𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐍𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐢𝐞𝐬

Chapter 4: Dance of Passion

Dev opened his mouth but kept silent. Ayaansh didn't feel upset of his sister's absence because he didn't care for her presence.

"You didn't come either," he complained.

It was Dev's absence had hurt him deeply and he wasn't willing to let it go.

Dev was the family he chose, out of mutual respect and regard that he had for him. He was the brother he wanted and the companion he needed. They did everything together as a team. And while their interests varied even in their school days--- his passion for outdoor games such as football and cricket and Dev's interest in indoor games like chess and badminton---- they made sure to always support one another.

Dev broke that streak. And Ayaansh Raichand was many good things but he wasn't one to let go of a grudge very easily.

Dev closed the book and sighed, "And I said I was sorry. How long are you going to hold onto that one?"

"As long as you withhold the true reason for your abrupt departure," he quipped with a challenging raise of brows.

Dev rolled his eyes at the constant questioning, "You are worse than a nagging wife."

"Oh, you break my heart." Ayaansh placed a hand on his chest dramatically, every word dipping in sarcasm yet he did not budge."

Dev poked the inside of his cheek. "I told you I got tired of looking at your dull face. Needed a change in scenery." Dev replied with a slight smirk, making light of the whole thing without revealing the actual reason.

Ayaansh knew Dev was hiding something and he also knew that if Dev wanted to keep something a secret, no power in the world could make him reveal that. Ayaansh had just thought that they were past that point in their friendship where they kept secrets, especially when he had always been transparent.

Dev had always been aloof and guarded since the time Ayaansh had known him. That has what drawn him to become friends with Dev in the first place. His reclusive personality had intrigued Ayaansh and had propelled him towards the grey eyed boy who kept himself separate from his peers and viewed them all with a calm disinterest. He was a mystery; a challenge that Ayaansh wanted to solve.

Even as a young boy of fourteen, in a school full of students belonging to wealthy families, Dev had possessed an aura of superiority which even managed to intimidate Ayaansh. There was an edge to his calmness and coldness in his eyes that kept everyone from approaching him. But Ayaansh had still persisted.

And when he had succeeded in approaching the enigmatic stranger who, oblivious to his surrounding was immersed in a book quietly by the window, he had recieved a puzzled look from the teenager who wasn't used to anyone encroaching at his bubble.

"Hey, can I sit here?"

The grey eyed boy looked around the almost empty classroom before his curious gaze dropped to the dark haired, lanky boy almost his age looking at him with a hopeful smile and a determined glint in his eyes.

For a moment both kept staring at each other, the former with a confused look trying to decipher the reason for this sudden interruption. Clearly this was out of his comfort zone and Ayaansh was tempted to back off.

Not a word was spoken in return, just a slight shift in the grey-eyed boy's otherwise rigid demeanor and one hesitant nod that was encouragement enough for Ayaansh to slid into the empty place beside the silent boy, who after getting used to the presence  went back to his book.