Ria walked towards her wing so did Alex.
As soon as she reached, a furious friend scrutinized her.
"What?" Ria tried to enter only to be stopped by Kelly.
"Go and clear it out or sleep on the floor."
She pushed her out and Ria sighed.
"Kelly, you are acting weird."
"Yes Yes, the pain has turned me insane. Now, go and clear it out."
"There's nothing clear."
"Still go and talk to him."
"What if I won't?" Ria crossed her arms.
"Sleep here on the floor and die in cold." Kelly imitated crossing her arms.
"Kelly." Ria sighed and walked out.
Kelly smiled and entered the room making sure to open it as soon as she left and follow her.
Everyone chuckled seeing how Kelly was following Ria like a spy.
When she reached the garden and sat on the bench, Kelly sighed.
"Seems like I need to drag him here." She mumbled while turning around and only then she noticed the camera.
"Arghh, dude will you stop recording each and everything? Where is that damm privacy?"
Everyone chuckled out loud at the way she closed the camera with her hand.
...
It was pitch dark except for the small fireflies on the grass and the bright moon glaring at the tiny figure sitting on the bench.
Except for the dim street lamps, none were ready to hear vain.
The loneliness started hosting her soul but sighed when she saw the black figure approaching her.
Sitting right beside her, he just rested his head back and stared at the sky.
"Weren't you tired?"
"I lied." Her honest answer curled his lips up.
"What did you wanna talk?"
"Huh?" She blinked at his question.
"Kelly approached me asking to meet you here as you had something to share."
"Argh, that humble friend of mine."
Ria mumbled cursing her stars.
...
"Is it insecurity or jealousy?" His sudden question surprised her.
"Or Ego?"
She blinked at him in surprise.
But there he was eyes closed, a small smile spread on his lips with his head placed on the backrest.
'Does he by chance know black magic?'
"I don't. I just understand you well."
Baffled, she frowned and asked,
"In just 10 days?"
"10 days and 2 hours."
She glanced at her watch and sighed. It was 2 in the morning.
"You didn't answer my question."
His words made her sigh.
"Since you already know me very well, why don't answer it yourself?" With that, she got up and was about to leave but that sudden pull perplexed her.
Sitting on him, she struggled and glared,
"Leave me."
"Don't move." His voice was hoarse making her sigh at loss.
"Look at me." He held her chin up.
"What's wrong with you?"
"Nothing. It's just your wild deception." She answered with a glare.
With a deep sigh, he closed his eyes.
"Tell me, in these 10 days, have you ever liked me? Have you ever cared about me and my feelings?"
It was the first time he was yelling at her and the fire in his eyes was weakening her high walls.
"I was with you every single day. We shared so many things, we talked about so many things, and we performed all those tasks. And yet, " He sighed deeply and continued,
"Have you never felt that our bond was getting better and brighter? If not, then why did we were able to win three tasks? We have a connection and if you don't wanna acknowledge it, you can leave."
Tears blurred her vision.
"Why do you have to shout?" Hitting his chest, she let those tears brim her cheeks.
He sighed deeply.
Pulling her into a hug, he caressed her head,
"I am sorry."
Wiggling from his hug, she got up.
"You wanted answers right?"
Wiping away her tears, she yelled,
"Listen then."
"Yes you were always around me and the way you treated me always made my heart dance in joy but the next moment when you used to rush to that Isla, did you still want me to dance in joy?" With a huff, she continued,
"Yes, you performed all those tasks with me and that brought us close but every time you made sure that I never dumped her would always squelch my soul."
"Yes, I know you, she is your childhood friend and you just can't ignore her but when you already have her as a priority, why do you even care about me? If it's solely because you wanna win this show, then sorry I can't because that would only suffocate and piss me off."
"Yes, I am insecure and I have self-respect too which would always be my priority."
Her walls broke up, her ego let her free and her heart burst out, yelling every single which she always wanted to.
"I don't have any strong feelings for you but the tiny feeling which wanted to grow as big as a tree was crushed by you and your actions towards her."
Right now, Mia wanted to bury herself. She was too naive back then. Yes, she knew what she thought was not completely right but she didn't have a clue about that sudden burst.
"If that's clear I am leaving. Thanks for everything."
Her words made everyone shake their heads. Their lips have already curled up hearing her silly yet sweet confession.
"You were always my priority." Her words made her stick to the ground.
Standing beside her, he looked at the sky.
"If she was my priority then I would have never cared to perform with you and had long back quit the show with her."
His words started calming her messed-up mind.
"Yes, I agree I came here just to fulfill my promise to her. But I promised just to be on the show and not to win with her."
Her eyes started shimmering in satisfaction.
"But, I did want to win this show with you. And continue whatever we had outside whether it is just friendship or liking. I wanted to take it forward and see where we would end. I don't know about you but I wanted to court you properly once we go out."
A smile was trying to curl her lips but she surpassed it.
"But that's ok. Our bond was never strong as this small misunderstanding was able to mince it into parts."
He sighed and was about to leave, but he felt her hugging his back.
"I am sorry." Her words surprised him.
Was his feisty queen trying to be a cute kitten?
"I always wanted to share this but my ego prisoned me in. All these things are very new to me and I was unable to hold myself when you sided with her yesterday."
Turning around, he hugged her back.
It was the first time she had initiated a hug, every time it was just a side hug after a win or just a small greeting hug. Yes, it was so warm and adorable to see her cute side.
...
As per her orders, they sat back on the bench with her clinging to his shoulder.
"It's still 2.30, we can go back after a while?"
He nodded and just enjoyed the moment.
"Call me Ian." His sudden words surprised her.
Looking at him, she asked,
"Is it your real name?"
"Yes and No." He chuckled.
"Huh?"
"People know me with a different name but my very own call me Ian."
"Ohh, just like how Our President has two names, Felix and Theodore?"
Her words surprised him and he nodded.
"How do you know I mean Only a few know this naming secret?" Ria questioned him with a frown.
"My family is close to him. Yours too?"
She nodded at his question with a smile.
"But I never like was very close to his family. We never met, to be honest. I only met him once that too when I was around 5 if not wrong."
He smiled with a nod. This information would surely help him a lot in the future.
Of course, he would never love to plead with his father to accept her. Felix's name was familiar only to the extremely close ones and he was happy about it.
"I am Mia by the way and I live in City B." She gave up her information.
"You never visited City A?"
"Naah, I never resided there. But I may move in a year or two after my graduation." She didn't let out the actual information.
If she said about her brother he would sure guess her surname. Because her brother was already famous around the country and he was now ruling City A from City B they were planning to move in a few years after her dada's retirement.
As they were immersed in their world talking about all the random things, a girl came rushing towards them.
"Al Ale Alex, Isla Isla is actually, " And before the girl could continue Alex freed himself and rushed towards the girl's wing.
And Riya sat there deadpanned.