||The Forbidden Ends|| -Uptd pg 27- - Page 16

''That's what I'm asking.'' Aarav tried to free his hand from Natasha's grip gently. ''What on earth is going on?''

Natasha snorted. ''What? Ain't a girlfriend allowed to hold her boyfriend's hand now?''

'Her ..boyfriend?'' Aarav stammered. ''Whatthef**k? What are you talking abo-?''

''Aarav!'' Natasha cut him short. ''I know you don't like public display of affection, but I can't quite bring myself to stay away from you, even for a moment.'' She shifted closer to Aarav's seat and he pulled back.

''Listen, Natasha, there is something wrong with you. I mean, me, you, couple, PDA .. I mean, Natasha, me and you!?''

''Yes, me, you, couple, in love.'' Natasha smiled. She noticed the two girls sitting on her side staring at them, and she frowned. ''Look away, bitch.'' She leaned forward and mouthed the two words ' ''He's mine.''

''Natasha.'' He shuffled to his side to look Natasha in the eye. ''Stop this drama, and tell me, what's wrong?" He whispered. ''Do you want to avoid someone? I mean, do you want some kind of help in faking a relationship?''

''Faking a relationship!?'' Natasha's mouth hung open. ''Aarav, I like you, you like me too, you proposed to me yesterday, I accepted. There's nothing fake about us ' it's love all the way.''

''Aww.'' They heard murmurs of students from behind them.

''She's lying. I mean, there's nothing like that-'' Aarav started to protest, but Natasha interrupted, again.

''Of course there is! You know how guys are. They act all tough and strong, but they blush and melt inside if we declare our love for them in public.'' She pulled Aarav's cheeks. ''My sweetheart! My baby!''

''Natasha!'' He grunted and looked away. ''Stop this, seriously.''

''Stop what?'' Natasha pouted, innocently.

''This whole being in love thing.'' Aarav retorted.

''What? Are you denying that you feel attracted to me?'' Natasha crossed her arms against her chest.

''I-'' He paused. I do not feel attracted to you. The words were right in his mouth, but they refused to come out. He shook his head in frustration. ''Natasha, get to the point. What do you want?''

''You.'' Natasha answered, darkly.

''What?'' Aarav asked.

''I want you, Aarav.'' Natasha replied calmly, with a hint of guilt in her eyes.

--

Ashi rolled her eyes as she got into the bus. ''What does he think of himself? Stupid self-obsessed psycho!'' She grumbled as she took a seat.

She was worried. Had he known the truth? She bit her lip. I hope not. Where did all those 'mental visions' and 'being able to see what's outside' come from, then? Had he been making them up?

She shook her head. She's probably being paranoid. I mean, there was a possibility that he had meant it in pure humor, just like she meant his 'attacks' to be wolf-like.

Wolf-like. She snorted. Wild fantasies, just like Aarav says.

''Can I sit here?'' She heard a voice above her. She turned around to see a strikingly good-looking man with green eyes and short brown hair standing up there, with a smile on his face.

''Err.'' She hesitated. There was something not quite right about this guy. Those green eyes looked.. dead. Weathered. And that smile looked like it was masking a triumphant smirk. His dead eyes glinted with something every now and then. He evoked an aura of terror, of fear. And she froze. He evoked an aura of black magic, just like her dad.

She opened her mouth to say something, to say that someone else was sitting there, when someone threw their bag at the seat.

''I am sorry, I am sitting there!''

She looked ahead to see Yuvi, smiling. ''Excuse me?'' He said, and Karan hesitantly pulled away. He slumped down and rested himself on the seat. ''Thank you.''

''No problem.'' Karan said, his voice sounded more of a grumble. He looked at Ashi, who was frozen. She was looking ahead, but her eyes were distant.

''I guess I'll see you around, then.'' He said to Ashi, and she nodded warily in response. He caught a seat behind them.

A few minutes passed, and Ashi didn't even blink. She turned her head to look outside the window. To the world, it looked as if she was immersed in the surroundings outside, but her mind told her a frightening story, instead.

She had sensed an aura of black magic from Karan. Something that her dad always evokes. It feels like decay, unrighteousness, immorale evoking from every inch of his body. And, though, Karan didn't seem that bad, she could sense an aura of darkness around him.

''You okay?'' She heard Yuvi asking, and she felt herself nodding.

''Doesn't seem like it.'' He said, as he moved her to look at him instead of the windows. He noticed that her eyes were puffy. She looked exhausted.

''Ashi, you seem tired, you should get some rest.'' He asked, genuine concern forming his every word.

Ashi looked up at him, blankly. She looked around, and sighed. ''Nah, I'm fine. I'm just..''

''You look freaked out.'' Yuvi said, raising an eyebrow.

''Duh uh. Why would I be freaked out?'' She said, shifting again towards the window. ''I'm fine. I just feel sick in buses, you know?''

''Oh.'' He said, unconvinced.

She inhaled loudly. ''I'm just fine, relax.'' She bit her lip. ''By the way, what are you doing here?''

''Going to the trip, ain't I?'' He answered, taken aback by the sudden swing of mood.

''Duh uh. I know that. I mean, why are you sitting next to me?''

'''Cause I wanted to.'' He leaned back on his seat, and closed his eyes. ''Don't act like the bus is your property, babes. I wanted to sit here, I did. End of.''

''Part of property, my foot.'' She snorted. ''There are so many empty seats out there, get another one of them.''

Yuvi opened his eyes and met her gaze. ''Do you really want me to move?''

Ashi opened her mouth to say, but her throat felt dry. ''I- ' erm.''

He got up and picked his bag. ''I will, if you want me to.''

She looked at him, and looked behind them. Karan was watching her intently. She shook her head.

''Excellent!'' He threw the bag down, again. ''I'm not moving then.''

Ashi sighed. ''Just don't be much of a pain.''

''Pain? Me?'' Yuvi pouted. ''Obviously not. I am not Karan, am I?''

Ashi's head jerked up. ''Karan?''

''Yeah, the stalker guy.'' He shrugged indifferently.

She looked back at him, who turned his gaze away. She looked back at Yuvi. ''Do you know more about him? Except his name?''

Yuvi shook his head. ''I'm afraid not. All I know is that he .. '' He paused, and Ashi motioned for him to go on. ''He has a sort of interest in you, I think. I mean, not the usual attraction, it's something .. ''

''Dangerous?'' Ashi said.

''Sort-of.'' Yuvi shrugged. ''Maybe I'm just being stupid .. but, yeah.''

''Hmm.'' Atleast she wasn't the only one that found something odd about Karan. There was something he was here for. And she feared that that 'something' had anything to do with her. She needed to find out more. She needed to talk to Karan.