MEETING HIM

Part 18

One thing that I had learned about Arnav is that his anger can be his biggest issue. It's better to avoid him when he's angry. The reason being he acts aggressively and out of control. It's like a new character takes over him.

All the time around me he has been in a normal good mood. So obviously experiencing this side for the first time will cause fear inside me. Except for his this quality, rest I'm assured that he is a good person, overall a best company as a friend.

Now coming back to the present, I felt his hands encircle my waist completely. Although it was an uncomfortable position, it also helped that he lifted his head and stopped doing all those things to me.
Well who was I kidding?
Noone except my brother had held me this close ever. It definitely was making my head swoon and heart beating wildly with newfound feelings.

"We are friends, Arnav. " I said slowly.

Warning bells were ringing in my head that surely he has some feelings for me.
But logically my mind never accepted that a person like him can even find me worthy enough when he had better options out there.
It's always been the clash of arguments in my mind.
And moreover, I found a good friend in him that I'm afraid I'll lose along with Aman and Payal , if I go forward and confront him.
So, I just stop pondering over this always. And that's what I did now too.

He held me still for a few minutes, his breathing voice audible in my ear. Don't know why but it felt as if he was trying to control himself.
"Be ready at 5:30 in the morning."
"Where are we going tomorrow?"

"We didn't come here to just stay confined in this place. Be ready. I'll be waiting for you."

*******
Next day,

I was surprised when we arrived at the Paragliding centre.
Well, it was the big Sports Centre of which Paragliding was the part of it.

I was at first hesitant to go for it. But when Arnav first took his turn and after a lot of doubt clearing, I took a chance.
My initial nerves and fear turned into fascination and thrills while I was up in the air. It was a mind numbing, adrenaline rush experience with insane beautiful views of the mountains. And the most beautiful part was that I felt calm like never before.

It was the best thing that I've done so far and wouldn't have done it if Arnav wasn't there by my side.

In the evening,

"Not again! " I was frustrated as even after an hour of trying, I wasn't able to shoot near the target.
Just recently the instructor showed me how to do it, but maybe this was not for me. I decided to go for another indoor sport.

" Let's try one last time again." A familiar voice came from the side.
I thought that he would show me by doing himself as the instructor had done.
But he came right behind me and placed his hand over mine on the shooting rifle.
"You must breathe first, then focus on the aim completely and......."

I was already distracted from his closeness and his manly perfume that I didn't even register what he said during the shooting.
What's happening to me?

"See it was that simple." He said.
I came out of my thoughts and looked at the target and he was right he had fired right in the middle of the board.
I was speechless.

As he asked, I tried one more time on my own. But ended up being disappointed.

"I give up. It's not for me. But can you please do it again?" I asked, handing him the rifle.

He successfully targeted one after another shot wherever I asked him to.
In the end I was awestruck by his skill.

"Whoa! You have shooting skills like a professional shooter! I am amazed" I said, clapping and applauding him.

He looked stilled for a moment when I addressed him as the professional shooter. But then composed himself and went back to his normal state.

I wondered what it was?
As if he too noticed my confusion, he told me that he was hungry and came here so that we could finally go for dinner.

If only I knew, that universe was giving me signs at every step of the upcoming storm in my life. They were evident right from the beginning but if only I had paid attention to it!

************

After two adventure-filled days where we went hiking,rock climbing etc. we came back to the farmhouse.
I was so exhausted that I slept for 8 hours straight. It was 15 minutes past 9 at night when I woke up.

I got fresh and had dinner alone. I was informed by the maid that Arnav had gone somewhere for work.

I was later on joined in the front yard by Arnav when he came back. We were talking while having a slow walk.

"What have you thought about your future?" He asked, breaking the moment of silence.

"I'm planning to take the cardio-thoracic branch in surgery. But it all depends on the score I get in its entrance exam."

"Knowing your dedication, I am sure you'll definitely make it." He replied smiling.
"I hope so!" I replied.

"Thank you for the past few days. It was a refreshing change from the routine normal life. It made me feel more happy and alive."
I said to him, while opening my mobile's gallery and scrolling through all the photos I took.

I was so engrossed that I don't know how but I tripped over and was already gonna make a fool of myself by falling down.
But before I could fall, Arnav's hand caught me and pulled me towards him. As a result of pulling force, I went straight to collide his chest.
A deep electric sensation passed through my whole body. As a reflex, I tried to distance myself from him.
But I wasn't successful as he had a grip on one of my hands, which he held behind my back.
"Thanks! You can leave me now." I said looking up in his eyes who was looking intently at me.

He left my hand but took hold of my waist with his both hands making me stand rooted in my place. I got confused by his actions.

"Khushi, what if I just don't want to be your friend?" He asked directly, holding my stare.

"Nooo. .problem. ....... If you want that then we'll go back to being strangers aga..." I said after a moment of thought and hiding my hurt. But he cut me off before I could speak further.

"Shhh." He said, silencing me by placing a finger on my lips.
I was getting more and more confused with the passing time.
What's going on?!
Our close proximity long forgotten, I looked at him for the answer.

"I want to be a part of your life not just today but till the end. And same for you in mine." He said without breaking eye contact,
"I want us to be more than friends!"

I looked sideways to avoid his eye contact. His eyes showed a range of emotions with every word he spoke unlike all the previous times till now where he always shielded them.

But he tilted my chin and forced me to look in the eyes.
" I can't go on pretending anymore that I'm okay with us being friends because
I love you Khushi!"

My eyes widened at his statement.
So my subconscious was right all along.
But how come it happen?

Although my confusion was solved, the bigger question is how will I make him understand that I don't believe in love, especially after what happened to me in the past.

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Important note

Hey guys, I am planning on making Arnav's character extremely dark, evil and dangerous as the story progresses.

How many of you agree? Let me know your views about this.

Please do comment and share your opinions....