Posted November 17th, 2018

✤ Rihaan: 1.29 actions over words ✤

I jump, startled at the pinch, and shut my eyes tight as words start spewing out of my mouth. "No, no, no. Please don't hurt me. I won't even think about..."

I stop on hearing three distinct laughs around me. I carefully open one eye and on not finding her dad in front of me, his fist aimed at my face, I open my other eye as well. My shoulders drop in relief. They were still seated on the bed, though with an amused look on their face now with my silly show of fear.

Sanya leans in and whispers in a scolding. "Man up and ask them!"

I take in the fact that I have known Lavanya and Sam my entire life and Sanya's confidence that her parents won't say no. I remind myself they are not going to physically hurt me and so, abide to Sanya and man up. "I want to take Sanya to New York."

Her dad is the first to break the silence while I look at them earnestly for an answer. "Come again?"

I realize I might have said it too bluntly, too quickly, and too short. "I... Mom and dad gave me a ticket to New York as my birthday gift and I was wondering if Sanya could come with me." There. That was more of a request, right?

Lavanya turns to Sanya standing next to me. "Sanya?"

"The art and culture, mumma." She is quick to express, "It's New York... but if you don't us to go alone..." She trails off, letting it be unsaid that if they say no, she would accept that too.

Sam stands up, walking to Sanya and gently suggesting, "Give your mom and I some time to consider this?"

We nod and walk out of the room. Reaching the corner though, I stop and tell her, "Give me a second? I forgot to say something." She nods in response and stays there while I return to her parents room.

Seeing me entering, Lavanya asks. "Yes, Rihaan?"

"Just... uh, if you're concerned about anything else... We'll stay in different rooms and all. Promise. I do want to take her just because I know she'd love it there. So, if that's what you're worried about..." I find myself desperately making one last attempt to express my decent intentions before nodding. "Okay, uh, I'll leave."

Before I can turn to leave, she stops me. "Rihaan, wait." She crosses the distance to me and places a loving hand on my cheek. "You know, we do trust you with Sanya, right? Your feelings for her have never been hidden from any of our eyes. It's always been open so that's not what we're worried about."

"Then?"

"New York is a big city and Sanya..."

I complete the thought for her, "You're worried about her anxiety?"

She nods and the same agreement is on Sam's face.

"She's getting better," I inform, "She does say crowds make her nervous still but I think it's only when she has to talk to them. And I did ask her first. I'm asking for permission from you only after she said she wants to go, give it a try."

Sam discusses with Lavanya, "If she wants to go, I think we should let her. We keep telling her to not be afraid of going out of her comfort zone. She came to us with this, right? We can't send the opposite message by saying no. She has to become independent as she ages."

Lavanya sighs in understanding, "I guess you're right." They don't want her to stop her efforts if they put restriction on her when we all know she never used to express her desires before. She turns to me, "Still, let me talk to her first?"

I imagine it's a female thing or a mother wanting to having a heart to heart with her daughter to convince her heart. "Ofcourse."

"And Rihaan?" Sam stops me from leaving.

"Yeah?"

He says in the most blank face that he has pulled ever, "Hurt my daughter and I will hurt you."

Lavanya swats his shoulder in a scolding, "Sam!"

I gulp forcefully, unable to tell how serious he is.

Lavanya nods at me to leave, "He's kidding, Rihaan. We'll let you know once I talk to her."

"Uh-huh." I answer and walk out absentmindedly.

I hear Lavanya's low admonishing, "Why would you scare him like that? You know he loves Sanya!"

I don't hear his response as the door closes behind me. Uh... I guess it's just a dad's protective nature?

Sanya narrows her eyes, "Why do you look like you have just seen a ghost?"

"I think I am going to go home. See you at school tomorrow?" As if out of habit, I kiss her temple in a parting greeting and walk around her.

"Uh... okay?" She answers in confusion unable to understand why I suddenly want to go home to where my comfort zone is in a safe knowledge that no one there will be warning me to be careful with Sanya and not hurting her.

I know, ofcourse, that I would never willingly break her heart. Her heart is mine and my heart is hers. Breaking hers would mean breaking mine. As if robbing myself of my breath.

