Posted: February 22nd, 2019

♔ Aarav ♔

2.25 Searching For Home

Jhanvi scolds when I follow her inside the house, "What are you doing? You should be with Annie!"

"She doesn't want to talk to me," I inform with a heavy heart though I can't hold Annie responsible. It's only been a few hours since she arrived.

She raises a brow questioningly, "You're so sure of that because?"

"If she wanted to, she would have already. She's not one to dally important topics."

She tries to assure me afterwards, "Look at it this way - you've got the next week."

I smile back appreciating her effort. "Were you able to get anyone to set a room for her?"

"I did ask a couple servants to but I'm not sure it's ready. Everyone has mostly been busy attending to the guests. But, Arshiya said she doesn't mind sharing her room so we're good for tonight."

I wince at the information, "I pity Annie then."

"Why?"

"Aru may have grown up and as much as I love her, she's still got a habit of kicking people. It's why no one ever wants to share a bed with her even when she offers."

Jhanvi laughs along, "Bless her heart."

It's always kind of Arshiya to offer but yes, bless her heart. Her naïve actions aren't always reciprocated.

"I'm going to go check on Inaaya. I think I saw Khushi take her in. You gonna be okay?"

I nod to assure, "Yeah, I'm going to go straight to bed so I'm not wallowing, as mom likes to call it." I add the later rolling my eyes. Because, if you ask me, I don't 'wallow'.

"Night, then." She bids and turns once we reach the top of the stairs. I go the opposite direction to where I remember my room for the next week to be.

Entering, I shake my head at the mess Annie left behind while getting ready. I imagine she wasn't able to decide what dress to wear since a couple of them were sprawled on the bed. Her make-up bag was on the dresser. The towel she must have used was just lying on the floor.

I take off my coat and leave it on the bed deciding to first clean up the room and then hang my clothes.

First thing, towel. Still damp since it wasn't spread out to dry. I take it to the washroom and hang it over the rod. Returning to the room, I grab her clothes carefully, knowing she'd have my head if they got even a wrinkle on them. It's okay if she throws them around carelessly but end of the world if someone else commits the same crime.

One of her many attractive qualities.

Or rather yet, small quirks.

I close the open bag, leaving it unzipped, and place her clothes atop it. I turn to change myself and trip over her shoes.

"Annie," I mutter under my breath after catching my footing. This girl was never going to change. Her room or not, she'd always turn it in a mess within seconds.

I prefer things in their own spot. OCD - that way. Things have to go back to where they were taken from. I pick them up too and move them alongside the wall so it won't trip anyone else. I unbutton the sleeves while I don't fail to notice how the entire room smells of her floral perfume. It must be a new one since I don't recognize it. She doesn't have a set one, her favorite. She keeps changing. Or rather, she'll be using tons of them at the same time instead of using up one and then buying another.

The room is a mess and similarly, she is a mess too. Never able to stick to one thing. Never picking a favorite. But... she is my mess.

Just as the thought concludes in my head, I hear the door open behind me and I turn to face it. While I gaze at her in surprise, she's looking around the room to notice I cleaned up.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" I question and then answer the question in my mind. Her stuff. She's probably here to get it. Duh, makes sense. I add to cover up my stupid question and strike a conversation, "Did Jhanvi tell you that you were going to share the room with Arshiya for tonight?"

Tears welling up in her eye lids take back my surprise.

What did I say?

I walk towards her in concern, "Hey, no, it's okay. You don't have to share with her if you don't want to."

She rolls her eyes, tilting her head up to stop her watery eyes from dropping tears down her cheek. "I'm not crying because of that, stupid."

"Oh. Okay. Uh, then?" I am now standing right in front of her and without a second thought, touch her shoulder to comfort her.

"Because I'm mad at you! How could you not even say hi to me?"

My eyes knit in confusion, "What?"

"I've been here for how long? Not once did you say hi. Are we not even friends anymore?"

My shoulders uncoil from concern and eyes soften. I can't help my lips from tugging up in a smile. That's it? "Hi, Angel," I say ridding her complain there itself.

She scoffs shrugging my hand off her shoulder, "Too late."

She doesn't truly want to move away, I can just sense that. So, fighting her surface stubbornness, I step closer and wrap my arms around her.

When she stops trying to inch away from it as I tighten my hold, a sigh escapes her lips before I feel a wet drop on my shirt from having her cheek glued against my chest. "I hate you."

I release my hold just enough for her to look up at me but she keeps her gaze absent on my shirt. "For what?"

Then, in a quiet whisper, she expresses. "You hurt me."

