Imperfect but mine

Chapter 4

Amaan

Three weeks later, Tuesday, 11:30 am

She calls me an asshole.

In a debate. In class. In a room of 75 students. In front of the professor.

We had been asked to voice our opinions on whether commenting on celebrities' personal lives is a part of cyber-bullying. The debate started when Aina said that celebrities were public figures who usually chose to share their personal details on social media, and hence they needed to have thicker skin and be resilient against trolling. I, on the other hand, was against this concept and believed that nobody had the authority to comment negatively about another person. I thought that if someone didn't have something good to say about another person & their personal life, they shouldn't say anything at all. But the debate continued throughout class hours and then our classmates joined in, turning the innocent topic into a full-fledged war.

The class ends and everyone gets busy with their respective schedules. I look over to where she is sitting and see her fuming. Her eyes narrow and her ears turn red when she sees me watching her, but I cannot stop laughing. She is just so cute when she is angry. Especially when her anger is directed at me.

"Stop grinning! I am so mad at you," she exclaims. I walk over to her and touch her cheeks lightly. 

"Your face is currently on fire, baby. It's almost like I can make an omelette on it," I say and she slaps me on the arm. I keep looking at her but Aina keeps pouting and staring out of the window.

I sit on her desk and make her look at me. "Aina, we are two different people. We will sometimes have different choices and different opinions on things. That doesn't make either of us wrong. It actually makes us stronger as a unit, because we get to visualize everything from varying perspectives. But we need to be respectful of each other's views and understand that we will often agree to disagree with each other. That's the only way we can learn & grow together. Okay?"

"Why do you have to be so rational and mature all the time?" she asks. I laugh harder when she adds, "Fine! But, if we argue after we are married, you are sleeping on the couch."

"What? Not happening! I won't fit on the couch anyway."

"You really are turning into The Hulk. Can you ask your physio to tone down the exercises?"

"Come here," I say and wrap my arms around her.

"What are you doing? We are in a classroom."

"So? When has that stopped you from PDA?" I ask.

She slaps my chest saying, "I don't care what people think about me. I thought you weren't comfortable with this." She waves her hands, indicating our proximity.

"Honey, that was before we started dating. But now, you are mine and I want everyone to know that. I am proud of us and I am not going to hide our relationship from anyone." 

Her eyes light up and she walks into my embrace, hugging me as tightly as her little frame can muster.

***

Saturday, 08:45 pm

My whole body aches. The defenders of the opponent team in today's match did not take pity on me and there are welts on my torso as a result of their defensive play. Aina and I are currently laying on the hammock on my terrace while looking up at the night sky. And yes, the hammock is big enough for both of us. She keeps playing with my hair and looks lost in her own thoughts.