One Shots #VariaSquad

Can't Remember to Forget You

'Y-you - I-it could've b-been you.' she says, the tears finally beginning to slow. 

'I - what?' he questions, perplexed. 

'Th-the car. You were going to take that car.' she mutters, the tears starting to speed up again. 

'Oh Alu,' he sighs, a soft smile playing on his lips. 'I'm fine, completely, one hundred percent okay.' 

'B-but you m-might not've been.' she cries. 'You w-were gonna take th-at car. Because we were argu-ing a-and y-you were angry -' 

'Stop right there. None of us knew what would happen okay? And both of us are alright, and Shashank and Raj will be fine too.' he murmurs soothingly. 

'There was so much blood...' 

'I know, but the cuts weren't that deep. The paramedics said it looked much worse than it is. The only thing they're really worried about is the possibility of a concussion.' he informs. At that, she finally calms, relaxing into him for a minute before sitting up ramrod straight. 

'Varun.' she states, not daring to turn and look at him because she's just admitted how much she still cares and she wasn't supposed to do that. 

'Yes?'

'I - shit. I gotta go.' she mutters, looking around, her face growing more panicked as she realises she's in his room. 

'What you need to do is calm down.' he counters, putting a hand on her shoulder. She shrugs it off, shaking her head and trying to get up, only to find her body won't listen. 'Alia, just hold on a second.' She doesn't listen, trying to get up again. This time, her body obeys and she stands. Looking around, she spots her bag and grabs it before freezing, seemingly lost. 'Alu?'

'I-i shouldn't be here. I need to go.' she says, eyes darting towards the door for a moment before going back to him. She reminds him of a scared rabbit but the look isn't cute, it's heartbreaking. 

'Alia,' he says softly, getting up from the bed and approaching her. She looks at him, eyes wide. Gently, he takes the bag from her and sets it back down, taking both of her hands in his. 'You don't need to go, okay.' 

'B-but-'

'But nothing baby girl.' he cuts her off, the old pet name slipping out of it's own accord. 'It wouldn't be a crime for you to stay.' 

'I - my charger a-and pjs and everything-'

'Now you're just making excuses and you know it.' he snaps, immediately feeling horrible for it. 'I'm sorry. If you wanna go, I'm no-one to stop you.' he mumbles, letting go of her hands. She picks her bag back up as soon as her hands are free and he turns his back to her with a sigh, unable to watch her walk away from him again. He hears footsteps and the door opening and closing and throws himself onto the bed, burying his face in the pillow and letting out a frustrated groan. 

***

He lays like that for close to four hours before a knock on the door brings him out of his stupor. Telling himself it's probably just Sahil or Gaurav coming to ask about the accident, he gets up to answer, stopping short when he sees the girl on the other side. 

She is shuffling nervously from foot to foot, looking at the floor. He takes a moment to observe her before speaking, noting the anxiousness and the uncharacteristic self-consciousness. He takes a breath, about to speak, when he notices that he recognises the worn hoodie she has on. The colour is now a faded version of the bright blue it had once been and the logo has disappeared in some places but he would recognise it anywhere - even if it no longer bears the name of his university but the scattered letters that suggested what the words might once have been: Not  ngh    r n   nive  it . 'Why'd'you still have that thing?' he blurts out instead of asking why she is there like he had intended.