Storm

by Saniya. S. Kohari

  My breath stuck in my throat,

  ‘Did you actually have to say that?’

  ‘It’s the truth Sweetheart.’

  ‘Can you not say that word?’ I closed my eyes tightly.

  ‘You don't want me to?’ Aariz sounded confused.

  ‘I want to.’ I answered rather too quickly before adding honestly,

  ‘But I just...feel shy.’

  ‘That makes me wanna do more such things, if only to have you squirming and blushing just for me.’ Aariz sounded very intense for my dear heart’s beating.

  And I hadn’t realized this was just the beginning. My heart was to suffer almost half the night long with this passionately naughty conversation and Aariz's intense words breathing in my ear.

  27- Cheers to tears

  Sani

  While getting ready for college, I took a little extra care in my appearance. Trying on several tops and jeans, that would make me look subtle and not like, ‘I have spent an hour getting dressed.’

  Finally deciding on a sky blue top, and cream jeans, I completed my look with a nude gloss and mascara on my lashes. I thought, on the outside I looked calm and confident. Like, yesterday's confession was no big deal. I do it all the time. I had no awkward feelings about, facing him today as his ‘girlfriend’. While on the inside, I was a tethering mess, with butterflies and sparrows having taken permanent residence in my stomach!

  I was constantly getting wierd thoughts about how my life would be now, that I was in love with someone and that too with my Professor! How am I supposed to behave with him? What does all the idiots in love do?!

  So many questions in my mind but I couldn’t find answer for any.

  Soon I reached college. Aariz was supposed to take our first lecture, so I was desperately waiting to see him.

  It’s better to see how he reacts and behaves with me. Then I can just copy his behaviour. Yay! I know I'm brilliant.

  After what felt like forever but was, just a few minutes later, Aariz entered our classroom. I was as usual sitting on the first desk centre row, right in front of him. Still, he barely even glanced at me.

  He began his lecture, discussing the topic by speaking to any and every foolish batch mate of mine, which included girls as well by the way! But he did not speak to me. Not even a smile in my direction. Nothing!

  I was not just disheartened. In fact, more than that, I was boiling in anger...Anger over myself for getting into this risky forbidden relationship! How could I had been so stupid to get into it?!

  I consoled myself thinking; maybe he is behaving like this so that no one gets suspicious of us.

  After all, I couldn’t be so drastically wrong about a guy!

  Aariz's lecture ended and still he behaved the same way, ignoring me completely when I tried catching his eyes outside in the corridor. Frankly, I found this excuse stupid. He should have spoken to me like always and none would have been wiser. Why would anyone get suspicious if he spoke normally to me? In fact, everyone would find his behaviour wierd now. He was so stupid! Who made him Professor?!

  Wait a minute! Am I making a wrong excuse for him? Is it that what happened yesterday was a freaking joke for him?! Is he regretting this relationship and that’s why he avoided me?

  No, I refuse to cry on my own mistake of falling in this mess. No one can play with my feelings this way. None.

  I needed to know if he was regretting everything that happened. Hence, I swiftly made my way towards his office.

  I entered without knocking. He was all but crumbling my heart after taking residence in it without knocking, so why should I bother with his pathetic wooden door before barging in?!

  Aariz looked up at me once and then again immersed himself in his work, murmuring,

  “What is it Sani?”

  Sani, is it? Last night it was Sanu and if I had heard correctly, sweetheart!

  I stood silent.

  He spoke again while focusing on his laptop,

  “You can sit and tell me what you want.”

  Why should I do what he asks?

  Instead of sitting, I stood closer in front of him. And when Aariz finally looked up he was stunned to be facing my belly. His lips grazed my stomach over the thin top.

  My breath went haywire.

  Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea of a tantrum to stand in his face. Quite literally!

  Somehow controlling my racing heart, I tried to appear strong, coming straight to the point,

  “Are you playing with my feelings? Did you even mean what you said yesterday?”

