I Was, I Am.

-THE FAREWELL- III-

It was 1:30 am by the time Aakash and I decided to walk back into the party. People already looked drunk and wasted.
Arjun and Aakash exchanged a look after which both began the process of ending the party. People hugged Aakash, some gave him best of luck cards while others got him gifts, and at last, after about another hour; his home was completely empty apart from the four of us.

I touched the gift that I had sneaked in for Aakash that was in my purse instinctively. I really hoped he liked it.

"I think I'll head home." I declared after a while.

"Hey no! Don't go." Aakash cut suddenly.

When I looked at him questioningly he continued, "It's our last night together... like this. Please stay; all of you."

Aakash Malhotra never put forth his feelings. But today, he was being so unlike his own self; with the most romantic talk back in the balcony to openly asking us to stay; it seemed to take all of us by surprise.

We all blinked with confusion, expecting him to burst out laughing any minute. But to our utter surprise, he didn't. He looked at us with complete earnestness.

"But I have office tomorrow." I said to everyone.

"I'll drop you home early morning. Promise." Aakash said to me, revealing just how eager he was.

And I couldn't refuse to him, not when he was letting us all into his emotional and fragile self.

"You guys could borrow my tracks you know?" he offered when Disha and I decided to sleep in our respective clothes.

I didn't have to be told twice, simply needing an opportunity to get out of those jeans that looked so stunning but only felt like a design meant for disrupting the blood flow from your entire lower body.

"Okay."

No matter how huge Aakash's clothes were for me, they were loose and comfortable and I couldn't describe in words just how amazing getting out of the jeans felt.

I pulled my hair into a bun as I looked at myself in the mirror. And then, like a complete creep ran my hand through the soft piece of fabric that was his shirt. It smelled of him. Of vanilla and something else that I could only attribute to Aakash.

When realization dawned on me as to what I was doing, I found myself sigh and plonked myself on his bed.

There was this part of me that was happy. Happy to know that Aakash and I had discussed our feelings openly. That left no room for any doubt.

He and I weren't together. I was free to move on, and so was he.

I groaned; the thought making me feel uneasy in the stomach.
What the hell had I got myself into?

Urgh I shouldn't have kissed him. I shouldn't have come to the party to begin with!

Someone knocked on the door suddenly and I found myself straightening at my spot instantly.

"Come in!"

Aakash walked in with a smile plastered on his face. And as expected, he burst out laughing hysterically clutching his belly while performing the act.

"Is that how hideous I look?"

He walked up to me with a wide smile and pushed a stray chunk of hair out of my face as he explained,
"Cute; was the word I was looking for actually."

I gulped; feeling a familiar warmth spread over me at his gesture.

"Yeah yeah okay whatever."

"You look like a pineapple with the hair!" he commented as I raised my eyebrows at him glancing at the mirror.