Chapter 10
The roll of the dice
JIMMY
“What's bugging you?” I walk to where Aditya stretches his hamstring muscles under Sahil’s watchful eyes. The usual sly smiles and subtle glances are missing today. We have not spoken during his visits to the gym for the past few days, and he has not replied to my texts since yesterday.
“Nothing.”
The sharp tone of his response surprises me. Aditya squeezes his eyes and sighs.
“Some management meetings are coming up, so I have too many things on my plate. Long nights getting the numbers together are piling on.” He turns to face Sahil. “Should I take a few days off?” The worry lines crowd his forehead.
“Umm, yes. You should if you are not well,” Sahil agrees. “Let's finish this set and do the cool down.”
“Yeah, sounds like a good plan. Take things easy for a few days.” I leave them to their workout. However, my eyes keep returning to Aditya. Is this fatigue, or is something bothering him?
We have not interacted much since our day at the school last week, so I am sure the worry on his face is not my fault.
Is the ex-wife troubling him? Aditya’s sombre mood wipes out any chance to discuss the exciting news I received yesterday.
Sahil’s squeals on the phone made his words incoherent.
For a moment, I considered whether he needed a doctor.
I cut short my grocery run and rushed to the gym.
My eyes bugged out on reading the email on our gym's official email address.
A lady from Delhi had reached out to me. The words are etched in my memory. I read them three times and pinched myself twice while chanting, ‘Not a dream. Not a dream.’
'We would like to discuss an acting assignment with you. Please let us know if you are available next week. We will send the tickets.' She promised an all-expense-paid trip to go over the assignment.
Sahil and I spent an hour browsing the internet to check the agency's background.
Scamsters infest the internet. I did not intend to lose my meagre bank balance or end up in some ditch in Delhi.
The email came from her official account, but we were still suspicious.
Why would anyone reach out to me for an acting role, and that too out of the blue?
I had read about simple folks like me drawn into devious rackets in the name of modelling.
I had never done any theatre, not even a local Ramlila. Except for a small Instagram account, handled most of the time by Sahil, I had no social media presence. Why would they want me, a boy living in a nondescript town in the foothills of the Himalayas, to act for them?
My concern increased when I found the agency published books, but Sahil suggested they might be looking to adapt a book into a movie.
When I dismissed the idea, he asked me to speak to Aditya, who comes from Delhi.
But watching his sullen mood, I am not sure if today is the right day.
There is no point in adding my worries to Aditya’s burdens.
I do want to wipe the gloom from his face, though. So when he steps outside, I catch up with him.
“Hey, Aditya. How are you feeling now?”
“I am sorry for snapping at you.” The glum eyes hit me hard.
I want to pull him into a hug, but the gym entrance is beside the resort's reception. “Let me know if I can help in any way.”
A small smile flits across his face, “Yeah, sure. Take care.”
Aditya turns and leaves. Slow steps, shoulders rounded, head bowed. An idea strikes me, and I rush after him. “Hey, wait. What are you doing this evening?”
“Nothing. Why?” He stops in his tracks.
“Remember, I told you about the small rainbow group? We are meeting tonight at seven. Would you like to accompany me?” My heart skitters at the prospect of introducing Aditya to my friends.
He goes quiet, staring at the pebbles on the ground.
“You can say no. This is an open invite for whenever you are comfortable.”
Aditya lifts his chin. I am clueless about what is going on in his mind, so I offer a way out, “Or we can go somewhere else. Only you and me.”
He shakes his head. “No, don't change your plans for me.”
My heart stings with rejection, even though I have no right to expect anything from him. “Forget I said anything. You are busy. Sorry to bug you.”
He reaches out and takes my hand. “I will go with you. Do I need to dress up? Will casuals do?”
His words are a balm to my bruised heart.
“Casual and friendly,” I blurt out in my enthusiasm. “I will pick you up at six. Do you have a helmet?”
Aditya shakes his head.
“No worries, I have a spare. See you at six.” We wave goodbye. I skip, hop, and jump back to the gym.
***
The ride to Sudhanshu's house takes forty minutes, as he lives near Bageshwar.
I have no complaints. The breeze is cool, and Aditya hangs tight against my back, his arms crossing in front, tucked inside my denim jacket.
One warm palm is on my chest, the other on my stomach, and his fingers dig into my skin. His thighs are snug against mine.
Gosh, these slim-fit jeans are terrible for hiding a hard-on.
