I meet her gaze. “Then I’d say that’s a very dangerous thing to admit.”
“Why?”
“Because now I’ll feel pressured to outdo myself.”
She smiles faintly. “Good luck with that.”
The sky above us is darker now. The stars are clearer. Divya shifts onto her side suddenly. Now she’s facing me completely. Our hands are still tangled together between us.
Up close I can see the tiny crease that appears beside her mouth when she’s trying not to smile. “You’re staring again,” she says.
“Am I?”
“Yes.”
"You make it very hard not to, Divya"
“Is that so?” We are both whispering now, even when there's no need for it.
“You're very beautiful, it's hard to take my eyes off you.”
Her eyes widen slightly as she flushes. Her fingers tighten slightly around mine.
“Smooth,” she murmurs.
“I try.”
She rolls her eyes but doesn’t look away. The space between us feels smaller now. The breeze moves softly around us.
Divya’s gaze drops briefly to my mouth. Then back to my eyes.
My heartbeat picks up. Slow at first. Then louder.
She shifts closer. Just a little. Our foreheads almost touch. I can feel her breath now.
Warm. Uneven.
“Aditya,” she whispers.
“Hmm?”
“This feels like a very bad idea.”
“Probably.”
Neither of us moves away. Her hand slides up my arm slightly. My other hand lifts without thinking and settles gently at her waist.
Her breath catches. The moment stretches. We’re inches apart now.
I can see the way her eyelashes lower slowly. And then—the terrace door slams open.
“DIDIIII!” Divya jerks back so fast she almost rolls off the blanket.
I drop my head back and look disorientedly toward the sky.
Neel appears at the top of the stairs holding a birthday party return gift bag and a balloon. He freezes when he sees us.
Then he grins. “OH GOOD YOU’RE BOTH HERE.” he's shouting now.
