Dare to Be | Heir & Heiress #1 | ✓

♔ 1.21 Face The Reality ♔

Dedicated to Gaurirani. Thank you dear for always voting & your silent support! It means a lot <3 :*

♔ Aarav ♔

          The next morning, I am taking a shower to get dressed for the day when she yells over so I can her head, "Hey, you're getting messages from Angel. I think it might be important."

"Yeah, be right there." I answer.

I have my message notifications set in a way that in the notification bar, it'll tell me who the message is from, but not a preview. So, I figure the only reason she said it might be important is because Annie could have texted me five or six times.

I turn the shower off and make sure to dry off and put on my jeans before stepping out, letting the towel hang around my neck. The phone was beside her and she passes it over. As I take it, my fingers brush hers and I try to ignore the spark.

I notice that she is trying to avoid looking at me. I'm not sure if it's because of our moment last night in the kitchen or that I don't have a shirt on.

I plug in the number passcode and check Angel's messages. I mumble reading them, "Crazy girl," and then sit at the edge of the bed. As I type a response with one hand, I use the other to dry my hair with the towel.

Glancing in her direction, I ask. "There is this art festival happening today. Up for it?"

"Sure."

She is still not looking at me.

I have to ask, "You okay, Shona?"

She feverishly bobs her head up and down. "Mhmm."

"Then why aren't you looking at me?"

She flips a page of the pregnancy book she'd bought a few days ago to make a point, "I'm reading, Aarav."

I lean closer and she does notice me forwarding my hand. She remains absolutely still and goes on to pretend to be reading. I tug the book away from her though she tries to fight it with a futile attempt. I put it on the other side of me, just out of her reach.

"Look at me, Jhanvi."

She closes her eyes getting that I am serious when I say her name. She does look up, but past my shoulder instead of at me. "Um, yeah... first... get dressed please?"

My lips tug up in a smirk, "Is this making you shy?"

She tries to fight the heat creeping up her neck as I am putting her on the spot, "Not shy... uncomfortable."

I tug her chin and tilt her face so she would look at me. she exhales as I am not letting it be – like I usually do. When she finally does abide, I ask feeling vulnerable for some reason. "Do I make you uncomfortable?"

Somewhere, the idea hurts.

Her eyes widen at the meaning I was making out of it, "No! That's not what I mean. Just..."

My brows burrow and she lets out a groan, looking away as if she was embarrassed to admit it.

"You're half-naked, okay? It's messing with my head." I am taken aback even as she continues, "I mean... you have to know. You're... um, very attractive."

Her confession seems to have turned the heat up in the room.

When I remain silent, just searching her face and convincing myself that she did just admit that and I am not imagining, she glances back to me. She notices I am stumped. Normally, I wouldn't care for compliments from anyone else but when it concerns her, I have to admit. I do get insecure about what she thinks of me as she never voices it in words.