supposedly ‘hiding’ Neal.
Aakir clears his throat, “We are here.” He says in an annoyingly loud voice, not at all being subtle at distracting us. Neal’s bungalow, the beach house, comes into view. In the daylight it is looking beautiful. The modernistic white house contrasting against the blue ocean behind it.
“I have got to say, your house is sexy.” Aakir compliments, glancing at Neal once.
Neal sighs, “It’s your aunt’s house, not mine. Thanks anyway.” He says and opens up his door as soon as I park right in front of the driveway…or a sort of driveway, since I don’t see a clearly defined boundary. Aakir and I exchange glances again, not missing how Neal referred to Jennifer as Aakir’s aunt.
Neal is already speaking as Aakir and I get off the car, “And let’s not get off topic,” he says, walking to stand in front of the car, “Tell me first, we are partners for what purpose?”
I glance at Aakir as I, too, walk to the front of the car.
“I am going to go, get inside.” Aakir blurts, pointing his thumb in the direction of the house.
“Aakir.” I snap. I don’t want to be alone while explaining it to Neal. So I gift Aakir with a heated glare as he tries to escape the situation.
“Guys,” Neal snap, sounding irked, “Could you just cut it out?” he glares at me and then Aakir, “Just hit me with it.”
I run a hand through my hair, exchanging another glance with Aakir and finally turning towards Neal. He is looking at me, glaring almost, his nose slightly flaring. If it weren’t for my anxiousness, I would have probably found his face funny.
“Look,” I start, “it’s kind of a therian thing.”
“I figured that out.”
“Partners are…” I begin, ignoring Neal’s sarcastic jibe, “They are…”I trail off.
Neal frowns, “Are? What do you mean- partners ‘are’?” he shakes his head, “Partners in what?” he asks.
Yeah, right. He is probably thinking of the typical dictionary definition of ‘partner’ and wondering for what job we have to work in duality.
“‘Partner’ is a technical term amongst us therians.” I tell him.
A look of realization dawns on Neal’s face. He looks at Aakir once then averts his eyes back to me. He simply adorns an impassive expression. Neal doesn’t respond to the information, silently urging me to go on. I look at Aakir once too, who is standing expressionlessly, observing our exchange. I turn back to Neal, clearing my throat.
“Um,” I begin anew, “Most of the therians have partners. They recognize their partners by his or her aura.” Neal’s frown deepens and I hastily continue, “Your partner is the one with whom you’re most compatible. Your mind’s usually in congenial sync with your partner’s brain. It’s just simply someone with whom you’re sure to get along, someone with whom you’ll always stay in harmony, irrespective of the differences…” my babbling trails off.
Both Neal and Aakir are standing shut tight up in silence, both eyeing me with eyes as big as saucers. The only difference is that Neal has his lips tightly pursed while Aakir is gaping at me. Aakir reforms his features as soon as he notices my anxious stare. He clears his throat, probably to add something-
“Wait.” Neal interrupts. “‘Partner’ is a term for someone you….get along with?”
I sigh, “Technically, yeah.”
Neal looks at Aakir once, “So, you both are partners too?” he drawls.
“No.” I frown, as Aakir chuckles. I give him a sideway glare before going on, “A therian only has one partner. A therian recognizes his or her partner by the aura of their partner.” I feel like a broken CD, being iterative,“That’s one person who will be the most compatible with you and will always be around due to the harmonious congeniality he or she shares with the partner.”
Neal says nothing, simply staring at me.
“Having a partner assures that you’ll never face desolation.” I elaborate further, “Because, theoretically speaking, it is believed that partners will never leave each other and will always be favorably inclined towards each other.”
Neal is still staring.
“Having your partner around gives you a nice sense of goodwill, mainly due to the aura and how perfectly it weaves with the aura of their partner. It just gives you a feeling that…‘hey, I am never going to be absolutely alone in the world, not just in the physical sense, but also in the mind’. It’s a simple concept, really.” I finish, nervously looking at a still apathetic Neal.
After an eon he opens his mouth and I prepare myself to hear the verdict-
“I am not gay.” He says, still eyeing me stoically.
Aakir, the bastard, starts smirking.
“Neither am I.” I snap back.
Neal raises his eyebrows, as if challenging me.
