~Kritika~

"Gee, relax will you? Don't get so excited now. It's only me." he said dryly as I continued to gape at him.

Ignoring his remark, I shot him another puzzled look that meant to spell what-the-hell-are-you-doing-here.

"Okay, seriously. You look like you're having a stroke of chronic dissapointment. There's only so much hurt my ego can take." he said and I finally snapped out of it.

"But.. I.. You.." I stuttered incoherently before shutting my mouth and taking a deep breath. I then spoke slowly "What are you doing here?"

"Can I not come and see my favourite little human?" At that I raised my eyebrow questioningly causing him to stand up straighter "...guess not."

"No no.. I didn't mean--" I shook my head and forced a smile "I'm sorry, do come in though.

"No I'm okay right here." he said quickly "besides, staying here will be more.." he paused to think "..convenient."

"Convenient?" I repeated, confused.

Is he drunk?

"Yeah.." he trailed "since my self defends skills are pretty..chronic."

"Are you drunk?" I monotoned.

Great, just great. I mean, can't a girl just sulk in peace?

"What? No." he retorted

I ignored his remark and held up my hand in front of his face "how many fingers are these?"

"Four." he said non chalantly and quickly added "I mean, four fingers and one thumb."

I relaxed and nodded, letting my hand fall back "okay, we're good. Now, stop going on circles and tell me what's going on."

"Clear cut?"

"Clear cut." I nodded "but first tell me.. what would you need self defence for?"

"For when you'll kick me.. after what I tell you." he said and I could tell he was serious. I would've laughed but I didn't.

Instead, I leaned my weight against the door, waiting for him to continue. He looked rather.. flustered.

"Okay, here goes nothing." I heard him mutter, more to himself and he looked at me "I've been meaning to tell you this for quite some time now.." he paused "..I have.. I think.. I think I like someone."

My heart stopped at his words. Oh crap. Brianna.

"And I have for quite some time. Why am I telling you this? I don't know.. She's like.. a sister to you and.. I just thought that you should know and.."

I couldn't take it anymore

"I'm sorry." I blurted "I'm sorry, Ricky.. but.. this is.. this isn't right." I shook my head rapidly.

If he gets to know about Liam and her he'll be heartbroken.

His shoulders fell at that "But why?" he questioned quietly and I wanted to hug him right then and there.

"Ricky." I paused. Better tell him now and save him the heartbreak "..she likes someone else. I'm sorry."

He gave me a really confused look "What? But how's that possible? I..?"

"Ricky, I know But when I.. I told her this yesterday and she was, well, pretty okay about it."

Wait, hold up.

"What? You already told her?!" I yelled "this is so not good. Crap. Oh crap." I covered my face with hand "now what's Bri going to do? And what about L-"

"Wait. Bri? As in Brianna?" he cut in "what's she got to do with this?"

"I-- wait, what?" I frowned "Wow really must be drunk. You weren't talking about Brianna, remember? The girl you like..." I trailed and when he gave me a clearly clueless look I face palmed "does drinking cause amnesia too? Ricky! The girl you like. Brianna."

"Brianna? No!" he shook his head "no no no, not her. I wasn't talking about her."

I'm so going to slap him "She's the girl you like right?"

"Who gave you that idea?" he frowned and then his eyes narrowed in realisation "No! No no no no no."

"That's a lot of no in one sentence." I chuckled but he ignored my remark

"I wasn't talking about Brianna. God, no. It isn't her. Or rather, wasn't her. Not now, not ever."

"But if not her, then who..?" I questioned. All the confusion was making head was spin. It wasn't Bri?

"Here comes the beating.." he sighed "I'm just gonna be a man and say it.. Stacey."

Oh.

Wait, what?

"What?" I yelled causing him to flinch "Stacey? Stacey? As in my cousin Stacey?"

"Shh, don't yell." he hissed "do you want your entire neighbourhood to know?"

"Sorry..but wait. No, I take it back. I'm not sorry." I yelled, a little less louder this time "I'm anything but sorry. I..I need an explanation."

