" How do I look away now that I have seen you"
-- Rachel Mennies
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5 years ago--
Vahni POV:
The vacation has been an absolute bliss. We hang around every day, sometimes at my house, other days at either Anisha's or Veer's house. Tonight, we're going to his house, as his parents will be out of town today, and we'll be babysitting Vyan.
He's such a lovely kid. I get downstairs wearing a casual dress and inform my mom, "I'll be at Veer's house today, we'll be babysitting his brother, Mom, so it may turn into a sleepover if it gets too late." My mom says, "Just inform me on the phone, then have fun"
I grab my phone and head out the door, feeling excited for the night ahead. As I walk to Veer's house, I think about how much fun we've had over the past few weeks. Our daily hangouts have become the highlight of my vacation. I ring the doorbell, and Veer answers, grinning from ear to ear.
"Hey, come on in! Vyan is super excited to see you guys." I smile and follow him inside, where Anisha is already waiting. Vyan, Veer's little brother, comes running into the room, shouting "Didi! Didi!". We all laugh and hug him, and the night begins.
Veer says suddenly looking a bit nervous, "Btw, I forgot to mention something to you. My best friends will be coming here too - just Vikram, Aryaan, and..." He trails off, and I glare at him. I know he didn't tell me purposely because he knew I wouldn't come then. I sigh, feeling frustrated but also knowing I couldn't get angry at Veer. "Fine, we'll just be upstairs in your room with Vyan. You can watch sports or something with your friends."
Anisha nods in agreement. "Hey, Vini, no, I want to spend time with you guys too. We can just watch a movie." "Vihaan's sad, kinda. He had a breakup," Veer says. I ask, "What? Why?" Veer explains, "Idk, it was something. The girl expected more efforts but didn't get them, so she broke things off." I nod understandingly and don't comment further.
Just then, the bell rings, and Veer goes to open the door. I start tickling Vyan on the couch, and Anisha sits there laughing. Vyan squeals with delight, and I continue to tease him, making funny faces and voices. Anisha joins in, and soon we're all in hysterics. As we're having fun, I hear the sound of the door opening and the guys chatting with Veer.
They walk into the room, and I see Vikram and Aryaan, Veer's best friends, smiling and joking around. And then, my eyes land on Vihaan, who looks a bit subdued, but still manages to catch my eye and hold my gaze for a moment. I feel a flutter in my chest, but I quickly look away, focusing on Vyan and Anisha instead.
We greet each other, I greet everyone except Vihaan; I ignore him. Soon, we sit on the couch as the guys fight over which movie to put on. I sigh, standing up and saying, "It's Vyan's night, so let him choose the movie." The guys groan but agree. Vihaan just looks at me as he watches me. Vyan chooses the movie "The School for Good and Evil," and we settle down.
As we settle in, someone mentions getting popcorn. Vyan excitedly starts chanting "Popcorn! Popcorn!" and the others join in. I get up to head to the kitchen, but before I can take a step, Vihaan says, "I'll help Vahni get the popcorn." He gets up, and I'm forced to walk with him to the kitchen. As we step out of the room, Vihaan closes the door behind us, giving us a moment of privacy.
As we stand in the kitchen, the tension between us is palpable. Vihaan leans against the counter, his eyes fixed on me. I try to ignore him, focusing on getting the popcorn ready. But I can feel his gaze on me, making my skin prickle. I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. What is he trying to do?
As I wait for the popcorn to pop, Vihaan pushes off from the counter and walks towards me. I can feel his eyes on me, and my heart starts racing. He stops right next to me, his arm brushing against mine. I try to move away, but he's too close. "Vahni," he says, his voice low and husky. I turn to him, my eyes meeting his. For a moment, we just stare at each other, the tension between us crackling like electricity.
The popcorn starts popping, breaking the spell. I quickly move away from Vihaan, trying to compose myself. "I think the popcorn is ready," I say, trying to sound casual. Vihaan nods, his eyes never leaving mine. We stand there for a moment, the only sound the popping of the popcorn. Then, Vihaan speaks up, "I'll carry the popcorn. You go ahead." I nod, grateful to escape the awkwardness. I head back to the living room, leaving Vihaan to follow with the popcorn.
As I walk back into the living room, I'm greeted by the sound of laughter and chatter. Vyan is sitting on Anisha's lap, and they're both giggling at something on the screen. Veer and the others are sprawled out on the floor, looking relaxed. I take a deep breath, trying to shake off the awkwardness of the moment I shared with Vihaan in the kitchen.
Just then, Vihaan walks in with the popcorn, and the room falls silent for a moment. Everyone's eyes are on him, and I can sense a collective curiosity. Veer breaks the silence, "Dude, thanks for the popcorn!" The others chime in, thanking Vihaan and reaching for the popcorn. I try to blend in, taking a handful of popcorn and sitting down next to Anisha.
As we settle in to watch the rest of the movie, I can feel Vihaan's eyes on me again. I try to ignore him, focusing on the screen and the company of my friends. Anisha looks at me curiously, her eyes scanning my face as if searching for answers. I give her a subtle glance, a slight raise of my eyebrow, and a tiny shake of my head, signaling that I'll explain later. Anisha nods almost imperceptibly, and we both turn our attention back to the movie. But I can sense the tension between Vihaan and me, like a live wire waiting to spark.
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Ahm guys good to see that u made it till the end cuz I almost fainted writing the kitchen scene 😍
HAPPY READINGGGG 🍯🍩
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