Never Been Kissed || Liam Payne (Editing)

~47~ The one with the waterproof inks and the eavesdropped conversations

~Kritika~

"...what are you doing here, Ayaan?"

He gave me a long look before gesturing towards the bowl in his hands "Reatnd fitdr." He said through a mouthful. Or at least, that's what I could make out of what he said.

On seeing my confused expression he opened his mouth to speak again but I stopped him "I can't make out a word you're saying. Chew first, talk later."

He made a motion to swallow before opening his mouth again "You know, today has arguably been the most tiring day of my life. Firstly, my flight got delayed for five hours. Five hours. Assholes. Then when I finally reached here, I lost the paper which had the address to here written on it. Flew out of the damn taxi window. And if things couldn't get any worse, my specs broke. Motorcyclists I tell you. And how am I supposed to know that you're supposed to look at right first and then left before crossing the damn road? Seriously, why can't traffic rules be same all over the world?" he muttered angrily "So basically, I've been roaming around this wretched city for more than half of the day. More like staggering..half blind, with a frozen ass about to fall off and stomach crying in hunger." he grumbled, before eating more fruit muttering unintelligibly to himself "these fruits have easily been the best part of today. Thanks." he nodded, shooting me a thumbs up before popping more fruit into his already full mouth nodding to himself. I rolled my eyes at him at that.

I looked at he curiously as he ate. This was the most he had spoken since he'd gotten here. Heck, this was the most I had ever hear him speak at once.

He licked his fingers as if he was eating nothing less than a delicacy. His face didn't hold any kind of.. reckless emotions. He didn't look angry when I had expected him to. He looked indifferent. He looked.. normal.

As if flying halfway across the word to eat a bowl of fruit is absolutely normal.

No. I knew that this had something to do with our phone conversation the night before. I was waiting for him to finish so I could apologize to him for everything. Tell him that I didn't mean to end the call dramatically like that. That it was my traitor phones fault.

As if hearing my thoughts, my phone which lay on the table in front of me started buzzing.

I checked the caller id and frowned when I saw who it was.

"Mom?"

"Oh, Kritika." she cried "your father told me to not tell you this. But I have to. I-i.." she let out a little sob "your brother's.." she gulped "Ayaan's missing." she was crying by now "he won't pick up his phone. He won't pick up his phone either, it's switched off. Oh god, I'm so w-worried. He was working late in the night, I'd seen his room light was on when I'd woken up to drink water. It was midnight then. He said he was working on a project with that Karnika or Kanika.. and that.. the deadline was approaching. And when I woke up in t-the morning, he wasn't there." she cried hysterically.

I was too stunned to respond. I looked up at Ayaan with widened eyes to see him examine a slice of orange as if it was the most interesting thing in the world before he aimed it towards his mouth, having it hit him in the nose instead.

I listened on to my rambling mother, still looking at him.

"...switched off. We have contacted everyone, his friends, his colleagues.. Even that Karnika doesn't know where he is. Your dad has gone to call the police. They will conduct a search in.."

I snapped out of it at the mention of police "W-wait. Wait wait no. No mom. Please t-tell dad to not go to the police." I said hurriedly. Oh god, Ayaan you idiot. I felt eyes on me and looked up to see Ayaan eyeing me curiously.