptop and bag, said,

"I am so sorry to disturb you guys. I should have knocked first."

Then she looked at Lucy, shooting daggers with her eyes.

Is she jealous?

I didn't know why, but I felt a little warmth at the bottom of my heart, which soon died when she looked at me. Her eyes were void of any emotion.

"Please, carry on," she said and left the office.

I stood there, my legs frozen. I had never seen such an emotion in her eyes. It was as if she was dead inside. My heart trembled at that thought.

When I found Lucy's touch on my arm, my insides began to boil. I jerked her off and roared angrily,

"Get out..!!"

"But Abid..." she again started.

"Get out this instant and never, I am repeating, never come in front of me again."

I said in a dangerous tone. She trembled and left after saying,

"You'll regret this."

She left, but the damage was already done. I sat back in my chair, feeling a mix of anger and despair. The memory of Areena's hurt face and void eyes haunted me. I had to find a way to make things right. For her, and for us.