27- Dear Secrets

                                    

                                          
*ARIV*
I left Reet at her front door, watching as she told me to go, but something in me resisted. Ignoring her words, I circled around to her balcony and climbed up, as usual. Her room was unlocked, just as I'd hoped. I leaned against the wall, waiting, my clothes still soaked. I didn't want to track water through her room.
After what felt like an eternity, she finally came in, still in her drenched clothes. I could only imagine the lecture she must have gotten downstairs.
"You didn't leave?" she asked, noticing me. I shook my head. 
She sneezed. "Oh my god, I need to change." She went over to her wardrobe and pulled out a kurti and leggings. Just as she was about to head to the bathroom, she glanced back at me. "Are you staying here tonight?"
I shook my head again. "No, just wanted to make sure you're okay."
She sighed softly. "I'm fine, Ariv, thanks to you. But, honestly, you shouldn't be in wet clothes. You just recovered from that viral; you'll catch a cold again." Her concern softened her voice as she rummaged through her wardrobe again, finally pulling out a pair of jeans. "These are my dad's. I think they'll fit you."
She handed them to me and then, reaching back into her wardrobe, pulled out a familiar white T-shirt. 
"And this..." she said, holding it out with a hint of hesitation. "Your T-shirt."
I raised an eyebrow, a bit surprised.
"You remember? On that trip... I stained your shirt with blood," she explained, her voice a bit sheepish. "Atharv gave it to me when... well, when those other girls had hidden all my clothe stuffs while I was bathing. Anyway it's clean now, so... you can wear it."
Oh yeah, I remember the only T-shirt I brought to the 7 days long trip. 
I took the clothes from her wordlessly.
"Alright, I'll be in the bathroom getting changed. You should change too," she said, and with that, she disappeared behind the bathroom door.
I glanced down at the white shirt in my hands, bringing it up close, letting its scent fill my senses. It smelled like Reet, felt like Reet.
*REET*
After changing into my kurti and leggings, I knocked on the bathroom door, swallowing nervously.
"Ariv?" I called out. "Can I come out? Have you changed?"
Silence. No answer.
I knocked again, louder this time, trying to get his attention. "Ariv?" I called out, a bit more urgently. "Are you done? Can I come out?"
Still nothing. The silence hung heavy, almost unsettling.
Finally, I pushed the door open and stepped out, only to find my room empty. The clothes I'd given him were gone as well. He must have changed and slipped out quietly.
I stood there for a moment, feeling a strange disappointment.
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I sat at the canteen table, sipping my lemonade and pretending to work on my homework, but my mind was miles away, drifting back to last night. The thunderstorm-my worst fear-had rattled me to the core, but worse was the sinking thought that Ariv might truly never speak to me again. Yet, I was wrong; he came through for me, showing up despite being tied up with his hospital work, just unable to get to my calls on time.
But Atharv... I'd called him, too, especially asked him to pick me up, and he hadn't shown up. No message, no response. Maybe he was busy, but knowing how frightening last night was, he could've at least texted me.