Page 20

ANYA

Considering I do not enjoy sports much, I had a thrilling time today. Sophia and Siya were so shocked when I said that I would accompany them to the match. I chuckle, remembering Sophia’s dramatic fainting as shown in an Indian TV shows.

Initially, it was a little overwhelming because it was too crowded and loud for me, but as soon as the game began, the intense match made me forget about it, or I can admit it to myself, at least: a green-eyed guy did. The way he moved with ease and his confidence on the court was just so attractive. He seemed like a completely different person. He was so focused, unlike his usual carefree self, and his eyes sparkled with determination. He is talented and a very good captain. It was a different side of him I saw today. I am glad I chose to come after all.

But right now, as I wait for him in the parking lot, I am beginning to think he has forgotten that he asked me to wait for him. I look at my watch. It’s been half an hour. Should I wait or go? It’s getting dark, and I sent Soph and Siya away because it’s extremely cold. And maybe I just wanted to be with him alone. I sigh. He loves to keep me waiting. I should leave. I am hungry, plus Arnav will be stressed if he finds out that I am out alone, because whether I admit it or not, he is right: I do have a history of getting lost.

But what if Daniel comes after I leave? I do not want him to think that I didn’t wait. Maybe I will text him as soon as I sit in the taxi. I huff in disappointment. I want to see him. But he must be celebrating with his teammates, and I understand. Do I even want to be alone with him again? Especially after last time? How stupid I was to question him about that cheerleader. I mean it's his life, he can talk to whoever the fuck he wants to. Was I jealous? Yes. Will I ever admit it to him. No. I huff and open my phone to book a cab.

“Anya.” I hear his voice. I look up from my screen to find him approaching me. He jogs toward me and I can’t help but sweep my gaze over his body.

“I am sorry for keeping you so long,” he says as he eyes me. “You were going to leave,” he observes, his voice laced with relief.

I fidget with the phone in my hand. “I thought you forgot,” I whisper as I inhale his scent. His hair is wet, probably from the shower he must have taken.

His eyes darken at my words, a sly smile playing on his lips. He moves closer until our bodies are barely a few inches apart. I feel that now familiar tug in my heart whenever he gets this close to me.

“Forget you?” he murmurs, his voice low and rough. “I could never forget you, even if I tried. And I don’t want to try,” he whispers. His fingers reach out, gently prying the phone from my grasp and putting it in his pocket. My eyes widen. He smiles softly as he looks down at me. “I am sorry, though, to keep you waiting,” he says.

“What do you mean by that?” I whisper .

He stares at me for a moment, “It’s impossible to forget you because…” I hold my breath. “...only you can drop murderous comments in the middle of conversations with ease.” He laughs.

I blink at him. “You’re impossible.” I huff.

“Let’s have dinner,” he suggests, carefully taking a step away, and I miss the warmth radiating from his body.

“No, there’s no need for that,” I mutter quickly.

“Shh.” He keeps a finger on my lips. The contact sends a shiver down my spine. I gaze up at him, his eyes intense and focused on me, his presence both overwhelming and comforting at the same time.

“I just won a game, Anya, please.”

“I am not that hungry,” I reply, and my stomach growls as if on cue. I mentally curse my body. Why the hell can’t it support me for once? What I don’t understand is that a few minutes ago, I wanted to see him. But now that he is in front of me, I am trying to get away.

“See? Your stomach agrees with me at least.” He smirks. I want to punch it off his face, but he looks too handsome, unfortunately.

“You’re not getting out of this one, Firecracker,” he adds when I do not reply. “Your stomach is on my side.”

“Fine, whatever,” I grumble. He chuckles.

“Let’s go,” he says, gesturing toward the car. He opens the passenger door for me. I get in, thanking him as I do. He gets into the driver’s seat and starts the engine. As he pulls out of the parking lot, we fall into a comfortable silence. I glance at him occasionally, not liking this quietness.

“You played well today, captain,” I whisper. He looks at me briefly.

“Thank you.” He smiles. “So, you enjoyed the match?” he asks, his voice hopeful.

I nod. “Initially, I thought you’d lose and blame me.” I laugh quietly. “I am superstitious that way. I thought I had jinxed you or something.” I chuckle. When he doesn’t reply, I peep at him.

“I guess you’re my good luck charm then,” he murmurs, smiling and looking at the road.

My heart skips a beat at his words. I don’t understand how easily he says such things. I feel my cheeks heat up. I look away, diverting my attention toward the skyline visible from the bridge.

We pull into a parking lot. My eyes scrutinize the small yet cozy-looking diner. It has an old-fashioned charm. The neon sign above the door reads Rosie’s and its light glows softly, giving the place a warm and inviting feeling. I feel a little relaxed and kind of impressed that he brought me to a small diner instead of a big restaurant.

I get out of the car. The cold air nips at my cheeks, making me grateful for the warmth of the diner’s interior. Daniel holds the door open for me with a theatrical bow. “After you, milady.”

I roll my eyes but can’t help the smile that creeps onto my face. As we step inside, the smell of sizzling burgers and strawberries fills the air, and I can’t help but feel a little giddy.

“This place is cute,” I whisper as we settle into our booth. Daniel grins at me from across the table, seeming to be quite pleased with himself.

“I am glad you approve.” He winks. Oh my god. I am breathless.

He waves at the waitress. I catch a glimpse of the easy confidence he carries with him, whether he’s on the court or just enjoying a meal. I like how he is so relaxed with me, but I guess he is that way with all his friends, so nothing special.

“I will take the usual,” he says. The waitress smiles, and her eyes linger on his biceps more than I like, but I get it. I would be ogling him too if I were in her place.