I don't have to ask to know she's talking about my invasive kisses. I did hurt her by doing that out of nowhere. "I'm sorry for hurting you, Angel."

After a sniff, she leans in and wraps her arms around my torso. I stiffen slightly as even though I hugged her just seconds ago, she hadn't hugged me back. She rests her head on my chest again where I suspect she can hear my heart beating. "It's okay." She quickly forgives, and I relax again, all tension leaving my muscles.

One arm goes around her while the other to her head keeping it to my chest. I quite approve of her listening to my heart and having her so near. I haven't felt this familiarity, this affinity and inner peace, in a long couple of months. It's a feeling only she manages to bring up to the surface.

She says words of comfort that lessen my guilt. "I know you wouldn't hurt me knowingly."

I just want us to stay like this so I don't break the silence after that. She however seems to have things to say since she shifts her head just slightly and I feel her press her lips to my shirt, just a little to the left of the center my chest.

I begin to ask, startled at her action. "Annie, what...?"

She interrupts not letting me finish as she already seems to know what I am about to ask, "I'm coming home."

I stand there. I hear her words. But, my brain seems to have a problem networking to understand the meaning. It takes a few seconds for the words to form together and ring in my ear to assure me this isn't an imagination or a dream.

When I don't respond, she leans back to gaze up at me. I blink from empty space and our eyes lock. I still ask for a confirmation, "What did you say?"

Her arms slide off my back and she brings one to cup my cheek. "I said, I'm coming home. In other words, it also means I love you, darling."

The words I have heard from her infinity times in a friendly manner, 'I love you'. But, coupled with her previous statement, it means entirely different. It is her smile that confirms it for me. She's dead serious. This... this is her answer.

Then there's that word she hasn't calling me teasingly in a while.

Darling.

"You were right, you know? I was running. I was looking for something, but I just didn't know what until tonight when I realized. We go our whole lives looking for a place where we feel like we belong. And, I suppose that yearning is only multiplied for those of us who don't know where they come from. Their origins. I have traveled the world searching for that place that could feel like home, but the fact is... I only ever get that feeling with you. When I am with you, I never have to ask myself things like 'who am I?' 'where do I come from?' So..."

Returning her expression smiling from ear to ear, I lean down without thinking and just before my lips would graze hers, I pull back rapidly becoming aware of what I was about to do. Despite what she just said, I didn't want to kiss her again with her permission. "Sorry," I say and notice her wide eyes when I pull back. "I got a little carried away."

Reeling from the unanticipated gesture, her eyes soften before they blink to my lips. Her thumb on my cheek brushes back and forth in encouragement while her face leans closer. Having her permission, slowly but surely, I move my hand to her neck and decrease the distance between our lips.

This... this feels like long overdue.

Her lips part before they would touch mines and when they do, I feel my entire being come alive. Our previous kisses don't compare as I might as well have been testing her then. Angling my face, I deepen our kiss and she kisses back with the same intensity. Both of us pouring all our feelings that's we've bottled up all of these years. Finally, giving them the wings to fly. Express themselves rather than suppressing them in hopes that they would fade away.

Her hand slides from my cheek down my neck to my hand. I bring my free hand to rest over her wrist keeping it there while her other hand finds the base of my head before losing it in my hair.

It's the kind of kiss that has my toes curling.

I groan in pleasure when her fingers tug my hair and my hand leaves her neck to wrap around her back and bring her closer. Her hips are against mine and a moan escapes into our kiss at the friction our bodies create. She adds her tongue into the mix, demanding more and going on her own to explore.

The same time, our moment is interrupted as I hear the door open again. Snapping to reality, I move back while Annie freezes there. Blinking up, I meet the intruder.

Khushi steps back out of the room, "Ops. Carry on."

That woman needs to learn how to knock on doors. But that's a topic for another time.

I don't miss the amused smirk on her face as she closes the door behind her. My gaze travels to Annie who's luckily standing with her back facing the door and so Khushi didn't see her flushed face. She covers her face and drops her forehead to my chest, her shoulders shaking from laughter. I laugh back, the high of our intense kiss disseminating in the thickness of the air surrounding us.

"And that, is my family." I comment, for the moment is already turning light.

She releases a slow breath as our chests are still rising up and down recovering from the lack of oxygen seconds ago.

When she shakes her head, scoffing to herself, I question. "What?"

Her fingers circle my wrist and brings it to her chest where I can feel her pounding heart. "No one's quite managed to make it beat this crazy just with a kiss."

