Chapter 12: Arcade

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I was restless as all of my senses were on high alert. Being surrounded by Fab 5 made me feel paranoid. I was glad that Navya was with us, but she was catching up with Cabir about god knows what.

I wondered why the pair has split up because it was obvious that they were still very much in love with one another. In Navya's presence, Cabir was different. He looked happy and smiled often. He had even been nice to me. I think Navya had that effect on people. She was a kindhearted, genuine person who could brighten up a whole room.

My thoughts drifted from Fab 5 to my uncle and aunty. I forgot to notify them that I would go out with a friend after college. Would they even believe me if I told them that I was out with a friend? My aunty must think I was a loner or depressed since I stayed home all the time after college and even during weekends. I had no social life after moving here.

I missed the handful of friends I had back in my village. I kept in touch with them through Facebook, but social media could never replace face-to-face contact, sharing a hug, laughing together and so many other simple yet precious things we take for granted.

"Earth to Nandini?"

Navya's voice made me snap out of my thoughts and look around confused. All their eyes were on me.

"Hi," I replied and wanted to smack myself in the face for saying that.

She chuckled, her dimples making her even more gorgeous. "The guys want to go to an arcade, what say?"

"Arcade?" I scrunched my eyebrows; I had no clue what that was.

"It's a place where you can play video games and stuff," Mukti said, rolling her eyes while sharing a look with Alya.

Yeah, they despised me.

Navya would hate me forever if I rejected. I knew she wanted to spend more time with Cabir. I wondered what she ever saw in him. Wasn't it my task as a friend to warn her what a jerk her boyfriend and his gang truly were?

I decided it was too early to talk to her about it. I just met her, and I didn't want her to think that I was some lunatic. She was my first friend here, and I didn't want to lose her already.

Once we got to the arcade, Cabir wanted to order drinks for us. I opted for a cool drink as Navya, and the other two girls ordered cocktails. The guys got beers, and I questioned myself once again why the hell I had even agreed to this.

"Nandini, you are so quiet," Navya sighed and squeezed my shoulder. "I hope you are not bored?"

I gave her a sheepish smile and shook my head. "I'm just tired." It was a lie.

Manik scoffed and rolled his eyes, earning a strange look from Alya. He put one arm around her shoulder as he took a swig of his beer. Alya pecked his cheek and placed her head on his shoulder.

After finishing our drinks, we went to check out the arcade games. We didn't have Arcades in my village, so I was excited to try some of the games.

I saw Mukti and Alya choose a game where you had to dance. It looked like fun, but I would never dare to dance in front of other people.

I wandered around for a bit and stopped at a motorcycle racing game. The red bike looked like a real Ducati. I had always wanted to know how it would feel to ride a motorcycle and since the arcade was in a far corner away from Fab 5 and other people, I decided to give it a try.

I climbed on the bike, and I placed my hands on the handlebars. Excitement rushed through me as I read the instructions. I wanted to give it my best shot.

"A racing game? I didn't take you for a motorcycle kind of girl." Manik's mocking voice made me blush in embarrassment.

What was he doing here? Wasn't he playing some shooting game with his girlfriend minutes ago?

"Do you even know how to play it?"

I shook my head no. He snorted and swung his leg over the seat behind me. His frame was pressed against my back.

"M-Manik..."

"Shut up," he cut me off.

He inserted some coins in the slot and pressed the start button. My face paled as the screen in front of us lit up. Manik placed both of his hands on top of mine on the handlebars and guided us through the game.

I was rendered motionless. Manik's warm breath was fanning the side of my face, and his fingers were in the spaces between mine, holding onto the bars firmly.

"Watch out!" he yelled and made the motorcycle steer to the opposite side, saving us from crashing.

He was so into the game, moving like he was riding an actual bike. There was no gap between his front and my back. I stiffened because this intimacy was too intimidating. I had never been close to any male like this in my life before.

Manik let go of the handlebars without any warning. The motorcycle crashed into a truck and exploded in the game. I gasped as my heart thrashed against my ribs.

"Nandini?" His voice had dropped an octave; it gave me goosebumps.

His warm breath felt closer than before. I squeezed my eyes shut, my fingers clenching the handlebars tightly to give me some kind of grip on this situation he had put me in. His arms came around my waist, clutching the cotton fabric of my top.

"P-please..." I breathed as I felt his fingers dig into my skin.

"What do you want?" he murmured. His nose brushed my neck while he took a deep breath as if he was inhaling my scent.

I swallowed the lump in my throat to be able to speak. "Let go," I whispered in a trembling voice.

Manik obeyed surprisingly and got off the bike in a flash. He was gone before I could count to three. I remained in the vehicle with a pounding heart and a scrambled mind.

 I remained in the vehicle with a pounding heart and a scrambled mind

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Thank you for reading this book and waiting patiently to read the next chapter. I love you guys😘

Now about this chapter. That was an intimate arcade game they played on that motorcycle, don't you think? What is Manik doing? Nandu seems affected by it all...

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