A GIRL LIKE YOU

11

"Kiara!" Aarav called out from the closed door. I stood up and walked up to the slightly ajar door. I swung it open and saw Aarav in his kitchen, frantically picking out dishes and plates.
"Do you need some help?" I asked.
"No. I mean, I just need you to wait a little while. I have to run for this important work. It just came up and its really important." I looked at him in disbelief as he talked. "I promise I'll be back in an hour. Dinner will be here, make yourself comfortable." He said as he finally stood in front of me. I wanna tell him to fuck off. Fuck off Aarav.
"Its 8 'O' clock in the evening." I said, making it sound obvious. What kind of work emergency could come up at this time? I mean he has a regular job. He is not a secret agent or some shit.
"Its something with a friend." He muttered and avoided my eyes which had me thinking that he is lying.
"I could go." I offered.
"No Kiara. Don't go. I'll be back." He said.
"I don't know. I don't wanna be alone at your place."
It will be wierd. So very weird.
"This will be your place for a while too. Why don't you make yourself familiar with it?" He said like its the best idea in the whole world.
"I'm not really into staying all alone at night." I said. Oh come on! Just let me leave this place, you douche bag.
"Oh this place is not haunted trust me." He smiled and grabbed my shoulders. This is the first time he touched me tonight. "But I don't wanna freak you out. So I am going to call Ansh. He just lives down the hall, he'll be here in a second and keep you company." Aarav said and moved past me in the living room.
Oh fuck! Ansh lives down the hall. Oh my god! This can't be happening. I can't live down the hall from Ansh for a whole year. More currently. I can't be here all alone with Ansh.
"Aarav..." I called out and followed him to the other room. Which is a bed room. I don't let myself look around.
"What?" He said as he pulled on a jacket.
"I'll just go home. We can meet tomorrow. Or some other time."
"Kiara.. I'll be back in an hour. And Ansh is my best friend, you don't have to worry about him."
He is stubborn. I don't know what to say. I could just leave right after Aarav if Ansh doesn't come up before that.
"I have to change." Aarav said.
"Oh. Yeah. Right." I mumbled and left his room, as my face heated up.
The next thing, I know I was shutting the door behind Aarav. I can't believe that he just left me alone in his home. What could be so important? A girlfriend?
I really don't wanna go there. I am not a jelous type and I have no attachment to Aarav whatsoever. But if he'll have a girlfriend after the marriage then thats unacceptable. I am not some backup plan for a guy who doesn't have enough balls to get married to his girlfriend.
I came back inside, picked up my purse. I'll call the cab once I'm downstairs. I swung the door open and freezed. Ansh is standing there with his hand freezed in the middle. He was about to knock.
"Hi." He said and let his hand fall as he gave me a cheeky grin. I recalled my last conversation with him. It wad not good.
Oh god. Help me.
"Hey." I said and stepped aside to let him in. I closed the door. Its hard to breath. So hard.
"You were about to leave." He stated eyeing my purse.
And suddenly I'm tired. So exhausted. By all of it. I can't pretend anymore. I don't want to. I don't care. I looked at him and said nothing. I walked past him and sat down on the couch. I closed my eyes and rested my head against the couch. I could feel him watching me. I could feel him approaching me.
"You could leave if you want to." He said in a very small voice, like I'll break if he talks loud.
I opened my eyes to look at him sitting beside me with apology in his eyes.
"You would cover for me?" I asked him.
Would you lie for me, Ansh?
"I could, if its too much." He said.
You're nice Ansh. I want to bury my face in your neck and hug you. I need a hug. I'm so fucking lonely.
"I'm sorry for snapping at you like that yesterday." I said.
"Its okay Kiara. I get it."
"Thanks for setting up this date, that your friend is obviously not interested in."
He winced. What did he think? That I wouldn't guess that he is the one who gave him this advice.
"I am really not trying to defend him but it had to be something important that he left. I'm sorry he had to leave."
I said nothing and faced the TV. I just stared at it without actually focussing.
"You look very pretty." He said, and turned so fast, I almost had a head rush. Did he just compliment me?
"Thank you." That just lightened my mood. At least somebody noticed that I put some effort in looking good today.
"Do you wanna go back to my place?" He asked. Why is he asking this? I could just leave. But what if Aarav comes back and then he'll be annoyed that I left and I'll never hear the end of it from my mom. So I have to stay. But going to Ansh's place??
"Why?" I asked directly.
He smiled. "Well, because this place is boring. He doesn't have a subscription for good channels or Netflix. And he doesn't have books, so you're gonna get bored if you stay here."
He is right. This place is as bland ad Aarav's personality. Yeah, I'm really mad at him for abandoning me. I don't care about the reason.
"Dinner's on its way." I said.
"Okay then we'll wait." He said.
And we settled on the couch waiting for the doorbell to ring. To be honest, I want to see Ansh's place.
"Can I say something?" His voice is really...male.
"Okay?" Are you going to admit your undying love for me? Are you going to tell me to ditch Aarav, and hook up with you?
"Umm..we started on a wrong foot." I raised my eyebrows and he continued. "I mean, that we should start over. So that this time we can be friends. Like friends- friends. Not related by the fact that you'll be marrying Aarav."
He wants to be my friend? It would've made me really happy, if I didn't feel like the karma hit me hard for all the guys I've friendzoned over the years. God, this sucks.
But at least he is trying.
I offered him my hand and he looked at it in confusion. "Hi. I'm Kiara. Nice to meet you."
He chuckled. "Hi. I'm Ansh. Nice to meet you too." He shook my hand. I like the touch of his hand. Can I have them at other places on my body? I released his hands before I jumped him.
"So, Kiara...do you wanna hang out at my place? We could watch netflix."
"I'd love to."

...