A V Y A A N

The cab continued on its new route, the city lights blurring outside the window. My eyes never left Nitika's face, her peaceful expression of balm to his frazzled nerves.

She's sleeping so peacefully. I was lost when her phone buzzed, bella's name flashing on the screen. Oh I need to tell her that nitika is not coming back tonight.

The cab pulled up to the building, and I was about to lift Nitika into my arms. She stirred, her eyes fluttering open.

"Where...where are we?" she slurred.

"We're at my place, Nitika. The cab had a tire puncture, and we won't make it back before the curfew."

Nitika's gaze was unfocused, but she seemed to nod.  I breathed a sigh of relief.

As I carefully lifted Nitika, she stirred, her eyes fluttering open again. "I'm fine, I can walk," she slurred, trying to extricate herself from my grasp.

"Okay," I said my voice laced with concern. She pushed against my chest, insisting on independence. And i  reluctantly released her, hands hovering around her waist as she swayed unsteadily. Her legs wobbled beneath her, like a newborn fawn taking its first steps.

Oh god!

"Whoa, easy there," I whispered, arms wrapping around her once more. "You're not exactly steady on your feet."

Her gaze drifted up to mine, a hint of embarrassment flickering in her eyes. "I'm fine," she repeated, her voice firmer, but her body was betraying her words.

"You're not fine, Nitika. Let me help you."

As I spoke, my hands gently steadied her, fingers brushing against her skin.

I swept her into my arms once more,whispering against her ear, "Let me take care of you."

She continued to blabber incoherently, her words slurring together in a jumbled mess.

"I'm fine, Avyaan...just a little...wobbly...hehe...your arms are so...so...strong...like a bear...I love bears...did I tell you I love bears?"

Like a bear? Great.

I chuckled, my eyes crinkling at the corners. "No, you didn't mention that before. But I'm glad to know."

Her head lolled against my chest, her words trailing off into incoherent mumblings. My grip on her tightened, ensuring she didn't slip from my arms.

As we reached our flat, I put the password and unlocked the door. I managed to push the door open and carried her inside.

"You can rest here for the night." I said settling her on the couch.

Nitika's gaze wandered around the room, taking in the familiar surroundings. "Your flat...it's so...so...cozy...I like it...can I have a drink?"

I laughed, shaking my head. "I think you've had enough to drink for tonight. You're going to regret this in the morning."

Her face scrunched up in a pout. "I don't...don't want to regret...I want...to...dance...put on some music, Avyaan."

Yeh dekho isko abhi bhi nachna hai wah!

"You're going to sleep." i spoke and pulled off her shoes.

"I want bubble tea" she declared, her voice firm and resolute.

Oh god this girl! I chuckled. "Nitika, you've had a lot to drink. Maybe some water or a hangover drink would be better?"

But she was insistent. "No, no, no...I want bubble tea. Now."

I raised an eyebrow. "Bubble tea? At this hour? Nitika, that's just weird."

She pouted, her lower lip jutting out in an adorable scowl. "But I want it...I need it..."

I shook my head "No, How about some ice cream instead?"

Nitika's face brightened, and she nodded enthusiastically. "Ok...ok...ice cream...yes...I love ice cream...it's...the best...thing...ever...I could eat it...all day...and night...and...and...um...stuff..."

Why does she seem cute?

I laughed, amused by her babbling. "Okay, okay. I'll get you some ice cream."

It feels like, I am laughing after a long time. As I handed her a spoon and a pint of ice cream, her eyes lit up, and she dug in with gusto.

"Mmm...this...is...so...good...Avyaan, you're...the best...ever...I'm so...happy...and...and...full...now..."

I smiled, watching her enjoy the ice cream.  As she dug into the ice cream, her babbling continued.

"But I love bubble tea more....I'll date a man who will buy me bubble tea every day... if he buys me bubble tea...Avyaan, will you buy me bubble tea...every day?"

Why she's asking me? Why would I buy her bubble tea?  No. I won't.

She continued to blabber not caring about anything, her words spilling out in a happy, drunken stream.

"I'll take him to the bubble tea shop...every day...and he'll buy me...all the bubble tea...I want...and we'll drink it...together..."

I couldn't help but be charmed by her antics. Her words tumbled out in a happy, drunken stream, and I listened intently, amused by her blabbers.

Don't fall for her cute antics avyaan. Don't fall.

You've already fallen for her!  Don't fool yourself you fool.

My inner voice mocked me. I already fell for her??

No!

As she continued to babble, I found myself smiling at her silliness. I leaned back in my chair, observing her with a warm gaze.

As she finished her ice cream, I gently suggested, "Time for sleep, Nitika. You've had a long day."

But she shook her head, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "I'm not sleepy, Avyaan. You know, I like a guy..."

My heart skipped a beat, and I felt a pang of jealousy. "Who is it?" I asked, trying to sound nonchalant.

Her face scrunched up in an adorable scowl. "He's such a jerk...but..."

I breathed a sigh of relief, thinking, Thank goodness, he's a jerk. But her next words sent a surge of unease through me.

"But he's so handsome, hot, strong, and he helped me in embarrassing situations....."

