Chapter 42
Kabir's Perspective
As our foreheads rested against each other, our breaths mingling in the stillness of the room, I gazed into Aditi's eyes, the last remnants of our kiss still lingering on my lips. Her face was flushed, her lips parted, but something in her expression had shifted—there was a softness, a vulnerability there, almost as if a cloud had passed over her emotions. It was subtle, but unmistakable.
"Are you okay?" I asked gently, still holding her close. Her warmth against my chest was intoxicating, and I wanted nothing more than to pull her back in for another kiss, but the sudden sadness I saw in her eyes made me pause. "Did I—" I hesitated, searching for the right words. "Are you upset because I didn't ask before kissing you?"
Aditi's eyes widened, and she quickly shook her head, her damp hair brushing lightly against my face. "No, no, Kabir. It's not that," she whispered, her voice soft but full of emotion. "It's not that at all."
Relief washed over me, but I could still sense the weight of whatever was troubling her. Gently, I scooped her up into my arms, holding her close as I made my way to the bed. She didn't resist, instead wrapping her arms around my neck as if seeking comfort. I sat down, settling her on my lap, her legs draped across mine. Her head rested against my shoulder, and for a moment, we sat there in silence, the only sound the steady beat of our hearts.
"What's wrong, Frosty?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper as I tilted my head to look at her. My fingers traced small circles on her back, hoping to soothe whatever it was that was weighing her down.
She hesitated, biting her lip before finally speaking. "It's just... your advance exam is so close, Kabir. I don't want to be a distraction to you. I don't want you to lose focus because of... because of us."
I blinked, caught off guard by her words. I hadn't expected that. In fact, out of all the things I thought she might say, this wasn't even on the list. She was worried about being a distraction? About my exam?
"Aditi," I began, my voice low and firm, "you're not a distraction. Not even close."
She looked up at me, doubt flickering in her eyes. "But Kabir, I know how important this is for you. You've worked so hard to get to this point. I don't want—"
I gently cut her off, cupping her face in my hands and forcing her to meet my gaze. "You're not a distraction, Aditi," I repeated, my tone more serious now. "If anything, you're the reason I've made it this far."
Her eyes widened in surprise, confusion written all over her face. "What do you mean?"
I took a deep breath, my thumb tracing the soft curve of her jaw as I gathered my thoughts. "Do you remember when we first met? In sixth grade?"
She nodded slowly, still unsure of where I was going with this.
"I noticed you before you ever even spoke to me," I confessed, a small smile playing at the corners of my lips as I recalled the memory. "You were always so quiet, so reserved. You didn't talk much to anyone, but whenever someone asked for help—whether it was with a math problem or directions around school—you never hesitated. You'd step up, help them out, and then disappear back into the background. It fascinated me."
Aditi's eyebrows furrowed, clearly not expecting this revelation. "You... noticed that?"
"How could I not?" I replied softly. "You were like this enigma. You were always so focused, always working so hard. I saw you studying every day during lunch breaks, and then I saw you at the district level table tennis matches, winning all those medals." I chuckled softly at the memory. "I had no idea you were such a badass at sports until I saw you dominate the competition."
She blushed, but I could see the small smile creeping onto her lips.
"I'll be honest," I continued, "back then, I didn't know why I was so drawn to you. I just knew I wanted to be closer to you, to know more about you. That's when I started pushing myself harder. You were the reason I started studying so much. I wanted to keep up with you, to match you, because I admired how dedicated you were. You made me want to be better."
Her eyes softened as she listened, her fingers lightly tracing patterns on my arm.
"And when I found out about your table tennis medals, I thought to myself, 'Kabir, if she can do that, you better step up your game too.' That's when I started boxing. I wanted to be someone you could look at and maybe—just maybe—be impressed by."
Her lips parted in shock. "Wait, you started boxing because of me?"
I nodded, smiling sheepishly. "Yeah. I needed something to match your level of awesomeness. But it wasn't until ninth grade that I realized it wasn't just admiration. I liked you, Aditi. Really liked you. And by tenth grade, it turned into something much deeper."
Her eyes searched mine, as if trying to process everything I was saying. I could see the disbelief, the wonder in her expression, and it made my heart swell. I leaned closer, my forehead resting against hers again.
"All this time, you've been my motivation. You've never been a distraction, Aditi. You've been my driving force. Every time I wanted to give up, I thought about how hard you were working, how dedicated you were, and it pushed me to keep going. You're not the reason I'd fail—you're the reason I'm going to succeed. I can never be distracted by you because you're the person who keeps me focused, who keeps me grounded."
Her eyes welled up, and I saw the way her lip trembled as she tried to hold back her emotions. "Kabir..."
I gently wiped away the tear that had slipped down her cheek, my heart swelling with affection for this girl who had no idea how much she meant to me. "You've always been my strength, Aditi. You've been the one who inspired me to be better, to push myself beyond my limits. And now, knowing how you feel about me? It only makes me want to work harder. Not for me. For us."
She sniffled, a soft laugh escaping her as she wiped her eyes. "You're making it really hard not to cry, you know that?"
I chuckled, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead. "Then don't hold back. Cry if you want to. But just know that I've never been more certain of anything in my life. You're not a distraction. You're everything."
We sat there for a moment, our foreheads still touching, the world around us fading into the background once again. All I could feel was the warmth of her body against mine, the steady rhythm of her breathing, the soft, fragile emotion in the air between us.
Just as I leaned in again, ready to capture her lips in another kiss, the door burst open.
"Didi! Are you okay? What happened? Why are you in Bhaiya's arms?"
Arjun stood there, his eyes wide with concern, staring at us with an innocent curiosity that only a child could have.
I groaned inwardly, my forehead dropping against Aditi's shoulder as I tried to stifle a laugh. Aditi's body shook with suppressed giggles, and I could feel her trying to maintain her composure as she turned to face Arjun.
"Nothing, Arjun," she said, her voice sweet and soothing. "I just got something in my eye, and your Bhaiya was helping me."
Arjun looked between the two of us, clearly not convinced but too young to fully grasp the situation. He nodded solemnly, as if accepting her explanation, then pointed toward the living room. "But Didi, the game! We didn't finish!"
I chuckled softly, lifting Aditi off my lap as I stood up, still holding her hand. "Alright, Arjun. I'll send her back to you in a second."
Arjun nodded and ran back to the living room, his small feet making a soft thud on the hardwood floor as he disappeared around the corner.
As soon as he was out of sight, Aditi burst into laughter, and I couldn't help but join her. The moment was broken, but there was a lightness now, a sense of ease that hadn't been there before.
"I guess we should be more careful next time," I teased, giving her a playful grin.
She laughed, shaking her head as she wiped the last of the tears from her eyes. "Yeah, definitely."
I walked over to my cupboard, pulling out one of my hoodies—the same one she'd asked for earlier—and handed it to her. She accepted it with a grateful smile, slipping it over her damp clothes.
"You better go before Arjun starts another game without you," I said, trying to keep my tone light, though part of me didn't want to let her go just yet.
She nodded, her hand lingering on mine for a moment longer. "Thanks, Kabir," she whispered, her eyes locking with mine in that way that made my heart skip a beat.
"Anytime, Frosty," I replied, my voice soft, almost tender.
With one last glance, she turned and walked out of the room, her presence still lingering like the scent of rain after a storm.
As soon as she left, I couldn't help but chuckle to myself. The girl had no idea just how much she'd changed my life. And as I sat back down on the bed, the warmth of her still lingering against my skin, I realized something.
I was ready for whatever came next. For the exams, for the future—for us.
Because with Aditi by my side, there was nothing I couldn't handle.