Her Quest : Magic in the Blood

When Dim stopped the jeep by his house, Sonia got out and began walking the few blocks to Ian's home. She hadn't responded to Jake when he and Emm had got off at their stop.

Ian was looking at her retreating form when Dimitri said, "Go a bit easy, Ian."

"But I just said that if she wanna make friends, there are other guys too!"

Dim cocked his head to left and folded his arms over his chest, a brow raised. Gage stood next to him, leaning against the car, his position relaxed. Both stood waiting.

Ian let out a frustrated breath, "Okay. Damn you! I admit I want her to be free with me as she is with you all. To talk to me as she does with you all. To think of me too as her friend. But no! Instead what she does is go to that sucker and get all smiley and-" he gestured with his hands, unable to find a term, "and get all everything with him," he heaved out a breath before continuing, "And you know what happened when I sat next to her in Lit. Class?" He waited a bit, and then said loudly, "She scooted away and was perched on the very edge as if I would swallow her whole!"

Gage and Dim looked at each other and then at Ian. Ian recognised pure boredom when it hit him in the face.

"What?" He exploded, "Cut it out. Say something guys!"

"If you want her to talk to you, you must try talking to her first," Dim said slowly as if trying to explain something to the village idiot.

Ian frowned, "I did talk to her. Several times."

"Talk! As in sweetly. Politely," Gage gestured with his hand, smiling hugely, and pointing at it with both his index fingers, "This is smile. When you talk you have to have it, if nothing else, pasted on your face. Does a lot good with improving the looks." He added.

"I know how to smile, Gage."

"Oh yes. You do! But you don't. At her. At Least not enough."

"What do you mean? Should I slaver all-" just as Ian was getting heated up, Dim interrupted him, keeping his calm self.

"What exactly did you say to her?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well," Ian raked his hand through his hair, "I just said that, it's your first day and look with whom you have been spending time with."

"That's not all, is it?" Gage asked.

"Umm...she looked somewhat puzzled but then I said that there were many other guys too," he shrugged.

"And?" Gage prompted.

"And - yes! And waiting for her attention. Yes! That's all I said and then she was like, she froze and then went into silent mode!"

Gage and Dim both looked at each other and then exploded together, "YOU IDIOT!"

"What?" Ian stopped cold.

"Yes. You heard right," Gage came nose to nose at him and he was forced to take an involuntary step back. "When you don't know anything about anyone, you just don't go around yammering and blabbering any comments about it."

Gage stopped, took a deep breath and started again, "You don't know her. No. Don't open your filthy mouth," he warned just as Ian was about to say something, "No! You know her name, you know she's your mother's friend's daughter, you know she lived in India. But you don't know the WHY in her life. Why did she come here? Why is she living with you? Why is she so good? You just splutter useless things about her all the time. And she? She's grateful to your mother, your father and most importantly, even to you. Why?

Because she thinks you are sharing or are willing to share your parent's love, even if it’s just a little bit, with her, you are bearing it enough to let her live in the room across you. And just look what YOU did!" Gage stopped, breathing hard. His face was flush with the anger but never had his voice rose, his eyes were shooting fireballs at him but not once did he touch him. Ian thought Gage wanted to grind him just as he was grinding his teeth now.

Ian looked at him then at Dim. There was anger on Dim's face too. And that meant more than everything Gage had just said. Just the controlled fury in his eyes told Ian he had done wrong. And that made him feel guiltier than any of Gage's words had.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, "I am sorry. I didn't knew. But I swear I never meant to say anything mean to her. This time I was really talking about me. Indicating myself. I - I," he stuttered, looking down unable to say anything more.

Dim came forward, and placed his hand on Ian's shoulder, "Go. Talk to her. She needs some good things for life has been enough harsh to her."

Ian looked up at Dim and again at Gage. "Sorry Gage."

Gage just shook his head still breathing a bit hard but his jaw eased a bit.

"I'll make it up to her. I promise!"

"I trust you," Dim said, patting his shoulder, "Now go."

***

When Ian burst through the front door, his mother was just stretching out her hand to open it. She shrieked and took a few steps back, her hand on her chest. Then shouted, "Ian! How many times do I have to tell you to go slow for God's sake! You gave me a heart attack."

Ian looked at his Mom, and smiled despite himself, "Sorry Mom. Emergency!" He whispered the last part.

"Oh, grow up boy!" She slapped his arm and went out. Then said over her shoulder, "I'll be late, love."

"What about Dad?"

"He is coming with me later on. I need to go to the other town to buy some things. He'll drive me there. I can't believe, that fool of a mechanic said it will take a few more days to get my car done."

"Mom! Why don't you sell it? You know it's ancient!"

"No way! It’s my first love," saying so she walked away. Ian smiled at her back then closed the door.

He whistled as he walked towards the kitchen to grab a coke. Just as he was about to head in, his phone beeped. Pulling it out, he clicked open the message from Gage.

Talk first. Eat later.

