The Mute And The Reader [#YourStoryIndia][#Wattys2015]

Seventeen

"Tell me one thing," I ask him one day out of curiosity, "Why haven't you done anything about the fact that you can't speak?"

Aryan looks at me in humor. Like I just cracked a joke.

-What should I do about it?

I shrug.

"I don't know. Maybe, get some voice chip or something like that installed in your throat."

He doesn't change his expressions. Actually, he's on the verge of laughing.

-Seems like YOU watch a lot of science fiction.

I'm confused and slightly offended.

"What do you mean?"

He looks past me.

-First of all, I seriously doubt the existence of any such 'chip' and even if it exists my LOVING father won't give a penny for it and I'm pretty broke.

I don't say anything. I didn't want to remind him about his father. I decide to stay quiet for sometime. Aryan senses my hesitation. He keeps a hand over mine. I'm surprised how his warm hand manages to send a shiver down my spine. My fingers slightly flinch under his touch but there's no way that I want him to take off his hand. I actually want him to kiss mine.

Thank god he can't read my mind!

-Hey, it's okay!

He has started caressing the back of my hand with his thumb. He's talking to me, something about it's okay if I say something about his father. He's probably comforting me, maybe. I don't know for sure because I can't focus on the voice in my head. I can't help but feel his thumb on that spot on the back of my hand. He's rubbing that patch over my skin, again and again. It's making me feel weird in my stomach. I gulp discretely and try smiling as a response to his words. But it's so hard. Every passing second I'm promising myself that after the next second I'll take my hand back. But I just can't. What if he finds it rude? His mere touch has glued my hand to the canteen table. As a rescue measure, I try tapping the table with the fingers of my free hand. But as expected, it doesn't help. I'm about to pass out when suddenly I feel a sharp pain in my right eye. Fortunately, it leads me to take my hand back. I wince in pain as both my eyes automatically close.

"Ouch!"

I'm unable to see his face but can sure hear the concern in his unspoken words.

-Anushka! You're fine?

I'm frantically rubbing my eye when I feel him sitting just beside me.

Shit!

"I'm okay, Aryan!" I say, hoping that he would go to his original place that is, opposite to me.

-Show it to me!

I can sense the urgency in his tone.

"I'm fine, Aryan!" I say.

No I'm not! You're sitting too close to me!

-Just show me, Anushka!

Now he sounds angry. I obey him. He is indeed hulk when he's angry. I slowly turn my face to him and open my eyes cautiously.

Holy shit!

He is too close to me!

I look into his eyes from my uninjured eye. I feel him touch my cheek with his fingers as he inspects my other eye. He blows into it several times. Oh my god! I am feeling his breath on my face. He smells of something I can't understand but I want to smell it all day long.

-Your eye has turned red. Something might have gone into it. It's a windy day today.

I don't even know that I'm smiling in pleasure. I don't want this to end.

-Why are your smiling?

I suddenly come out of my daze and look at him in embarrassment. He's looking at me in amusement. As if I've gone crazy. I'm grinning like an idiot.

"Nothing," I say, "Thought of a joke."

He smirks on hearing that.

-Last time you said that you were lying!

I'm still grinning. Thankfully he chooses to ignore it this time. He looks at his wrist watch. He is getting late for home.

-I better go now.

I smile.

"Okay, meet you tomorrow!"

He starts running away and when I think he's far enough I immediately turn around and start walking in the opposite direction. I'm shivering. It's a windy day. And I'm thinking of nothing. Nothing at all but him. And that is what gives me the real shivers.