  “Of course Sani, I meant every word. How can you doubt that?! Do you even realize the kind of risk I'm taking here, being your Professor as well as Zidaan's friend, who is also your friend?” Aariz spoke earnestly.

  Pushing aside his laptop he went on with a stern gaze,

  “Why do you think I took this risk with my career and friendship? Because I like you Sani!” He looked slightly angry on being accused, but his eyes remained honest.

  “I'm sorry.” I whispered feeling like shit.

  Of course, I lost my entire badass attitude I had come with, after he proved me wrong.

  “I understand this is new and you must be scared. It’s okay.” Aariz said softly, and then again concentrating on his laptop, he went on, “Anyway, is there anything else you needed?”

  You have to be kidding me! Again the freaking laptop?!

  “No, I don't need anything from you!” I emphasized on ‘you’ irritated with his zero attention.

  One minute he says he is so serious about us, while in the next breath he behaves like a stranger!

  “Then why are you here?” Aariz asked, still not sparing me a glance.

  “Fine! I will go. You don't know anything!” stomping my foot I turned towards the door, and Aariz's amused voice came from behind me asking,

  “What is it that I don't know sweetheart?”

  I turned around to see that he had closed his laptop and his sole focus was on me.

  But I had already lost my temper and mood, to dissolve in his charm.

  “Now that also I should tell you, that you must acknowledge my presence or at least say something romantic?! You behave as if we are not in a relationship, as if we are strangers!” I blasted him off angrily and used hand gestures for added effect,

  “I came here by myself to meet you.” I huffed, “Which you should have done by the way. But you know nothing!”

  Aariz looked at me as if trying to control his laughter at my outburst.

  I glared at him hard. It made his lips stop twitching.

  “You’re right. I really don't know anything. Can you please teach me?” Aariz gave me an innocent smile.

  “Are you trying to make fun of me now?” I stared at him haughtily.

  Gulping down my feelings, I went on,

  “Since morning you are behaving as if yesterday nothing happened.” I stared at him angrily, “Were you even serious last night?”

  Aariz got up from his chair and strode towards me.

  Taking both my hands in his, he spoke sardonically,

  “What am I supposed to do? This is my first serious relationship. Hence, I’d need you to teach me here. Because I lose my mind when you are around...”

  I almost melted. Almost. But his trying to appear romantic, ‘I’m so cute and totally besotted with you’ kind of look failed miserably due to the smirk he couldn’t wipe off fast enough.

  I gasped audibly at his playfulness.

  “I. Am. Leaving.” I enunciated each word with gritted teeth, having seen his wicked smile that followed the smirk, which he wiped the next moment.

  I had seen it anyway. Hence, I knew he was trying to wind me up.

  I started to move towards the door, but Aariz again caught my hand.

  Coming closer, his lips grazed my forearm making me shiver deliciously as he murmured,

  “Oho someone's angry! I did smile at you in class Sanu. Don't say I ignored you. Now if I don't know what e
lse should be done then what’s my fault? Please teach me before my next girlfriend leaves.”

  I turned around sharply, at those words.

  “I mean, I should have some practice for my next girlfriend, right?” Aariz tried to appear curious while hiding his smile in answer to my raised eyebrows and scowling face.

  He continued,

  “Alright, now tell me how am I supposed to behave in college. Should I be kissing you?” Aariz moved closer, now just a breath away from my lips, grazing its petals with his. I clasped his shoulders on reflex as my legs gave away.

  “Winking at you? Trying to touch your hands every chance I get in class?” Aariz's tone turned huskier as he caressed both my arms at once making goose bumps appear.

  Winking at me though humourlessly, he went on with the deep intense look in his stormy grey eyes,

  “Or should I be staring at you or hug you or make you sit closer?” Aariz breathed inches away from my mouth and clasped my wrist rubbing circles on it as he slowly pulled me to the two-seater couch in the corner.

  Gently gathering me in his arms, he sat on the couch, with me on his lap,

  “Should I tightly hold your hands like this, or gentle? Should I kiss these killing lips?” Bringing my wrist up to his face, he spoke on it, thus kissing it passionately with a bite, while keeping his eyes on my lips and sending a message clear enough to make me shiver in the intensity of his look.

