The Way You Smile

chapter fourteen

✨ featured song ✨
One of your girls
(Troye Sivan)

Author's POV:

IT was almost August and rain was drizzling the way it liked. People have to carry umbrellas everywhere they go, or else they'll get drenched! But Vivaan was no ‘people’! He had forgotten to bring an umbrella because of the huffling call from his coach.

It was destined on that day that he wouldn't bring his umbrella nor did she. He decided to stay under a sunshade as the rain was getting revenge. The scent of rain intoxicated him to the max, added to that the sizzling samosas attracted him like nectar. Who would defend themselves from hot samosas? So, as rapid as a bunny, he grabbed a couple of samosas and devoured them.

Next to samosas, there were pakoras! Yum yum! Vivaan maneuvered towards the shop, randomly switching songs in his playlist. The day up till now had been as normal for Vivaan as possible. That's when the bump shit happened.

"Oh excuse me," He looked at the person who he bumped into and was bemused. He couldn't utter a single word, for that person was his worst nightmare. Akshaya.

"Woah! See who we got here," She spoke while examining his physique. "I suppose we were destined to meet," Akshaya lavishly winked and grabbed her boyfriend's arm.

Vivaan just stood there, with his mind everywhere but there. What was he supposed to say? That he missed her? He hated her? That he despised her? But did he? Really?

"I assume you two knew each other, didn't you?" She again eyes her boyfriend and they both laugh.

"Ah, this is not a soul that could easily be forgotten." The amateurish boyfriend replied.

“Koushik. don't you remember me, BRO?"  that unknown shithead introduced himself as if he is world famous. Vivaan let his lips form a flat smile.

“Yeah.” he replied simply. The elder man nodded.

“Hey babe, why don’t you talk to your friend, I’ll be back with food.” Akshaya nodded busily. She didn’t look at Kaushik as he nodded once at Vivaan and left. Akshaya sat down, uninvited as always, on his table.

“Hey baby, missed me?” she purred. The young sandy haired stared at her, mouth open in shock.

“Do you not feel guilty?” he asked, squinting his eyes. Meanwhile she, sitting all in her grandeur that he wished he had seen through all those years ago, shook her head. After which she smiled, looking almost proud. Vivaan shook his own head, unable to believe that he had loved her at some point of her life.

“Can we just- like- skip the sob story Vi? I missed you, I’ve been with so many of them by now, but… They just don’t feel the same way as you, you know.” Vivaan took a deep breath and stood up calmly. He placed his phone back in its place and folded the earphones. Just as he reached for the water bottle, she stood up, holding his hand tightly.

“Vi-”

“Don’t. Stop calling me that.”

“You- you still love me, don’t you?” Vivaan let his teeth sink into his lower lip. He felt his eyes sting lightly and then… He hated her. He hated how he couldn’t hate her and he hated himself for not being able to hate her.

“No I don’t. Stop getting in my way.”

“Till when will you run from facing it? It's your destiny. I am your destiny, Vi.”

He got out, paid for his lunch and was about to storm out as she stood in front of him. SUddenly, her boyfriend was back, standing beside her looking confused. Vivaan looked and felt awful. He blamed himself for getting into this freaking mess. He assumed himself that if he hadn't been completely loyal and trusted that bitch with their family matter, he wouldn't have landed in this dump.