Beyond the Beats

Chapter 71. Solve it

"I am indeed having trouble understanding why someone is meaning a lot to me these days," Tejas said.

My brain started having trouble shifting gears after hearing what Tejas just said.

What did he mean? Who was he referring to? Ayzere? Or maybe...

I stared at him as if he had just told me the lucky numbers to a lottery ticket. The contact point between his palm and my waist started feeling like it was set on fire, and I scolded my body to stop reacting like that to him.

"I can walk by myself. Thank you," I said.

Tejas quirked an eyebrow. "I know you can, but you also fall by yourself."

"I won't fall now."

Even when I said that, Tejas still helped me till we exited the studio. Somehow, the more I walked with him, the more my left leg was acting like it didn't have any strength left.

Why is my body betraying me like this? Traitor.

Before I could lie to Tejas again, he hailed an autorickshaw for me.

"I can't offer dropping you to your workplace today because I have to go receive my dad from the airport right now. Go safely," Tejas said as I sat inside the autorickshaw.

"Are you doing an experiment?" I asked him.

He looked at me innocently. "What do you mean?"

"Are you trying to test my patience? How many times have I told you to not help me? Am I that pitiful?"

"And why do you keep refusing my help?" he questioned back.

"Because I don't need it. I can manage by myself. If you are so much interested in helping, then do it for others. And as for this," I pointed at my bandaged ankle, "you didn't need to do it, but you still did, and I shall again thank you for it. If you haven't forgotten, we are not friends, so can you please understand my point?"

I knew I wasn't imagining when I saw a flick of anger flash on his face. It only lasted for a second before he was back to staring at me as if he would drill holes in me with his gaze.

"Why don't you consider ourselves as friends?" he asked.

"Because we are not," I replied as a matter of fact.

"Then let's be friends."

"No."

He pinched my cheek. "What's your problem?"

"You are," I retorted.

Did I say that out aloud? I guess I did. Whatever. I am not in the mood to have lovely talks with him. The more I look at him, the more I get reminded of Ayzere and how she was mocking me.

"If I am your problem, then why don't you solve it?" Tejas asked.

"I am not that smart," I said angrily.

He patted my head. "I know that."

I glared at him. "Aren't you getting late?"

His eyes widened in realisation. "It's all your fault, Hamster."

He told the autorickshaw driver to drop me at my destination safely and left towards the parking lot to get his car.

The autorickshaw driver started his vehicle, and I looked back. I noticed Tejas driving off in the opposite direction.

Throughout the journey from the studio till my chawl, I kept thinking about Tejas and tried to judge how much seriously I needed to consider his words.

One moment, he was all serious, and the next, he was all playful. Going by how much he protected his private life, it was difficult that he would reveal anything related to his love life.