Ian stared at the screen and then remembered. "Shit," he mumbled and ran back and up the stairs. He threw the backpack on his bed and went to Sonia's bedroom. The room was empty. He looked into the balcony. There was no one there too. Damn it, he thought and raced back down again and stopped abruptly. He checked into the living room first, no one there. He scratched his head and headed straight for the library. Emm had once mentioned about it being her favourite room.

As expected, he found her there. She was standing in front of one of the bookshelves, her back to him. Her fingers were lightly touching each volume as she raised on her toe tips to read out the names her fingers were scanning.

He walked towards her and said, "Hey!"

She gasped and turned to see him. Quickly she turned back again. Ian went and stood beside her, "Hey, I'm sorry. I don't know why you got so upset. Really I-" but he stopped cold when she raised her eyes to meet his again. Tears glistened her eyes. She turned back to her books, her shoulders rising as she took a deep breath.

"Hey, hey Sonia! Please don't cry. I am sorry. Please talk to me!"

"Hmm," was all she said and walked away with a book. She curled up on the love seat and began reading the novel.

Ian marched up to her, then stopped to calm his rising temper. He dragged the footstool and plopped down on it before her.

"Can I ask you something?"

Instead of answering, she all but burrowed her face in the book.

"Okay. If you don't want to talk. I will do it," he said shrugging a shoulder, "you know what happened today? Gage got your friend's number." Her gaze flickered to him and he smiled internally, "and one of the girls in Jake's class fell on his lap. Of Course by accident!" He said flicking his wrist.

She looked up at him then, her eyes wide with surprise.

"And do you know what Jake did?" He leaned a bit forward and so did she, folding her legs under her, all interested now.

Ian continued, "Jake stared at her and then like a dumb said, "Oh my God!"" Ian mimicked Jake's voice, "and she giggled and rose and then gave him a pat on the cheek. Of Course, by then she had made sure her bracelet got stuck somehow on his shirt-" Ian stopped cold then wondering how did he actually tell her about her bracelet.

"Hah! You were making that up!" She said slapping her knee in enthusiasm.

"Absolutely not!"

"Yes, you are!"

"How are you so sure about that?" Ian asked.

"Jake told me that you are good at making stories. That you are a huge fan of curling up with a book."

"Guys stretch out with a book. Girls, curl up with a book," he pointed out.

"Whatever," she shrugged.

"Hmm. So what are you a fan of?"

"I too, like reading," he gestured to the book still in her hands, "I am in fact a freelance writer too."

"Shoot me! What do you write?"

"Why would I? Short stories mostly. As like you, I too am a good storyteller."

"I don't believe you," Ian sneered.

"Why?" She asked, setting her book aside.

"Why what? How can I believe you? I don't even know your story."

"What story? I don't have a story," she waved a hand as if dismissing the notion.

"Everyone knows about it except me." She closed in again. He could see it in her eyes.

"Okay. Do you still have any friends back there or did you just forget them?"

She became instantly angry at that, "What do you mean? Of Course, I still am in touch with them. How can one forget their friends? We all still talk. Almost daily."

"And what about your relatives?"

"Relatives?" She asked again.

"You know uncles, aunts, cousins, blah blah."

"Oh! I don't."

"You don't have any cousins?"

"Nah. I mean I have cousins. It's just that they don't wanna be in touch with me."

"And do you?" He asked softly.

She looked down at her hands resting in her lap, "I don't know."

"Why so?"

But she merely shrugged her shoulders. Ian realised that he was getting her nowhere. Suddenly he got up. Sonia looked up at him.

"I am hungry," Sonia just frowned at his sudden outburst. He sighed, "Come on, let’s see what Mom left us!"

"Left us?" She asked as she followed him into the kitchen, "Did she go out somewhere?"

But he was too busy searching the cabinets. A few moments later, he said, "She said she had some work next town. So she and Dad'll be late."

"Okay," Sonia stood there watching him search everywhere

"Man! She again didn't cook anything," he threw up his hands.

"You forgot the microwave."

Ian looked at her, then smiled as her words registered. He opened the door of the machine. A big dish lay in there. He took it out, his expression turning suspicious. He took a sniff at the foil-covered dish and scrunched up his nose.

"Argh. Tuna casserole! I hate this!" He scrunched his nose as he placed it back inside, "I am not eating that."

Ian went over and sat down on a chair by the table and looked up at her, his chin propped in his palm.

"What now?" She asked warily.

"How about some pizza?" He asked.

"No. We'll have it for dinner," she sat in the chair beside him.

"But I am hungry now!" He whined.

Sonia looked around and then at his sad face, an idea pooping in her mind, "What about some waffles and choco cakes?"

Ian's eyes almost popped out of his sockets, "Are you serious?"

"Yeah, absolutely," she got up and tied an apron around her waist, "It will take a little time though."

Ian jumped up from his seat and took her hand. Kneeling down on one knee, hero worship shining in his eyes, he mimed wiping a tear from his cheek, "I will never forget your efforts for me. I will be forever in your debt, lady," he bowed his head and she laughed aloud at his actions.

Looking up, Ian couldn't help himself from grinning. Gage was right, he thought. It didn't take much to get someone to really talk to you.