Nge Michu Chapter 10

Opening his eyes slowly, listening to the noise of people from the other buildings, Dorji looks at Tshoki, who is sleeping so beautifully beside him. Many boys fell for her but she always rejected them. He feels lucky to be her boyfriend. Her eyes closed, face glowing as if to smile, which touches his heart deeply; she is a ‘sleeping beauty.’ Stretching his hand slowly, he grabs the phone from the table. As he looks at the number of missed calls from his parents, he gets up immediately, waking up Tshoki.

Opening her sleepy eyes, a little, she utters, “Going?”

“Yeah. I have exam today.”

As he wears the jeans, an unusual headache pricks his head. He feels as if the building is shaking. Grabbing the coat from the bed, leaning forward he kisses her and walks away towards the sitting room when the doorbell rings, frightening Tshoki. She gets off the bed instantly and dresses up.

“Shhh!”

She follows him, taking gentle steps towards the door. The doorbell rings again. Going to the door looking very frightened, she slides the latch slowly. Opening the door, a little, she stands frozen. In the meantime, Dorji asks her, “Who is it?”

On hearing this voice from the inside, pushing the door hard, Khandu walks in. stepping inside, looking directly at Dorji, who is the brother of his younger sister’s husband, he asks, “Dorji, what are you doing here?”

Dorji takes a glance at Tshoki, who stands at the door, looking very terrified.

Instead of responding, Dorji walks away from him. Standing in front of Tshoki, he says, “I am going. Catch you later.”

As he leaves the room, face burnt by his anger, looking very dark, Khandu goes in front of her. Catching her shoulder, he pulls her towards him. Looking deep into her eyes, he asks, “Tshoki, explain me, why was he here?”

Keeping her head down, she stands like a deaf, who has not heard a word of him.

Khandu shouts, “Tshoki! Explain me.”

He looks around the room and finds beer bottles, lying on the floor. Cigarette butts are scattered, at the kitchen doorstep. He jumps on the sofa, hunching back, ruffling his hair with his hand, he shouts, “Tshoki, please. Say something.”

Tshoki stands like a statue when he gets up and looks at her neck, lifting her hair covering her neck. Observing carefully, his eyes getting out of its socket, he asks, “What are these?”

At the same time, at Taba, Dema stretches her hand and picks up the phone and checks time. Keeping the phone down, she closes the book in front of her and arranges the books. Folding her hands, she closes her eyes and prays facing the picture of Jampelyanng pasted on the wall. As she tries hard to concentrate on the picture, her mother walks into the room, distracting her prayers.

“Yes, mom.”

She comes closer to the table and sits down on the bed, looking at her as if she wants to say something.

“Mom?”

“Dema, I understand that Tshoki and you are very close friends. Please, tell me the truth about what is Tshoki up to these days? Our neighbor’s son Dorji is missing since last night. Her parents contacted every classmate of him but nobody knew about Dorji’s whereabouts. Now they are going to report the missing case to the police. Other students say that only you know about Dorji and Tshoki,” says her mother, when she has no idea about this. If Tshoki is with Khandu, why would Dorji go to Tshoki’s place? Dorji does not know about Khandu and Tshoki relationship.

As she stays silent, thinking about these possibilities, her mother pleads, “Say something.”

“Umm, I will call Tshoki once.”

Grabbing the phone, she dials her number and waits. Even after repeated calls, getting no response, she ends the call and looks at her mother.

“Not responding.”

“So, you know the truth?”

Her mother asks, when she lies, “I don’t know. I thought, Tshoki may know.”

“But last time you told Tshoki’s sister that Dorji is Tshoki’s boyfriend,” says her mother, “please, if you speak the truth before it’s too late, you might be able to help both Dorji and Tshoki. You don’t know, how much pain Tshoki’s sister is in these days.”

“Okay. The truth is,” says Dema when her mother interrupts, “come on, let’s go to Tshoki’s sister house.”

Getting up, Dema follows her mother, confused if she should the truth or lie? Horrified by not being able to make the decision, taking her slippers out she walks in when Tshoki’s sister, Lhaden, stands up excitedly on seeing her.

Her mother greets Lhaden and sits down, when Dema stands beside the sofa. Tears filling up her eyes, jumping on to Dema’s feet, Lhaden cries out loudly, “Dema, please help me!”

Story by: Phurpa Dorji (PJIKKS)

Chapter 11 Tomorrow @9PM