The Cricketer

Chapter 20

Ara's POV:
It's been two weeks since the big move, and we haven't spoken a word to each other. But Vicky has waited for me to come home twice each week. I could tell he was pissed with me coming home almost after midnight, but I had work. Who cares what he thinks? I didn't ask him to wait for me. He also made breakfast for me the next day, and I made him breakfast the following day and left it for him on the kitchen counter, just like he did for me. All this without speaking a word or even looking at each other.

Despite the silence, there's a strange rhythm to our routine. We move around each other like ghosts, avoiding direct interaction but still acknowledging each other's presence through small, thoughtful gestures.

This morning, I wake up earlier than usual and find Vicky already in the kitchen, making breakfast. He looks up, surprised to see me.

"Morning," he says cautiously, breaking the silence.

"Morning," I reply, equally cautious. The silence feels heavy; neither of us wants to say a thing.

Right now, I am sitting in my balcony swing with a coffee cup in my hand, looking at the view.

Vicky comes behind me and clears his throat. I turn around to see him in grey sweats and a black shirt, which makes him look handsome.

'Yes, continue checking him out! Shameless,' my consy pulls me back to reality. I turn around, embarrassed when Vicky starts talking.

"If we both keep buying groceries, we won't have space for them in the kitchen, so I think we have to plan and sort some things about the laundry too."

I nod and walk over to the couch as he sits down. I keep some distance between us, but it feels bad somewhere inside me, and Vicky's expression seems a bit off because of that too. But we both ignore it.

We sit in awkward silence for a moment before Vicky clears his throat again. "So, maybe we can make a schedule for groceries and laundry. That way, we won't overlap."

"Yeah, that sounds good," I say, pulling out my phone to jot down some notes. "How about I handle groceries on Mondays, and you can do them on Saturdays? We can write them down on the list stuck to the refrigerator."

"Sure," he agrees. "And for laundry, I can take Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays. You can have the other days."

"Okay," I nod. The conversation flows surprisingly smoothly, considering the tension between us.

"For cooking and dishes, you cook, and I will do the dishes!" Vicky suggests, and I nod in agreement. Cooking isn't his strong suit, and I've seen him struggle with burnt food.

After we finalize our schedule, Vicky leans back on the couch, a slight smile on his face. "I think this will work out. At least we'll be organized."

"Yeah," I agree, feeling a bit more at ease.

Vicky looks at me, nods, and leaves with a small smile.

I smile back and begin my day. Since it's Saturday and there's not much to do except some college assignments, I start working on those after making breakfast for us. We eat in silence, but Vicky compliments the food, which brings a smile to my face.

I get absorbed in my assignments, focusing on the work at hand.

As I'm deep into my assignment, the quiet tension in the apartment begins to settle back in. Despite our newfound routine and agreed-upon schedules, the underlying unease between Vicky and me remains palpable. It's as if we're tiptoeing around each other, trying to maintain a fragile peace. And the day passes.

***

Today is Sunday, I have absolutely nothing to do! I settle into the swing on the balcony, enjoying the quiet while I read a book. Vicky comes in and plops down on the bean bag with his own book. I can't help stealing glances at him.

Usually, nothing distracts me from my book, but this guy is a bit more distracting than I care to admit.

"Staring at people is rude, you know," he comments without taking his eyes off his book.

"I wasn't staring!" I retort defensively, turning a page more aggressively than necessary.

He chuckles softly, finally glancing up at me. "Sure looked like it."I huff, feigning disinterest. "Well, maybe if you weren't sitting there looking so distracting." I widen my eyes and smack my head internally.

As he stands up chuckling, he turns my swing towards him, places his hand on the side of my swing, and pulls me closer, bending down to my height. I really want to push myself away, I know I should, but something tells me not to, and I remain still as he whispers, "I know I'm irresistible, love," and winks at me with that foolishly charming smile on his face.

I roll my eyes, trying not to let his teasing get to me. "You wish."

He grins mischievously. "Oh, come on. Admit it. You can't resist my charm."

I scoff, playing along despite myself. "Charm? More like annoyance."

He feigns offense, placing a hand over his heart dramatically. "Ouch, that hurts. Here I am, just trying to read in peace."

I smirk, unable to hide a smile. "Yeah, right. You're the picture of peace and quiet."

Vicky laughs softly, setting his book aside for a moment. "Alright, fine. Maybe I'm not the quietest roommate."

I shake my head, laughing too. "You think?"

He leans back, propping himself up on his elbows. "Hey, at least I make things interesting around here."

I raise an eyebrow, teasing back. "Interesting or chaotic?"

He grins, a playful glint in his eyes. "A bit of both. Keeps you on your toes, doesn't it?"

I roll my eyes and get back to reading, while he heads into the kitchen and brings us both juice. I thank him, but after that, we lapse into silence again. As I sip the juice, I can't help but ponder the shift in our dynamic. How did we go from barely speaking and trying to avoid each other to playfully bantering and even flirting a bit? It's a puzzle I can't quite figure out, but there's a strange comfort in this newfound ease between us.

Hello people!!!

I hope you guys are enjoying it!!!!

❤️❤️❤️

what do u guys think about this chapter?? any changes? improvements?
I would love to hear what you guys think!

THANKS FOR READING MY STORY<3❤️