Confession

Chapter 24

My Happy Place
ARYAN

"Aa....I... wh...what..?" She stammer.

I smile and repeat my sentence. "I said read me something from the book."

She looks at the book and then lets out a small awkward laugh. "What... what will I read....? I mean.... this isn't.... for you. You have to complete your notes. Focus on that."

"Yeah, I know. I'll write my notes simultaneously I'll listen to you."

"No!" She shouts softly.

"What No?" I ask.

She bows her head down and brushes her fingers over the cover of the book. "I.... I can't read you this book." She says nervously.

I smile by looking at her reaction. I'm just teasing her by requesting her to read me this book. I know what kind of books she reads. Dark romance is one of her favorite genre and she definitely can't read me this book.

I really don't like reading fictional books but I search about the ones that are her favorite. I've googled about this book, 'Haunting Adeline'. I know why she is nervously rejecting my request. The chapters of this book are very intense and dark. All kinds of dirty smut and mature scenes are there. I was wondering how she was reading this book with a straight face in the classroom.

She never shares her interest of books with anyone. Not even with Meera.

Books are her way to escape reality. She goes somewhere else when she reads and forgets about all her worries in the world. I too, want to go there with her. Wherever she'll go I'll follow her. I want her to share her interests with me. Although I'm not so into books but I want her to read me all her favorite books. I want her to tell me all about her favorite scenes and dialogues from the books. And I'll happily listen to her.

Introverts don't talk much but when we ask them about their interests and favorite things they start talking more than an extrovert can ever talk.

I really want Vinisha to open up with me.

"C'mon Vinisha, just read me the chapter you were reading." I tell her. I'm trying really hard to suppress my smile.

She looks at me then again at her book. She sighs softly and says. "Okay.... I'll read."

I grinned and continued writing my notes.

She cleared her throat and started reading. "So... I was reading chapter sixteen."

"Mmm... hmm." I hum.

" 'You're going to shoot me?' My bladder is threatening to explode, and the knowledge that I might die in a puddle of.... pee.... brings tears to my eyes. 'I've already said I'm not going to kill you' he responds, his tone dripping with impatience. He punctuates his response by dragging the tip of the gun through the valley to my..." She stops and looks at me.

I move my gaze from my notebook to her. I raise my eyebrows to ask what happened. She doesn't respond anything. I tilt my head towards the book, signaling her to continue reading.

She looks at her book which was placed on her lap. I smiled slightly. I like teasing her. I know she will not be able to read the whole chapter in front of me. Forget about chapter, not even one paragraph.