Armaan Oberio

Silver's POV

I gathered my things from my room. My neon green Polaroid, my green Diary then my green feather gold pen, all in my green Gucci bag. People thought my favorite color was Silver cuz I chose it more often but people didn't know me they only believed what they saw. What I wanted them to see.

I feel safe, that's what the color green symbolizes for me.

Green scarf.

My mother with a green scarf wrapped around her neck with a tender smile on her face as if comforting me right through the photo placed on the nightstand. I should feel hatred and anger but what I felt was the sense of comfort when I saw her face.

I hurried downstairs to where my friends were waiting for me in the sitting room

Tashfee was engrossed in a book about some animals, I bet.

Whereas Armaan was busy tormenting Sana aka my poor step-sister.

His second hobby after swimming.

Sana's head down staring at her shoes, fiddling with her fingers while Armaan was speaking something to her in a low voice that made her squirm in fright.

He studied at her school and I kinda met him through Sana, something happened at school she fainted or whatever he came to drop her off. We clicked instantly from there.

I frowned internally but put on a smile seeing him "It's been a long time Armaan I see you still prefer my sister's company over mine"

Armaan turned around with a crooked grin making the dimple on his right cheek appear. With curly hair and that charming face, he broke hearts left and right.

He walked over to me in quick steps and hugged me burying his face in my hair. "Oh Silver I will choose you over the world"

I laughed pushing him off seeing Sana leaving with a longing expression through the corner of my eyes "Stop it we all know what a smooth talker you are"

"But an honest one" he added with a knowing look.

I avoided it, we kinda dated before but it didn't work out basically for me I can never see him as anything but a friend.

"Shut up! How was your trip!"

He went on a trip to Italy for vacation. He obviously asked me to accompany him but my father refused and yeah....he didn't like Armaan much after....he caught us ...

Anyways, I would have loved to go on a trip with him he was such a delicious distraction.

"Gorgeous! So many gorgeous ladies you know" He gave a sultry smile. "Want to know how I spent my nights?"

I laughed pushing his shoulders, "Nooo... "

"Alright, children now can we move along?" Tashfee asked closing the book with a thump sound.

"Yeah, sure!" I said feeling a mixture of excitement and dread.

√√√

We reached the grey building, it appeared a bit dodgy no surprise there considering where it was situated, the least popular part of the town, and not to forget the huge discovery, No one actually lives there.

"Are you sure it's the correct address" I glanced at Armaan. He was checking on his phone the pic mentioned on the website we found after a lengthy search of 3 hours.

"I guess hoping they edited it to make it look better" he answered.

I got out of the car. "We should check inside we can ask the guards-" I looked around and found not a living soul but the haunted house "If there are any....or you know we can just go inside who cares"

"It's deserted," Arman said.

" We are scammed, we know that feeling already" Tasfee prompted, unapologetic.

"We can check in, still maybe it looks like this but from inside it's habitable, and there she can be... " Leaving her luxurious life for this murder spot.

How delusional was I?

"nevermind I can go alone"

I walked not letting them see my face but anyone could hear the crack in my voice.

Every Saturday, I wasted their time in this wild goose chase of my mother. Yet they never back down from it, always had tag along with me in this crazy obsession that someday...by chance by luck I will reach her. It must be out of pity they tag along, I bet.

I told them so many times they don't have to, I can do it alone but they said they enjoyed it. It was kinda a scavenger hunt just running for 4 years or something.

I know I am hopeless and stubborn I can't just let it go. And my friends were worried I'd land myself into a body bag one day seeing the number of shady places I have been to.

I heard footsteps I turned around so they followed. Tashfee shrugged, "can't miss seeing your fifty shades of disappointment"

I glared at her, "You are kidding "

"Am I?"

Her wavering eyes flashed no sympathy.

I couldn't help but smile, "what a bish"

Armaan sauntered putting on the aviator glasses, "Not gonna lie the view is quite aesthetic"

I rolled my eyes.

√√

I put the cross on the headline I found a week ago with my mom's face, in the background was the gray building. Just because there's a building behind doesn't mean it has some connections why do I always willingly run into dead ends?

I closed my diary with a heavy sigh. "Maybe I should hire a Private detective"

"Couldn't have been the better option from the start if you wanna hurt your Dad's feelings " Tashfee scoffed

I don't want to. Although Our relationship was a rocky one, I didn't want to lose yet another person in my life knowing that it would definitely hurt him if I told him I was searching for Mum. For 4 years, he would be devasted to know.
I, after all, was seeking the woman's company the very one who left us behind without a second thought. Wrecking the family picture we could have once, the root of all our issues.

"Nah, it would be too easy. It's gonna be me who will find her, the moment is already written I just gotta know when." I said turning the new page of the diary with unwavering determination. I will buy a new one or (fourth one) if I have to. But the search won't end.

One day, I will find her

And when I do I will get all the answers.

"There's a party my people are throwing on my return you coming to grace us with your presence?"Armaan cocked his head at me while driving.

"Count me out," Tashfee said cringing.

"Will there be drinks? " I asked batting my lashes

"And girls" Arman grinned

I made a face

"And me" he added

I gagged.

