Breaking stereotypes

Chapter-19

"Do you have fireworks?" He says running out of breath.
The receptionist gives us a look as if we asked for some kind of drugs. Looks irritated, around her mid 30s. After examining us with her eyes within few seconds. She speaks.
"It's out of stock."
Dissatisfaction appears his face.
"What do we do now?" He says to himself looking tensed.
I just keep on looking at him. His efforts makes my heart squeeze.
The receptionist reads our dilemma.
"We have sparklers instead." She says trying to help us. Okay so she is sweet from inside.
I look at him again. Some idea pops up on his mind.
"Will it work?" He asks looking at me.
"Sure." I say with a smile to comfort him. I can't even conceal my happiness at his efforts.
"Yes!!" appears on his face with a victorious smile.
"We will take it."
He buys it for me even though I ask him to split.
"It's from me today" he says.
I don't convince further, adoring his every action silently or may be it's totally obvious. I am too much into admiring him, his actions right now to worry about anything else.
~
As we come out of the store, he asks, "Would you mind if we get Adya as well?"
"Why would I?" I say, "I would love her to be with us."
"Okay, let's go get her."
"What about her aunt?"
"She won't care. She never does. That day she just needed to show her supremacy infront of her so called friends."
It's sad.
~
After we reach Adya's aunt's house, Ryan asks out for Adya to her aunt.
"Do whatever you want to do with her, just don't spoil our family's name." She gives us a look without any further questions and calls for Adya in a sarcastic tone. Ryan just nods his head. I know this angers him too but he can't do anything about it right now. We can't do anything for Adya right now and it angers me even more.
It's sad that she lives in such an environment. It boils my blood to see her aunt act like this. Atleast ask questions. Be worried about her. If she doesn't care about her what was that drama the last time. Dramatic people.
My anger fades as I see Adya running happily towards us with a sweet smile on her face. She comes with us the way she was dressed at home in pyjamas.
~
At park~
We lit up our sparklers with too much excitement on our faces. I agree I feel excited and happy too. Adya circles around with sparklers in both of her hands while I sit behind Ryan on the ground too engaged admiring my green and red sparklers in both of my hands totally forgetting why we even begun doing this at the first place, what have I told him everything.
"Fireworks aren't there but" Ryan says looking at me, snaping me out of my dreamy sparklers land. He continues, "my cute little sister is here, too many colourful sparklers are liting up too but I am still looking at you, thinking you look the prettiest." "Does this count out to your expectations?" As he completes his sentence, my sparklers extinguishes while I completely lock my eyes to his, still sitting next to him.
My heartbeat making noises louder than Adya's giggles. Her giggles are far away now. Silence, summer breeze and tension starts surrounding us. I feel hot and cold at the same time all over again.
What are you thinking? It's just his way of appreciating our friendship. Don't think too much into it. I talk to myself on my mind.
Before I could say anything, he leans closer. I divert my eyes from his.
"Your heartbeat. . It's too loud", I look at his eyes again. "Is it because of me?" He completes his sentence.
I am too hot and cold to say anything.
"No. . It's just. .
Before I could say anything further, Adya breaks in. We look at opposite directions.
~
On our way break, we're silent, after dropping our happy Adya to that horrible place.
Before I cross the road to leave, he stops me. "Sorry, I think I crossed a boundary. The thing is I am also experiencing friendship for the first time and it's confusing me. You confuse me. I am really sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. I know your past with guys and friendships and still. . I am really sorry."
"Hey, you were just teasing me. We regularly tease each other. It's fine. Chill! Friends tease each other." I say it in the most friendly way possible for me at that moment and leave as quickly as I could.
Before I turn for my building block, I look back and he is still standing there with an apologetic awkward smile on his face.