"She was the art only his eyes could paint"

Arshita's Pov

On the drive to my house we decided that he would draw a quick sketch of mine and once he'll be done, I'll let him read one of my poems.

I took out some snacks and we walked to our room. Shubman was trailing behind me as we were arguing about chilli dip or cheesy dip (I totally being the chilly one).

As soon as we reached my room I realised I haven't bought anyone on my room since so long and it was really messed cuz I didn't care to clean it. I was scared that Shubman don't find anything embarrassing but what he found was something worse.

He picked up a photo frame form my side bed drawer. Before he could ask something I myself spoke up, "I meant to throw that"

It was me and Siddharth on our freshers when Aditi was continously taking our pictures, and this one was a random one which turned out to be the best.

Shubman kept the frame back turning to me and then pointed at my back asking "And what about that guitar?"

I turned to look back at the guitar which hung at the side of my closet and then turned back to him, "Do you play guitar?" he asked.

I hesitated a bit and replied, "No"

"So you have a guitar in your room because?" he asked.

"It was supposed to be Siddharth's bday gift" I said heaistating a bit looking down at my hands, "And then we broke up"

The memories of that day started coming in front of my eyes, it was Siddharth's bday and he called me to the beach. I went there with the guitar, but he didn't gave me his usual smile, or didn't took me in a hug and just said those words which were our end.

I shook my head erasing all the thoughts and turned to Shubman asking him "So how are we supposed to do this?" I asked and he just asked me for a notepad and a pen and he settled down on the floor.

I was standing in front of him and asked him awkwardly, "Do I have to— pose or something?"

"Nah just make yourself busy, watch a movie or something." he said and took my laptop and sat just in front of him.

I sat just across him and opened my laptop in front of me, I decided to watch so that I can conceive myself from his intent gaze on me.

Curious, I peered over at him to look if he's joking or just going to make something weird but he was looking pretty serious, so I kept looking at him.

I didn't realized that I was continously staring at him when he spoke up without even looking at me, "Bad manners Arora" He said giggling a bit.

"I know I'm really handsome and it's really hard not to stare at me but please can you concentrate on your movie" He said smirking.

"I wasn't —" I was saying when he cut me off, "Pta hai pta hai, now concentrate" he said and again laughed.

Showing him my tongue, I looked back at my laptop's screen. After thirty minutes it was impossible for me to concentrate on the movie (I don't even know what was going on in it) because of his intense gazing.

"Ye aisa look kyu jaise do din se khana na mila ho" he suddenly spoke up.

I turn to glare at him.

"Yeah this one is better than the bhukha version" he said amused.
He stared at me for a second and then smiled widely, "You really have a future in posing, Arshu" he said.

"This isn't very comfortable" I said making weird faces and just wanted to throw my laptop at his face as, he was enjoying my misery but I won't cuz I love my lappy.

"I'm serious" he said chuckling, "Tum sach me psycho killer wale poses de skti ho"

"Agar tum ab shut up nhi huye na toh mai sach me psycho killer bn jaungi" I said gritting my teeth.

"Just relax" he said giggling, "Go back to your happy place, think about barbies and toys"

"Mai koi choti bachi nhi hu, all I could think about right now is killing you" I said huffing.

He suddenly rose up keeping the notepad and pen on the floor. I don't know what he was upto until he came closer to me and I inched a bit back.

"What — what are you" before I could think of what to speak he reached upto touch my face.

I froze.

His one hand rested on my left cheek, as if to hold my face in place and the other went upto move the hair strands on my forehead, them it moved to my lips and he said "Can you smile like a normal girl"

My blood was rushing due to the closeness and his touch was sending shivers and I could feel my face heating up. Before I knew he was leaning away and when I looked up at him, he was smiling.

"Okay that's good" he said anx again sat back on his place and I tried to concentrate on my movie again which I obviously wasn't able to do.

____

I don't know how much time it has been when Shubman finally announced that he was done.

I looked up from my laptop screen as he stood up streching. I looked at him as he stretched his arms upwards and his t-shirt lifted a bit showing a bit of his lower waist and I couldn't help but stare at him.

Shubman was much muscular but he had those perfect abs and nowmal biceps, actually he had a body which I could have considered as se—

I slapped myself mentally for checking him out and for those thoughts. So I looked away immediately.

"Umm I'm not that good.... So don't expect much" he said and sat beside me, our shoulders brushing.

