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Chapter 15 - Turned on

Alan looked at her with shock and uncertainty. "But Mownika is expecting me."

Fiza wanted to express her concerns about Mownika's influence, but instead, she chose to lighten the mood with a playful remark. "Want me to talk to her?" she winked. "Tell her you're spending the night with me?"

Alan didn't laugh, his voice trembling slightly. "You want to..." he started, his words hanging in the air, as he misunderstood Fiza's intentions.

However, she quickly clarified, laughing, "No! I've told you. I'd have to be in love, to do that." She stared at a far away place out the window.

"You know that feeling when someone you're crushing on touches you and you feel your heart racing and your skin tingling? Well, imagine if that person kissed you. Imagine feeling that kiss all over, from your head down to your toes. And imagine looking at them, knowing deep inside that they're yours, forever. That's what I want," Fiza whispered, her eyes reflecting her yearning.

"You're something else," Alan remarked with a smile, a glimmer of amusement in his eyes. When Alan settled into his bed, for the first time in a long time, he felt comfortable and free of anxiety. To his surprise, Fiza lay down beside him, pulling the covers over both of them. She turned to face him, her hand gently resting on his chest.

Alan's heart rate quickened at the proximity, his gaze fixed on her. He felt sensations and emotions course through him that even sex had never elicited. He understood what Fiza meant earlier about what she wanted. He realized that he wanted that too. With her.

Softly, Fiza whispered, "You know why I decided to be friends with you?"

He looked at her with questioning eyes.

"I saw you pay for the samosas Abhishek had stolen from Mahajan's shop," she whispered. "You are a good person, Alan."

Her fingertips traced his jawline, igniting a cascade of goosebumps that danced across his neck. Alan turned towards her, their faces so close that their breaths mingled in the air. With a soft, almost absent-minded touch, he toyed with strands of her hair.

"I'm not," he whispered back, his words full of vulnerability. His eyes locked onto hers, searching for understanding and acceptance.

She ignored his remark. "Do you know what else I see when I look at you?" she continued, her gaze unwavering as she delved into the depths of his soul.

Alan felt a shiver of anticipation at her words.

"Someone smart, kind, honest..."

His heart swelled with unfamiliar emotions as her words enveloped him. Tears welled up in his eyes, triggered by the echoes of Aarthy's voice that haunted his thoughts. "Nobody would want more from you than sex. You are rotten on the inside, and if you let someone in, they'll see it too."

Out of overwhelming emotion, Alan sought comfort by burying his face in the crook of Fiza's neck. A gasp escaped Fiza's lips, her breath catching in her throat.

Alan swiftly pulled away, startled by her reaction.

Fiza sat up, clutching at her chest, her hands trembling, taking deep breaths to regain her composure.

"I'm sorry," he uttered instinctively, his voice filled with worry. "Did I hurt you?" His eyes scanning her for any signs of injury. Gently, he brushed aside her hair, intending to examine her neck.

"No!" Fiza gasped again, her voice laced with apprehension. "Wait! Don't touch me."

Alan stood frozen, waiting for Fiza to calm down, his confusion growing with each passing moment.