"Knew this was coming." he muttered "I.. well where do I start from?"

"I don't know, the beginning?" I said impatiently "just tell me everything."

Ricky likes Stacey?

I was having a hard time digesting everything. For the past five months I've been worrying about a crush which didn't even exist in the first place?

"Yeah.. Okay" he nodded "So I--"

"Like why you were making googly eyes at Bri if you liked Stacey."

"I didn't ever make googly eyes at--"

"Okay, let's say you didn't. But you made it pretty obvious that you liked Bri. Heck, I was completely convinced. What have you got to say to that?"

He just kept looking at me "What? Speak." I stressed

"If you would let me." he said slowly before shaking his head and continuing "Its always been about her. It's been about her for quite some time now."

"But what about the times you made googly eyes at Brianna?"

"I-- Okay, first of all. I never made googly eyes." he punctuated with air quotes "at anyone. And secondly, I don't know what gave you that idea. Bri is..like a sister."

Okay, I was definitely mistaken.

"So it was never her?" I questioned, frowning.

"Nope." he shook his head

"But.. you do realize that Stacey went through a break up hardly a year ago, right? And it was'nt anyone else, it was--"

"Lucas, I know." he cut in "I talked to him too."

"Say what?" I yelled, and then slapped my hand over my mouth "how many people have you talked to about this?"

"Well, there's Luke.. Stacey and now you." he said "that's pretty much it."

"Ricky you idiot! Don't you think Stacey would be the one you should be thinking about. What if she isn't ready to be in another.. wait, what did you say?"

"That's pretty much it?" he said unsurely

I shook my head "No before that. Does she know? Does Stacey actually know?"

"Yes, she does." he said cautiously

I raised my eyebrows at him "So..?"

"So what?" he questioned

"So what did she say, you dummy."

"S-she.. she said." he seemed to hesitate and my heart dropped.

He didn't have to say it. I knew it from his expression. She'd said no.

"I'm so sorry." I blurted, again "I'm sorry. But.. it's not her fault though. She's been through a lot. With Lucas and everything happening. And it's not like she's the last girl on this planet R--"

I was cut off by him whacking my arm. Hard. "Oww." I whined, rubbing it rapidly "idiot! That hurt. That hurt so much.. oh my poor arm."

"Sorry." he said, not sounding sorry at all "you were blabbering non stop."

"But don't you see? She said no and."

"She didn't say no." he said loudly effectively shutting me up

"She didn't? So she said yes?" I yelled in disbelief "oh my god, why didn't you tell me before? Congratulations." I squealed

"Don't make me slap you again." he said loudly causing me to shut up, again "she didn't say yes."

"Wait, she didn't say no.. And she didn't do yes.. then what did she say?"

"She said, well, both."

"Yes.. and no.." I trailed "yo..? Wait, did she say yo? It only makes sense and yo means yes too." I pointed out.

I was absolutely and utterly confused. Had she said no? Had she said yes?

Maybe she'd slammed the door in his face before he could finish. In that case, ouch.

"Good thing you shut up without me having to tell." he said dryly "okay here goes. She said that I'll have to ask you first."

I gave him a long look "Ask me? Like, for permission?" I questioned

He nodded slowly "Yeah. She said that you would probably not be okay with.. this."

I frowned "Are you sure she was talking about me? but.. but why? I mean, why would I not be okay? But before that, tell me one thing. How long has this been going on for? I mean, when did she know.

"You want the approximate date?" he questioned "well then, yesterday. Early in the evening? Not so sure.."

"Oh." I said quietly and then suddenly realized something "wait but, Stacey was home in the evening. She'd been home all day, I think. No, I'm sure. She was home."

"Yeah, about that." he said sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck "I was here yesterday, too."

"Wait, yesterday? Really?" I questioned "you were here?" He nodded at that.

How did I not hear him?

