Falling For You Again ( Under Editing)

chapter 5 "aaha's feelings for rihan"

As we stepped out of the house, the sound of Kavya's ringing phone pierced the air. I locked the door, knowing she was aware of the call. "Okay alright then, see you," I overheard her saying, sliding her phone down her ear. Curiosity piqued, I turned around to look at her.

"Who was it?" I asked, making my way towards the bike.

"They're already in college," she replied, catching me off guard. Wait, what?!

"Eh?" I exclaimed, trying to process the unexpected turn of events.

"Yeah, we don't need to pick them up today," she said, walking towards me.

"Well then, we don't need both bikes today. Come with me," I suggested, settling onto the bike and retrieving the helmet from the mirror. I secured it over my head, ready for the ride ahead.

"Are you sure?" she questioned, a hint of concern in her voice. I knew what she was about to ask. "Are you sure Rihan won't get mad at me?"

"It's my bike," I responded confidently, maintaining a straight posture to hide the joy that her teasing brought me. Only she had the privilege to playfully tease me about Rihan, and it always brought a smile to my face.

As we turned into the hallway, my eyes landed on Rihan and Sidharth huddled in the corner by the stairs. My gaze was drawn to Rihan, who wore a crisp white tee and light blue cargo pants, his bag slung over his left shoulder. His attention was fixed on his phone, his right hand holding it with a casual air. Sidharth caught our gaze and nudged Rihan, who looked up, his eyes locking onto mine. My heart skipped a beat, just as it always did when our eyes met. It was as if time rewound to that first moment, when his gaze had pierced through me, and I felt the same flutter in my chest. Rihan's face broke into a warm, genuine smile as he acknowledged us, his eyes crinkling at the corners.

Just as we were mere steps away, my back foot slipped, and I lost my balance. I closed my eyes, bracing for the impact, but instead of hitting the floor, I felt a strong, familiar embrace. Rihan's muscular arms wrapped around my stomach, catching me in mid-fall. As I opened my eyes, our faces were inches apart, his brows furrowed in concern. "Thank God," he breathed, his eyes searching mine. "Are you hurt?" he asked, his voice laced with worry. I nodded, trying to play it cool as if he hadn't just touched my breast at a point, trying to act normal despite the flutter in my chest. It was as if Rihan always found a way to save me, to be there when I needed him most. His proximity, the touch of his hands on my body, left me flustered. I straightened up, trying to regain my composure, my gaze drifting down to hide my burning cheeks. I hoped he hadn't noticed the flush spreading across my face.

"Dekh kr chala kro Bhai" Sidharth's voice broke the spell, and I shifted my gaze upwards, trying to avoid Rihan's piercing eyes. I couldn't face him again, not yet, or I'd risk getting flustered all over again. I nodded curtly, trying to play it cool. But before I knew it, Rihan was down on one knee, his hand gently cradling my foot. "You sure it doesn't hurt?" he asked, his fingers tracing gentle patterns on my ankle. His touch was tender, caring, and oh-so-gentle. I was trying to avoid him, but his puppy eyes were melting my resolve. 'Yeah,' I muttered, my voice barely audible. Rihan's eyes locked onto mine, and I felt my heart skip a beat.

"Better," he muttered, his eyes still fixed on me as he stood up, his gaze burning with intensity. I felt my heart race as I met his stare, only to be interrupted by Kavya holding up her phone, trying to capture the moment! I was mortified - was she kidding me?! Was she recording me while I fall?! Rihan seemed to sense her camera and quickly wrapped his arm around my shoulder, pulling me close as i gave a look at Sidharth, he quickly gave camera a thumbs-up with a smile, as i shifted my gaze back to rihan, a bright smile across his face , making my lips curve upwards despite myself. "It's a video!" Kavya yelled, coming back over to us, and I rolled my eyes in exasperation.