Aryan

I stretch, feeling the remnants of a deep, restful sleep as sunlight filters through the curtains. I rub my eyes and slowly sit up, taking a moment to orient myself. "That is the best sleep I have had in years." I yawned. The villa is quiet, except for the faint sound of birds outside and the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze.

I get up, running a hand through my tousled hair, and wander to the living area. I glanced out the glass doors leading to the private pool and froze. There, in the morning light, is Mia, chilling in the pool, completely absorbed in her book. The sunlight casts a warm glow on her, making her golden brown skin appear luminous especially on her cleavage, the low cut of her swimsuit showed off most parts of her chest. Her luscious curly hair was tied up in a messy bun and her sunglasses sat on top of her head, and the serene expression on her face is one I have rarely seen. She looks peaceful, almost ethereal. My heart skips a beat at the sight of her.

I felt a wave of new emotions I have never experienced in my life before and I didnt want those feelings to stop at all. I stood there for a moment, just basking in her beauty. The way she's so relaxed, so different from the sharp, sarcastic version of herself she often shows at work or with anyone, fascinates me. I've seen glimpses of this side of her before, but never so completely. I walked quietly to the glass doors, careful not to disturb her. The villa opens out onto a beautiful patio area, and the pool sparkles invitingly in the morning sun. I slid the door open just enough to step outside, the cool morning air hitting my skin.

Mia instantly looks up at me with her pretty dark brown eyes and she gives me a gentle smile which causes my heart to do a 180 flip. Wow, what has this girl done to me?

"Good morning fiore." My voice was hoarse and dry. I needed some water.

"Look who finally decided to join the land of the living." She teased me.

"It was a good sleep. The best one I had in a long time." I grinned at her.

"I'm glad you woke up because I was this close to throwing a bucket of water on you." She pinched her fingers in front of her face and I pouted at her.

"You are very mean, fiore. Has anyone ever told you that before?" I removed my t-shirt and I noticed Mia's eyes roamed all over my tone tanned body. She looked flushed and I held my laughter in. I entered the pool and walked towards her.

"What's on the itinerary today fiore?" I splashed some water on myself. The warm water helped me to relax further.

"We are going to visit the Big Buddha in Phuket today and then have lunch later at one of the local restaurants." She removed her glasses from her head and placed them on her nose. She sighed and dipped herself further into the pool.

There's a comfortable silence between us for a moment, the only sounds are the gentle splash of water and the distant call of birds. I watch as Mia's eyes drift back to her book, but I can't help but keep looking at her.

"It's very rude to stare, Doctor." She flipped the page without even looking at me. Shit was I that obvious?.

"I wasn't staring at you. I was looking at that....thing over there." Mia looked up at me pointing towards something in the distance and she couldn't see anything.

"Anyways I am going to take a shower and get ready. We have to leave soon. She got up from the pool and I saw her full frame. She was wearing a blue one piece swimsuit that showed off most of skin and the material hugged her tiny frame perfectly. The water dripped from her chest to her stomach and legs and my mind started drifting to a very dark place. I wanted to lick the water droplets off her body slowly while I wrapped her tan legs around my waist. I craved to hear her moan out my name. "Stop it Aryan." I scolded myself and Mia heard me. She turned around and stared at me all confused.

"Did you say something?"

"Nope, carry on. I will be waiting for you right here." I nervously smiled at her.

"Okay." She walked back inside and I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding in the first place. Damn this girl. I agree I was physically attracted to her but that was it and nothing more. Right?

A sleek black car winds its way up the hill toward the Big Buddha, the massive statue gradually coming into view against the bright blue sky. The driver navigates the twists and turns effortlessly, and we both sit in the back, taking in the scenery. The car pulls up to the entrance, and the driver steps out to open the door for us. We both step out, immediately feeling the warmth of the sun and the slight breeze. The Big Buddha stands impressively before us, its serene face gazing over Phuket.

"Enjoy your visit." The driver said and drove off shortly after.

Mia and I start walking toward the statue, joining the crowd of tourists and locals. The area is bustling with activity: families taking photos, monks offering blessings, and vendors selling incense and souvenirs.

"This is so beautiful." Mia admired the scenery before her and I was just looking at her. She wore a white sundress with some pink flowers on it. She let her curly hair loose and the gentle breeze blew on her hair. She was stunning. "It sure is fiore."

We walk past various stalls, and the scent of incense wafts through the air, mingling with the aroma of street food.

"Want to get some incense sticks? We could make a wish." I said when I spotted a small stand at the side.

"Yeah sure a wish sounds good."

