Chapter 141 - 140

Zack walked through his apartment corridor and surprisingly or not so surprisingly, he found Meera sitting there on the floor with her knees bunched in front of her and head rested over them.

"You got to be kidding me!!" Zack grumbled and opened his doors without bothering with her.

Meera shot up from her place with a big wide grin and followed him behind eagerly. She looked like a kindergartner going after candy.

Zack chuckled but did not complain. He just let her in and closed the doors behind her went on to freshen up. And when he came back, Meera was lying down on the couch and watching television as if it were her own home.

"I am going to start asking you for rent if this goes on…" He said sarcastically going into the kitchen to get himself a beer.

"No problem. I will pay for it." Meera said nonchalantly.

"SO you are saying I won't be able to get rid of you??" Zack asked wearily sipping on his beer.

Meera did not bother to answer but instead, she thought of something and asked him, "Why were you late today??" at last looking away from the television.

"Had a meeting with Shreya…" he said straight away.

"No wonder you look so tired. What does she think of herself, sucking up a person dry and not even paying enough!!" She grumbled. She assumed since Zack is living this part of the neighborhood then he shouldn't have been paid well but still made to work to point of tiredness. After all, growing up at her family doesn't really give raise to many chances of developing a good opinion on Shreya. And on top of it, she despised Shreya for everything she has… especially for having had her parents and now for having Anand uncle and the whole of his family.

But before she could continue on her rambling, her ears got twisted painfully.

"Owww… ouch… that hurts…" She wailed.

"Don't talk ill of people on their backs… especially about Shreya… that too in front of me… Or else you will be sleeping in the corridor!!" Zack scolded and went away. But he wasn't really angry. He knew the environment she grew up in and compared to the other two kids, she was much more sensible and naïve. In all probability, he knew she never really had anyone to teach her all her life as to what's right or wrong… so she ended up being like this. So he just reprimanded her. And she reminded him of his younger sister growing up. So he couldn't really bring himself to be too hard on her.

"How did I forget?? She is always the perfect princess in front of everyone, isn't she?? So obviously, that would make me the evil sister in everyone's eyes…" Meera said sarcastically rubbing over her ears.

Zack once again knocked on her head and said sarcastically, "Aren't you giving yourself too much credit?? You don't look like an evil sister from any angle…"

Meera's eyes brightened instantly and asked interrupting him, "Really?? I don't look like an evil sister??"

���More like an idiot sister…" Zack said rolling his eyes and lighting a cigarette for himself.

Meera's face fell instantly. She pouted with her arms crossed in front of her and looked away from him pettily.

Zack did not really bother with her. But when he went to the kitchen to get his take away bags, he asked Meera, "Are you hungry..??"

All her previous anger went away in a blink and her face lit up like a Christmas tree as she beamed at him and said, "Starving…"

Zack chuckled and handed over the burgers he bought for her. Meera happily munched on it as Zack sat beside her sipping his beer and puffing out smoke. By the time she was done eating, she made a mess all around her as well as all around her mouth.

Zack couldn't help but laugh at her crushing his cigarette on the ashtray.

Meera gave him a questioning look.

"Your face looks like a monkey…" He said grinning.

Meera stomped away to the bathroom glaring at him.

Zack did not bother with her. He just said, "You are cleaning the mess you made and the plate before going to sleep." And then he retired to his own room. Meera glared at him but still obediently followed what he said and clumsily cleaned up the plates and the mess she made on the dinner table.

She then went to and flopped on the couch and was asleep in a matter of minutes.

When Zack came and checked up on her, she was sleeping on her front with her arms and legs stretched all over the place. Zack swung a blanket over her and went to sleep.

Zack knew this relationship was strange and risky. For him, Meera was a shadow of a little girl he once saw grow up in front of him and eventually lost. But then he also knew she was not his sister.

And for Meera, he was like a superhero or an idol. A person she looks up to.

And the age difference between them was awkward. He couldn't be a friend or an uncle or a brother to her. Even though everything was strictly plutonic, it won't look like it for everyone outside. And if things blew up, he will be the one receiving the heat and the burn and he would too quite gladly if it meant he would be able to protect her.

But in spite of knowing everything, he still couldn't turn her down. Not only because she is similar to his baby sister but she was also similar to himself when he had left the service and came here first.

He could clearly see the loneliness and the depravity in her. Her recklessness and the lack of care for anyone or anything… she reflected him like a mirror. And as Shreya said, she was someone who had nothing to lose too. And she needs someone to care for… someone she could look after. Someone who could accept her for who she was.

And if possible he wanted to be that person who could put some life into her. Give her the warmth he had received from Shreya all those years ago.

That is why somehow, it seemed to be worth the risks.