A GIRL LIKE YOU

19

"He has genuine feelings for you." Aaliyah's voice made me turn around from the mirror. I was in the bathroom getting ready to leave. Aaliyah packed all my stuff and blocked all the numbers on my phone except hers.
"What?" I asked her, my voice better than before. She hasn't said a word to me since Ansh left. She's been quite as she helped me pack.
"Ansh has genuine feelings for you. I saw it in his face when he kissed you on the forehead."
This information would've made me jump like a madwomen a few months ago. But right now, I am just a nervous mess who wants to get away from all the noises coming from outside the room.
My mom has come twice and knocked on the door but we didn't let her in. Aaliyah didn't let anybody in. The noises and the chaos is out in the lawn is calming down. Vivaan called to tell Aaliyah that my dad is okay, and that's all I wanted to know.
"I can't believe you're letting me do this." I said.
"I can't either. I would've encouraged you to face it but you don't deserve this Kiara and I love you." I melted a little from her words. I moved towards her and hugged her.
"I love you more." I released her to see tears in her eyes. I know she is emotional because of the pregnancy but I also know that those tears are genuine. That she hurts for me. That she loves me like a sister.
"I'll miss you."
"Call me, silly and don't cry. " I wiped her tears. "I'll be back before you know it. I can't miss seeing you being larger than a room in a few months." I touched her baby bump. Its so cute.
"Do you trust Ansh?" Her sudden change of subject startled me. But I get it. She doesn't know Ansh enough to trust him. But what I've seen of Ansh, so far, has only made me see how loyal and trustworthy he is. Not once he bad mouthed Aarav. Not once. He is feeling guilty about it, but that just makes me like him more. And I trust him.
Aaliyah can't see what I see and I know she is worried. So I tell her the truth.
"I trust him more than I trust myself right now." I said and she smiled.
The sudden knock on the door made both of us panic a little.
"Its me!" Ansh's voice came. I realised its time to leave.

"Are you sure you wanna do this?" Aaliyah asked me one last time.
"Yes." I said and I opened the door to let Ansh in. Literally and figuratively.

***
It was easy to escape the place. I covered my face and nobody recognised me. I changed into comfy jeans and top. Ansh held my hand firmly the whole time as he led me out of that place. The crowd was almost gone when we made our way out of there. I saw my mom and dad's faces as they stood there talking about something. I kept looking at them until Ansh made me sit in the cab he called.
I kept looking over my shoulder at Aaliyah standing there with her husband looking at the cab. I felt Ansh's calloused fingers as they intertwined with mine as a way of comforting me. I looked at him and sighed. This is it. I'm leaving it all behind. With Ansh.

***
"Hey wake up." I heard his voice before I felt his hands shaking me a little. I opened my sleepy eyes to look out the window. We're here.
"We're here." Ansh said.

I got out of the cab as I rubbed the sleep out of my eyes and stretched. Ansh paid the driver and got our luggage as I looked around. We were in front of a building. Other building and Villas dotted the edges of the whole road. I don't know what is this place. I slept all the way to here. I know its out of the city. I know its gotta be close to his former college. I know its going to be nice because it looks expensive. I didn't know Ansh was rich.
Trees framed the other side of the road. I moved a little towards the greenery as the river came into view. Oh wow.
Its right in front of me. Its beautiful and the water is clear. The place is peaceful. I don't see many people, just a few kids and a few vehicles.
I turned around to look at Ansh, standing there and waiting for me to take it all in. I walked up to him.
"This place is fancy." I said.
"Why do you think I bought it?" He said as we began walking toward the white building. He led us through the reception area where the cute girl sitting on the desk gave Ansh a cheeky flirty smile which he ignored as he signed on the register.
He led me to the elevator and we travelled up to the third floor in silence.
He put the keys in the door and opened it. I walked in and my breath hitched.
Ansh is definitely rich.
The room we entered has a couch and coffee table in the center and a TV in front of it. There are two doors on the left side of the couch. One leads to the balcony which has the view of the river. And the other leads to the bathroom. On the right side of the room is a hallway which has two doors to either side of it. I check out the place on my own but didn't enter the bedrooms.
Ansh stood there smiling as he locked the door.
"Make yourself at home." He said.
"This is amazing. I didn't know you were rich." I said as walked to the open kitchen at the far end of the room.
"I am not, but my father is. Me and my sister sometimes come here during holidays." He said.
"I see."
"Anyways. You can have the bigger bedroom." He said moving towards the door on the right.
"No. I don't need the bigger one." I protested.
"You do. It has the bathroom." He said and I realised he's right. He opened the door to the perfect room with a double bed. It does not look lived in. It looks new and clean. Noticing my surprise, Ansh said, "We have a cleaner who comes twice a month to take care of this place." He said as he put my suitcase on the bed. I set my handbag on the dresser and peeked out the window to look at the greenery.
"I'm going to go and buy some groceries. You can freshen up." He said and I smiled and nodded. He left me standing there as I stared out in the river.
Its peaceful. Its relaxing.

...