Unrequited

Chapter 16

I stood in front of my full-length mirror holding two chic outfits. One was a red puffed and net sleeved mini-dress and the other was a combination of a lacy bralette, leather jacket and ripped skin-tight black jeans. I was unable to decide which one to wear for the reunion party which was in two hours. My parents too weren't at home. (they had left for Delhi for one of my cousin's wedding). After a lot of fretting, I went with the jeans combo. After I was dressed, I Dutch-braided my hair, put on nude makeup, put on high-heeled sandals and got ready to leave. Outside, I called up Ayaan. We had decided to go together. "Let's save up time and money", he had said. I walked up to the crossroads where we had agreed to meet.

After a few minutes Ayaan walked up in a black-on-black outfit. He wore a shiny thin metallic chain around his neck and white sneakers. The veins on his arms popped up making him look even more sculpted in black. My mouth must have hung open because his fingers lightly shut it as he muffled a chuckle. Once again, butterflies attacked my weak gut, making me jittery. Then I felt his eyes take me in. They hovered on my face a little longer than the rest. I heard hid breath hitch audibly, feeling my knees go weak under me. He inspected my bare and flat stomach and once again he was breathing hard. The tension between us was so tangible, I could have sliced it with a knife. Suddenly, I felt his warm fingers wrap themselves around my wrist.

"With you dressed like this Kia, I don't want you leaving my hand", his eyes had become unreadable, however they held mirth. I rolled my eyes at him and muttered "who could be more dangerous for me than you", under my breath. He must have heard me because his eyes locked with mine. His face had an apologetic smile and his eyes turned soft. Now it was mine turn to go breathless. I figured he was going to bring up the past, and before he could say anything I apologised for my vile comment.

"No you have every right to say that. After all I was a fucker to have done what I did..." he trailed off. Ayaan's face held a hard expression of regret, which I found difficult to stomach. I couldn't believe that this Ayaan was the same boy who had not even flinched when he told me that our relationship was meant to be a joke. That it had been a dare. And now, here he was fighting I don't know what in his mental sphere.

Don't get too happy about this. It could be a façade. I couldn't ignore Kira's caution.

I looked up at Ayaan's face and scrunched my eyes for a minute and opened them placing a smile on my lips. Yes he had been my destructor, he had shred my heart into pieces but I could not bear to see that strain on his face. It hurt, even after so many years, to see him distressed. It might be a show but it still felt bad. Ayaan smiled back softly. I told him it was fine.

"Neither of us can change the past, right? So let's not talk about that tonight. I want to enjoy tonight, without having to worry about anything. So please, can we skip this?"

He nodded with understanding. Soon we climbed into the Uber that had finally arrived. Although we had been in the same backseat once, the heat between did not ebb. My whole left side singed with his warmth. I wanted nothing more than to rest my head onto his strong shoulders just like old times.

I didn't.

I peeked at him from under my eyelashes or from the corner of my eye. Once or twice I even caught him looking at me, and I would shiver with silent pleasure. I had always craved his attention. I had wanted him to be distracted by my body, wanted him to go breathless at the sight of my curves. But unfortunately, our boat was too rickety to sail that way. And I had been left hungry. I agree that my love was pure and I would love Ayaan even if he grew another pair or arms and limbs, but numerous times I had wished he would want me for more than clean reasons. We had never kissed, let alone made out. (Mind you we had dated for two years!). And now, now I wanted nothing but to pull him to me. To make him want me. But I knew that was like herding cats.