TOUCH

Chapter 39

AURELIA

"What's this?" I asked, looking at thr box in his hand and ignoring what he said earlier.

"You'll see, if you just turn around."

I decided there was no point in asking him and did do what he asked.

Zander muttered something under his breath, while sliding my hair on one of my shoulder. His hands came from both side around my frame holding something that shone in the vanity light. It was a pendant.

He placed it on my neck looking through the mirror and closed it by hooking at the back. My hands instinctively ran upon the dainty thing that was so tiny that I feared breaking it.

Zayn looked up from my neck to my eyes and I was jerked back into glaring at him.

"Why?"

"Merry Christmas Aurelia Singh," he said with a lingering smile.

I moved closer to my reflection and looked at the necklace again. Its a tiger face in silver. "Its a white tiger."

"Anne said your state is famous for those in India."

I looked at him now. "It is. I didn't get you anything."

"You got me enough."

Suppressed happy tears cloud my vision.

TODAY was New Years eve. Meaning the entire college was invited to Tucker's party. Raven was supposed to pick me up as she asked me to go with her instead of Zayn. She should have been here ten minutes ago but I was not complaining because I was trying to tame my hair into a braid.

I heard a car pull into the driveway and I went downstairs to open the door managing a half braid in one hand.

"What are you doing here." I took in Zander's tall frame cladded with a black leather jacket and a grey tee.

Raven peeked from behind him. "Don't blame me Aura. Your alleged boyfriend wouldn't stop pestering."

I let the two of them in sharing an eye roll with Raven.

I breathed out a sigh and cocked an eyebrow at him for explanation. Instead of speaking, the man hovered over me and took my braid out of my hand going behind me.

"Arey!"

"What was that?" He looked at me craning his neck around to catch my eyes.

"Decent hindi for what the fuck," I said.

Zander sighed and tugged on my braid. He took his time braiding my hair and Raven and I looked at each other, she giving me a smirk that told me I was in for a lot of teasing.

About half an hour later we pulled onto Tucker's street. The house was easily identifiable with loud music pouring out. Even with people loitering around in the front, the beauty of his house wasn't diminished.

I would have stood there and admired it further but the December chills were all over my body and I was desperate to get inside. Pulling my coat closer to my body I walked up the driveway inside only stopping to say hello to a couple of people I know from common classes.

Inside, Fiona was having a heart to heart with Kelly about how she was thankful to God for not giving lizards wings. The drink in her hand was enough for us to no with no further explanation needed. We sat down around her joining in on the rant.

A few hours later, when Cindy was yelling at some guy explaining why he shouldn't have touched her cheeks because her skincare was expensive, a rough hand closes hard around Brie's waist.