Unravelling You l ✓

Chapter 5 (B) - 'I expect loyalty'

Published on 16.03.2021

● A U T H O R ●

An awkward silence was spread between them. Neither of them knew how to start the conversation. Vihaan decided to break the ice since Aarohi was constantly fidgeting in her seat, tapping her fingers occasionally on the table.

"You okay?"

"Yeah," she said pressing her lips in a thin line. "If you don't mind, can we go somewhere else, some open space? It feels as if it's been quite long since we've been inside."

Vihaan agreed and they left the restaurant after he paid the bill though Aarohi wanted to argue about sharing the bill but he had already placed his card. The road was empty except for a few vehicles which passed in a while. They started walking on the footpath.

While Aarohi seemed to enjoy the silence and darkness of the night and the cool atmosphere, Vihaan somehow looked out of place.

"You don't like to take walks?" She asked. It was almost 9 pm.

"Not a fan of them." He replied nonchalantly. He expected Aarohi to say something but she didn't.

"Hey! I guess that's an ice-cream shop and there are even benches around them. Let's go and talk there." Aarohi suggested.

Aarohi went to the shop and grabbed two cones for her. Vihaan followed her.

"What flavour do you want?" She asked him expectantly.

"We could have just gone to a ice-cream parlour if you wanted to have it. Nevermind. I don't eat them."

Aarohi looked at him with shock. "Don't tell me you haven't ever tried it?"

Vihaan hesitantly shook his head in a no. "And I catch cold easily." He said uncomfortably.

Aarohi grinned at him and they made their way to the nearby table. "You finish them," he said pointing towards the cones in both her hands, "and then we can talk."

Aarohi smiled before turning her attention towards the inviting cones. She felt comfortable at that moment. Even though she had barely known Vihaan, even though they haven't talked much, even though they belong to different social status, she knew that she could be herself without thinking much.

Vihaan watched her with amusement. She had forgotten her surroundings and the only thing that mattered the most was the desert in her hand. She looked so happy, so beautiful and that made his heart flutter. Both the time he had met her earlier, she had her guard up, the confident, serious one.

But seeing her loosening up that too in his presence made him feel overwhelmed with unknown feelings. She had this childlike innocence about her at that moment which tugged at his heartstrings. She was wearing a white crop top with a shrug and had paired it with black high waist jeans. Her hair cascaded down her back as she had left them open. The wind played with them making her struggle to have her ice creams in peace. She looked cute while irritated.

Vihaan's hand moved towards her face instinctively to brush away the tresses disturbing her behind her ear. Aarohi startled at the sudden contact. She looked at him in a daze. Her breathing laboured. His eyes appeared even more darker in the moonlight glow. She drank in his features while he didn't dare to look into her eyes. He moved his fingers lightly through her forehead and cheeks pushing the tendrils back. That was the first time they had some physical contact and she could feel her heart hammering loudly in her chest. The foreign sensation felt strange yet so nice.