14 Road Trip II

"She always stays true to her word. Like a true warrior, I guess."

...

"I'm going to kill you." I charge at him and am just about strangle him when arms wrap around my waist, holding me back.

I glare at Ayan. "He finished all of my junk food. I am going to kill him." I thrash around, flailing my arms but he does not let me go.

"Calm down, sunflower." He tightens his hold on me. I elbow him in the ribs. Hard. He lets me go, only to pull me back.

"Jeez, woman. I didn't know it was such a big deal," Rudy says and offers me his half-eaten chocolate.

Correction: MY half-eaten chocolate.

I look at him coldly. "You can take your fucking chocolate and shove it up your a-" Ayan covers my mouth before I can hurl any profanity at him.

"I'll buy you more junk food. Relax, please." I slightly nod and he lets me go.

I put as much space as I can between us. "He has thrown the wrappers all over your car. And there's a chocolate stain on the car seat." I point at Rudy's seat where there is a giant brown coloured stain. Rudy takes my bag and places it on the stain. Yeah, that will hide it. At this point, I don't even care.

Ayan sighs but doesn't say anything.

"That's not fair. Why aren't you saying anything to him?"

"Because he is shameless. I'll just be wasting my energy." Rudy grins at that and takes a big bite of the chocolate.

"I'm not talking to you." I scoff and turn away.

...

2:30 pm

"Naira."

"Nairaaaaa..."

Ayan pokes my elbow.

"Naira. Come on."

"See what you have done," Zubair tells Rudy. "It's not my fault," Rudy mumbles.

Ayan sighs. He passes his phone to Rudy. "Play the first song on my playlist."

Rudy takes his phone and connects his phone to the car's stereo. Lonely by Jonas Brothers starts playing in the car. I bite my lip to suppress my smile.

Wanna ride with you 'til the wheels fall off

'Til we're running out of road

"WANNA DANCE WITH YOU 'TIL THE MUSIC STOPS. 'TIL WE GOT NO PLACE TO GO," Rudy shrieks. I cover my ears and laugh out loud. Zubair smiles and facepalms.

"Everybody needs a place to hide. This don't have to be a bumpy ride." Ayan bumps his shoulder with mine and mouths 'sing along'. I shake my head.

"I think we should be alone tonight. 'Cause we don't have to be lonely. Everybody needs some company. Let's talk about it over one more drink. I think you should be alone with me. 'Cause we don't have to be lonely," Ayan sings along to the lyrics and stares in my eyes. I scrunch up my nose and look away.

Don't have to be lonely, lonely

Don't have to be lonely

"DON'T HAVE TO BE LONELY," Rudy screams. I groan and cover my ears again. Ayan covers his mouth.

Well, what does Rudy do? He licks Ayan's hand.

"That was on me." Ayan grimaces and wipes his hand on Rudy's shirt.

Rudy pauses the song. "I was listening to it," I whine.

His stomach growls. "Guys I think I'm hungry. Can we go to a restaurant?"

I look at him wide-eyed. "HOW ARE YOU HUNGRY? IF ANYONE SHOULD BE HUNGRY, IT SHOULD BE ME."

"Or you know me," Zubair mutters, from the driving seat.

"Don't forget me," Ayan adds.

...

5 pm

I stuff my stash of chips and chocolates in my bag and hug it tight to my chest. It is never leaving my side now.

Ayan bought me many packets of chips and chocolates after we had lunch at Vyas Dal Bhati. There was a shop near it which was selling snacks.

I notice Rudy ogling at my bag. I scowl at him and hide my bag behind me, away from his eyesight.

Zubair is sitting next to me, engrossed in his phone. Ayan took the keys from him after we had lunch.

I take out my phone and start reading I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson. I did not pack the paperback with me because I wasn't sure about the company I'll have. I'm glad I didn't. Knowing Rudy, he would have covered my book with stains. Even Ayan wouldn't have been able to stop me from choking him to death then.

Baby shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.

Baby shark.

Mommy shark, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo, doo.

Wait, what?

Rudy is singing along to the lyrics and swaying on his feet.

"RUDY. TURN IT OFF!" we all shout at him.

"Is it too late to ditch him?" I sigh.

...

10 pm

"You want one?" I offer my packet of chips. Ayan politely declines it.

Rudy and Zubair have dozed off. They fell asleep as soon as we had dinner.

We will reach Pune in the morning and Goa by evening depending on how often we stop. It's dark outside and still, the road is busy.

"Are you tired? Do you want to rest? You've been driving for six hours, Ayan." He shakes his head.

"You haven't even slept much. Can you pull over and rest for a while?" He just slept for an hour in the afternoon.

"It is not safe to pull the car on this highway. We can get robbed."

Rudy shivers. I cover him with my blanket. I took out two blankets from the boot of the car after we came from the restaurant. I offered one to Rudy who refused it while Zubair gladly took it. Who is shivering now?

I shift closer to Zubair and cover my legs with his blanket.

"Should I wake up Zubair or Rudy? Let one of them drive?" I eat the last chip and keep the wrapper in my bag.

"No, let Zubair sleep. Also, I would never trust Rudy with my car."

"Do you feel cold?" I ask after a while when I hear him shiver.

"No, sunflower. I'm good. Although it's nice to see you worry about me." He winks at me.

"I would have done the same for anyone else. You're not special," I mumble.

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