The Comfort Of Her Presence

CHAPTER 9

JAY'S POV

Day 1

On day one, we all spent our time exploring bookshops. Everyone enjoyed the quiet atmosphere, especially Aditi.

She loves books, and I love watching her read. She’s genuinely happy, wandering around, snapping photos, buying a bunch of books, and sipping coffee every now and then. It’s like she’s living in her own world. Sometimes, I feel like she’s a character straight out of a movie—full of life and energy.

Day 2

We’re camping by the river because I know these guys are busy, and a proper vacation wasn’t possible. Everyone’s making the most of it—playing games, singing, dancing. It feels like a much-needed break.

Then there she is, splashing water on Naina, laughing like I’ve never seen her before. I’m glad I could give her this moment.

She’s playing like a kid, carefree and joyful. I love seeing her like this, though I realize I love her no matter what—whether she’s happy, teasing me, or even annoyed with me.

Without thinking, I approach, and she splashes water on me, laughing.

“How’s that?” she grins.

I splash back, and she takes off running. I chase her, lifting her up as if to dunk her in the river.

“No!” she shrieks, laughing.

“Yes,” I tease.

“I’m sorry! I won’t splash you again!” she pleads.

I laugh, “Too late, Aditi.”

She screams, but I gently put her down. Then, without missing a beat, she splashes me again and runs off, laughing.

She comes back with her camera in hand. 

"Say hi to my vlog, Jay," she says with a bright smile. 

I wave and say, "Hi, everyone!" into the camera. 

She starts capturing everyone around, her face glowing with joy. I can see it clearly—she’s living life again, exactly the way she always wanted.

----

It's evening now. 

"Okay everyone, let's play Guess the Movie !" Naina announces to the group. 

The crowd cheers in excitement. 

"I'm gonna lose," Aditi mutters, sitting beside me. 

"You don't watch movies?" I ask. 

She shakes her head, saying, "No... I've only seen some animated movies, that's it. That's all I know about movies." 

"Don't worry, I'll help you," I reassure her. 

"Okay then, Please be my partner," she says casually. 

I'm flying.

A wave of nervous excitement washes over me, as if she had just asked me to be her life partner.

"Y-yes," I stammer, trying to sound normal. 

The game begins, and the opposite team gives Aditi the movie name she has to make me guess. Then, she blows me a playful kiss. 

I'm flying higher.

What? How am I supposed to focus when she’s doing something like that? Is the movie about a kiss? Or... is she flirting with me? 

She blows me another kiss, and I can barely concentrate. I clear my throat, trying to act cool. 

Then, she points to the moon. 

"Kiss Me to the Moon?" I guess. 

"Yes!" she squeals in excitement, jumping up.

----

The evening unfolded just like that. Now, everyone is gathered around, grilling barbecue, winding down after the day’s fun. People start setting up their beds, but I can’t spot Aditi anywhere. Where could she be?

I look around, searching, and finally find her standing quietly near the river, lost in her thoughts. I walk over and stand beside her.

“Aren’t you going to sleep?” I ask.

She smiles softly, “I think I’m already dreaming... It all feels like a dream. I never thought I could enjoy something like this again.” She looks at me, her eyes reflecting the moonlight.

“I’m glad you liked it,” I reply.

“Liked it? I loved it,” she beams at me, and in that moment, she looks so cute, super cute... that every part of me wants to kiss her. Feeling the pull, I take a step back, trying to keep myself in check.

“I’m really glad,” I say, swallowing the urge. “It’s getting late, we should head back to camp.”

Just as I turn to leave, she grabs my arm and pulls me into a tight hug.

“You don’t know what you’ve done, Jay... I’ll always be grateful for this. Thank you so much.”

I hug her back, feeling the warmth of her words sink in.

She starts weeping, and I look at her, my heart tightening. I gently wipe away her tears and pull her close to my chest.

                                   ....

"Do you crave a vacation like the one they have?"