Snippets

IV. Stargazing

"So you still do this?"

Aria smiled as the familiar voice of Alex fell on her ears, breaking the tranquillity that the silence of the night provided her.

"Do what exactly?"

"Stargazing."

Aria's smile grew but her chocolate brown eyes remained on the studded sky. It had rained in the morning so the sky appeared more clear than before. The moon was behind them and was casting an ethereal glow everywhere.

Alex sat down on the sheet that Aria had spread to relax and to gaze at the constellations. The placid silence wrapped them in its arms as two pairs of eyes watched the stars taking birth.

Alex was completely aware of Aria's habits. After all, best friends know each other better than they know themselves, don't they?

Silent stargazing, as Alex reminisced, was one of Aria's oldest habits. They had been friends since they both were ten. For as long as he could remember, Aria used to own a telescope that her father had gifted her. Whenever she was feeling down, or a lot of things were creating a tornado inside her head, she would sit down near her window with the telescope and watch the stars twinkle till her inner turmoil calmed down. It provided her with a feeling of equanimity like none other. How? That's something he could never know and something that she could never explain.

They didn't exchange a word as minutes swiftly passed by. They didn't have to.

It had been a long time since Aria and Alex last met. College kept them busy.

Sure, Aria complained a lot about him not calling her or replying late to her texts. But as soon as they would FaceTime on a weekend, the dark smudges under Alex's sparkling hazel eyes somehow wouldn't let the words come out. She ended up advising him to sleep on time and to not take a lot of stress.

Aria had missed him. There was no point denying it. Alex knew it, obviously.

The one weekend they were both back in their hometown, Aria texted Alex to meet up at her place.

Aria's gaze averted from the infinite stretches of the darkness and peered at Alex.

To her eyes, he hadn't changed a bit. Same dark brown hair long enough to touch the nape of his neck, same plump nose, same round jawline, same high cheekbones and the same pair of hypnotic hazel eyes she couldn't help but admire.

Of course, she was never gonna tell him that. Best friends rarely compliment each other. That's the unsaid rule.

Alex's mobile made a buzzing sound as he fished it out instantly.

It was a text message from his roommate, Abhay.

Bro did u tell her??

Alex's quickly stole a glance at Aria. She was already looking at the stars, again. He typed his reply.

Not yet :/

Abhay texted back immediately.

Bro u have to

Alex rolled his eyes at his friends seemingly repeated words.

I know