We had the day off and we spent it idly, with Andrew and I being lazy around the house. After watching a movie, we sat down for a while to complete a song writing, then we simply looked through our phones or watched YouTube videos or called our homes.

After dinner, I felt musical and desperately wanted to play the piano.

"Now?" Andrew asked, incredulously.

"Yeah!" I grinned.

"It's like eleven, Koko."

"So what!"

Ignoring him, I walked to our balcony, where the digital piano was situated. We had bought it just a few days before leaving for our tour. I sat down in front of it. Now, I wasn't the best pianist out there. That was really Andrew's forte. But I dabbled into different musical instruments from time to time.

"Come on, you'll disturb the neighbours." Andrew tried to reason.

"Yo," I held up my hand at him. "Everyone knows we are singers. Nobody will get disturbed."

"That's really a very insensitive thing to say–"

"Hush!" I stopped him. "Now if you don't wanna listen, you're welcome to go to bed, but if you'll stay here, please shut up and let me do my thing."

"Hmph." Andrew grudgingly decided to stay, and came to a stop in front of the piano, his hands in his pockets.

I cracked a smile. "Now that's like a good friend!"

Something passed over his face, but before I could comprehend the expression, he looked away, his face stoic.

Not giving it another thought, I turned my head towards the piano, and started playing the tune of the first song that popped inside mind. Then I started singing.

Flames so hot that they turn blue
Palms reflecting in your eyes, like an endless summer
That's the way I feel for you
If time stood still I'd take this moment
Make it last forever

I glanced at him to find him already looking at me. I looked away and continued singing, making my voice a little raspy to go with the lyrics.

Baby if you wanna leave
Come to California, be a freak like me, too
Screw your anonymity
Loving me is all you need to feel
Like I do

I looked back at him to find his eyes transfixed on me. His brown eyes seemed to have grown a darker shade. It was kind of unnerving, the way he stared at me. As I sang, I got lost into the words and almost didn't notice when Andrew suddenly came at my side and sat down.

Oh, you're cold as ice, baby
But when you're on ice, baby
It's so amazing in every way

I sang freely, my fingers gliding over the piano keys. All of a sudden, I felt Andrew shift closer. To my surprise, his mere presence made me feel a certain way. But I continued singing, even though I could hear my voice shake a little.

We could slow dance to rock music
Kiss while we do it
Talk till we both turn blue
Baby, if you wanna leave
Come to California, be a freak like me, too

As I sang the last words, I felt Andrew's fingers wound around mine on the keyboard. I turned my head sideways to find him just a hair's length away from me. My heart did a somersault in my chest. I felt funny in my stomach.

"Why'd you stop singing?" He whispered, his warm breath spreading over my lips.

"B-because the song has ended," I whispered back.

"Oh." He gave a small chuckle, but didn't move away. I wasn't laughing. No, not at all.

I stared back at him, my eyes darting between his own. His laughter died a few seconds later. His eyes slowly travelled from mine to my lips. The tension was high, we could cut it with a knife.

He leaned into me, and I suddenly broke away from the trance, flinching away and breaking eye contact. Clearing my throat, I said, "It's better if we went off to sleep, it's late anyway."

Andrew moved away from me immediately, a shocked expression on his face, but he was quick to mask it with stolidness.

"Yeah, that's–that's probably the best idea," he said and quickly got off the bench, walking fast up the stairs to his room, shutting the door. I followed his retreating figure with dumbfounded eyes. I stood up from the bench after a startled moment and made my way to my room.

My mind was spinning. What the hell was about to happen? And yet, I couldn't stop thinking about how his lips felt on mine.

I closed the door and sat down on my bed. I weaved my hands through my hair, ordering them to stop shaking. My heart thumped away painfully in my chest. My mind said to ignore these feelings and remember my rule. But my heart was calling his name. I was in a dilemma.

I kept flashing back to the first time we slept together. Even though I'd never admit it in front of him, he was pretty darn good at it. I willed my mind to stop, but it never listened to me.

I grew restless by the second.

Goddamn it.

I stood up and walked towards my door with a determined pace, but stopped the minute I opened it because just on the other side, Andrew was standing, his hand raised as if he was about to knock.

We stared at each other. The silence grew longer, and Andrew put his hand down.

"I–I was going to kitchen," he began. "You know, midnight cravings." He gave a nervous laugh and stepped back. "Don't know why I stopped in front of your door."

"Is that all?" I asked, my voice uncertain.

"Yep, that's all. Okay, I'll um, I'll go now." He hesitated a little then spun on his heel and started walking away. I looked away, feeling oddly disappointed.

"Actually, no," Andrew suddenly said and turned back at me, his voice strong. I looked at him.

"That is not all," he said, stepping in front of me. "Keighlah . . ."

I looked into his eyes. "What, Andy?"

"I . . . " He faltered. He looked like he wanted to say something, but the words couldn't come out. I stared at him in silence as his eyes travelled all over me face.

Suddenly, his face darkened. "Fuck it," he said.

And then he grabbed my head, pulled it close to his and slammed his lips onto mine.

• • •

Yep, I cringe at my writing too. You're not alone.

Next chapter - next Saturday  at 10pm IST.