so yeah another update! 😆 this chapter's title and contains are inspired by frank sinatra's song "something stupid." i pmed everyone who replied last time.
comments are love
chau roz.
CH 13 – Something Stupid
"Why are you grinning like a psycho?"
"Because this psycho has his sights set on his prey."
Adi turns to briefly look at Maithili. He forces himself to stare for only a moment because he knows from prior experience that if he doesn't divert his eyes right away, something stupid might happen; something that could get both the psycho and his prey killed. Adi knows that he could easily get lost in her eyes while his car would roam freely on the late afternoon road and cause an accident.
"I am nobody's prey."
Maithili folds her arms and stares out the windows at the setting sun.
As the rays light up her face, she turns to find Adi looking at her. As soon as his eyes meet hers, his revert back to the road.
"No you sure aren't anybody's prey, but I definitely am – yours," Adi mumbles softly.
"What did you say?"
"Nothing."
Adi's phone rings at that moment and he puts it on speaker.
"Adi, where is my car exactly? I mean at what intersection. I can't seem to find it!" Tanu's voice thunders through the phone.
"What she means is that she lost her car? That's what you call a bad memory," Manthan snickers in the background.
A moment later, Manthan's groans of pain are heard.
Adi tries to stop himself from laughing and says, "Manthan, are you ok?"
"Oh yeah, Adi. He is fine. Aren't you, Manthan."
"She just slapped me on my head!"
Adi and Maithili both burst out laughing as Tanu and Manthan's discourse continues.
"Hang on, Khanna. Did you just call me fine? Never knew you felt that way."
"Don't make me rip this steering wheel out and hit you with it!"
"I am not going to pay for that the second time around. Somebody already took my steering wheel out before."
"Aww, how sad for you. But wow that person must be a really creative girl. I wonder what you did to deserve it."
"I didn't do-… Wait! Wait! How do you know it's a girl?"
"Are you really that clueless?"
"You!! Ah! You!! Ah!!"
"Ok Tanu. Now that you've gotten Manthan speech impaired. Will you two stop fighting?"
"Look who's talking."
Adi throws a glance Mathili's way to which she raises her eyebrow.
"Yeah ok fine. Anyway, your car is a few miles straight from that railway track by the college."
"Ok thanks."
"Hi Tanu," Maithili finally speaks up.
"Are you still mad at me?"
No sound comes from the phone.
"Tanu? Tanu?"
Maithili grabs Adi's phone from its holder and holds it close to her ear.
"Hey that's a very expensive phone. Put it back."
Adi turns on the windows locked and the doors locked buttons to ensure the safety of his phone. He didn't want his passenger to roll down the window and throw his brand new phone out the car.
"She's not answering."
"No way!" Tanu's screams through the phone and Maithili has to jump back as her ear had been inches away from the loud scream.
"You and Adi are in the same car?!"
"Unfortunately yes," Maithili throws a dirty look at Adi.
"Well, your sister would be hitch hiking if it wasn't for me. Who knows what kind of strange person would have picked her up if I hadn't offered her a ride?"
"No more stranger than you, I'm sure," she smiles sarcastically at him.
Adi gives out a fake laugh.
"You know Tanu, your Di didn't even put up a fight when I offered her a ride. I was definitely surprised since I was expecting a wrestling match or something. I mean I know I'm persuasive and all, but I didn't know my powers worked on the ice queen."
Adi stops at a red light and smirks at Maithili who just rolls her eyes causing Adi's already wide grin to become even wider.
"Maybe the fire king is slowly melting the ice queen," Manthan says and thus, ends his temporary speech impairment.
Adi chuckles out loud while staring at Maithili. She narrows her eyes and grinds her teeth at him. Adi acts like he has just been hit with an arrow. He puts his hand on his chest and sighs in pain.
"What happened Adi?"
"Oh nothing much. Maithili just killed me with one look. Uff kya jadoo hai."
Tanu and Manthan's laughter bursts out of Adi's phone.
"Arrgh, yeh ladka. The signal's green duffer."
Maithili folds her arms again as Adi lets go of the brake without looking to check the signal for himself.
Several car horns simultaneously are heard coming from the left and Adi stops the car. He remains confused until he looks at the signal. It's still red. He rolls his head in her direction to see a very amused Maithili smiling back at him.
"Do you want to get us killed?"
"This was nothing. Your driving if anything will get us killed."
"What's all that commotion about?" Tanu asks in a worried tone.
"Your sister thought it would be funny to have a little brush with death."
"Di, stop bothering Adi when he's driving."
Maithili is about to retort back, but Tanu cuts her off.
"I'm going to get off the phone now so that there are no more distractions for Adi and he can get you home safe. Plus, I have a dog in here who I can't wait to get rid off."
"Dog? Where?" Manthan asks.
"Ouch! Why did you have to hit me in the head again?"
"It's not like you can get any dumber than you are."
"Just like you can't get any uglier than you are."
"Ok guys. We'll let you go now too."
Adi cuts off the phone.
"The signal's green now."
Maithili looks down at her fingernails as he looks at her with disbelief. The car behind them starts peeping its car horn at them.
"I told you."
Adi drives on again.
* * *
"Ok now get of my beautiful car."
Adi pulls up in the driveway of Maithili's house.
"With pleasure," Maithili turns to open her side of the car door but it won't bulge.
"You have got to be kidding me!" she yells out in frustration.
"Now, what have you done,"Adi looks over to see that the door is not opening.
"How am I suppose to get out now!"
"You could climb over me and use my door," he opens his door to show her that it still works.
"Climb over you? I would rather die in here then do that. Now, get out!" Maithili pushes Adi until he gives up on his fantasy and gets out of the car.
She steps over to his side and as she holds the arm rest, she notices that the automatic doors locked button is on.
"Adi!"
She gets out of his car and almost slams into him.
"Why did you have the car doors on lock-down?"
"Huh?" Adi tries to act innocent although he knew perfectly well why Maithili couldn't get out.
"Don't play innocent? You aren't good at it?"
She steps up close to him in a very aggressive manner.
"In fact, you aren't good at anything except driving like a criminal who is on the run, flirting with brainless girls, and being slightly good at a few sports."
"That's quite a few things I'm good at," Adi leans against his car and grins at her.
Maithili sighs heavily as she knows that her point was not made in her statement.
"Forget it. An arrogant, ignorant fool like you would never be able to comprehend a statement that's not superficial," she turns away from him and heads to her house.
Adi grows increasingly angry with each word she says until he can't handle it anymore and starts to walk after her. He takes her arm and spins her around so that she faces him.
"You know you forgot about one other thing I'm good at."
"I don't think so."
"Let me show you."
His lips touch hers and he starts kissing her aggressively at first but slows down after a few moments. She remains frozen until her body betrays her and she begins to kiss him back. Time seems to be in slow motion and everything stands still.
She comes back to her senses and pushes him away. Her eyes convey her confusion, her anger, and her feelings. She touches her lips with her fingers and runs inside. Adi stands breathless outside her door.
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