I rest my forehead against her basking in the fact that I bring this out of her despite knowing her history with one-night stands. "No one quite loves you the way I do." I murmur against her lips before pecking them in a quick butterfly kiss.

She repeats, "No one," as if more than me, she needs to remind herself. She kisses me back before a deep breath. Then her fingers find the buttons of my shirt.

I put my hand on top to stop her, "What are you up to now?"

Her eyes sparkle with mischief as they lock with mine, "You heard your mom. Carry on." When she tries to slide her hands out from under mine and unbutton the third button of my shirt, I swat her hands. She defends herself, "Hey, I'm just helping. After all, you were in the middle of changing when I walked in."

I bite the inside of my cheek before sneaking my thumb in her fist to stop her again and bring it to my lips. Her breath hitches as my lips touch her knuckles in a light kiss. Sometimes, her reactions are very naïve. We just shared a very heated kiss and yet, it is my lips on her knuckles that gets this reaction out of her. Starting to learn these little tad bits about her is going to be interesting because even if I may know everything else about her, it's always been in a non-sexual perspective.

As my fingers brush over the skin afterwards, I advise, "You haven't slept in two days, Angel. How about you change and call it a night?"

Pulling her bottom lip in her mouth to keep any protests hidden, she briefly closes her eyes and nods. Kissing her forehead, I release her hand. She remains standing close a second longer just as I too am convincing my heart to let this moment end here for we have all the time in the world by our side now that she's made her choice. Eventually, she steps around me with a sigh.

I remain there, least I change my mind, as I hear the sound of her heels walking to the table where her bag is. Minute later, when I don't hear any ruffling, I turn assuming she must have taken off her heels and went to the washroom the change.

As quickly as I turn, I whip back around and scold, "Annie, we have a washroom for a reason!"

She complains, "It's too far," and I roll my eyes. It's barely five feet away. A few seconds later, she informs. "You can turn. I'm dressed."

I don't for I do not trust her in this matter at all.

She mutters in disappointment, "Apparently you know me too well."

I smile in response and only turn when I hear her getting in bed. For the nth time tonight, I find myself asking her the same question. "What are you doing?"

"You said go to sleep. So, I'm going to sleep."

I raise a brow, "In my bed?"

She chuckles without humor as she fixes the pillows, "Uh, duh. Do you think I have any intention of sleeping in your sister's room and waking up with bruises?" She then nods towards my clothes I am still wearing, "Aren't you going to change?"

I debate and then decide it'd be harmless once she's asleep. Besides, we are both grown adults. I don't have to be worrying about what the parents would think. Khushi already caught us, and even if she hadn't, none of them have ever judged. They are not conservative, and it's been a long-proven fact. None of them are traditional in any sense. We do openly talk about relationships in our family rather than keeping them secretive.

So, walking to the closet, I pull out my clothes and turn to walk towards the washroom.

She speaks up again, "I don't mind a show."

God, please. Do you not pity me? She's never teased me before, keeping that decency in our friendship but now that that was out the windows and our bond redefined, she isn't holding back and choosing to teasethe life out of me!

I focus on exhaling before turning and walking to her side of the bed. She raises her brow wondering what I would do. I lean down to kiss her forehead and then run my fingers over her face closing her eyes. "Good night," I convey in a gentle reprimand pleading for her to go to sleep already.

She mumbles reopening her eyes, "I have so much to teach you."

If I reply, she'll keep this up. I turn off the lights and make my way in the dark to the washroom. As I unbutton my shirt, I notice the shape of her lips printed on the fabric due to her lipstick from when she'd kissed my chest. The smile remains on my face as I recall the kiss and absentmindedly change into night clothes.

When I woke up this morning, I had no idea my night would end in this way. And despite how the past couple months have been, I don't think I would want to change any of it because what it lead to is unmeasurable.

There is no way I am going to be forgetting tonight or any of the emotions associated with tonight for years to come. They are forever imprinted in my memory and that smile refuses to leave my face. I guess it's true what they say. When the heart is happy, no matter how much you tell it to stop, you can't stop it from reflecting in your expressions. That smile will find a way to break out.

While walking towards the bed, I trip again - this time over her heels. "Annie." I say her name in a huff.

"Mmm," She responds half asleep.

She says she has a lot to teach me? No. I have a lot to teach her. Moving them aside with my foot, I sit at the edge of the bed and pick up my phone. Since her phone was in charging the entire time we were at the party, I take it out of charging and plug mines in.

Then, I pull the covers and get in bed. Before laying down, I keep my weight on my elbow and face her as she's snuggled up clutching the blanket to her chest. My fingers trail her hair line before caressing her cheek bone.