My mind is racing, I thought, This guy sounds familiar. Must be Rishi.

Just as I was about to probe further, Nitika burst out laughing. "It's a secret! I won't tell you his name, hah!"

I face-palmed, feeling frustrated. "You should sleep now, Nitika. It's late."

But she had other plans. "I'll watch reels now," she said, snatching her phone to open Instagram.

"Areh so Jaa meri maa!!" I said and in a flash, I snatched the phone from her hands and darted into my bedroom, Nitika hot on my heels. "Give me my phone, Avyaan!"

I pointed to my bed, firm. "You will sleep now. Lay down here."

She stepped towards me stomping her feet. And tried to retrieve her phone, but I held it out of reach. She tiptoed, trying to get it, but lost her balance, and we both tumbled onto the bed.

And accidentally her soft lips brush against mine, accelerating my heartbeat. I found myself underneath her, my one hand holding her waist, the other still clutching her phone.

Accidental kiss?

I froze, Nitika's face inches from mine. But instead of pulling away, she giggled and teased, "You fell!"

I couldn't help but smile, my tension melting away. As I lay there, Nitika's weight was on top of me, I couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement.

"You're so clumsy," she teased, her voice barely above a whisper.

"I think it's your fault," I replied, trying to sound casual despite the racing of my heart.

Nitika giggled, her face inches from mine. "Maybe it is," she said, her breath tickling my skin.

For a moment, we just lay there, locked in a gaze that seemed to hold the world at bay. I felt like I was drowning in her eyes, like I was losing myself in their depths.

For the first time, I noticed the tiny mole under her lip, a small imperfection that made her even more perfect.

My gaze drifted to her lips, and I was lost in the moment, tempted to give in to the desire to kiss her. But as I looked into her eyes, I realized that she wasn't in her senses, and I couldn't take advantage of that.

Moreover, we weren't even in a relationship, and I knew I needed her consent. My conscience kicked in, and I knew I had to pull back.

With a Herculean effort, I managed to tear my gaze away from her lips and said, "you should get up and sleep. It's late."

Nitika looked up at me, her eyes still sparkling with mischief, but I could see the confusion in them too.
She nodded, still giggling, and I helped her up from the bed.

As she settled in, I knew I couldn't stay in the same room, not with the way my heart was racing and my senses were reeling. I turned to leave, saying, "I'll sleep in the hall, on the couch. You get some rest."

Nitika murmured a reply, already drifting off to sleep. I watched her for a moment, my heart still pounding in my chest, before turning away and walking out of the room.

As I lay down on the couch, I couldn't shake off the feeling of longing that had built up inside me.

I closed my eyes, trying to calm my racing thoughts, but all I could see was her face, her smile, her lips. I knew I was in trouble, and I wasn't sure how to get out of it.

I couldn't help but think about the moment we shared on the bed. The way Nitika's lips brushed against mine.

I tried to distract myself by thinking about everything else - work, friends, family - but my mind kept wandering back to Nitika.

As the night wore on, I finally managed to drift off to sleep, but my dreams were filled with visions of Nitika, her smile, her laughter, her lips.

࣪ ִֶָ☾.

N I T I K A

I woke up with a start, yawning widely as my head felt heavy and aching like crazy. I tried to sit up, but a wave of dizziness washed over me, making me close my eyes and hold my head in both hands.

What happened last night? I thought, trying to remember. But my memories were hazy and unclear.

I remember that drink and dancing with avyaan and then? What happened? I kept my eyes closed trying to remember.

Just then, I heard a knock at the door. I opened one eye to see Avyaan leaning against the door frame.

Sheesh! He looks damn hot in that black fit. Messy hairs, veiny hands- stop! ugh he's so perfect. But unfortunately he's not interested in me. But why is he staring at me like that?

Ahh....wait what?? Oh god am I seeing things? What is he doing in our dormitory?

"You creep! What are you doing in our dorm? Hah!" I exclaimed, throwing a pillow at him.

"For your kind information, it's my room," he said, catching the pillow and smiling.

The fuck! What?

I looked around, confused. "What am I doing here on your bed? What the fuck happened last night? Tell me!"

I shut my eyes, what happened? Why can't I remember anything?

Avyaan chuckled, coming closer and leaning near my face. "Something...something," he said, his voice low and mysterious.

I felt a surge of panic. "What something? Tell me, Avyaan!"

He smiled. "We hugged."

I let out a sigh of relief. "Okay, that's okay then."

But his expression turned dramatic. "No, we did more" he said, his voice dripping with mock seriousness.

I sat up straight, my heart racing. "What?! What did we do?"

He sighed and sat.

"You!" He said pointing his finger at me and continued "You molested me and kissed me. I lost my izzat last night because of you!" he said, his voice over-the-top dramatic.

I felt like I'd been punched in the gut. I kissed him!?

"What?! No, I didn't! You're lying!" I smacked his arm.

Avyaan grinned. "Maybe I am, maybe I'm not. But you'll never know, will you?"

I glared at him, my mind racing. What happened last night? Had I really kissed him? The thought made my face heat up with embarrassment. Yes i do like him and I was not in my senses yesterday so did I really??