"Ricky." I scolded "first of all, that was very stupid. You're lucky CJ wasn't home. "

"CJ?" he questioned

"Another time." I waved my hand dismissively "but seriously, what were you thinking barging into our house and declaring your love to her. Unbelievable."

"Okay, she let me in. So technically, it wasn't barging."

"Let me finish." I yelled having him shut up "good. So firstly, it was very stupid of you. Don't do that again. And secondly.." I sighed "..wow, my permission. You don't need my permission, Rick. Whatever makes her happy. Whatever makes you both happy. I'm not some mother hen here or anything."

"Wait, so you mean yes?"

"Technically, I don't have the right to say no." I laughed "but yes, it's a yes."

He beamed at me which really surprised me for a moment. Ricky hardly ever smiled. The Ricky in front of me was smiling like a kid on a Christmas morning. And at that moment, I knew that his love.. or like..? Well, whatever it was, was absolutely and undoubtedly genuine. And that was enough.

"I love you." I squealed, hugging him "you're perfect for her. Oh god, I'm so stupid. And here I thought you were crushing on.. nevermind. I'm too happy to bother."

"Get away from me you monkey." I heard him say as he playfully shoved me away "but I love you too."

"But you love Stacey more." I sang, winking "just one thing though."

"What?"

"Hurt her in any way and you'll be needing more than just self defence."

"Point duly noted, ma'am."

I laughed, shaking my head at him. I felt genuinely happy, and it felt great to laugh that loud once again.

"Now I'm just gonna go. I'll see you later." he said, nodding "you have no idea how relieved I am, seeing you like this." he said, beginning to walk away

"Like what?" I called out just as he unlocked his car.

"Happy." he said, smiling "happy for us." he said before getting into his car

I waved at him one final time as I watched his car disappear around the corner before closing the door.

The silence inside the house now seemed to be deafening, especially after all the chattering and yelling that took place just a few seconds ago.

I felt myself smiling like an idiot.

Ricky and Bri.

Ricky was right, I really felt happy. The kind of happiness that makes you all giddy and makes your stomach feel funny.

My mind went back to the day they'd first met. The day we'd all first met. They had constantly fought with each other over the littles of things.

If someone would've told me five months ago, that this was going to happen, I would've laughed in their faces and called them delusional. I laughed at the memory.

Expect the unexpected.

The doorbell rang shrilly, cutting through the silence and making me jump. The ringing sounded rapid and.. urgent.

"Seriously, Ricky?" I rolled my eyes before throwing the door open

First thing I saw was brown eyes peeking out from under a red muffler. It was only when the person unwound the muffler that my jaw dropped to the floor.

*****
Three words. Three words were all he had said.

I need food

After that he had sauntered inside, leaving me outside to collect my jaw and heart.

So there I was, ten minutes later with a bowl of freshly cut fruit.

"Here, eat this." I said awkwardly, handing him the bowl of fruits "this was the only quick fix I could think of."

He grabbed it from my hands, before popping a few pieces into his mouth
"Thanks." he muffled

"You're welcome." I said quietly

It was just a few moments of silence, the only sound being him chewing before I finally mustered enough courage to speak.

"Not meant to be rude or anything." I said "but what are you doing here, Ayaan?"

.

.

.

XXXXXX

I'm sorry :/
Yes I'm a meanie and a horrible person for breaking my promise of updating yesterday.

But.. I didn't know what to write.

Yep, I said it.

I had written half of the chapter, about three days ago and yesterday I was all confident like oh yeah I'm so fabulous completing this chapter would be easy as eating halwa

Only it wasn't :/

So I'm sorry. And I hope you've forgiven me.

Next update soon

Cote❤

Stay Beautiful❤

Kay❤

P.S. Chapter dedicated to my boo, one of the best people in my life @Aliya_96

Because it's her birthday today❤
Happy birthday baby. May you have many many more. Funny how thousand miles of distance couldn't stop us from meeting. Guess two awesome people are just destined to collide into each other at some point of time *flips hair* xD xD

This is my birthday gift to you❤❤
I hope you like it