Page 151 of Storm
I leaned in more, whispering,
“Actually you’re right, it’s heavenly.”
She stood still, holding the ice pop to her mouth, stunned. I sucked it again, almost touching her cheek in with my mouth in the process, before melting away with a smirk,
“I never knew you loved it so much that day.”
Her bewildered and red-hot look told me, she knew exactly what I meant.
Hours later, in the afternoon we were all gathered on the beach for a game of volleyball and apparently all of Sani's distance and blush for me, had flown with the wind as she hopped, making funny faces at me, while catcalling, “Shout now! Shout! C'mon, shout now!”
We being in opposing teams in the game, she had hit the the ball with such enthusiasm, that I had just stood there staring in daze, unable to take my eyes off her. And her ball had hit me on the side of my head.
So now, her aforementioned teasing and provocations were on, as she descriptively told Zidaan all about my thrashing of Sahil during the college trip.
Soon the game wrapped up and everyone dispersed off.
I caught her against the net, before she could leave too.
“Aariz...” Sani breathed out nervously.
“Umhmm...I prefer you calling me something else.
Her eyelashes slanted down to her cheeks out of shyness.
“So...You were trying to provoke me. You want me to get mad at you?” I touched her collarbone tracing it all the way to her shoulder. Her skin warmed under my fingers, “Want me to let out the steam, so you could do the same? Hmm?”
Sanu did not meet my eyes, but I could feel her shiver, as she breathlessly answered,
“I hit the ball by mistake. Yes. But I teased you to just make you realize, you weren’t fair that day to Sahil.”
“He had hurt you.” I stated pressing myself on her.
She looked up stunned, finding my face on hers, as she whispered,
“I would have hurt you too by mistake today. You didn’t yell at me.”
“Because I love you...unlike him. There is a world of difference.”
Sani tried hard not to look into my eyes, when I swiped my hand over the slope of her neck saying casually, but with a lot meaning,
“And I would to love to let off the steam with you. We won't need to be mad over something just for that.”
“I didn’t mean...”
I behaved like I did not hear her and went on to trace the length of her collarbone, caressing its dip with my thumb, “I can come close to you nonetheless.” Peering deep into her eyes, I asked as if to confirm, “I can, right? And so can you? Come close...?”
Sani looked at me square in the eye, with confusion and an ocean of emotions swimming i
n them at my words. I took my hands off her, giving her the space to think and decide, but I did not step away.
She went cutely thoughtful, as if going over and over what to respond as she absentmindedly chewed on her lips, giving me bewildered and terrified looks, while trying to make a decision.
I couldn’t hold back having a little fun on her utter serious thinking and pulled on her lower lip with my fingers, getting it rid of her teeth.
Her mouth now turned round due to shock, making me amused. But I did not smile, rather kept on looking at her heatedly as I asked,
“If you chew it all, what would remain for me to have later?”
