Dare Trilogy | Book 3 Editing | ✓

1.17 | At The Temple + For One Day

Published on March 10, 2017 | Edited on May 2nd, 2018.

Dedicated to Mystique. Thanks bae for all your behind the scenes support & love! <33 Just like this chapter, you inspire me & give me hope that one day, we'll make it happen ; )

| . . . C H A P T E R . . . 1. 1 7 . 1 : A T - T H E - T E M P L E . . . |

I had thought of talking to Kripa when she returned but she didn't return at night. I figured she was either with Arnav or Anjali, given she was still in Australia visiting. Possibly, both.

The next day, after my lab, I walked towards the café and sat at my normal booth. Given it was still 9:30 in the morning, the campus was just starting to get busy with students and I was lucky to grab the table. Today, I sat facing the ceiling to floor window so I wouldn't have to look at the crowd inside the café.

I'm not sure it was a good idea when I looked up to find Arnav in some distance. I couldn't see the girl he was with but clearly had an idea of what he did when he leaned in and his hand wrapped around her back and pulled her closer to him.

I knew I should look away but he didn't seem to care that he was kissing someone in the middle of the pathway.

I blinked away when they parted feeling uncomfortable. My attention was pulled to my phone on the table when it vibrated.

Arnav: you're in the clear.

My brows knit together in confusion at the words until I glanced up again and saw him looking directly at me through the window. My heart started beating faster. He knew I was here. He kissed someone to pull the rumors to focus on whoever that girl was and away from me.

I could only stare at him even when he looked back at the girl and turning his back to me, walked away with her.

My heart was still pounding blood twice its speed.

He did that... for me.

He said he didn't care about his reputation or the rumors and yet, he did this. He might have unintentionally pulled me in his life but the second he found out, he made sure to pull me away from it despite everything he believed. Despite Kripa telling me I'd hurt him, he looked out for me.

I had no idea how to feel.

I heard the talking of the table behind me.

"I guess he's moved on."

"Well, it was expected. Didn't you hear how he and that other girl had this huge fight yesterday in the green?"

"I feel sorry for her. He was barely with her for what, a day? That's like the shortest he'd been with any girl."

I put in my headphones and slipped away into my own world. The words in his message on repeat in my mind.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

That evening, Riddhima talked to me and we had one too many heavy conversations. The take home that I chose to focus on was the feeling where I felt I had my best friend back. As if there weren't an invisible wall between us anymore. It had felt good to get things off my chest. To tell her everything that had happened with Arnav. I hadn't felt this light hearted in a long time because she was right... ever since that day many months ago when the darkness first touched me, I had been keeping away from her.

She had been the light in my life. In Armaan's life. She kept both of us afloat. Her friendship was the purest thing in the world for me. I didn't want to think what'd happen if that light got snubbed out because of my darkness. I didn't realize I was hurting her, but knowing now, I know I wouldn't be making the same mistake with her. Besides, in what world would it be right to not tell your best friend everything?