Aahana pov

Can you come over?

I look at the text from Atharva with my eyebrows raised.

It wasn't that I wasn't used to it.

But considering our interaction for the last four days this was definitely a surprise.

I mean not that it made me any less happier.

I mean we barely talked in Chemistry and I avoided him like the plague all other times because priya was with him. Depressing right?

But it surprisingly wasn't.

Even with Riya starting to spend a hell of a lot of time with her boyfriend, if you know what I mean, I strangely wasn't alone.

Believe it or not now days it was riyansh with whom I spent time with.

When I told this to Riya she simply rolled her eyes and said, Yeah big surprise you are spending time with a really hot guy who happens to be your boyfriend.

Well she was right.

I mean after the kiss thing and the fact that we were spending a hell of a lot more time together people were definitely buying the whole fake relationship thing.

Just yesterday a Gossip Review came out with a picture of our kiss and a full blow to blow detail of our relationship. I would be lying if I didnt regret missing the look on priya's face when she read it.

But the plan was working.

Atharva was getting jealous.

In fact me ignoring him and Priya just made it even better.

In Chemistry me and riyansh had both arrived late and Atharva was already there sitting in the middle seat.

Casting stony glances at riyansh.

But the weirdest part (yes weirder than the fact that Atharva might actually like me) is the fact that it wasn't only Atharva who was behaving like that.

Two guys who i had never seen in my life came and asked ne to the winter ball which was like more than a month away but before I had the chance to verify if it was a dare or not, riyansh came and the guys vanished into thin air.

I tie my hair in a pony and stare at my reflection for a good five minutes.

I put on lipgloss and mascara and am satisfied with the fact that I don't look like I've just gotten out of bed.

Which I totally have.

I close the door behind me with a nice satisfying bang knowing there was no one in the house.

I had to go for dinner at the rajvansh as my parents and my grandmother were out and my grandmother knew better than letting me alone in a kitchen.

I knock on Atharva's door thrice while checking my watch whose hands showed that it was a little after eight.

I opened the door gently to see Atharva sitting on the sofa in the middle of the room looking at the blank TV.

He looked up startled his green eyes almost black like the dark circles around his eyes.

I take one step forward slowly.

"What happened?" I say softly.

He looked at me dor a few seconds and my heart started pounding.

"Im sorry." He whispered.

I gave him a critical look.

"For what?" I say as I sit next to him ont hte couch looking at his tired green eyes.

"I dont know.." he says, "Everything? Acting like a complete riyanshzz and you know being a riyanshazz

I laugh.

"Puhleez. Ive known you for ever." I say, "You may be a lot of things show off, Pouty, whiny-"

"Are we ever going to get to the good part about me?" he says giving me a slight smile.

If I did then i would keep rambling.

"Well bottom line is your not a riyanshazz." I say, "You're just a nice guy who fell of the wagon."

"God I missed your crappy pep talks." he said.

"Hey they are amazing." I say, "It got you smiling didnt it?"

Atharva gave a big smile and I could feel my heart pounding faster.

I didnt like Atharva because he was popular or the star quarterback or anything like that.

I mean sure they were a major plus point but I liked Atharva because of how easy it is to talk to him or joke with him.

Well atleast it used to be.

4 years back Atharva, priya and I used to be best friends.

I used to be pretty popular in Junior High after all being friends with the two most popular people did have its perks.

Atharva was always destined to be the quarterback of the football team and Priya the head cheerleader after all they were smart sporty and everything in between.

Meanwhile I was the smart one in the group like the person definite to get into an Ivy League college be student council president and class valedictorian.

Well as far as I could see they were more or less right.

I didn't become student council president but I'm pretty sure that I'm definite to get a scholarship to an Ivy league and the teachers love me so I'm almost 100% sure to be the class valedictorian.

Things were different.

Priya hates me, Atharva has managed to go out with half the girl in our school.

While I had to try to find an excuse just to talk to him.

"So you and riyansh huh?" he says slowly.

I raise my eyebrows and we both burst out laughing.

" You're a tiny bit late." I say, "I mean after apart from the fact that you acted like my dad"

Atharva winced.

"God Im sorry about that." he says,"I was an idiot.

Have you been dating him since you were fourteen? I felt like hitting myself after that question."

I grinned.

"Lets not forget am I really such a bad kisser." I say.

Atharva flushed but then his frown returned.

"So now enough of this crap." I say, "Now its time to tell me the reason you need to be given a dose of my awesomeness."

"Riyansh." he says curtly.

I freeze for a second.

What did riyo do?

Did he tell Atharva about my feelings?

Did he tell him about the diary?

"What about him." I say hoping my nervousness didnt give much away.

"Umm starting with when the Fuck did you start dating idiots like him." He says his green eyes burning a hole in me.

Atharva only curses when he is really pissed.

Like Very Very pissed. Which meant that I was screwed.

You know as history dictates I should be a puddly mess of god knows what right now. But Im weird that way.

The more pressure applied on me the more calmer I get.

I mean if freaking out in my head but whatever comes out of my mouth is calm and composed but it only happens when I see running is Not an option.

So while Im mentally fainting in my head my mouth which I have no control over simply says, "Im your friend aren't I? so its only befitting that I date your step brother."

