Page 73 of Storm
Besides, I did not know how to swim, but he didn’t have to know that.
“No thanks.” I gave him a small smile and pulled Mirelle along, but we had not moved one-step when-
“I said, back it up! Are you deaf? Couldn’t you hear me shouting since then?! Or are you so blind that you can't see the high tides? How much more time do you want to stay in water? Have you guys not had enough yet?!” yelled Aariz, who had come running.
Aariz's gaze zeroed in on me,
“And you! Do you...”
Before he could complete, I interrupted knowing he was about to scold me, of course for no reason like always.
“Sir, please! Before you say something, let me tell you I was not going into water. Mirelle and I were just taking a walk. In fact, we were about to go towards our bags just now.” I said with my nose held high.
I started to walk away passing Aariz, brushing my arm with his on purpose in order to hit him in the process. And felt goose bumps on my skin instead, as it exposed to his.
Clearing his throat, Aariz continued with the yelling as if I had never interfered,
“And you! Do you realize you were just about to risk all of your friends’ necks by dragging them into water?”
I turned around, I saw him bashing Sahil, who had been standing behind me. Meaning, earlier when his gaze had centred in my direction, it had actually been on Sahil behind me. Oops!
Aariz smirked looking at my shocked dumbstruck expression, from the corner of his eyes. I still tried to act cool and move the hell away. But Mirelle stumbled and fell on the sand, ruining my impression of walking with head held high after having foolishly interfered in Aariz's scolding-Sahil session.
Aariz was still looking at me with an amused smile creeping on his lips, as if thinking; she has lost her mind...
Damn you Mirelle!
We then started playing volleyball on the beach. We divided ourselves in two teams. Aariz played a few rounds, and then asked us to continue while he watched as referee.
The game went on. I was too engrossed meeting Aariz’s heated gaze every now and then. Hence, I did not realize when Sahil hit the ball hard at my team. In my attempt to hit it back, I could not keep up and took the fall. The sand did little to cushion my blow, as the hit knocked me on solid earth. It hurt like a bitch, and I could not help hissing in pain.
All for trying to play that fast ball.
The ball had sharply missed my face. Had I not fallen, the ball would have hurt me on the left side, more specifically on my left eye.
I saw Aariz walk towards not me but Sahil with a murderous look on his face,
“Have you completely lost your mind?! This is not a competition where you can try to show off your athletic skills.” His hands went up as if to clutch Sahil’s collar, but he stopped himself and went on frustrated, “Who hits the ball so hard when you have to throw it at such a short distance?! Do you even know how to play this game? You are in the college team. Do you play this way, there as well?” Stepping almost in his face, Aariz went on in a quiet, yet thundering voice,
“Listen to me very carefully. Today you all are my responsibility. Still if you get a high out of killing or hurting yourself then do so. But do it in your own damn house, not here under my watch! Don't practice your stunts on others here. I won't let you! Do you have any idea how badly your ball could have hurt Sani? You could have hit her eye! If something had happened to her, who would have been responsible?! Tell me, you idiot, useless guy!”
Whoa! Aariz was literally stripping Sahil apart by his words.
Yoo-hoo! C'mon my boy...Shout Shout! Punch Punch!
Rose and Mirelle helped me sit up at a distance from the volleyball game. A few minutes later as the game resumed, Aariz came towards me. He knelt down to see if I was injured. I had actually bloodied both my palms.
I will kill you Sahil. Your death will be brutal. I will...uh...well, let it go for now.
Aariz asked them to go and join the game, for which they were quite eager, much to my hurt feelings.
Were they not concerned about me at all?
Aariz opened his backpack and removed the first aid box. He then sat in front of me on the sand in all his angry delicious glory.
Control yourself Sani. He is your Professor!
“Show me your palms...hurt a lot?” Aariz's voice came soft and full of concern as he removed the antiseptic from the first aid.
