Dare Trilogy | Book 3 Editing | ✓

1.21 + 1.21.5 | False Messages + Back In Time

As I turned to leave, I heard him sigh. Yeah, well, he should have expected resistance. With my back still facing him, I momentarily paused to instruct. "And stop texting me."

I took a step away when he answered, "No."

I gaped. Did he just...? I turned to him, hands on my hips. "What'd you just say?"

Crossing his arms over his chest, he walked slowly towards me, "You're welcome to not respond but I am going to keep texting you and reminding you to eat." He stopped a foot away, "Someone's got to take care of you, don't you think?"

I glared into his eyes, "'Take care'? I'm not your responsibility. I can take care of myself just fine."

He challenged, "That's why you ended up in a hospital bed?"

I fisted my palm and unclenched it, choosing to release some of my anger with it. "Okay, you know what? Suit yourself. Text me one more time and I'll just block you."

He dared to smirk, "You wouldn't resort to such pettiness."

Okay, he had me there. "Then I'll just change my number."

Amusement only continued to rise with my answers, "All that for me? I feel important."

I smirked back confusing him, "You're right. I can't be sending false messages. I'll just ignore you like you previously suggested."

He looked stumped as I turned on my heel, having the last word, and retreating to the solace of my room.

. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .

-Two Weeks Later-

A hand snapped in front of me, forcing me to blink away from where I had been staring for the last couple of minutes. My eyes flickered towards Aaron in annoyance, "What?"

He held an amused smile, "I should be asking you that. You're staring."

I scoffed, "I was not staring. My eyes just chose that spot to stop and think back to all the reasons why I hate him."

Aaron followed my previous line of 'staring' towards Arnav and then back at me. He was with a girl I didn't recognize. This was probably the fifth time I had seen him on campus this week - since our last conversation on Monday.

Throughout the week, he'd message atleast three times a day: breakfast, lunch, dinner. I ignored the messages, as I told him. But, I would be lying if I said I remembered to eat all on my own. Sometimes, right after his messages, I would remember what time it was and wherever I was, whatever I was doing, I would pause to eat.

I really did not want to scare everyone again with anything happening to my health and fainting again.

But, I would never admit that to Arnav.

Aaron questioned, "Honestly, what did he do to go from best friend to worst enemy? You can't still be stuck on those rumors surely?"

That felt like ages ago. Since then, I had so many other reasons to hate him.

"Don't be ridiculous. He was not my best friend and he is not my worst enemy either. My best friend is Riddhima and my worst enemy is V..." I trailed off suddenly realizing where my line of thought was going. I had gotten so comfortable around Aaron that I never stopped to think of my words before they'd blubber out of my mouth.

Aaron insisted for me to continue, "Who?"

I shook my head, "No one. Forget it."

He returned to Arnav, "So, what did he do? Kripa doesn't seem to want to talk about him either."