God I couldn't pick a worst time to remember the Jane Austen book review I had to do.

'Befitting' I mean I could have just worn a corset and a huge dress with those frilly umbrellas if I wanted to be the next Jane Eyre.

And I wondered why I got a A minus on my orals about Jane Eyre.

"Im serious Aahana." he said his tone clearly telling me that he was not kidding.

Okay what happened to the guy who was laughing like two minutes back.

He was turning green almost as if he was.....

Oh My God. He was jealous. He was really jealous!

"Its a free country Atharva." I say trying to hide my grin, "I can date whoever I like, Its not like someone else was in the picture."

Oh My God.

I just said that.

Ha! I should be given some sort of trophy for saying that.

I love it how Im an automaton super goddess.

People should put me under pressure more often.

"So what Im not your friend?" he said his temper rising, "You didnt perhaps think it wise to tell me that you knew Jake."

Okay now I was angry.

"Yeah perhaps you didnt think it was wise to tell me that YOUR FATHER WAS GETTING MARRIED?" I said.

Atharva abruptly sat on the couch as if someone had punched him.

I immediately surged forward and then stopped as I knelt down.

"So all of this was because of that?" I ask looking upto him who had his head bent down, "About your dad getting married."

God Im so stupid, not super goddess but im an automaton idiot.

"She died when I was seven Aahana" He says tiredly.

"Okay but I mean you have got to be depressed or messed up or something." I say, "I mean if you dated Melanie Sharma for her charming nature then Im sorry friend you need to go get yourself checked."

( Melanie is Atharva's ex gf before priya)

Atharva gave me the weirdest look.

"When the hell did you become this sarcastic?" Atharva said, "You sound a lot like your boyfriend."

I note that he purposely uses "Boyfriend" instead of Riyansh's name.

"Well what can I say he's dragged me down to his level." I say grinning exactly how Riyansh would if he said something like this.

Atharva looks away as if he was hiding his emotions.

Anger perhaps or just simply on how lame that was.

"But enough talking about my love life." I say, "Atharva you have to tell me whats wrong"

"Look I know you are hesitant about the family." I say remembering my first impression of the rajvansh family a strict dad a loving mom and a boy who always had a mysterious twinkle in his eyes, "But they are wonderful."

Atharva simply stared ahead.

I looked at him in dismay. I had known Atharva for a long time even before he moved here 10 years back.

When his mother died he had been a mess.

He always had the look in his eyes that told you even though he was right in front of you his mind was miles and miles away.

He did get like that time to time. Alecs father joked about it and called the dark ages because all he would do is brood.

"Alec do you remember about how I cried at your mothers funeral more than you?" I said at last when I had enough with the silence.

He nodded.

"And then later I had told you a shitty lie that I had to cry double for you and your mother?" I say remembering how even as a kid i was head over heels for him.

Atharva gave me a nod.

"And you spent the whole time consoling me." I say, "Despite the fact that it was your mothers funeral."

Atharva nods.

"So what do you learn from that?" I say.

"That I should have brought a lot more tissues" he said.

"No" I say, "Its that your mother taught you well, you are selfless Atharva and whenever I need someone to whine about my absentee parents you are almost always there.

What makes you think that you wont do the same to Riyansh and his mom?"

"I know." Atharva says desperation ringing out in his voice, "She is perfect and it just reminds me about my mom and I feel guilty."

I raise an eyebrow.

"Why?" I say.

"Because my mom had asked only one thing ever from me and I haven't yet gotten the guts to do it." He said passing his hand through his hair.

"What?" I say.

He leaned forward and we were barely an inch apart. Crap, Is he going to kiss me?

But of course I never got to find out because my worst nightmare just walked in 6 inch heels in the form of priya.

Atharva stepped back so quickly that I had barely time to blink.

Well you should have enjoyed the moment while it lasted because frankly I wouldn't get to get any closer to Atharva for at least a year.

Priya's brown eyes surveyed the situation and she opened her mouth before Atharva cut her off.

"Priya dont.." he said.

"You bloody bitch." she snarled, "What the hell is your fucking problem."

I surveyed her and smirked something I would have never done before but you know after slapping a person your confidence level kinda shoots up.

"Well I know what my problem isn't." I say, "Is the fact that Im definitely not an insecure slut like you."

Priya lunged at me.

I mean like literally lunged at me. Im not even kidding. I missed old Aahana.

I cant believe Im saying it. I mean she would have probably sucked it up and gone home and whine about her sucky life.

But atleast she wouldn't have her eyes clawed out.

I close my eyes waiting for impact but it never came.

I peeked to see Atharva standing in front of a fuming priya blocking me.

"Thats enough." he said firmly.

Both of them stared at eachother.

Actually more like glared.

"So ill get going." I say awkwardly.

Priya turned and gave me the scariest glare of my entire life while atharva simply nodded as I let myself out.

It was about 2 seconds before I heard the argument breaking out.

I had learned 3 very important things today.

1. Atharva jealous of me and riyansh.

2. I remembered why I liked Atharva so much because frankly I was starting to forget.

3. Atharva and Priya were done.

Authors note next part I will post on next week 💕😊

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