"Either I'm not a good writer" I said awkwardly.

At that moment I wanted to back out cuz I was hell nervous about what would Shubman think after reading my poem, what if he thinks I'm stupid.

"Maybe it was a bad idea" I blurted. "Hum bhul jate hai ki humari koi deal hui thi" I said while giving him a pleading look.

"Nah maine ek ghanta tumhara psycho killer look ke liye waste nhi kiya" He said shaking his head.

I swallowed looking down at my laptop and then finally opened my files and opened my poem and handed him the laptop. In return he handed me the folded paper.

I looked at him while he was reading very intensely and so I averted my gaze back to the paper in my hand and opened it.

I gasped.

Something was different about the way he drew me, the strokes that he made roughly, the way he made my lips up into a small smile, the way he drew my eyes somewhat sparkling.

I looked at the paper not able to look away hiding it delicately as I didn't wanted to ruin it. Tha sketch wasn't perfect but it was better, better than perfect.

"Shub, this is awesome" I said at the same time he said, "Shitt man, this is great"

"You said you weren't good" I squeeled, "This is just.. I mean this the best"

"This is brilliant, like genius" he said pointing at the laptop screen.

"It's not" I said blushing a bit.

"It is" he insisted.

"Can I keep this" I asked looking at the picture in my hand.

"Mai tumhari psycho killer photo rkhke darna nhi chahta, so tum hi rakho" he said giggling. "Btw how did this come to your mind?" he again asked looking at the laptop.

I shook my head willing my blush to disappear, "I don't know.... I just did" I said.

He looked at me for a second and then suddenly his expression changed and turned into a soft one and then he spoke in a gentle voice, "This is about your dad right"

I looked down and nodded a bit. He didn't spoke again but again turned to the laptop and looked at him trying to get a little bit of idea that what's going on in his mind.

Still, I found nothing.

I wasn't surprised because by now I knew that Shubman was an expert in hiding his feelings and right now I wanted to what was bothering him since morning, so I turned to facing him completely.

"Question game?" I said and he suddenly looked up, his face was blank without any emotions, he stared at me for some time and after what felt like forever he sighed and nodded his head.

"It's my turn" he said.

"Then ask me something" I said.

He kept staring in my eyes and I in his, we refused to back out. After a minute he slowly shook his head giving me a sad smile, "Do you wish things had gone differently?" he asked.

"Differently?" I asked.

"IF you were given a chance to turn back time" he asked with an expectant look, "Would you — would you wish ki Siddharth ne tumhe dump na kiya hota? Would you wish ki hum mile hi na hote?"

I stared at him to stunned to say anything, I couldn't be what I heard and I kept staring at him. His face had no emotions, he asli stared at me straight waiting for an answer.

Shriya's heart winning smile crept into my mind, Manjot's silly jokes, Abhay's teasing and brotherly moments, Ayushi's cute little fights, Nagar's frankness and shitty thoughts.

I thought about Shubman and his positiveness, his big goofy smile which he always gave when I was sad, how he ruffled my hair on little things and gave me a teasing smile.

I thought to all this and many more and when I thought what my life would have been without then I was unable to.

When I spoke my voice was murmur, "No" then a bit louder, "I wouldn't" I said.

I was looking down afraid to meet his eyes but when I looked up he gave me his real one, genuine and the best smile and for once I just wanted to have a look at his thoughts in his mind.

"Kbhi kbhi I really wish that time would turn back" I said looking at him, "But me deliberately wanting to go back and change it, no I don't want to" I said and he gave me a small smile.

"Why would you?" he said abd smirked, "Cuz you know I kiss better than him" he said.

I hitted his arm, fighting back a laugh.

"What?" he said laughing,"isn't it true?"

"Shut up" I said, "Is it my turn now?"

"Now before you agree that I'm a good kisser" he said.

I gave him 'are you mad' look.

He laughed.

I inched closer to him and when he saw my serious face his smile faded and I know that somewhere he knew what I was going to ask. I wanted him to tell me what's wrong, I wanted him to open up like I did to him, I wanted to tell him no matter what I was there for him.

With a soft voice I asked "Tell me, what's wrong?"

He sighed looking down at his hands and after some time looked up, he didn't looked the confident Shubman as always but a lost one.

"My dad caller last night" he said.

Shock would be an understatement and I started blabbering, "Shit. Shit. Shub, your dad— what... what did he said?"