I roll my eyes, exhaling exasperatedly, “This…this ‘partner’ thing is not supposed to be romantic.” I snap.
Neal twitches his eyebrows up and down, “Yeah?” his voice comes out mocking. He turns away, nonchalantly making way to the front door of his house in a slow pace, “It suspiciously sounds like ‘soul-mates’.”
“The hell?” I exclaim, exasperated. “You watch too many movies.” I snap. “There is no such thing as ‘soul-mate’ in this world. Each person comes with their own full soul.”
“I am still not gay.” Neal replies dryly, continuing to climb the few stairs to his front porch.
Bristling and shooting a smirking Aakir an evil glance, I follow Neal.
“Your sexuality makes no difference to the fact that you’re my partner.” I say to him in the same snappy tone. “And, again, this…‘thing’ doesn’t mean we are bound for life or we are supposed to be romantically inclined. Conceptually, partners aren’t meant to be romantic halves of one another.”
Neal sighs, turning back as we reach his opulent living room. He eyes me with a little frustration for a second then retorts back, “Are both your parents partners?”
Now that has me shut up for a few longer seconds than I would have liked. Neal smirks humorlessly at my hesitative stance. He shifts his eyes behind me, where I can sense Aakir’s aura.
“You and Silvia are partners?” he asks Aakir.
I do not turn to see Aakir’s reaction but the silence assures me that Aakir’s facial expressions must have spoken volumes.
Neal looks back at me, frowning mockingly, “And you said we are partners?” he asks me, in sarcasm of course.
I laugh humorlessly, “I am beginning to doubt that.” I mumble loud enough, not at all pleased with Neal’s satirical stance. I sigh exasperatedly and run a hand through my hair, “You can think whatever you want, Neal. I simply know that opposite gender partners find it easier to take their partners as their romantic better halves. But that doesn’t mean that partners are meant for being your better half. They are solely chosen on their ability to sustain a congenial relationship, irrespective of it being romantic or not. Plus, it’s not a big deal. Yeah, I was shocked too when I found out that you’re my partner but, hey, it doesn’t really matter much, as long as you’re around just as normal friends, it’s cool. I am not looking for more, hell I don’t want more.”
Neal appraises my serious stance for a moment then sighs. “Yeah, whatever.” He mutters, but doesn’t exaggerate the topic further. He glances around his living room, sighing all the while. He points towards the vestibule on the other end, “I am going to go and get fresh and…pack some clothes or something…” he trails off.
Aakir and I nod simultaneously at Neal. Neal nods back and retreats towards the inside of his humongous house. I exhale in relief. It wasn’t exactly all roses but I am glad this topic didn’t raise an issue. We are partners and that’s that. End of story.
“‘No big deal’?” Aakir mutters, looking sideways in disdain at me.
I raise my eyebrows inquisitively, “I think that went rather well.” I say slowly.
Aakir scoffs, “First of all, your partner is not ‘no big deal’-”
“Aakir-” I interrupt.
“No, don’t ‘Aakir’ me. Irrespective of gender, your partner is a big deal. You went a little nonchalant about it at the end.”
“Aakir,” I warningly interrupt again.
Aakir purses his lips, glaring at me.
I start in a lower voice, “Neal seemed already weary of this…thing. I think it was clever of me to play it out nonchalantly.”
“Yeah,” Aakir starts sarcastically, “Then you surely shouldn’t expect him to comply being along you through life. Come on, Josh. Neal asked you to be honest about it-”
“I was honest.”
“-You should have at least explained the severity of this situation.”
“I don’t get it.” I snap. “What’s so severe about it? I think I explained the concept quite efficiently to him.”
“What’s so severe about it?” Aakir asks rhetorically, “Are you sure Neal’s your partner? Because, dude, I flip out at the prospect of having a simple nonchalant relationship with Silvia; more, I am blown out of the water if I imagine not having her around. How can you put something like that so…so…vaguely?”
“So, what? You want me to go and tell Neal that he was right to call us ‘soul-mates’?” I ask sarcastically.
Aakir shakes his head, looking disappointed at my argument. But, hey, he doesn’t have a guy for a partner. Neither is his partner demanding an explanation about therian concepts. So, I do not let Aakir’s disappointment affect me because he probably doesn’t understand my situation well.
“I am quite glad that we are not making a deal of