It doesn't mean, however, that it doesn't feel real. At the start of the relationship with a disapproving father of the girl? Yes, I realize Sam was putting on the act just to throw in some sense of normalcy, but still. Every now and then, things can get overwhelming for just about anyone and one just has to retreat and pull themselves together before continuing on.

*✧✤--------------------------✤✧*

"Rihaan!" Kriana says my name loudly from behind me. As I turn in the direction, she says something to Sanya and runs up to me. "Good morning!" She greets with a quick hug.

I chuckle hugging her back, "What's got you in a good mood this morning?"

Fighting a blush, she informs. "Girish may or may not have just asked me if I wanted to get together after school to study for the exams."

I think back to yesterday afternoon. "Study session. Right." Pretty sure that is not all that will be happening. It was just an excuse to hang out outside of school for them.

She bumps her shoulder to mine, "By the way, what is this thing I hear about New York?"

"Does everyone at the house know?" Her nod gives me an answer. "Am I going to get threats from everyone now?"

She laughs in confusion, "What? No, why? They all seemed happy to know you two were getting somewhere."

"Wait, does that mean they said yes?"

She nods towards Sanya, who is just a couple of feet away from us now, "Why don't you ask her?" She speaks to both of us then, "I'll see you in class."

Sanya smiles at me, "Hey."

"Morning," I greet back and we resume walking towards the classroom, though at a slow place as if to make the most of the short time before school starts. "So, uh, did they say yes?"

"Hmm, yes." She answers.

"So your mom talked to you after I left?"

"Hmm."

I narrow my eyes at her short answers. It feels the complete opposite of yesterday. "What did she say?"

Heat creeps up her neck and I am even more curious to know the answer now. "Uh... just... you know..."

I pause and with my hand on her elbow, stop her as well. "Sanya?"

Her mouth opens in hesitation and then closes. Her shoulders rise in a silent deep breath before her eyes lift up at me. "It was just very awkward, okay? Her giving me the whole protection speech."

I fill in the words in between and at first, feel mortified myself before chuckling silently. "Why does everyone seem to think going on a big trip only means one thing in a relationship?"

She mumbles, "Heck if I know," and resumes walking.

Falling in step with her, I ask. "Okay, wait, I have a question." When she nods, I ask it. "Are you okay with everyone knowing? About us?"

She gives me a teasing look, "Rihaan, pretty sure everyone in our family has always known."

I consider that, "Okay, yes, that, but I also mean others... like at school too."

She questions, "Don't they already have doubts?"

I clarify, "Having doubts and getting a confirmation seeing me holding your hand and all are different things, aren't they?"

She seems to get on the same page as me "That would be a change." She takes a moment before continuing, "I don't know. I haven't thought of it. Do you want them to know?"

I smile at her, assuring her. "Anything you want, San. Whatever you are comfortable with. It doesn't matter to me what they know as long as we know what we have and after last couple days... we know what we have."

She blushes in response even as I myself recall my confession to her on my birthday and our first kiss yesterday. Just before we reach the classroom, she answers. "Then I guess they'll know when they know."

I catch the meaning of just going with the flow of what feels right.

Faisal runs into Sanya's shoulder as we reach the doorway as if in a rush to get inside. She crashes into my chest and my hands go to her hips to steady her. I can't help but glare at him as he mutters a fake apology and walks in to his seat. "Asshole." I mutter back, having no idea why our friendship just keeps spiraling downside.

Why can't he just leave Sanya alone?

The voice of someone clearing their throat behind us has me pull back from Sanya. Girish looks at us with an amused expression and in a quiet voice, teases. "I love the brewing romance but can I suggest you keep it protected from the evil eyes of the world?"

I squint at him as Sanya's hands fly off my sides and she steps back in a rush. "Don't make me curse you out too."

He just chuckles and bumps his shoulder in mine as if to get us inside the classroom already.

*✧✤--------------------------✤✧*

Lunch time, after getting lunch from the canteen, I walk outside to the table that has become a regular for Sanya and I. The very thing she does is steal one of my fries and I pull out a ketchup packet from my pockets. "Catch," I say and throw it lightly at her while I sit.

Grabbing it, she tears it open and squirts it out in a corner of the tray.

"Where's your lunch?"

She sheepishly admits. "Got hungry in the car in the morning."

I reprimand, "Why didn't you tell me? I'd have grabbed something else too from the line."