When we reach our destination, I use the time Aditya takes to remove his helmet and put on his glasses to calm the anxious buzz in my body.
Except for one other person, I have never invited anyone into this group and have regretted the day ever since.
I pray to the Goddess to let this be different.
Once we are all set, I pat his ruffled hair into place and mimic a gun with my fingers. “Ready to face the squad?”
“Now, you tell me about the guns.” Aditya hides his nervousness behind a chuckle.
I want to smother his grin with my lips, but the door opens, and Sudhanshu rushes out to greet us.
The oversized bright-coloured floral shirt sways as he jumps and hugs me.
The impact pushes me back a step, and I slam into Aditya.
“My, my. Is this your daddy?” Sudhanshu leaves me and grabs Aditya's hand. The professor squirms under Sudhanshu's intense gaze.
“Back off. Don’t scare him before he has even met the others.” I move my arm around Aditya's shoulder.
“We will see if he stays with you by the night’s end.” Sudhanshu squeezes Aditya's hand and pulls him away from me.
“Only if you have a more buff and hot gym trainer inside.” Aditya winks.
“Ooh, we are already talking about hot-muscled jocks. I like this one.” Sudhanshu fans his face with his palm and shimmies up the steps to his house.
“Ta-da, everyone, meet Aditya,” Sudhanshu announces our arrival in his trademark exuberance at these meetings.
No one will recognise the staid dad-bod bank manager in his queer avatar outside this small group.
“Be nice to Aditya, or his hot-bodied boyfriend will clobber you,” Sudhanshu warns the group.
I squeeze my eyes shut at the label. Aditya and I haven’t even gone on a proper date.
God save me from this group; they will run Aditya off by midnight.
Brian is wearing a red 'Bears are us' t-shirt.
True to his over six-feet frame, carrying over a hundred kilos of weight.
He waves like a lunatic. Kenny, his equally tall but much slimmer boyfriend, sitting on his lap, greets us with a toothy, high-pitched, “Hi!”
Aditya stands stunned at the sight before him. I ease in behind him, winding my hand across his waist. “Don't worry. They are all friends, and last I checked, none of them is a cannibal.” At least, none I am aware of.
Aditya shivers in my grip and mutters. “Cannibalism has been known from prehistoric times, but has no place in modern society. Any such act is a criminal offence.”
“Stop scaring the man, you heathens.”
Thank God we are standing close, for nothing can prepare Aditya for Kiron, the last member of our crazy queer gang. They strut on high heels, a tray of snacks in their hands, face glimmering with sparkles, bright red lipstick, and matching mascara.
“Aditya, meet Kiron. They are Sudhanshu's life partner and our chef for the night.” I introduce them and put my hand on his lower back in support.
“Hi, honey.” Kiron walks up after placing the tray on the table. “Jimmy is all gaga over your roast chicken. You are not leaving without sharing the recipe.”
Aditya steps behind me. Half hidden, he tilts his head, “Oh. Umm. Jimmy is generous. My cooking is nothing special.”
“Oh, your man is coy. Don't you worry. We will make a gay butterfly out of this one.” Kiron gathers both of us in a hug.
“Aww, we want a hug too.” The rest of the troupe speaks in chorus and encircles us in a group hug fest.
“Guys, don't kill our guest before we have fed him.” Kiron squeaks. The group disperses at Kiron's command.
“Have a seat, dear.” Kiron guides us to the table. “What do you want to drink? We have beer and wine.”
“I-I stopped drinking six months ago” Aditya turns to me with worried eyes.
“Hey, relax. These idiots may be loud, but they will never judge.” I rub his arm.
“Jimmy is right. This is a safe space, and none of us will judge you. I will get you some orange juice.” Kiron reaffirms my statement.
Aditya smiles, relaxing his stiff back. When he had stepped behind me on meeting Kiron, I thought he would turn and bolt after the over-the-top initiation ceremony. To calm him further, I do an official round of intros.
“Guys, meet Aditya Hirani. He is a teacher and administrator for our local high school. Aditya, meet Sudhanshu, manager at the Sahkari Bank. The one next to the Head Post Office. Brian runs the Rainbow Bakery on Mall Road with his boyfriend, Kenny. Brian is from England, and Kenny is Australian.”
“And I am Kiron. I have a fashion boutique two shops down from Brian's bakery.” Kiron walks in and places our drinks in front of us.
Aditya's smile is weak. “I-” he gulps, and continues - “I am new to this, so forgive me if I make a mistake.”