Intertwined

Chapter 19 : Tug Of War

“Bhabhi help!” - Divya and Disha shouted in unison as their side weakened.

Sneha shook her head at the unfairness and marched towards the girls to support. Instead of joining the queue, she stood at the first stance, in front of Shreya and glared at the boys.

“Cheater cheater pumpkin eater!” - she said and pulled the rope with full force, making the guys gasp as they nearly crossed the line.

Mahir's snort reached her all the way from his sitting place. “Look who is talking.”

She turned to glare at him but his eyes were fixed on the screen yet the taunting smirk on his face told her he was addressed just to her. Irked, she applied even more force on pulling and saw Kabir's eyes widening in panic.

“Mahir! Help!” - Kabir shouted.

Sneha's heart leaped with joy. All the guys started shouting for his help but he refused, uninterested.

“Scared to get defeated by girls ?” - she asked loudly, a smirk on her face.

He raised his head and looked at her. Her heartrate doubled and she felt herself zoning out. The girls shouted as their grip started to loose and she snapped back to her senses.

Mahir closed the laptop, placed it on the bench and walked towards them, bunching his sleeves. She tried her damn best to not notice how handsome he looked in a black turtleneck sweater and slacks. How his hair lightly blew in the wind. Or how her heart stopped beating when he came to stand in the front of boys, facing her.

It was not a good idea to provoke him. She realized instantly as she knew just a look into his eyes, and she was done for.

“That's unfair again!” - all the girls behind Sneha cried out.

Mahir smirked. “You are right.” - he said loudly to the girls but his eyes were fixed on her. She felt weak in the knees, her grip on the rope loosening. “You all leave.” - he said looking sideways at the guys behind him.

“What ?!”

“Are you crazy ?!”

“We called you to help not to make us lose!”

The guys said at once, each deeming Mahir nuts.

“I said LEAVE.” - Mahir ordered.

Sneha shivered. There was something in him that made people listen to what he was saying. To give in to his demands without even him shouting or raising his voice. And the guys did exactly that. They looked hesitant but obeyed and left their grip on the rope one by one.

Mahir wrapped the rope twice around his both hands. The girls gladly applied all their force as they thought they will win but Sneha knew better. That's why, she was not shocked when they failed to even budge him from his place despite being seven against him alone.

He smirked.

“Now it's fair, no ?” - he called out to the girls behind Sneha.

“The first thing I'm going to do after losing to him, is hiding his body building equipment!” - Shreya said from behind Sneha, her articulation laboured due to applying all her force in pulling.

“I'll help in finding a suitable hide spot.” - Divya gritted out.

The guys standing beside were half bent in laughter, hooting and cheering for Mahir. She saw Mahir's smirk turn devilish and knew he was going to finish the game.

“You girls are looking to be struggling. Let's end your misery.” - he said with mock sweetness.

Shreya and other girls looked at each other, conspiring through eyes as they knew they were gonna lose anyway so it was the last resort. “Sneha, leave the rope on the count of three.” - she whispered lowly. But Sneha was too distracted by Mahir to hear her.

Just as Mahir applied his force and pulled, the girls left the rope at once except for Sneha who along with the rope went being pulled to Mahir. He staggered several feet back due to the force he had applied in pulling and fell on the grass with Sneha on top of him.

“Okay that's downright cheating! You can't just leave the rope like...” - the uproar was from the boys and both sides engrossed in an argument.

But Sneha was heedless. For her, everything stopped the instant she fell over Mahir. Her hair was around both their faces, working as a curtain between them and the rest of the world. His hands at her waist, their nose tips rubbing softly, it was snatching her breath away. Making her lose senses.

Using his hands at her waist, he tried to get her off him but she placed her head on his chest and hugged him, without any care in the world. His heart was thudding loudly beneath her ear, and she realized it was in sync with her heartbeats.

“Sneha get up.” - his words were strict but his tone was pleading, an unusual tremble in his voice she had never heard before.

“Your heart is in sync with mine Mahir. It is beating in my favour, betraying you.” - she whispered, peace washing over her.

He let a long breath and rolled over to get her off him. It did not escape her notice that he placed his hand behind her head before placing it on the ground even when it was not a hard surface but just grass.

Warmth filled her insides.

He started to get up but she clutched his sweater in her fists. “Your brain is losing Mahir. No matter how much you try to stay away from me, fate always bring us nose-to-nose. Just give in.” - she whispered, smiling softly.

He sighed again. The aromatic fragrance of caffeine reached her nostrils and she bit her lip, in order to stop herself from closing the distance between their mouths.

“It is you who needs to take a decision Sneha, not me. You who needs to give in either to this side or that.” - he stated firmly and freed himself from her hold and got up.

“Heyyy…” - she exclaimed playfully, stretching her arms towards him as he brushed his clothes and started to walk away. The argument between the girls and boys was still going on and they were so busy, that none noticed them.

He bit the inside of his cheek, and pulled her up by holding both her hands. In anger, he used such force that she collided with his chest and his arm steadied her by going around her waist.

She went onto chokehold.

His eyes were ablaze just like that night when she had mistakenly barged into his room, like that day when he caught her in his room, like every. single. time. he looked at her. She was not ready as he left her at once and wobbled on her feet before gaining balance.

He walked towards the bench in brisk pace, picked up his laptop and stormed inside.