Dare Trilogy | Book 3 Editing | ✓

1.13 | Few Words + Evening Activities

At the same time, I fished my phone out of my pocket and quickly sent her a message saying I didn't feel well so I took the campus shuttle back to our apartments. "Never mind," She answered. "She just messaged me. Alright, bye. See you tonight for dinner?"

"We'll see." He answered.

She reprimanded, "You and your dates."

He shut the door on her face, "Good bye, Kripa."

"Rude!" She exclaimed but I heard her walking away.

It was silent for few seconds before he picked up his shirt from the floor and dressed again. "What happened?"

I took a few steps away from the door, "You have flat mates?"

He took my question and visibly stiffened. "Did they... try anything?"

I quickly denied, "No. No, I don't think they saw me. I just heard them and... I got scared."

I was grateful when he didn't comment much on it and instead asked, "Do you want me to take you back? I'm guessing Kripa has already left."

"I'd rather not if they are still out there."

"They live here, sweet pea. They are going to be out there for a long time." He was trying to convince me in a gentle voice but I refused to budge. One of the voices I heard had very much unsettled me. He seemed to get that message. "Alright then, feel free to sit anywhere. I've got an assignment to complete that's due tomorrow."

Because I wanted to distract myself, I commented. "Let me guess. You haven't started it yet."

"I have," He said otherwise.

Somehow, I didn't believe him. I got my confirmation when he opened a blank new Microsoft word document on his laptop. I teased, "You were saying?"

He rolled his eyes and typed his name on top. "Oh, hush. As if you have never done it before."

I found it in me to smile. "Touché." I sat on the bed since that was the only space in the room where I could sit - not counting the floor. He was already sitting at the table and chair.

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| . . . C H A P T E R . . . 1. 1 3 . 2 : E V E N I N G - A C T I V I T I E S . . . |

I let him work in peace but I do not know how to keep myself occupied. I have my phone on me but I do not particularly have anyone I can message. Armaan and Angad must both be sleeping given it'd be the middle of the night in India. Riddhima was in class so she wouldn't answer even if I texted her.

He spoke up after some time, "Sweet pea, please, stop sighing. It's a bit annoying."

Until he pointed it out, I hadn't realized I had indeed been doing that. "Sorry, it's just... I have nothing to do."

He stopped typing, opened a drawer, and pulled out a sort of sketchbook. "Remember how I said I won't ask you to tell me stuff?"

I nodded while getting apprehensive that he was about to go back on his word and make me talk.

"Well, I won't." At his confirmation, I released a relieved breath - until he added. "But, I want you to write down atleast one good thing that happens every day that didn't remind you of him."

"No." I refused right away. Just that voice minutes ago had done exactly that.

He still forwarded the sketchbook towards me, "And, write down exactly what scares you, rate that fear of where you are right now, where you want to be, and write down a tangible way to move to the next number. As in, what would have to happen for you to say you are a number higher than you were before."