Ruin In Royals (Royal #1: Book 2) | ✔

3

-• creep at the first sight •-

I wake up at three am in the morning. That's what the table-side clock says. Rubbing a hand all across my face, I bend forward tiredly, my body enjoying the stretch. The night is dark, but as I glance outside the window, the city is still awake. Throwing off the comforter from my body, I get down the bed and wear the slippers.

I don't think I'm going back to sleep again. My body is still not wired to fit this time zone and change in places often disrupts my sleeping schedule. Whatever time's left for the dawn to break through the cold night, I decide to use it to unpack my bags.

I unload it on my bed and open the wardrobe, putting my clothes one by one inside, and arranging them as per the categories. Midst of it I realise I left my purse in the living room.

I remember dropping it on the coffee table when I tried to dissipate the growing argument between my brothers. Leaving my leftover unpacked stuff on the bed, I exit the room.

That's when I see him.

In the gallery.

Standing in the cold, without a sweater or a hoodie. A wisp of smoke clouding him, potentially warm, and certainly toxic. He looks nothing less than a shadow, the moonlight casts a dim light, making his silhouette glow, like an eclipse of the sun.

Anagha was right.

He's such an ethereal creation of nature.

I walk up to the gallery and lean against the open end. "Shourya?"

He stiffens for a split second, then slowly turns around.

I chuckle seeing the cup of noodles in his left hand, the other holding the chopsticks . "I thought you were smoking."

He stops chewing and swallows the food. "I'm not a fan of nicotine. This tastes much better anyway." He shrugs.

I nod with a smile. "May I join?" I point to the gallery.

"Are you taking a revenge because I spoiled your food at the pool?" He narrows his eyes.

I roll mine. "You still owe me for that. But right now, I was referring to just spending some time here. I woke up a few minutes ago and failed to go back to sleep." I omit the piece of information where I was unpacking my belongings. He doesn't need to know that.

"Yeah, well, you're welcome." He nods and turns back around to face the city.

I slide the doors close and walk in, stopping beside him, a good few inches seperating us. I lean in slightly and look down, watching in fascination how small everything appears from so much height.

"Aren't you cold?" I gently tuck my hair back as they float in the air.

"I was initially. Then I started to eat." He stirs the remaining noodles in the cup, then twirls them around the chopsticks and shoves the huge bite in his mouth.

"Is it tasty?" I ask hesitantly. It looks tasty.

He sighs. "If you're hungry just say it."

"I'm not!" I defend myself. "I'm just curious."

"Here, have it." He forwards the cup.

"Shut up." I push it away. "I'm not hungry. Geez, one can't even be curious." I lie. My mouth definitely salivated watching him eat but I'm not so heartless to snatch his first and last meal of the day. "Are you excited?"

"For a trip I wasn't told about, prepared for, and shoved in unexpectedly, with the people who don't like me around?" He asks rhetorically. "Should I lie?"