Lost | ✓

Chapter 9. Ayansh Dumb Era

🎶 Nadaaniyaan (I love this song sfm!)

Published on 11.05.2022

| AUTHOR'S POV |

While going back home, Ayansh couldn't stop thinking about Inaaya. Why was she making those faces? What did she wanted to talk about in the end? Did she want to talk about the cafe incident? What if she wanted to ask how he was present at the right time at the right spot in the morning? Was she doubtful? But most importantly he couldn't wrap his mind around her doing those weird antics. That was directed at him. But why? It made him laugh but she wanted to make him laugh? Weird. Nonetheless, it did ease out most of his anxiousness —

As the realisation finally strike him, Ayansh pulls the brake of his car making it halt abruptly. No sooner had he done that than he started hearing the sounds of horns from behind. He started his car and parked it on the side of the road a little distance ahead.

"Ayansh seriously!?" He covered his face with his palms and groaned.

Removing his hands from his face, he curled his fingers around the steering wheel. "This is heights of being a tubelight," he said to himself in disbelief, his grip around the steering wheel tightening and loosening.

"She just wanted to free you of your anxiety and what did you do? You ran away. Fucking. Ran. Away." He said slamming his palm on the steering wheel.

"Now what will you do?" He asked to himself. "Okay, let's do one thing. I'll go and apologize to her." He sat straight and pointed to himself. "I'll tell her that I wasn't avoiding her. I was just — " he paused, blank at what to say next. "I was just what?" His shoulders deflated, his voice lost its confidence. "I can't tell her that I was nervous." He whined. "Avoiding someone in supermarket? Nervous. Left the cafe? Nervous. Avoiding eye contact? Nervous. Ran out of the class? Nervous. This is so embarrassing Ayansh!" He hit his head on the steering wheel lightly thrice.

"But really? How did you not figure out that she was making those faces not because there was something wrong with her but because she wanted to help you?" He questioned himself, frowning and looking forward at nothing. "That's so dumb please!" He hit his forehead with his fist in frustration. "You know what," he addressed pointing a finger forward as if there was another Ayansh standing ahead. "Your name shouldn't have been Ayansh Mehra. It should have been Ayansh Dumb Era." He enunciated. "Because you keep getting more and more dumb with each passing day. Not only — "

Ayansh stopped speaking when somebody knocked on the window of his car. He turned his head and slowly rolled the window down, staring at the man who was looking at him with uncertainty in absolute horror.

"Are you okay?" The man who looked in his thirties, asked in concern.

Ayansh felt as if he has lost his voice suddenly. So he swallowed and forced himself to shoot a smile at the man. "Yes." He couldn't bring himself to say anything more so he gave a thumbs up awkwardly. The man stared for a few seconds deciphering if everything was alright and then walked away feeling it's better to leave the young guy on his own.

Ayansh sighed in relief and rolled up the window.

"Ayansh Embarrassing Era as well." He muttered to himself and drove away.

~

"You really made those faces!" Nikita exclaimed in amusement, laughing her heart out.