You and I

CHAPTER 3

MANIK

My phone started ringing, and my stomach automatically clenched. I quickly got it off my pocket and saw Mom's name. Shit.

Without any explanation to the guys, I just set my beer down and walked off before answering.

"Mom? Everything okay?"

"Oh yes. I just wanted you to know that I had cooked some chicken fried rice and they are in the fridge, in case you reach home late. Also if you could get some milk from the supermarket on your way back home, then that would be good."

I let out the breath I had been holding. Dad was safe. "Sure Mom. Anything else?"

"Are you really coming home late?" she asked, and I noticed that her voice was a bit tense. Was there something she wasn't telling me? Oh shit! Was Dad hurting?

"No, no. I'll be home soon," I assured her.

She let out a relieved sigh. "Good. Manik, Drive carefully. No rash driving. And yes wear your seatbelts. I don't want to get to know that you crossed the speed limits."

I chuckled. "Mom! I know. I'll drive safely."

"You bet you will. Love you baccha."

"Love you too Mom."

I ended the call just as I got to where my car was parked. I'd already been walking out, prepared to leave before she'd asked if I'd be home late. It was all getting worse. Dad was hardly able to get out of bed anymore.

My chest tightened, and it became hard to breathe. This had been happening more and more lately. It was like all my fears had grabbed my throat and were squeezing it until I couldn't breathe.

I started feeling anger. Goddamn this wasn't fair. Nothing that was happening was fucking fair. My Dad was such a good man. He didn't deserve this. And what about Mom, my sweet Mom. Her day started and ended with Dad. How would she be able to live without him? She also didn't deserve any of this.

"Fuck!" I roared as I slammed both hands down on the hood of my car. This was destroying all of us, and I couldn't tell anyone. Dealing with sympathy from people who had no idea how this felt would be shit I didn't need.

A movement from the left caught my attention, and I jerked my head to see who had witnessed my breakdown.

The white sundress was the first thing I recognized. Black eyes were looking back at me with something like concern floating in them.

This girl was so lucky that she couldn't talk. She didn't have to pretend for anyone. She didn't have to say the right thing or act a certain way.

She tilted her head to the side as if she were studying me. Trying to decide whether I was dangerous or was I somebody that needed help. All that gorgeous hair and those full lips could certainly help. Help me forget for a moment. Forget the hell that my life had become.

I shoved off of my car and walked over to her. I almost expected her to run. She didn't.

I inhaled sharply. The tightness in my throat has eased some. "You like what you see?" I taunted her, hoping she'd run from me. She didn't deserve this, using her to ease my pain wasn't right. And I was angry and couldn't get a grip on my emotions anymore. They stayed so raw all the time. Just like everyone else in my path, she was someone I was pushing away for her own safety.

She didn't respond, but there was a clarity in her eyes. She wasn't off like Abhi said - you could see that kind of a thing in a person's eyes. But her eyes, they were almost too intense. Too smart.

"You just gonna stare at me like you want a taste and not speak? Kinda rude."

My own meanness made me wince inside. Mom would be ashamed of me. This girl, though, she didn't do anything more than blink. She didn't back away, and she didn't make a sound. Abhi hadn't been shitting us about one thing : She really didn't talk.

But even without talking, she obviously wasn't interested in me. I wasn't used to that. Wasn't used to girls not wanting me to kiss them.

I stopped in front of her and cupped her face in one of my hands. God, that face was something else. I had to touch her to see if she was real. The perfection seemed almost impossible. Everyone had flaws. I wanted to find hers.

I used my thumb to brush her bottom lip. She wasn't wearing lipstick. She didn't need it - those lips were already a pretty pink.

"It's time you run along now," I warned her, even though I should have been the one to walk away.

She stayed up where she was, staring up at me. Boldly. Without flinching. The only thing that gave her away was the pulse in her neck. She was nervous, but either she was too scared or too curious to move.

I took one more step until I was pressed up against her and she was backed against the tree behind her. "Told you to run, Angel," I reminded her just before I lowered my mouth to hers.

Her mouth is so sweet and so perfect against mine, that I simply lost control over myself. Having her in my arms, tasting her, feeling her mouth against mine, nothing could be more perfect than that moment. I just wanted to savor that feeling, wanted to bottle up that moment. I felt her hands on my chest and her body leaning towards mine. She made a whimper and that snapped me out of my faze.

God! What had I done?

This girl couldn't speak and here I was pressing her against a tree and taking what I need. Fuck, I was a monster.

This sweet girl didn't deserve it.

I need to get away from her. I couldn't look at her. No, I knew that one look at her those swollen lips from our kiss, and I wouldn't be able to control myself from taking those against mine again.

I walked away from her. I didn't spare a single look to her walking off.

I just didn't know that why did every step that I took away from her didn't feel right? Felt like I was leaving something precious behind.

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