Enchanted : A Story Of Love And No Love

CHAP. 24 She Is Always | Part One

ZARA'S POV

Class XI, 1 July 2016

Last three weeks have been a home to whirlwind of unexpected emotions. Meet, Abhinav and me would go out together, frequently.

To people, there was no separating us. Not even in school hours expect for our respective classes. It was mostly Meet blabbering to us separately, separately being the key word.

The ride back home from school was the only alone time I had with Meet. Sometimes it would be his car sometimes mine, one of the perks of living in the same neighborhood. Quite absurdly though, our talks in that confined space and limited time only revolved around Abhinav.

Meet hadn't noticed that my uncomfortableness hasn't ceased around Abhinav. Or he just didn't show that he had already seen through our not so deceiving act of being friends.

It helped tone down our relationship to a certain decent level but for him to think, I'll be the same person to Abhinav I am to him, then he better wake up out of his dreams.

Bickering, making faces, fighting every time Meet didn't notice or was unaware was a common routine.

There was no way I was going to go soft on him. I tried not once but twice. Now, it's totally different ball game.

Every time I realise I am about to go soft on him or my heart is melting I try to remember the words he said that day. And instantly the fury, the itchy feeling creeps back into my body.

He wasn't the old Abhinav anymore. The one I had witnessed first on the day of the game truth and dare. He was capable of understanding and beholder of emotions.

Whereas this boy, he dated girls and told them off as if they're clothes.

I didn't have any idea, when he changed, when I lost him. Well, now I don't want to find the answers to them.

"Can we just head home, please. I feel tired." My tired body jolted off the pavement seats as I tried to convince Meet.

"Hmm." His response was barely audible nor did he intend it to be because he didn't even looked my way while saying. Slumped on the same seat I jumped from.

"Meet, please. Our car has already reached." I tried my begging voice. But he still didn't look up. "What is so important?" My irritated self questioned him and he finally raised his eyes to me.

He then turned his gaze towards the school gate once again.

Who are we waiting for? No, actually what are we waiting for?

I thought to myself as his gaze lingered to the same spot for a few seconds more. There is hardly anyone out here, almost everyone must have reached home by now.

His car was parked a few metres down the road. For once I felt the urge to run up to car and leave him behind. Only I didn't, more like I couldn't.

"In a second." Came two words after pregnant silence. His words showed he was as tired as I was, if not more.

"Meet!" I slumped right next to him, once again sighing.

"What?"

"I need to go home. Enough of this waiting. I am really tired."

"Z..." He placed his left hand on my knee. Giving a little squeeze to my knee caps.

"Meet" I pleaded him through eyes. " Seven in the morning, we come to school seven in the morning. It's two in the noon. Don't you have tuitions?" My bitter tone made him frown. He squeezed my knee cap a little harder.