"He's coming back to India and he doesn't know that how much mom is angry at him for leaving us being all these years" he said.

"Tumne apni mom se Baat ki?" I asked.

"Hmm aaj subha hi meri unse ladai ho gyi" he said.

I jolted hearing this and I don't what came to me and held his face in my both hands and began turning it side to side and up and down, it was when I realized how weird it was so I snapped my hands back blushing hard.

"I... I thought what if she hitted you or... something." I said and felt embarrassed and so picked up a pillow burying my face in it.

He burst out laughing, it was so real, so him and I peeked from the corner of the pillow at him big smile and dimples.

"Aisa kuch nhi hua" he said trying to control his laugh. "But thank you" he said giving a grin.

"Apni bezzati karwane ke liye na, your very welcome" I said making faces.

He gave a small laugh at Ulooked at him, "Woh abhi bhi gussa hai? I asked him.

" I don't know" he said again looking down, "I just want to tell dad that nothings is good at home but I couldn't and I hate myself for that"

"No doubt Siddharth hate me so much" he let out, "I hate myself too"

"Don't say that" I said abs ge shook his head "But it's true, I want to tell him.... tell him everything and to ask him to come back and make everything right once again but I just couldn't." he said and moved his fingers through his hair in frustration.

I saw him like this, so low, so hopeless and lost and I felt really bad seeing him like this. I reached for his hands and taking them down from his face.

"Look at me" I said but at first he didn't, taking his hands in mine i again said "Shub, look at me"

"It's fine" I said. "You're fine"

He looked up defeated, "But it's so difficult, every time I talk to him, I just couldn't open up and tell him everything and it's suffocating"

"Shub" I said and he looked up to me "You didn't tell him because you knew it will break him and you don't want, you know that telling him means that nothing can be right again" I said.

"But it's not right—" he was saying when I cutted him, "I'm not saying it's right" I said cupping his face and looking him in the eyes, "What I'm saying is that it's normal. It's a part of human nature and you can't yourself for being human, because you are. We make mistakes and we fuck up, and there's no use for you to hate yourself for it cuz there's no helping it" I said and kept my eyes on him for him to understand that I meant each word. "And I can't let you do this to yourself"

I kept my stare at him and he kept on me, his brown eyes kept me unmoving, and we were so close that I could feel his breath on my face.

And he was moving closer.

And the next thing I know he sniffed.

I immediately shifted back leaving his face and gave him a weird look, "Did you just — just sniff me?" I asked.

I was giving him the most weirdest look and he started laughing shaking his head, I knew this was his way to cope up with the things which bothered him, so I let it slip this time.

"Sorry" he said still laughing, "It was so tempting, did I told you that you smell really good, I realized it when we fell asleep on the couch together, I couldn't stop sniffing you" He said and I couldn't help but stare at him blankly until he got up and said "It's getting late, I should get going"

I gave him my hand to help me stand and said "I'll walk you out"

We came outside and he was still laughing. I was a bit relieved to hear his laugh cuz I knew this was a real one.

He walked and turned to me, he wasn't laughing anymore but was smiling, I walked upto him.

"You surprise me Arshita Arora"

I was going give a sarcastic reply but before I could speak he was leaning closer. Me breath hitched as he planted a soft kiss on my right cheek.

"Thank you" His lips still touching my cheeks a bit, "for earlier"

I just stood there numb, my blood rushed all around my body and the sensation of his lips wasn't leaving my cheek. He looked at me ruffled my hair and climbed into his car.

I expected him to immediately drove off but the window slid open and I realised that he was holding out something to me and when I looked at it, I shooked my head saying "I can't accept this"

"Shut up and take it" he said rather warned me, "I know, tumhe ye pasand thi"

I reached out my hands and took it, it was that 'romeo Juliet mix' CD which I was holding through the ride today.

He gave me a big smile and said "I feel a lot better, thanks for you service, my little porn star"

Before I could fight back for that hilarious nick name, he already drove off biding me goodbye.

I was standing there lost in my thoughts, holding the CD close to my heart and how much I tried to forget but I just couldn't forget the feeling of that kiss on my cheek.

____________________________________

Ola guyss!

I'm back with the chapter, so sorry for being late, but I hope this will do and you all will love the chapter. ❤️❤️

So do you all like their increasing closeness and care for each other, if you do then keep reading for more of this. 💖🙈

Vote and comment. 💯