Her head digs digger in the pillow as she breathes out a silent sigh. Letting her be to not disturb her sleep, I pull away and call it a night myself.

Tonight is perhaps the best sleep I have in ages.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

Morning happens close to afternoon when tiny hands keep pulling at my cheeks. As sleep blinks away, I wince at how bright the room is. Finding Inaaya next to me, my brows draw together in confusion. What is she doing here? Jhanvi is nowhere around. Sitting up, I reach for my phone to call her but find a message waiting from her telling me she had some things to take care of and everyone else was busy getting the last-minute little things together for tonight's events. Since Inaaya was asleep and so were we, she let Inaaya sleep in between us so she wouldn't roll off and risk falling off the bed.

Jhanvi.

She could have woken me up to tell me this before leaving. What if either of us had accidently shifted and smothered her?

Sitting up on my elbow, I lean to kiss her forehead before kissing Annie's cheek. She remains asleep and I quietly get out of bed. I place a line of pillow by the edge before picking Annie's hand and placing it over Inaaya's chest so she'll stay there. I figure this is good enough for five minutes till I can quickly freshen up. Then I can take Inaaya downstairs. Annie can catch a few more hours of sleep and my shower will just have to wait till after.

When I return, I pick up Inaaya and she seems to want to stay so she squeals. I try to hush her and walk out quicker but my phone beeps so I have to do a roundabout to grab my phone before rushing out.

"Bad, Princess." I scold her when she grabs my hair and pulls.

Even at 3 months old, she is perfect at revenge and getting what she wants. I am forced to put her down on the sofa.

I fight her hold to get her to remove the toy she places in her mouth, "Okay, no. Bad Princess. We do not behead cute bunnies. Not yet anyway. People frown on that, you know? When you grow up, you can behead people if they're giving mommy a hard time."

I rethink my advice and tell myself Jhanvi would be the one to behead me if she had heard me speak this to Inaaya. I so win the best father award of the year.

"Let's not tell mommy this, okay? Our little secret. Promise?" I stick my pinky finger out and she swats it. I teach her how its done and hook our pinkies. "Yes, that's it. Good, now don't forget this promise, yeah?"

She pulls my hand to her mouth and tries to bite on my finger.

Well... there's no taming this Princess. We'll just have a wait a few more months... or years.

Dropping the lessons, I push everything out of my mind and play along.

Seeing us, Khushi walks over as she is talking on the phone confirming the caterers will be sharp 6 pm on the dot. Sitting next to me, she teases. "So, hot night and stuck with babysitting in the morning?"

I groan at her mischief. "Can we not broadcast my personal life?"

She chuckles pulling my cheek, "Look at you blush!"

I lean away from her pinching, "Quiet, you. I do not blush."

Smiling she forwards her arms. "Bring it in," she demands a hug and I give in. "Oh, I'm so happy you're happy! We've missed seeing that sparkle in your eyes."

With that brought up, it somewhere falters.

"What is it?"

I express my concerns honestly instead of hiding it and making it out to be nothing, "I don't know how long this'll last."

"Why do you say that?"

"He's still out there, Khushi."

She catches on to my reasons and assures me otherwise, "Forget about him, Aarav. It's been about 4 months and he hasn't done anything yet. You can't be living your life always looking over your shoulder. That's what he wants. He wants to instill fear in us; trust me, that's the worse you can do to yourself. I've done that, remember? Always afraid of anything and everyone because of him. If we let that fear win, he wins. Is that what you want?"

"No, but..."

She shakes her head refusing to listen, "No 'buts', Aarav. What do I always say? That word makes life complicated unnecessarily. How many times must I tell you that? Life is tough enough as it is. Don't ruin what you're building with Annie - least of all because of him. Don't let him have that power over you, kid. He's not deserving of our tears or anything otherwise."

I do listen to her words. It is sound advice. Just... tough to follow. Still, I decide to walk down that path because if there's something I have taken out of a page from their life book, it is to take the tough road instead of running away like a coward. No matter how long or difficult that road has been, it has ended with everything that has been worth it all.

She questions to ensure, "Yeah?"

I return a small smile to reaffirm her words, "Yeah."

She smiles back patting my arm and instructs, "Good. Now go shower. I'll look after Inaaya."

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

∞ author note ∞

QOTC: How was it? Underwhelming? That's the feeling I get... like, it could have been written better given how anticipated it had been for this whole book :/

Hope you liked Aarav-Inaaya scene at the end and Khushi's advice!

Heads up: I might not be able to update next week. Time for midterms -.-