Snapshots

Chapter Nineteen - Why Can't You See?

After days, weeks really, Aru finally replied to a text he'd sent.

Obviously, it was a text that told her that the photos were ready for collection. She'd replied with a cold 'k'.

It hurt him to be on the receiving end of her hostility, and he couldn't help but think he was the reason she was being like that.

Aru entered the studio, hair in a braid, hands in her hoodie pockets, with her blue jeans and black sneakers.

She'd look beautiful wearing anything, he thought, and for the first time, he let the thought stay.

"Where are the photos?" She asked him, looking everywhere in the studio but in his direction.

He bundled up a few of the final photos, many of which were of Aru in the gardens, and gave it to her, letting his hands linger.

She didn't move away even after the pictures were in her hands, and she cleared her throat.

"I'll be going now." She whispered under her breath, but made no move.

Aiden decided he was tired of the way they were drifting away and away when he wanted to be by her side the way two friends would be.

'No.' He thought. 'Not friends.'

He wanted them to be the way Mini and Rudy were, laughing with each other like it was second nature to be by each other's sides.

He built his courage to tell her what he'd wanted to. It was hard for him to even entertain the possibility of liking someone romantically after how his mom ended up, but like his mom had said, Aru was not an asshole.

She began to move after sighing, and walked towards the door.

That was when he stopped her.

"Aru!"

He'd never called her by her first name, but he decided now was a good time.

She turned back, confusion brimming in her eyes. "What?"

He took a deep breath, turning his hand into a fist before unclenching them. "Can we please stop playing hot and cold?"

Her eyebrows furrowed, as though she was sad. He didn't like that look on her face. "No."

"Why?" His voice turned desperate, and in any other circumstance, he would've found himself embarrassed. "Why, Aru?"

"Because we can't. I don't have an explanation for y–"

He walked towards her, putting his hands on her shoulders. Aru, shocked, dropped the pictures. The pictures fluttered to the ground, and they didn't make a move to pick them up.

His breathing was turning shallow. "Aru, I like you, why can't you see that? I like you way more than I should like you as a friend, but that's because I can't see you as one anymore! I don't want us to be like this, moving away from each other as though we've never laughed together. Aru, I've liked you a long time now, it just took me time to realise..."

He inhaled again, steeling himself. "...to realise that you're the one I want."

They stood like that in silence, and he saw hope simmer in her eyes, fading, and appearing again, as though she was battling herself.

She looked at him in the eyes, and he wasn't sure who had leaned in first.

They were one breath apart.

And she pulled away. "I– I can't." She said, her voice hoarse.

She collected the pictures, and ran out, leaving his heart bleeding in the studio.

—
Aiden: You know what, fuck my life. Life is shit and I don't know why we exist.

Brynne, clearing her throat: ...Welcome to episode three of What is Sanity?, where our guest of the season is suffering from heartbreak. Aiden, would you care to explai–

Aiden: I told her I liked her, and then she pulled away. I'm dying here, Brynne, and you're still talking to an imaginary audience.

Rudy, hugging his cousin: It's okay, Aiden. It gets better.

Aiden: How would you know?

Brynne: Because it will, you idiot. Did she tell you why she pulled away?

Aiden: No, she didn't. She just said she couldn't and left me there, alone.

Rudy, empathetic: Brynne will find out why, won't you, Brynne?

Aiden, hopeful: Won't you, Brynne?

Brynne: Liking someone changed the hell out of you, Aiden. Imagine what you'll be like when you and Shah get married.

Aiden: We're not going to get married.

Brynne: Tell me that a few years from now. I guarantee you, I'll be helping you buy the rings.

Rudy: If that's supposed to happen, we're gonna have to get them together first.

Brynne: And we're going to conclude this episode. Please check the WIS app for today's poll question 'should Aru and Aiden get married?', and your answers better be yes. With that, bye, people behind the fourth wall.

—
Mini: Welcome to episode three of The Doctor Speaks.

Aru: I hate my life.

Mini: We all do, at some point. Now... (clears her throat before raising her voice) WHY DID YOU JUST LEAVE LIKE THAT??

Aru: Because Kara still likes him! I can't like my sister's crush, for god's sake! It'll break her heart.

Mini: AND IT'S BREAKING MY HEART SEEING YOU TWO LIKE THIS.

Aru: Calm down, Mini, have some choc–

Mini: NO. After his confession, you just left before you guys could kiss?? What the hell, Aru?? Are you insane?

Aru: I did nothing wrong.

Mini: You just broke the audience's heart along with mine. Good going, Aru. Do you know how many texts Rudy has sent me which all have the same point? His heart broke too once he found out you pulled away.

Aru: Wait, how'd he find out.

Mini: Through the WIS talk show.

Aru: There's another talk show?

Mini, leaning forward and downloading the app on Aru's phone: Yeah, they have an app and a poll question each time they host an episode, and their third one was today.

Aru: What the fuck is this question?

Mini: Let me see.

Mini, clicking yes: Well, that's a yes! Awesome, you both should get married but that's only going to happen if you JUST START PRIORITISING YOUR FEELINGS.

Aru: I'll do that when Kara miraculously says she doesn't like Aiden anymore.

Mini: We're concluding the episode here, audience. Hopefully, next time we have a better episode. This is your host, Mini Kapoor Mercado Lopez, unfortunately signing out!