Engineered Bonds

Chapter 22 :- Repressed Feelings

Five of them started making small chats enjoying food & drinks and giving subtle glances towards Ambar, waiting for him to loosen up whatever he was bottling inside. Arun got up from his seat, hand-picked a few snacks and handed over the plate to Ambar. Ambar took the plate with a slight nod acknowledging Arun's gesture. While slowly gulping down the food Ambar mumbled "I feel exhausted for some reason." Arun who just sat down seconds ago jolted from his seat and said in a high pitch "Of course you're exhausted. Hey guys, did he tell you all that before reaching this place where was he and what was he doing?" Maahir said puzzlingly "What do you mean? Isn't he coming straight from home? That's where we dispersed last." Arun continued "No bro! He called me and asked me to reach the gas station nearby my home. Once I reached there I was devastated seeing the picture in front of me. His car's front headlights were smashed, and look here, he has a bruise on his forehead" said Arun while raising Ambar's front hair bangs.

Gasps flew across the room. Ritvik got up from his seat and checked Ambar's bruised forehead. "Why didn't you get this treated?" he said. "I'm fine, guys. Don't worry about me so much" replied Ambar. Kiansh shouted, "Are you crazy? Is this your mature way of handling stress?" Vikrant tried to pacify the other men in order to manage the situation. "Guys, relax. He is already too stressed. At least we should not add on to his worries. Let's settle down and talk calmly" said Vikrant. Ambar looked at Arun "So, you're satisfied now? Any more complaining? Go on, carry on. I'm listening. Let me resolve all your complaints tonight." Arun groaned "Do you think I'm here to complain? Is this what you think of me? Don't you realise how worried we all are for you? Can't you take better care of yourself for once? If not, then let me do it for you. I have done hours of overtime for you. I won't mind a few more hours. At least do not let yourself get hurt like this." Nipun added "He's right, bro. We all are here for you. Can't you rely a little bit on us. Are we not worth depending on? Would it make you small for reaching out to us for any kind of help?" "It's not like that, guys, and you all know it well. This is why I am here. That's why I always come to you guys. Obviously, you are my backbone" rambled Ambar. "Then why are you sitting quietly? Why aren't you talking out what's bubbling inside you? What will you get from keeping these repressed feelings inside? These repressed feelings of yours are getting the better of you. Just get it out now" said Arun, cutting through Ambar's rambling.

Ambar continued, "What do you want me to confess? I am such an unfortunate person who can't even say his true feelings in front of the person whom I want to express myself the most." Saying that he gulped down a glass of whiskey and continued "Even though I wanted to do my best, my actions involuntarily keep scratching the deepest of her wounds. All I wanted was to fulfil all her desires and wishes and grant her the freedom of choice to design her own life, making her own rules and living life to the fullest. But what happened? Nothing is working out the way I wanted it to. In fact, things are going backward. The more I try to pull her out of the worst pit of her life, the more I am hurting her in ways for which I don't think I'll be able to forgive myself."

Mahir interrupted "Whoa! What the heck? I don't know you. Who are you? You don't sound like the Ambar I know." Vikrant tallied "Stop with your self-destructing thoughts and tell us the whole detail. Let's figure out a solution for you. The way you are now, you are just going to hurt yourself and that important person you are talking about as well." Listening to Vikrant's words, Ambar grated his teeth and slammed his glass on the centre table. Instead, he picked up the whisky bottle and started gulping down directly from the bottle itself. His friends rushed to stop him, but in an attempt to take away the bottle, he spilled a lot of whisky on himself and on others as well. All of them looked at each other and then towards Ambar, who was already knocked out. He was not a light drinker, but due to all the physical and mental stress, his body gave up very quickly.

They unanimously decided that nobody was going home tonight, and they all are going to stay in Vikrant's lounges suite like their old days. Once Ambar comes around, they are going to have a serious discussion to close the matter once and for all. Arun was the only one who decided to go back home to take care of certain official matters and promised to come back from the office after finishing up morning tasks. Nobody countered Arun's proposition, as work was the priority, and he was the only one who could handle Ambar's office tasks in his absence. Greeting everyone, Arun excused himself and left the building, boarding Ambar's car to go back to his apartment. Others carried Ambar to the lounge's suite room which was on the fifth floor of the building, accessible only to the VVIP guests of the business. VIP suite rooms were limited but constructed massively, having a huge living room and very spacious two bedrooms with large beds that could accommodate a minimum of two to three people. They decided to divide the rooms in a ratio of 3:3, wherein Kiansh, Nipun, and Mahir decided to share one room, and Ritvik and Vikrant took Ambar to the second.