Detached

CHAPTER 9

*MEERA'S POINT OF VIEW*

After about half an hour, there was a knock on my bedroom door. I groaned at the interruption, shoving my sketch pad under my pillow. “What do you want?” I called, not in the mood to socialise any more today.

“Can I come in?” Riyansh retorted. I pushed myself up from the bed. I slightly opened the door and saw a sad expression on his face before I could speak anything he started speaking" I promise that won’t ever happen again, I just forgot myself, that’s all. Please? I need this job," he begged.

The pleading tone to his voice striked me and started to melt me. I looked away from him and swallowed hard before replying “ You’re an asshole,” I spat venomously.

He nodded, holding up his handsinnocently."Don’t ever touch me again." I threatened him. I had no idea why I was giving him another chance.He nodded in agreement. I let him come in my room. He started pacing in my room.

"Go, pace in your own room, it's right next door." I snapped angrily at him.“I didn’t mean I wanted to pace in your room though. I need to pace your room out so I know where everything is.”

I frowned, not liking the idea of having someone in my private space. I didn’t usually allow agents in my room, but his stern expression told me that he wasn’t going away until he’d done whatever it was that he wanted.“You’re freaking weird! No one else has paced my room before.” I blurted out.

My bedroom was plain aside from some sketches stick all over a wall; they were all related to Ankush. No one knew that though. Everyone thought they were either apair of grey eyes,a basal leaf that was exact shape of his birthmark,boys playing table tennis  (ping pong).The things I drew now I didn’t show anyone, they were too dark. I didn’t put them on my wall; I hid them or destroyed them before anyone saw.

“These are really great,” Riyansh complimented, looking at my wall of sketches.

I sat on my bed and pulled my knees up to my chest. “Thanks,” I mumbled, watching him look at each one individually.

“What’s this one?” he asked, pointing to one of Ankush’s birthmark.

I sighed, shrugging. "What does it look like to you?"

“Huh, well then maybe I’m hungry because this looks like a cheeseburger and fries, heavy on the ketchup.” Not expecting such a witty response, his comment caught me off guard and, uncharacteristically, I burst out laughing.

He then started pacing in my room again.He went on and on for about twenty minutes. I watched him silently the whole time, just resting my chin on my knees. He was very methodical, but I had no idea why he was doing it.

“Okay, I’m done. I just need to ask you a few questions, then I’ll let you get back to hating me or whatever you were doing before I came in,” he said, smiling.

“Okay. Do you have any weapons in your room?” he asked, looking round as if he could see anything. I shook my head in response. He nodded. “Can you shoot a gun?”

I recoiled at the word. I hated guns, I’d seen too many of them in my lifetime already. “No,” I croaked, my mouth suddenly dry.

He pursed his lips before nodding. “I’ll teach you to shoot. Just in case. You can never be too prepared for anything.”

I shrugged in agreement. “Are you done now?” I asked, nodding towards the door, signalling for him to leave.

“Er… I just have one more thing, but I don’t want to upset you or anything,” he said quietly. I took a deep breath and waited for him to continue. “I’m supposed to be your boyfriend. For people to believe that lie, I’m going to have to touch you from time to time.”

Instantly, my heart slammed in my chest and a wave of nausea rolled over me."

“Don’t, just don’t,” I muttered, looking at him pleadingly. My lunch was threatening to come back up.

“I’m not going to touch you. I just… Merra, to pull this off I’m going to have to be able to touch you in public. Maybe just hold your hand,” he suggested, standing too.

“Why don’t we just say we’re friends?” I offered.

He shook his head. “No. The reason they want me as your boyfriend is to keep the guys away from you. Apparently it’s always the guys that get you kicked out,” he countered, chuckling at something.

“No, actually it’s always my temper that gets me kicked out,” I corrected, smiling weakly as I backed up another step. “Hey, we could say I’m a lesbian,” I bargained, praying he’d agree.

He chuckled, watching me as I backed up again. “Let’s just stick to the brief. I just need you to know that I’m here to protect you. I would never hurt you, ever.” His eyes locked onto mine as he stepped forwards.

I held my breath. He stood in front of me held his hand for me to hold and smiled reassuringly.“Please, I can’t,” I begged.

“I will never hurt you. I want to protect you,” he whispered. I mentally debated with myself for a minute and guess what it had a positive impact on me,so I raised a trembling hand and put it in his. His fingers threaded through mine, and he squeezed gently. I looked at my hand, shocked. It didn’t actually feel too bad, it was quite pleasant actually, warm and soft.

I don't know what was happening but since the incident happened it was the first time I was so confident around a guy....