Ughh! No!

"Avyaan, stop teasing me! Tell me what really happened!"

Had I really kissed him? The thought made my heart skip a beat. I didn't know what to think or feel.

But he just chuckled and shook his head. "You'll have to figure it out yourself. I'm not saying anything more" He said walking back to the door.

I threw another pillow at him, but he dodged it easily. "You're impossible!" I shouted, frustrated.

He just laughed and walked out of the room, leaving me feeling confused, embarrassed, and more than a little curious about what had really happened last night.

I threw my hands up in the air, frustrated. "This is insane! I have no idea what happened last night, and you're not helping!"

Avyaan poked his head back into the room, a mischievous glint in his eye. "Maybe you should try to remember. It's not every day you get to kiss someone as charming as me."

I rolled my eyes, feeling a flush rise to my cheeks. "Shut up."

But he just chuckled and said "Don't worry, nothing happened yesterday you were just blabbering things." I groaned, feeling a mix of relief and annoyance.

"I have kept a brush for you, go freshen up and come out" he said finally leaving.

I got up from bed, feeling a bit disoriented and awkward. I washed my face, trying to shake off the fogginess in my head.

I brushed my teeth, feeling a bit more awake. Then, I fixed my hair, trying to tame the tangled mess. As I walked out of the bedroom, I felt a sense of trepidation. What was i blabbering last night?

As I entered the kitchen, I saw Avyaan busy making breakfast. My heart skipped a beat as I took in the sight of him, his hair messy and his eyes sparkling with concentration.

I cleared my throat to get his attention, and he turned around,  "Hey," he said, his voice warm.

I smiled back, feeling a bit awkward. "I should probably leave now."

But Avyaan gestured for me to sit down. "No, sit. I made breakfast for you."

I hesitated for a moment, then sat down, feeling a bit self-conscious. He sat down too, breakfast to the table.

Sandwiches! I tried to gather my thoughts. What did I say last night? And what had happened between us?

Finally, I asked, trying to sound casual. "What was I blabbering about last night?"

He stared at me for a few seconds before speaking. "About your favorite bubble tea and your crush," he said, having a bite of his sandwich.

I choked on air as I realized the word "crush." I have a crush only on him! I thought, my heart racing. Did I confess that? No, no, no, it can't be. I should ask him more.

"Um, crush?" I said, trying to sound nonchalant. "I don't have a crush on anyone."

Avyaan raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. "You do," he said, his voice firm. "A guy who's handsome, hot, and helped you in embarrassing situations. You said that."

My face turned bright red as I realized what I had said. Oh no, I said it? I thought, my mind racing.

"Did I say his name?" I asked, trying to sound calm.

Avyaan shook his head, his face expressionless. "No," he said.

I sighed in relief, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. That hot, handsome guy is him only, and he helped me when that idiot senior was flirting with me and also at the club. So, yes, I must have been talking about him. But he doesn't know it. Thank God.

I looked up at Avyaan, trying to gauge his expression. But he just continued eating.

As I took a bite of the sandwich he made, my eyes couldn't help but wander to his hands. He was wearing a polo shirt, which exposed his muscled arms and veiny hands. I had rarely seen him wear anything that showed off his hands, and I couldn't help but stare.

His hands were perfect - strong, muscular, and with a subtle vein pattern that made my heart skip a beat. I was so caught up in admiring his hands that I didn't even notice him looking at me.

Until he spoke, his voice broke the spell. "What are you staring at?"

I didn't even think before responding, "Your veiny hands."

Oh shit, fuck, control your tongue, Nitika! My face was heating up with embarrassment. I'm an expert in embarrassing myself! Especially in front of him.

Avyaan smirked, his eyes glinting with amusement. "Ek batao why do you girls find veiny hands attractive?"

I wanted to say it's because they're fucking hot and we can't stop staring, but instead, I said, "Khoon chusne ke liye." (For sucking blood)

Avyaan glared at me, his expression serious. "Joke tha?"

I raised my eyebrows, trying to appear nonchalant. "Tha toh!"

Avyaan's face remained straight, his voice firm. "I don't like jokes."

I rolled my eyes, playing along. "And I don't like youuu," I said with a duh look.

To my surprise, Avyaan chuckled, his eyes crinkling at the corners. Seriously? He's laughing?

Wait! what?

"How do you know that we girls find veiny hands attractive, huh?" I asked.

"Um....I heard it once." Bahot pata hai isse ladkiyon ke baare mai huh.

"You heard it right then! Don't roam around wearing this type of shirt varna ladkiyan ched dengi tujhe!" I said dramatically.

Yes please! already my competition is not less. I thought to myself.

"What?" He chuckled.

I took another bite of the sandwich, savoring the flavors. "It's good" I said, stuffing another bite into my mouth.

He looked at me, clicking his tongue in disapproval. He leaned over and wiped the corner of my lips with his finger.

My stomach flipped, and I froze, the bite still in my mouth. What just happened?

Avyaan's eyes met mine, his expression soft. "What happened? Eat!"

I swallowed awkwardly, my mouth dry. "Yeah," I said, feeling like a fool.

࣪ ִֶָ☾.