  “And what about late night phone calls? When does that start?” Aariz whispered, pulling me closer in embrace, as he lost his face in the crook of my neck, playing with my hair strands, reminding me of our phone conversation last night.

  “I need to learn and practice so much for my next girlfriend, right? I know nothing.” His sexy smirk brought me out of haze and reminded me why I was pissed at him.

  “You are teasing me or insulting?!”

  Future girlfriends my ass!

  I stared at him square in the eye, shrugging his hands off me,

  “I'm leaving. I'm sorry I came here. Bye.” I tried to keep my voice firm, but the stupid feelings betrayed me, making me chocked.

  I needed to get away fast as tears were threatening to fall from my eyes. I couldn’t let him think he had any kind of effect on me. Not even in hurting me.

  Before I could get off his lap, from the cage of his arms, Aariz clasped me by the elbow and pulled me to his chest with a jerk.

  As I yanked his hand off, he caught me in a steel grip around my waist, and I tried not getting all fluttery in his closeness and passionate move.

  “If I do start behaving with you in the campus like you are my girlfriend, you would be swaying dizzy in college every day, by just my one hard long kiss..." Aariz brushed his lips on mine biting slightly, and making me groan, "You would be sighing, and squirming in my arms only at my touch..." He added, moving his hand over my side, feeling my curves. His fingers on my waist made my top ride up, and he caressed my skin, igniting it in desire as he pinched it, making me gasp. Leaning in, Aariz nipped my throat, tugging it in his mouth, "Your flesh would be marked by my teeth all the freaking time for all your friends to see." Tracing circles over my shirt covered breast and rubbing his fingertips at my aroused buds, he smirked, "And your skin will be glowing from our proximity...all the time."

  I came undone...all air left my lungs and I realized what they mean by swooning in those romantic novels. I actually went loose. Had Aariz not been holding me, I would have fallen.

  How dare he scold me and even look hot doing it?! Hmph!

  His grip around me was too tight, for me to get out, so I crossed my arms with chin uplifted. Pout on. While sitting on his lap. I know...Not my best haughty moment. But I made do.

  “Okay, fine. You made your point. It’s my fault, I went possessive and missed you all morning. I get it. I will stay in my limits. I’ll behave with you like any student should with a Professor.” I turned my face away, trying to bring out wobbly voice, “Go on, and talk about future girlfriends, as if already losing interest in this one. Be your uptight self. Don't worry about my feelings at all.” I sighed, feigning hurt and wiping away an invisible tear from my cheek.

  Tears always work. They have to! It’s like an unwritten rule.

  “I'm sorry baby. But you have to understand, I’m just trying to practice some serious control here. Because I know, I will have to keep my hands off my girlfriend, every time in college, when all I would wish is to kiss her rotten, to lose myself in her soft hair, in her warmth and to fucking touch her all the time!” Aariz groaned kissing my neck passionately as he bent his head on my shoulder. “I’m trying. Please try to understand Sanu. I’m not being uptight. I don’t give a crap about rules or my job. But I do care about your reputation in college.” Straightening up, Aariz cupped my cheek, “One rumour, and these students and authority would be merciless towards you. I don’t want you leaving the college and settling down to anything lesser. I want you to graduate and top this year. Trust me; the day you graduate, I won’t let you out of my arms, even if you want to.” Nuzzling my cheek, he went on gently, “Don’t cry from now on. I hadn’t meant to hurt you. I know you miss me, but I miss you more. I can never lose interest in this relationship. I want no one else in future. In fact, I don’t want a future which doesn’t have you baby. Please forgive me?”

  As I said, tears work. Cheers to tears!

  Seeing Aariz so seriously worried, I couldn’t control myself anymore and laughed hard.

  “You re...really...tthought I'm...am serious? hahaha!”