She shrugs her shoulder, "It's okay. Not much hungry. Anyway, I have a question."

I pick the straw into the apple juice box and nod. "Shoot."

She doesn't beat around the bush. "You and Faisal, what's up? I thought you two were friends again?"

I place the juice box on the table. "Uh, no. I doubt that will ever be happening again."

"Why?" When I don't answer right away, she continues. "Rihaan, what did he say about me that was so bad that you two can't be friends again?"

"Nothing you want to hear, trust me."

She sighs at my stubbornness in not repeating Faisal's disgusting remark to her. "Rihaan, you two have been friends for as long as I can remember. Please don't let that be ruined because of me."

I reach for her hand over the table and convince her, "Don't worry, San. I promise you, if our friendship is estranged, there are other reasons. Not because of you."

"Then why?" She asks for an explanation.

I pull my hand back, reaching for my burger. "For the longest, we haven't seen eye to eye on many things. You know, it happens when people are growing up. When two people are growing apart because they have less and less things in common. They want different things. Have differing opinions. When it reaches that point, I say one should just let it be instead of trying to continue a forced relationship."

She nods as if understanding that atleast. Why force friendship when it isn't going to return being the way it once used to be? She asks once more for confirmation, "Are you sure it's not just because of the fight you had over me."

I nod back in assurance, "Promise. That wasn't the only reason."

"Okay." She lets it be then and reaches for my juice box for a sip. "Maybe you should have gotten something more."

I chuckle in response. "I still have some kisses if you want."

She grins back shaking her head at my innuendo. Well, I did buy some more packets of Hershey's and one such is in my bag in the classroom, but I am sure even she knows this time, I do mean actual kisses.

"Oh, want to come over after school? I've been working on this new tune and I want to play it for you. Before dad, you know? I'm not too sure about it."

She points out, "I know nothing about music, you know that, right? I'm not going to be able to help in improvements."

"Still. Just listen to it?" I insist. Even if she cannot help, her opinion still makes a difference to me.

She gives in, "Okay, sure. Though you could play it for your mom too. She will be a better ear than me."

I lightly kick her ankle in a scolding, "Just show up in the parking lot, okay? I want you to be the first to hear it."

Her jaw drops at my action and ignoring my order, demands. "Did you just kick me?"

"If I did?" I raise my brows in a challenge.

She stands up just enough to lean over the table and grab my ear, "Apologize."

I instantly hiss at the twisting. "Okay, okay. Sorry!" She puts pressure it for another second in revenge before releasing it. "You're very violent." My kick wasn't even that harsh. It would have barely hurt for more than a second. If anything, it was a tap.

I rub my ear in a soothing manner, very sure it must have turned red.

As the bell rings, she stands up and circles around the table. Before I can grab the tray to throw it away, she comes up behind me and reaches over. "Here, I got it." She says, her voice very close to my ear. As she picks up the tray, she surprises me by sneakily kissing my ear. "Sorry," she whispers afterwards, her lips grazing my skin. I understand she hadn't thought her strength was as much to turn my ear red.

But, yes, this totally makes up for it.

She moves away and walks the distance to the trash can.

Once I recover, I quickly catch up to her. One thing I definitely notice if I pay attention to all the things happening in the recent months... She has a tough time putting her feelings in words, saying I love you back to me, but she's always expressed it with her eyes, with her actions. That is one thing she isn't anxious about.

If she was, I don't think she would have ever been the first to kiss me. I have wanted to for the longest, but I never did. It was never my intention to pass the message just because I told her I love her, that I expected something physical now. To be entirely honest, she had taken me by surprise yesterday. First, not just with agreeing to go to New York but then also with the kiss, being so comfortable with it. Even though she avoided my gaze for some seconds afterwards, she didn't let there be any awkward tension linger about.

And I am certainly not one to complain about her expressing her feelings through actions.

*✧✤--------------------------✤✧*

| Author Note |

Haha, Sam trying to be a protective father <3 Thanks guys for the lovely comments! Good to read your thoughts about Sanya's anxiety. As many said, it pertains to social and with Rihaan, she can certainly speak up - which you might have seen in last chapter where Rihaan tells her something similar. 

QOTC: Any suggestions on what you expect to see in the future? As I write ahead, it would be really nice to have your opinion!