As the car stopped in front of Sehra's house, Abhishek was still debating whether he should wake her up or just take her home with him, where she'd be safe and sound. Heaving a sigh, he decided on the first option, not wanting her to wake up tomorrow and start a fight with him right away. He let out a little laugh before raising his hand and gently tapping her cheek.

"Sehra. Wake up. We're home." The boy lightly shook her, but failed as she refused to wake up.

"Let me sleep. I'm tired." Sehra mumbled, her nose scrunching up as she moved in the seat. Abhishek chuckled as he looked at her going full on baby mode. But then sighed as he retreated his hand, his eyes not leaving the girl's face.

Sehra sleeping had always been a rather sweet sight.

The girl could hug you like you were a teddy bear and not let go until the next day, she didn't snore, although she did breath heavily that would indicate that she was fast asleep.

She looked so at peace, as if there was nothing tormenting her.

With that image in his head, the boy could feel how his right hand moved by itself towards the console, picking up his phone. Opening the camera, he aimed the camera on the sleeping girl, snapping a few pictures.

"Why are you clicking my picture? Do you find me so pretty?" He heard her mumble, making him look at her with raised eyebrows. Deciding not to play any longer, he answered calmly.

"Yes. I find you very beautiful. You're one of the prettiest beings I've ever met, both inside and outside." Abhishek expressed as he switched off his phone before keeping it back at its original place.

"They why do you argue with me all the time? You infuriate me and then I have to say stuff I don't mean to counter back. It makes me feel bad. No, it makes me feel like I'm the worst." Sehra said, her eyes opening a bit as she slowly woke up from her slumber.

"So you mean to say that you've never meant a single thing you said to me?" The boy, who looked intrigued by her answer, asked.

"I would never mean it. It's very unlikely of me to wish bad upon someone. Be it you, who I hate."

"No wait. I don't hate you. Hate is too strong a word to be used here. You sure do annoy me, but you can never make me hate you Abhishek, nothing can ever make me hate you." The girl rambled, not realising how her words had turned the boy's stomach into a zoo. Abhishek's cheeks turned pink as he heard the girl yap to him.

"You know what? No matter how much we argue, I feel so good when I'm with you. You make me feel so seen. You point things out that no other person ever noticed in me. I love you for that." To say that Abhishek's heart stopped would be an understatement.

He froze, the words echoing in his mind as if the world had suddenly gone silent. His cheeks turned a deep crimson, the warmth spreading to the tips of his ears. He glanced at her, swaying slightly with a goofy, lopsided smile on her face, and he couldn't tell if his heart was racing from excitement or sheer panic.

"I love you too— wait what?!" he stammered, his voice barely above a whisper. He rubbed the back of his neck, his hand trembling slightly. Was this just the alcohol talking? Should he say something back? His throat felt dry, and the only thing he could manage was a nervous laugh as he avoided her gaze, his heart pounding against his ribcage.

"You've had a bit to drink," he said quietly, his voice low and calm, though his heart was anything but. "I think we should talk about this when you're sober."

She pouted, her bottom lip jutting out as she tugged at his sleeve. "But I do love you," she insisted, her words innocent and unguarded. He let out a soft sigh, running a hand through his hair. "And I love you too," he admitted under his breath, but she was already too busy humming to notice.

"Sometimes, when I'm with you, I forget that I have a crush on someone. It's not the cliché butterflies or the racing heart you feel when you're in love." Sehra's words slurred slightly as she leaned closer to Abhishek, her cheeks flushed from the alcohol, but her eyes were unusually soft.

She paused, her gaze flickering down to her hands before looking back at him, as though trying to find the right words. "It's... it's like I feel steady. Like I don't have to be anything else but me, and that's enough. And—" she laughed softly, almost to herself, "—that scares me more than butterflies ever could." Her lips parted as if to say more, but her words trailed off into a quiet hum, leaving Abhishek stunned, his own heart pounding in the silence she left behind.

"Seh, we should talk about this tomorrow." Abhishek said, trying his best to calm his overly fast beating heart. In return she just hummed, closing her eyes yet again.

"Abhishek." Sehra suddenly sat up again, her eyes jerking open.

"What did you just call me? Isn't it what Shubman texted me when we were chatting? How do you know about it?" She questioned, as if the alcohol had seemingly faded away for a moment.

"Umm...well maybe, because you've been texting the wrong number this whole time, my precious Seh."

And that's when she felt the alcohol kick in again, the words the boy uttered adding more weight to her already dazed mind, and her eyes started to feel blurry yet once again, closing right after.

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I'm not fully satisfied with this chapter but published it because I want to finish this book asap 😭

Will most probably edit it later...