  Aariz did not even break a smile. Still with his hand on my neck, he brought my face closer to his, actually pulled me, crashing our chests. My breathing hitched by this closeness and laughter died down completely.

  Aariz rested his forehead on mine and my eyes closed on their own accord as his warm breath fanned my face.

  “You find this funny? You will get serious this evening when we meet.” His voice not more than a whisper, still shook me in all the right places.

  I opened my mouth but no words came out.

  He nodded, his mouth touching mine in the process,

  “We are going to meet outside today, and I'm not joking. When we go out of this college, you will see what I do to wipe that grin off your luscious lips.” With that, he ever so slightly leaned in, as if to make me believe it is nothing, while he really did give a hard bite on both my lips together. And my eyes widened with desire, a current too heated to voice out.

  “That’d be fun, right?” Aariz asked in a deep voice, raising his eyebrows in question, as if he did not just electrified me with his freaking mouth!

  I tried hard to find my voice.

  “Ya...yes...I mean, I can't come...I mean...I...um...” I stuttered, forgetting everything.

  Aariz took pity and leaned back, taking his hands off me. Creating some distance. It made me loose balance and I stumbled backward, holding his shirt to catch myself.

  Crossing both arms over his chest and cocking his face to the side, he copied my previous stance, staring at me with mirth dancing in his eyes. He made no effort to hide his smile, showing me he had failed me in my own game!

  I had no guts to say anything more. After having stammered in front of him like a lovesick girl, I had already showed him how much he affected me, just by a good bite, which had me hot all over.

  Still, I could at least look badass, although blushing, as I walk away with my head held high.

  So I gave him, or at least tried giving him a 'I'm leaving you this time' kind of look, while puffing my cheeks in anger and ran with whatever dignity I had left, before he could stop me again.

  Worst part— I heard his loud full-bellied laughter from behind, as I rushed outside in the corridor.

  Arrggg!

  28- Insecurity

  Sani

  I went to the food court and met my friends. I was breathless after the encounter with Aariz in his office.

  Besides, the heart-skipping fact of Aariz's teeth nibbling
my lip, I was still in deep thought about his words that he wants to meet me some place outside the campus. How and where could we meet without encountering just about anyone we know, I couldn’t even begin to understand. This relationship was so not going to be easy.

  I came out of my zone, by a hand waving in front of my face and a voice that belonged to Mirelle saying,

  “Earth to Sani! We are about to start a very important discussion. Please focus.”

  “Wh... What important discussion?” I asked shakily.

  “Prof Aariz. What else do I find important these days?! He is the hot topic. So, of course he is the point of discussion.” Rose rolled her eyes at me.

  “Yeah, of course.” I nodded still too engrossed in my thoughts.

  Again, ‘Aariz.’ How I wish, I was anywhere else doing anything else right now but this.

  “One thing about him is undeniably firm. The guy has a built of a soccer player!” Rose sighed as if in another world.

  “Yup, totally! But he is not a sports man. I'm sure he is athletic though.” Mirelle added with a serene smile, “And his looks are so cute boy types!”

  “Yeah, but he is no cute boy. There is nothing boyish about him, neither by looks nor by behaviour! He is always so serious. I would say, handsome in an intense way.” This came from Rose, her gaze hazy at some far away corner of the world.

  Longingly Mirelle stated,

  “Height of a model. But he is no model. I wish he was a model and not a Professor here, then maybe...”

  They can't be serious!

  Coming out of her disappointment Mirelle went on,

  “His nature, personality and his talking style. His voice is just so...”

  That’s it. I couldn’t take it anymore.

  Infuriated by their discussion, I stopped Mirelle midsentence, banging my fist on the table.

  Testily I snapped,

  “His nature?! Seriously guys! Do we know him? Have you ever met him outside of the college gates? If not, then how can you both comment on his nature?! And his height! Model types. But oh! He is not a model! His looks are cute boy types! But he doesn’t seem like a cute boy. Rather he is serious and handsome in an 'intense' way. His built! Athlete types, but he is not an athlete!”