𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐀𝐌𝐘𝐀

C H A P T E R - 37

Aarav

As luck would have it. I am mere distance away from the peak of this hill. Although, I am much pissed at my teammates for being such slow walkers.

I don't want to lose and for one grand reason. Mayra.

I left my backpack with Adi as I mapped the distance walking at a high pace. The sun had another one hour to set.

I rolled the sleeves of my open shirt and studied the map for direction ideas. Hunger was knocking in my belly and I couldn't help it.

"Exhausted?" the wind whistled in my ears. Are my thoughts that intense I summoned her here?

I whirled around on my toes to a leaning figure beside a tree trunk. She's really here. A mistake that she shouldn't have made.

"Do you want to do something about it?" I speak as I watch her take cautious steps towards me. "Maybe. Maybe not" a chuckle leaves me on her reply.

I eyed her from head to toe and by the state of her clothes I can imply she's been through the steep side of the river. Crossing such dangerous places isn't Mayra type of thing.

She folds her arms against me "How unlucky I found you out of all. But never mind I can manage few minutes" she completes giving me a tight lip smile.

"Jeetne ki itni jaldi hai ki mujhe bhi bardaasht karne ko ready ho?" (Want to win so badly you're willing to tolerate me?) I said bending an inch closer to her face reading the lines above her brows. She straightens them instantly.

"Kya kru majboori hai" (I'm obliged) she says with a hint of shame. If not her words, her cheeks gave away her embarrassment.

"Fir iss majboori ka mai poora fayda uthaunga" (Then I must take advantage of your misery) my grin widens and her eyes flutters before reverting elsewhere.

I know she's weak for my flirting but I like to bring this side out of her. The speechless Mayra Dhanrajgir is a sight to see.

She sidesteps me and walks past me not long enough for me to catch up. "Tell me honestly. Have you come here to win or were you missing me?" I say just to irritate her and make her act on it.

"Of course! you plague my thoughts whenever you're not around Aarav" she speaks with googly eyes blinking at me and I snort breaking the eye contact "Don't look at me and say that" I commented before increasing my pace.

I can see her squinting on me "Why?" she jogs the distance to catch up with me "It almost feels like a truth" I blurt then fished out my phone.

Even though this girl has every tendency to divert my thoughts and attention I still have to win.

After a moment of scrolling the map I heard her voice. "Ahhh" I turned sideways to watch her go freeze from head to toe. Her arms are stilled in an awkward angle and her eyes are fuming with tears.

"What happened Mayra" I jogged towards her. I would have known if she was faking something to trick me and stop me from reaching the peak but her eyes showed genuine terror.

"I-- ahh. Something's crawling on my stomach!" she bursts in tears in between her sentence and my eyes immediately snapped to the part she referred.

I watch her for a second for confirmation and when she gives a shaky nod I hook my fingers under her t-shirt and lift it enough to reveal her belly button.

There indeed was a leech glued to her skin and sucking off her blood. I focused only on the insect and not that milky skin and how delicate it felt against my touch.

"W-w-what is s it?" she's sniffing now not with the pain but the creepiness as she glanced at the leech. Her hands found my wrist as she clutches them so hard her nails almost buried themselves in my flesh.

"Do you have a kink of marking any male you find attractive" I say just to distract her from the pain and she tries to glare me past the line of tears.

She doesn't releases me and I wasn't complaining. I hold her waist firmly to stop her from shaking and listen to me "Don't be afraid. I'll try to peel it off your skin, okay. It'll hurt a little but you can use me to suppress the pain" I complete with a nod.

I slowly released her waist to retrieve my lighter "You are okay with being used?" her voice sounds harsh with all the sobbing.

"Maybe. Maybe not" she rolls her eyes at me and with a soft chuckle I kneel on one knee going eye level with that bloodsucker bastard.

I lifted my gaze to her for the last time, her arms rested on either of my shoulders. She's biting her lips now and the look, the position and the situation made all the blood rush to my neck.

I shake my head to shove all those thoughts away and focused on the task at hand.

I flicked the lighter on and neared it towards the back of the leech. "Ahh Aarav" her finger curls around my shoulder tightening and I would certainly be marked there too.

The real problem is something different and so dirty. Her pained moans aren't helping me at all. The way she breathed my name as if it is the only thing that's going on around in her head. 

My blood rushes to a completely different part now and its consuming all my focus right now.

With a long exhale I held her waist and brought the lighter again towards the insect. It slithered.. just some more seconds before it'll loosen it's grip on her. "Mmmm it's hurting Aarav" her hold tightens on me as she kicks in the air.

"I suppose you stop your dirty mouth and let me focus" I say nonchalantly even though nothing inside me is. I licked my lips and kept the lighter inches away from her skin but closer to the insect avoiding any physical contact with her.

I can't let her see the affect her mere voice is having on me.

As if she too understood the problem her grip loosens but stays there. Just when the leech half floated I scooped it out and threw it far away.

My head angled above to see her relaxed face. She breathes out and pats her cheek to erase those tears. 

And I did the most stupid thing ever. I acted purely on my intrusive thoughts not breaking the eye contact as I bent forward closing the space between me and her belly.

I licked the remaining blood gushing out of her and stroked the spot with my tongue to ease her pain just as her muscle stiffens under my hold.