That Indian Woman | √

Chapter 12

Alex:

"Bloody hell! Did you read this?" Jordan suddenly shouted to  Matthew who wasn't even in the room. He had yesterday's newspaper in hands and was staring at it with his mouth agape. Sitting at the edge of the bed, he would have nearly fell down if it was not for his hands clutching the sheets tightly. I wonder why he was reading about yesterday's paper and not today's...he was weird like that.

I buttoned my shirt up and turned towards him, "If I remember correctly, Matthew went to bathe just five minutes ago."

Jordan looked at me and gave me a look. He then thrust his hand forward with the newspaper held out to me. I raised my eybrow but took the newspaper from him. There, on the front page of the newspaper, in big bold Italic letters, it was written,  "The British Council increases taxes." A huge article followed the headline, but I didn't have time to read it.

I handed the newspaper back to him, as Jordan looked up at me expectantly. "Should we be worried?" I said without looking up at him. I purposely emphasised "we".

His mouth fell open and he stared at me like I was joking. He shut his mouth quickly and a fierce look crossed his deep brown eyes. "How can you be so cold in time of a crisis like this?"

I stared at him with disbelief. "Since when did the things that the government does with these Indians had been a crisis for us?"

"Since...since..." Jordan tried to form a meaningful sentence but then stopped. A look of confusion passed his face and then he shook his head with force. "Never."

Well that was utterly...not normal. I slipped my coat on and stared at my reflection in the shiny mirror. Why did Jordan look so uncomfortable and more importantly, why should we be worried? It wasn't--

Ah...how can I forget? The answer came to me without even asking him.

That Indian creature of a woman was the reason. And why was Jordan worried? Not because of the tax, not because of the woman...it was because of Matthew.

Matthew. That crazy young man who fantasies that Indian woman. I nearly snorted at the fact but held it back in time.

That fellow fell for an outsider withing a week. This crazy little fantasy which was seriously taken out of some popular novel. Those books have seriously corrupted Matt's brain. He has no sense left at all. He's read so many fantasies that his own life has become a fantasy right in front of him.

An Indian girl and him? His brain had been knocked off his head, I was sure of that.

"Uh...Alex? I think the daggers which your eyes are sending to the mirror can be collected. We can sell them and gain money. Nice thought, no?" Jordan joked, breaking my thoughts.

Then what he said sunk in. My head snapped towards him and I narrowed my eyes. Before I could make any snide comment, the door opened and in came Matthew. A look of clear distraught was visible on his face as he walked towards the chair and grabbed his coat.

Jordan opened his mouth to say something, probably to tell him about the news, but Matthew beat him at it. "I know! I know what happened, alright?"

I was stunned to the core. He-he never talked like this unless and until he was very upset. Since when did Matthew become so...rude? Jordan's eyes widened and his jaw unhinged.

Silence followed after that until, he collected his cool and shook his head at the crazed fool.

Without another word, Matt left the room with a loud bang of the door. Jordan looked at me for an explanation, but I just shrugged to him.