First of all, big big big apology for being so late -- no throwing roti sticks please.
Secondly, THANK YOU ALL FOR GETTING CLOUDED CROSSROADS TO 10K READS!
And last of all...we love putting suspenseful chapter titles 😎}
Jiya
The drive felt shorter than expected by the time we arrived there. Banters and conversations kept us all engaged I guess. When we arrived, the excitement was out of bounds at the location Vihaan chose for us to stay.
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"This is...beautiful," I said. My eyes took in the view of the stream disappearing far into the valley.
"Yeah," Vihaan replied, his voice sounding distracted. When I turned to see what was up, he was staring right at me, not budging an inch.
Everyone had already gone inside after eating, leaving just the two of us in the chilling breeze. I stared into his eyes for a moment, watching them get dark with an unknown feeling. The vibe left in the air between us tempted me to lean in, but I couldn't gather the courage.
Averting my eyes, I turned back around. I felt Vihaan shudder out a sigh. So, I'm not the only one who feels that way. The thought made me smile as I continued to admire the view. Another cool breeze left me shivering in its wake and suddenly I was protected by the two arms that came up around mine on the railing. I could feel his heartbeat on my back and his soft breath on my shoulder. His closeness was appreciated but hesitating. Why should it always be him who makes the first move? He has the right to feel wanted as well. I need to be able to express my emotions to him in a way he cherishes.
Gathering up my bravery and tossing my hesitant behavior in the trash, I placed my hand on top of his, curling my slender fingers through his gaps. He drew in a breath, not expecting the response. I continued by leaning back, pressing my back firmly against his chest and rested the back of my head on his shoulder.
Closing my eyes, I caught my own breath which had sped up in the process. I could feel him looking at me - astonished - but made no move. We stood there for a moment just like that, experiencing our newfound closeness. Ever so slightly, I felt him move, and suddenly his heated breath was right on my cheek. The feeling of his lips brushed my temple and then right by my ear, then settling on the edge of my jawline. He took his time to roam as I unconsciously tilted my head. I could feel the rush of blood coming to my cheeks and I opened my eyes hazily, meeting his. I stared into his mystery filled eyes, a second time that night, once again overcome with a feeling I was not familiar with. This is too much, too soon. But why do I find myself wanting this? Why is my heart telling me something different than my mind? I need to figure out myself before we take any step forward.
And for a second time that night, I averted my eyes, from him and my feelings.
"Mumma is probably waiting for me. I better go," I mumbled, pulling my weight off of him. I started to walk away, only to be pulled back into his protective arms. His arms over mine, he crossed them so I was hugging myself.
"I always want more with you," Vihaan whispered, his voice low. I felt the hairs on my body rise up and a jolt of electricity down my spine. He loosened his grip on me and I left without looking back. Without my permission, a small smile crept up onto my lips and my heart rejoiced.
Vihaan
It wasn't until midnight that day that I realized: if there was a bigger idiot than an idiot, it would be me.
I lowkey creeped her out with -- everything. And what crap dialogue was "I always want more with you"?! It was decided: I need to work on controlling my mouth...immediately.
My hands lingered above my phone before grabbing it.
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A moment passed. Just when I thought the conversation was over, she sent one more text.
"Don't stay up all night thinking about this."
A grin spread across my face, as I finally relaxed. I couldn't obey her about that. Because the remembrance of her face etched and traced by my lips sent me into blissful dreams for the night.