“What would you recommend?” I ask him.

“I like the burgers here, and since you like sweet stuff, you can have a strawberry milkshake. It’s their specialty, but it isn’t my taste.” He shrugs.

“I will take your suggestion then.” I repeat the order to the waitress. She nods at us and walks away.

Daniel leans back in his seat, his gaze never leaving me. There’s an intensity in his eyes that makes me feel like I am the center of the universe. He is a very considerate, attentive guy in general, but with the attraction I feel for him, it becomes hard to not take it otherwise.

“Shouldn’t you be celebrating with your team?” I ask, genuinely curious as to why he is here with me.

“Yeah, probably,” he says, resting his chin on his hands, not breaking our eye contact. “But I guess this was more tempting,” he says quietly. My heart does a cartwheel, and I look away, trying to hide my blush.

The waitress soon returns with our orders, and I am grateful for the interruption. She places the plates and milkshakes before us. The smell of the greasy burger makes my mouth water.

Taking a bite of my burger, I can’t help but moan quietly at how good it is. I am definitely going to be a regular customer now, considering it is also quite close to the campus. “It really is very good,” I say with my mouth still full. I don’t believe in manners while I am eating, except maybe chewing loudly, because that irritates the hell out of me.

Daniel stares at me, his carefree self no longer visible. His Adam apple bobs as he gulps loudly. “Told you so,” he says, clearing his throat and shifting in his seat.

I frown at him. “Are you alright?” I ask.

He coughs. “Yeah, just feeling a little hot,” he says.

“It’s cold, Daniel. Are you okay?” I ask again. He hums and continues to eat. I observe him, but he doesn’t look at me at all. I shrug and dig in, too.

I take a sip of milkshake and grunt. Goddammit . “This is heavenly!” I exclaim. He shifts in his seat again, a scowl forming on his face, and I want to wipe it off. I take another sip, licking my lips.

“Are we done?” he asks as I finish the last bite of my burger. What is wrong with him? He was chill half an hour ago. Did I do something? I don’t think so, because I was just eating my food. Maybe he is tired, or he realized it would have been better if he had just gone out with his team. I feel my heart constrict. I nod wordlessly.

We get out of the booth and exit the diner after he pays our bill. I insist on splitting it, but according to him, it is his treat, and he is in a bad mood so I give up. He opens the door for me.

I get in the car and he does the same. I type in my apartment’s address in the GPS. We fasten our seatbelts, and he drives off. Our eyes meet for a second. His gaze softens, but I turn away, looking out of the window. I hate this tension.

I am usually okay with silence between us, but not this one; this one makes my heart feel heavy. I don’t think he regrets coming here with me. I am sure these thoughts didn’t even enter his mind, because for him, these are just trivial matters. He doesn’t care about his wins or losses. All he cares about is his role as a captain and his game, which is nice, even for an amateur like me, so maybe I am just overthinking.

I take a sip of the milkshake. The way the strawberry flavor bursts into my mouth every single time is a mystery to me. This thing is godly. I am sure Soph would love this; she’s obsessed with strawberries anyway. I wipe a drop from my lip and suck my finger. I am not ready to waste a single drop of this thing.

Daniel groans next to me. The car comes to a screeching stop. My eyes widen, and I cover the cup to save the drink from falling .

“What the hell?” I exclaim and look toward Daniel. His eyes are dark. He closes his eyes momentarily and clenches his jaw.

“I don’t care how delicious this milkshake is, stop licking your lips, and for the love of God, stop moaning.” He grits out.

I freeze when Daniel speaks, his voice low and deep. It makes a thrill run down my spine. I blink at him stunned, my heart beating madly in my chest. I can’t figure out what’s going on. Does it bother him? He’s seemed restless since the diner. Do I affect him as much as he affects me? The air in the car suddenly feels heavy with tension.

“Uh…what?” I reply, trying to understand what is up.

“Nothing.” He sighs, running his hand through his hair. “We have arrived,” he says, avoiding my eyes. I stare at his disheveled hair. I fiddle with the seatbelt buckle.

“Right. We have arrived,” I repeat. He doesn’t budge. He stares ahead, at nothing in particular. I unbuckle the seatbelt. One thing that’s clear from this exchange is that he is attracted to me physically, but that is not enough for me. I do not believe in one-night stands. I am not a fun and spontaneous type of person, I guess. I have to stay away from this man, because I not only find him captivating physically, but his entire personality charms me. I want to keep spending time with him. I want him near me. I find reasons to be close to him, and I know it may feel good now, but in the long run, it is going to be heartbreaking.

Because if he asks, if he makes a move right now, I will willingly give in. I will let him do anything, because that’s the power he has over me, and I hate that. He turns to look at me, his eyes travelling between my eyes and lips. I wait for him to move but he simply continues to gaze at my lips. I can't take this anymore. This is suffocating. I quickly get out of the car .

“Thank you, Daniel,” I say. He finally looks at me in the eye, his green ones shining in the moonlight.

Stop it, Anya. I inhale sharply. “Bye,” I say, finally. He opens his mouth to say something, but I close the door. I cannot hear his voice. I have to stay away from him for my peace. He’s not good for my heart.

I walk into the building. I look back as I take a step on the staircase. He’s still there in the car, gazing at me. I take in his face. He looks frustrated, like he is fighting a battle. I want to reach out and smooth the crease that has appeared on his forehead. But I will not, because my mother always says, ‘When and if it comes to choosing between you or anyone, choose yourself, because you are all you have.’ And it is said that mothers are always right.

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