Coming Home!!

Chapter 52

A few weeks passed, Inaaya found Charlotte explaining something to Ayaan and Nicholas in hushed voice in library. She slipped in a seat next to Ayaan. They got alert which made her suspicious. She asked, "What is going on? Why are you guys behaving like this today?"

Ayaan gave his nervous laugh, "What? No, it is nothing like that"

Nicholas tried to smile but when Inaaya squinted her eyes at them, he buried his eyes in the book. Charlotte kept staring at her. She was immune to Inaaya's staring now. Inaaya looked around her asking, "Is my sister here?"

Ayaan laughed, "She will never step foot here. You know that"

Nicholas was anxious. He asked, "What are we doing here? We should go for that thing..."

Ayaan nodded, "Yeah, we should definitely go"

Inaaya could feel something was wrong with them. Charlotte kept tapping her pencil on the table which meant she was hiding something. As Ayaan and Nicholas were going get up, Ayaan saw something. He turned to Inaaya saying, "Let's go to History section, now"

She protested, "But I have a Chemistry test. I have to study for that"

Ayaan wanted her to get out of this place. Charlotte joked, "Sweetie, he wants to study Biology there with you"

They were acting was way weirder, she thought. She looked at her best friend in confusion who rolled her eyes, "Oh, come on you seriously didn't get it? How are you the smart one?"

Ayaan stared at Charlotte with serious look. He gestured her with his eyes saying, "It is not that"

Before Inaaya could respond, Ayaan took her hand and took her to History section. She asked keeping her hands on her waist, "What is going on? Why are you so nervous?"

He shook his head, "No, I am not. It is just that I missed my girlfriend a lot"

"I saw you in French class like an hour ago" she replied. He replied with a smile, "And that whole hour, I missed you"

Sighing, Inaaya started to turn around saying, "I can't do this. All this lying and hiding and stuff"

He caught her wrist saying, "Fine, I'll tell you"

He sat on the floor by the shelf. She did the same. Her heart knew it might be a bad news as he seemed worried. She asked, "What is it?"

He took her hand in his saying, "It is Zara"

She placed her head on his shoulder and asked, "What happened now?"

"She is going out with Ethan" he replied staring straight at the red cover book with title 'Civil War'. He felt her take a deep breath. He asked, "Are you okay?"

When she didn't answer, he turned towards her. She fiddled with her bead bracelet. Sighing, she asked, "Are you... okay with this?"

He gave a little shrug, "I don't know"

He remembered the time he got the news. He was surprised when Zara started flirting with him in the court. She had finished her cheer routine and was sitting on the stands. She slid next to him when he was checking his phone. He flinched when she tried to take his hand. In an attempt to make him jealous, she told him that she was going on a date. Still typing in his phone, he congratulated her. He saw her get impatient from corner of his eyes that he didn't react like she wanted him to. Giving a sly smile, she said, "Tell Inaaya that I'll take good care of her ex-boyfriend"

He was stunned at the news which gave her a satisfaction. He wanted to protect Inaaya by keeping her away from Zara's tricks because deep in his heart, he knew it was never between him and Zara, it had always been between Zara and Inaaya. He watched Inaaya stare at the blue and white book cover. She nodded, "Fine"

She tried to blink away her tears. He asked, "What is it?"

She sniffed as she fiddled with her bracelet again, "I told Granny about you last night. She said you are like a kid who gets attracted to every new and shiny toy. There is no guarantee that you will not leave me for another girl just like you did with Zara. Maybe you'll go back to her after you realize that I am not worth your time. I think you fell for Ashlyn, not me"

He shook his head and slid closer asking, "How can I ever make you trust me?"

She stared at him with teary-eyes. He could felt their weight over his heart. Quickly, he took out some photos from his bag and gave them to her. She noticed that they were her photos. He took out one photographs saying, "I fell for the girl that danced in her room carelessly"

She took the photograph from him. It had her dancing in her room with headphones on her ears, in her bear printed pajamas. Vanilla was sitting on the bed watching her. She smiled through tears, "This is stalking"

He pushed her fringes back saying, "You are not a toy. You are like....Addiction"

She laughed and wiped her tears, "What?"

He cupped her face saying, "Yeah, like addiction. I can't get enough of you. I get butterflies when I hear your voice. I forget to breathe every time you smile. You are slowly killing me Ms. Nanda and I am enjoying this slow death. The brightness of the doom"

She started laughing. He held his breath saying, "I can't breathe. I am dying. Help me"

She playfully hit his arm. He hugged her tightly. She pulled back saying, "Maybe I am just scared because you are everything that I dreamed of, everything I need and everything I would ever want. I am not jealous of anyone. I am just scared of losing you"

He smirked, "And I thought I would lose you too. I thought you would go back Ethan saying that we are a big mistake. So, you are bothered that they are dating?"

She shook her head, "No, just worried about Ethan. He is being used. He is a sensible guy but... I don't know if he knows what Zara is planning"

He took her hand and kissed back of it saying, "He'll figure it out"

She nodded before turning her attention to photographs saying, "Since how long you are stalking me?"

He laughed, "It is not stalking. I love taking your photographs"

She started going through every photograph remembering the instances when they were taken. Ayaan knew she still cared about Ethan which had scared him that he will lose her but watching her have the same fear in her eyes made him love her more.