Dare Trilogy | Book 3 Editing | ✓

2.3 | His Chance + Calling Judgment

Posted on March 29th, 2017 | Edited on August 20th, 2018

| . . . C H A P T E R - 2.3.1 : H I S - C H A N C E . . . |

That faint memory I could not forget no matter how many times I had desperately tried to erase from my memory, but it had been permanently imprinted in some long-term portion of my brain. I forced a gulp down my throat wondering if he remembered... if any of it was important to him the way it used to be for me... the way it might still be given I still remembered.

Just as I was about to sit, he announced in a warning, "I'm not in the mood to fight."

He assumed that because I was here, it would eventually lead to an argument. It had been two years and still, since the night he'd carried me to his car and the rumors that had started, all we did was have every single of our interactions end in an argument.

I could see why he would make that deduction.

I stretched my legs out in front of me and leaned my weight back on my hands. "Good. Neither am I. So, just sit there and be quiet."

Why were we so destructive and hostile for each other? It's like we are incompatible on a cosmic level. Harmful for the other's health.

He let out a scoff for even though I was calling truce for one moment, I did it in an ordering tone. He inhaled deeply and released it slowly while turning his head away from me.

Though I couldn't see his face, I heard a sniff. I couldn't help myself from the thought going in this direction. "Are you crying?"

"No." He denied right away.

Right. Why would he cry? Khushi, you're stupid for asking that. I scolded myself. He was better at making people cry instead.

This truce between us... I hadn't felt this peace in a long time. It made me want to hold on to it. So, I made a comment. "You're drunk."

Again, he muttered as if he wasn't interested in talking. "So, what do you care?"

I tried to not be hurt by his attitude. Maybe he was a little bit drunk. I didn't know if he had any drinks before we had made it to the club. I would have stopped having enough respect left for my dignity but damn you, Armaan. As it had been back at the club, the promise I had made to him continued to nag.

It forced me to give in. Well... maybe 'forced' would not be the correct word for this. No one was holding a gun to my face. Somewhere, I did want to talk to him, relive those college days when we got along.

And... the best way we knew to get along was through games.

So, I asked, "Truth or dare?"

It was one thing I could think of with the guarantee that he would answer my questions. After all, it's what Armaan made me promise, right? To give him a chance to explain himself. So... here was his chance.

"Your earlier 'be quiet' applies to you too." He admonished turning ahead to look at the waves.

I refused to get carried away in hostility so easily this time and ruin this moment as well... because even if everything else between us was tainted, our memories at the beach were not and nor did I want it to.

I sat up folding my legs and turning slightly in his direction. "I'll start. You kissed Amanda."

His head snapped to me. After two seconds, he answered. "One, do you ever listen? And two, that's not a question."

I rephrased for the sake of it since he was getting technical, "Fine, did you kiss her knowing I would see it?"

Under the moonlight, I could see his gaze searching my eyes for something. What, I couldn't begin to guess. Then, he turned towards the view ahead once again, reluctant. "It's two years too late to be having this conversation."