I buy a few incense sticks and follow the path leading to the base of the statue. People around us are lighting their incense, bowing, and placing the sticks in holders. Mia and I do the same, taking a moment to close our eyes and make silent wishes. I know what I was wishing for and I wondered what she was wishing for as well.

"What did you wish for Aryan?" She asked me curiously.

"For you to get better." I answered her genuinely and she was too stunned to speak up. There was a mixture of pain and happiness latched onto her beautiful face.

"Aryan...I am fine and I will get better. Thank you for your wish." She blushed. I really did want her to get better. I had everything I could ever hope for in my life. A great job that I loved, good pay, an amazing best friend like Rahul. The only thing I didn't have was someone to love but that's okay. I wasn't too bummed about that. I cared more about her health as a doctor and her new best friend and it would kill me if I allowed anything to happen to her.

"What did you wish for fiore." I brushed the hair out of her face.

" I wished that you would find love." Now I was too stunned to speak. Did she actually wish that?

"Why?" I asked her all confused.

"So that you would leave me and stop nagging me." There we go. That's the Mia I know. She was always trying to get rid of me. I gave her a hearty laugh when she said that.

"I am never going to leave you my fiore. I am always going to be here." I tapped on her nose and her face scrunched up.

"Now, let's take some pictures and go and get some good lunch after that. I am starving." I rubbed on my belly and pulled her closer to me by her shoulders and she grumbled. God I love working her up.

We continue with our walk, climbing the steps to the platform that encircles the Big Buddha. The view from the top is stunning, with the island of Phuket spread out below us and the ocean shimmering in the distance.

"Stunning." Mia says and pulls out her phone to take some pics and I couldn't help photobomb some of them.

"Aryan really?" She glanced up from her phone screen.

"Come on, let's take a selfie." I took out my phone and stood next to her."

"Say Aryan is the best." I took so many pictures of us and my favourite one was the one where both of us were smiling at each other. Lovely. I don't know but I felt a sense of comfort knowing that I could make her smile because she is a tough one to crack.

After the sight seeing journey ended, we headed to one of the local restaurants located near the beach to have our lunch. We are seated at a cosy table under a large umbrella at a beachfront restaurant. The sound of waves gently crashing on the shore adds to the tranquil atmosphere. The restaurant is bustling with patrons, a mix of locals and tourists, all enjoying the beautiful day and delicious food. A friendly waiter approached our table, holding a menu in one hand and a notepad in the other.

"Good afternoon. Can I get you started with something to drink?"

"Two coconut water please." Mia told him.

"Okay"

The waiter nods and leaves to fetch our drinks. We both glance around, taking in the vibrant surroundings. Nearby, a group of friends are laughing and toasting, a couple is sharing a quiet conversation, and children are building sandcastles on the beach.

"Thailand is so beautiful. Thank you for forcing me to go on a trip with you Doctor." Mia gave me her beautiful smile and I just sighed deep down.

"Your welcome fiore. I always suggest incredible ideas." I praised myself and her face scrunched up again and she rolled her eyes at me.

5 minutes later the young waiter came back with two fresh coconuts, each with a straw and a little umbrella. He sets them down with a flourish.

"Here you go. Ready to order?"

"Yes I will have the Thai green curry with the chicken and she will have the pad thai." I ordered for both of us and he wrote it down on his notepad and then left.

"I can't wait for our trip to Phi Phi island tomorrow." I took a sip of my coconut drink and glanced at her.

"Yeah and I want to take so many pictures. My instagram feed looks so dry. I need to post some pics."

"You can post the ones we took just now." I suggested.

"I will and also I want to make a reel you know. Thailand adventures." She brushed her hair out of her face.

"Thailand adventures with Aryan. You should post a pic of me shirtless. You will definitely get more likes." I teased her.

"I'd rather eat sand than to post a pic of you shirtless." She was so annoyed at me but she looked so cute at the same time.

"I don't look that bad fiore." I pouted at her.

"If you want to get laid that badly, there are a lot of strip clubs here. I'm sure there are plenty of women who can cater to your needs."

"Why would I need some stripper to cater to my needs when I have Kayla who would easily do anything I want."

"Excuse me?" Mia was fuming like a dragon when I said that and I almost felt bad.

"I was just kidding. I don't need anyone to do anything for me. I'm good." I raised my hands up and I noticed Mia still looked a little pissed at me.

"Fiore, I was just joking cheer up." I tilted her chin up and she swatted my hands away. Okay now I got to pacify her or she will be mad at me for the whole day.