"I will give you something to really gag on" Armaan eyed me offering

"Nasty" I laughed

"Lemme out" Tashfee cried

√√√√

I dried the pages with my hair dryer it was a futile attempt yet me, the queen of having futile attempts didn't stop even though the pages were soggy beyond help ink smeared now, the newspaper cutting tearing from the middle. I tried relentlessly, my hands shook with anger and despair. I dropped the page on the desk while the dryer was still on. I turned it to my wet eyes. Damn, you Dhruv.

I was being nice but you choose to play dirty.

This is what I get for poking my nose in the lion's den. I wanted to laugh I kinda saw that coming, considering how I was pushing all his buttons. But I will chop my hair off if I lie saying I don't care, he tore off my years of work in minutes proving how useless it was. It felt like I lost whatever connection I had with Mum. It was like I was abandoned for the second time. I turned off the dryer and put my head down dejected. I let the sadness take over my body for a moment rather than suppressing it. At that moment, I felt like the loneliest person on this earth. Driven by some purpose by some unattainable goal so that I never let the truth sink in, I had no one beside me to comfort me at the end of the day.

•
•

I drove my car at a speed I normally would not opt to. It was better to cry dressed up pretty in my Silver Audi than in my room with the company of my massacred diary.

The road was empty the sun was setting turning the wheel I was taking a right turn when I saw a bike with a rider of great physique, black helmet, and black leather jacket.

The very devil the cause of my misery.

My inside boiled with anger.

I pressed on the accelerator with a curl of my lips.

I chased him down. Instead of giving me the way he increased his speed. I chuckled doing the same. The road was empty from both sides he knew I was doing this purposely.

His head turned I could feel the heat of his eyes through the helmet barking what is wrong with you?

I honked to fuel it more.

He rode with a devil's speed and I was always up for the challenge. I followed behind. I know if I wasn't careful I will crash him off the road there's no match for our limits. But he showed who was an expert on the road he moved in a zig-zag pattern the tail light of it messing my eyes it only made me laugh more.

I took a different route making him believe I left his trail but I sped down knowing where the road ended, I pulled the brakes the moment his bike reached where I parked my vehicle blocking his way.

He pulled the brake too suddenly not expecting me, almost colliding with my car it stopped a hair's breadth away. He got down with all-purpose, taking off his helmet roughly, enraged. Eyes narrowed jaw set. I leaned back in my driver's seat enjoying every moment.

He knocked on the window loudly,

I rolled it down taking my own time.

It looked like he was ready to punch the driver but when he saw it was me he literally dropped his hand and blinked in surprise.

I waved smiling, "hi"

He gritted his teeth, "What are you doing?

"Me? Just chilling, you?"

He pressed his nose bridge as if controlling his temper.

What are you gonna do? Tear my car apart

"Do I have to move out of this town?" He demanded

"I don't know, do I make you nervous, that much? "I asked leaning into his bent head.

He moved his face near mine flipping my heart as his cologne rushed into my nose. The diamond stud in his right earlobe gleamed. I had this urge to bite on it. Focus.

Devil's first trick is to charm you out of your wits.

His hand getting inside I know where it was headed. Smoothly I twisted the key out and dropped them near my feet. He stepped back huffing. I opened the door," by all means, do go for it" I said tilting my head down towards my feet and folding my legs making my red skirt ride up my thighs.

He dragged his eyes away.

"Forgotten about today's incident? I thought it would've turned out to be a diary entry-worthy lesson for you" he said glancing at his watch showing how least interested he was to have a conversation with me

"Hardly," I said getting out and walking towards him he was positioned against his bike with folded arms and eyebrow raised on his seemingly model face. His entire presence reminded me of some brooding vampire.
"You don't care you lost your precious mommy finding diary?" He mocked

He was riling me up real good waving diary diary in my face.
It took all the fibers in my body not to scratch his face down like a howling hellion cat. I smirked putting my hand on his bike tracing the surface liked the feel of it," and suddenly you are interested in my life"

He said nothing just observed me as if seeing right through my acts. I looked up into his eyes with a dreamy look, "you are forgiven if you beg on your knees"

He rolled his eyes unfazed, "what will you take to leave me alone?"

"Now we are talking business" I grinned like a Cheshire cat.

"Thank your lucky stars I am humoring you"

"Why, impressed by my driving skills ?" I teased

His lips turned into a minuscule smile, "more like suicidal skills"

Don't know whether he was playing with me or being genuine or was it guilt from before? I leaped at the offer, "One date"

"Really? That's all it will take and I thought you were different" he mocked.

"Exactly! Maybe that's why we weren't getting along"

"Just one date," He said putting on his helmet already over with this conversation.

Can't believe he agreed that easily. Should really thank my lucky stars for bumping into him on my aimless drive.

"And, it would take only one date, tomorrow at 4 pm at busy beans," I said waving then got back inside my car shutting the door not before flashing him my big smug smile.

He shot me a suspicious look.

I started the engine and drove past him when he cursed, "damn it" His glare penetrated right through the window burning the hair at the back of my neck.

I laughed tossing his bike key somewhere in the back seat. It was just a small payback for what he did. Cause, I might forgive but I never forget.