70.1| Long Drive | AayRa special #2
It's a wide, empty road lined with towering trees and amber streetlights around, yet not a soul is in sight. A soft breeze rushes past, and high above, the moon hangs perfectly still in the dark sky.
She takes in the peaceful surroundings, the stillness soothing her tense muscles. Thinking there must be something to eat, she reaches toward the front seat to check if there's anything-
And as she peeks in through the window, the hoodie covering her knees shifts slightly, the fabric making her bruised skin itch.
But all she finds on the dashboard is a packet of cigars and a lighter.
Her nose wrinkles in disgust.
She exhales a tired sigh, her gaze settling on the moon.
But then, God knows what crosses her mind that she reaches for the packet of cigars and pulls one out.
With a tiny grin, she leans against the car like Aayansh always does, places the cigar between her lips, and acts as though she's taken her very first drag.
Her lips purse slightly as she pretends to exhale an imaginary puff of smoke, completely oblivious to the fact that she'd put the cigar in her mouth the wrong way around.
And she doesn't stop there.
She copies Aayansh's expressions, trying to look just as cool as him, but ends up looking far more adorable than intimidating.
Then, she even tries to imitate his deep voice as she murmurs the exact words he'd once whispered to her. "Am I scaring you, amour?"
The first words she'd ever heard from him.
She gives herself a small nod, recreating the moment she'd responded that day.
"Good," she continues in her best imitation of him. "As I'll do things to you that will definitely make your soul terrified of my ex-"
The moment a fleck of tobacco touches her tongue, her entire face crumples in pure disgust. Making the most offended face imaginable, she throws the cigar aside.
And just as she's about to turn, a deep, chilling whisper ghosts across her ear. "Am I scaring you, amour?"
Her entire body goes rigid.
She spins around, only to find Aayansh standing mere inches away, watching her with a small, devilish smirk.
[Song: Har kisi ko by Arijit Singh]
"Aayansh, when did you-" she instinctively stumbles back, all clumsy and panicked.
But before she can even blink, Aayansh's hand closes around the nape of her neck, dragging her forward until she's crushed against his hard chest.
The next moment, their lips are locked.
Tara, utterly stunned, her eyes stay wide open and as always, his eyes never close. His mouth devours hers while his dark, intense gaze stares straight through her, delighting in the way she's frozen.
His fingers caging her nape, his other hand braced against her lower back as Tara's fingers come up to fist his jacket.
He's so much taller than her that he effortlessly towers over her. And to steal a few extra inches, Tara climbs onto his shoes, standing on his feet as her lips part to kiss him back.
They keep staring straight into each other's eyes as their mouths clash and grind together, sucking, biting, and licking at one another.
Meanwhile, countless stars glow overhead, cloaking the night in a soft aura only heaven can create.
Her feet balanced on top of his, Aayansh moves her backward, taking one deliberate step after another. Tara clutches the leather of his jacket in tight fists, never pulling their mouths away.
Next she finds herself pinned against the car.
He draws her plump bottom lip completely into his mouth, squeezing it between his teeth, while she nips right back at his upper lip without breaking eye contact for a second.
The movements of their mouths grow messier, wilder, matched by their unbroken glare tearing between their eyes.
Then, Tara's mouth twitches into a smirk right against his. Sliding her feet down off his boots, she slowly flips their positions, and now, Aayansh's back is pressed against the car, and she's standing on his feet.
His eyes darken with a strange intensity as, against her lips, a small, genuine smile curves his own.
The moment Tara feels his smile against her lips, she freezes, forgetting even to blink.
All of it feels intoxicatingly unreal. And all she can think about is taking a picture of him with that rare smile.
She tries to pull back, but his fingers are still locked around the nape of her neck, so she's not able to.
Without taking his eyes off her, he slips a hand into his pocket, pulls out his phone, unlocks it, and lifts it up. Tara glances at the screen in confusion before looking back at him, only to find his gaze still fixed on her.
And then- click
Only then does she realise he'd just taken a picture of them exactly like this.
I glance up at the vintage clock on the wall. 07:15. Time is slipping away. In a little while, I'll have to leave for the helipad. Bro will send a car to pick me up. He's left the decision entirely to me. If I want to come, all I have to do is get there. If not, I just have to return the car.