A Loveless Alliance

Chapter-21 [Pact]

SIDDHARTH'S POV

"Do you want a hug?"

"Excuse me?"

She asked softly, like it was something so natural and didn't just flip my heart. I blinked a little faster, searching for a glimpse of mockery in her eyes. There was none. Not that I doubted Myra to joke about such a matter, her question just caught me off guard.

None ever asked me that question, I almost freezed not knowing how to react or what to say.

You know, how it feels when your vein flutters as your pulse runs at a super unhealthy rate righ? now multiply that feeling a thousand times, That's what I felt when she stood up from her chair and took a total of three steps to reach me.

Thud. Thud. Thud.

My heart thumped harder with each step that brought her closer to me. I was in some kind of trance, the air around on my skin suddenly felt too ticklish.

"Get up."

God forbid she had asked me to kill a man with that tone, I wouldn't blink an eye before agreeing. And just like that, I stood up from my chair without saying anything. A mini step closer, blood rose up to my cheek reaching till my ear as she wrapped her arms around my waist.

I was scared she could hear my heartbeat because it drummed in my ear terrifyingly fast. The burning hole inside my chest filled when she placed her head against it. Due to the odd time and bad weather, luckily it was only us in the cafe.

I had never wanted to freeze any moment, for you will find a faint stain of sorrow in every jiff but not in this one. The clock ticked three times during our hug while I gathered enough bliss and strength to last me a lifetime but I was hysterical that I would get addicted to this feeling, her soft body pressed against mine and a warmth of comfort engulfing me.

This felt like home, she felt like home and I was scared I would never be able to call this home, my own.

MYRA'S POV

I must have thrown my brain in the bin with my hair cap after the surgery today for me to act this way tonight. I can't put all the blame on my moody hormones right?

First I yelled at him in the car for no apparent reason, he was only trying to help me and I kept dismissing his gestures like they were choking me, in a way, yes they were but none of this was Siddharth fault.

It was I who had no idea who to respond to kindness because I never received it. When you get so used to people around you using one another for their benefits, It slowly and painfully becomes a lens through which you see the world.

Maybe he was a little different, I can't see everyone with the same old lens fitted inside my head rigidly. Hmm, he has to be different. Anyone would have screamed back at me after that stupid meltdown I had back in that car but instead he held me, safe and secure.

As if he could see the forming cracks in me and moulded me in his arms before I could fall apart and lose the little sanity I was left with. Now, when he talked about his elder brother, the way he fought back tears and how his voice broke, I couldn't stop myself but offer a hug.

No, I wasn't returning any favour. He just made me realise how therapeutic and magical hugs could be. When words stop working, warm embraces come to the rescue. If only, my parents had just held each other in weak moments instead of having a yelling match.

That thought made my heart sink but I quickly threw that useless thought out of the window, letting it wash away in the pouring rain. Giving Siddharth one last squeeze, I tore myself apart from him. My skin cried at the sudden lack of comfort but I managed to take a step back and gave him a smile.