The waiter soon returns with their food, placing the beautifully arranged dishes in front of us. The aroma is mouthwatering. Mia seemed calmer after the food arrived and I was glad. However, for the rest of the day she was quiet and didn't say much to me. I even bought her a beautiful scarf and she was still annoyed at me. Why was she so mad at the Kayla statement? Was she really that jealous of me liking other girls? No that can't be it. Mia hates me if anything. She would probably feed me to a tank full of sharks than to like me. I sulked a bit when I realised she might never be attracted to me in any way. I will always be that annoying nagging Doctor that invaded her perfect little life.

We made it back to the hotel around 8p.m and I noticed Mia was still grumpy. I couldn't stand it. I had to cheer her up. I don't like seeing her upset for whatsoever reason.

"Let's head to the bar." I dragged her with me.

"Aryan but I am tired." She whined.

"Fiore, we are on a holiday, we have to make the most of it. Trust me this will be fun." I lead her towards the hotel's bar, which is lively and filled with the sound of upbeat music and chatter. The place is packed with people dancing, laughing, and enjoying their night.

"Aryan, I don't know about this. I'm really not in the mood." Mia looked sceptical

"Come on, I promise you won't regret it." I pulled her closer to me and she gasped a little.

I gently guided her towards the dance floor, navigating through the crowd. The music is infectious, and the energy in the room is electric. Mia started to feel a bit of her earlier fatigue slipping away.

"Just one dance. If you hate it, I'll let you go back to the room." I tried convincing her. And she caved.

"That's the spirit fiore."

I started moving to the beat and Mia joined me shortly after. She looked so much happier and I was just glad that she forgot about her earlier anger towards me. I took her hands, twirling her around playfully and she giggled at me. It warmed my heart to see her let loose like that. She truly deserved this holiday more than anyone.

I twirled her again and this time I pulled her closer to me when she spins back to me. Her back to my front and I can feel the full warmth of her body. I wrapped my hands around her stomach and inhaled her scent. She was intoxicating. She looked back up at me with a soft gaze, her eyes held many emotions and unspoken words. I moved my lips down to her ears " I am so glad we did this." I whispered into her ears. I was just inches away from her lips. I really wanted to kiss her so I dipped my head and was about to kiss her soft lips when I heard a loud voice.

"Whatsupp sunset girl." I looked up at the damn intruder. He was a tall guy with medium tan skin and a wide grin plastered on his face. I never wanted to punch someone as badly as I wanted to punch him at that moment. Who the fuck was this guy?

"Hey Alex right?" Mia removed my hand from her stomach and walked towards him.

"Yeah. Seems like you are having a good time." He smiled further at her and I just stared at him.

"I am. Are you also here to dance?" She questioned him.

"Nah just came here to look for my friend." He looked around the bar and his eyes landed on some black haired girl who was talking animatedly with the bartender.

"I see. Well you go have fun with your friend oh and this is my friend the one I was telling about the other day. Aryan, this is Alex." Alex extended his hand. I shook it hard and I noticed he winced a little.

"Strong grip you got there." He smiled in pain.

"Thanks." I took it as a compliment. I hated that guy for interrupting us. I have never behaved this way with anyone before. But seeing Mia laughing and talking with him with much ease brought a disgusting behaviour out of me. I felt jealous. She is never that nice to me but she instantly warmed up to strangers. Now I was in a terrible mood. We walked back silently to our room shortly after our dance was interrupted by Alex.

I lay down on the bed and draped my arms over my eyes. The earlier scenario was still bloody replaying in my head.

"You alright?" Mia jumped next to me.

"No."

"Why?"

"I dont know."

"Hmm.... okay." She lied down next to me.

"It's just that how come you are so nice to a stranger but you are so rude and mean to me... since the beginning?" I argued with her. I was upset about the whole situation. It's just not fair. I have been nothing but kind to her and she is taking so long to warm up to me but a stranger doesn't even have to try hard to get her to smile.

"Simple, it's because of how things unfolded between us. I didn't have time to properly process anything. If we meet under different circumstances, maybe I would have liked you better." She shrugged and continued using her phone.

"Okay but you like me now. So will you start acting nicer to me?"

She tossed her phone to the side and brushed her nose on mine and smirked "Never, I like being mean to you Doctor Aryan." She whispered. The proximity between us made my head spin, she was so damn close to me. I wrapped my hand around the back of her head and pushed her face closer to mine. " Don't tease me like this fiore." My lips brushed on hers.

"Teasing you is my full time job." She pulled away from my grasp and lied back down next to me and continued using her phone unbothered. While I sat next to her all hot, bothered and annoyed. I need to cool myself and a long shower would definitely help. I mumbled and left her all alone and I heard her chuckling in the background. I will get you back for this fiore.