Xavier stared at her. His eyes looked unhappy; ''why? Did I do anything wrong?''
Ari shook her head, as tears gathered in her eyes. Turning towards the door, she dashed out.
Xavier stood at the spot for a long while, trying to process what had just happened.
Ari locked her door, and she ran to her room, slumping on her bed.
What has she done?
She pulled at her hair as she groaned. She shouldn't have kissed him. Now he knew she liked him. She had let her guard down.
Ari's phone rang beside her on the bed and she looked at it; it was Xavier calling her.
Closing her eyes, she took in a breath and turned the phone over. What would she do now?
Why? Why did she kiss him!!
Everything people said about him started coming back to her. She knew. She knew she was going to get hurt, she knew, and yet she had kissed him.
Ari bit her lower lip. And even now, she wanted to kiss him again. She wanted him. Badly, and it was killing her.
What was she going to do?
…
Xavier tried calling Ari a few more tis, but she did not pick up. Then he texted her;
''Ari please pick the call. Let's talk.''
Ari stared at the ssage, and she sighed. She did not know how to face him. What would he say? Did he feel the sa way about her? Obviously, he would want her now, but when he was done, only she would be hurt, terribly hurt.
She couldn't risk it. She was not deep yet, so she could retrace her steps. And she would start by not seeing him anymore. She was falling deeper in love with him because she was seeing him and talking to him almost every day.
''We can talk about it. Please pick up the call. ''
His ssage ca in again and this ti Ari texted him back;
''I'm sorry, what happened earlier today was a mistake. It would not happen again. Help dispose of the pizza, thanks.''
There was no reply, and after so minutes, she heard her doorbell ring. He knew it was him, so she texted again;
''Please, just go. I don't want to see you. ''
The doorbell rang a few more tis, then stopped. Ari sighed as she closed her eyes.
How did she get herself into this ss?
…
Xavier did not see Ari for the next few days. He didn't see her when she went to work and did not see her when she returned. Even at the company, he did not even run into her. He did not want to go look for her himself, so as not to start rumors.
So he asked his assistant to check if she ca to work and if she had missed any day. He ca back saying she was at work and had missed no day.
She was not picking up his calls or replying to his ssages. Xavier knew she was avoiding her, but he did not know she would be this good at it.
That day after work, he searched for her car and waited for her in his. After a few minutes, he saw her walk towards her car in hurried steps, as though she were running away from soone.
He waited for her until she was very close to her car before he stepped out and walked to her.
''Ari,'' Xavier called and Ari's feet ca to a stop when she heard the familiar voice. She cursed internally, and she turned to look at him faking a smile;
''You're avoiding ,'' he said, his hands in his pockets as he stared at her, looking a little sad.
''I am not. I just needed ti to understand myself,'' Ari replied.
''I told you we could talk about it, ''
''I don't want to talk about it, because nothing would change. I just need to figure myself out. You did nothing wrong, the problem is .'' she said,
Xavier opened his lips, but no words could co out. He did not know what else to say.
''Can you reply to my texts at least?'' he asked, his eyes pleading.
Ari stared at him, and her head fell; ''I'm sorry, Xavier. '' she replied and turned to leave.
''I miss you,'' Xavier said, and she stopped. Her hands trembled as tears gathered in her eyes. She missed him, too. She missed him, and she wanted to run into his arms and hug him, but she couldn't. She couldn't risk it.
Without saying a word, Ari got into her car and drove out, leaving Xavier standing there.
Xavier stared at the spot where she had stood for a few minutes, then he turned around and left.
…
Ari ca back ho feeling feverish. She had been working overti, and waking up too early just to avoid Xavier, and in the end, she still ran into him.
Cursing under her breath, she dropped her bag and took off her shoes. After taking a shower, she lay in bed, wondering what to eat.
She had thought it was just a re fever but soon her head banged. Ari fell asleep, thinking that she would be fine when she woke up.
But by the ti she woke up, she was boiling and she could barely see now. Her breath felt hot, and she knew had fallen ill. Standing up from the bed, she checked the ti. A few minutes past 9 pm.
She could drive herself to the nearest pharmacy and get so fever-reducing drugs, as she had none at ho.
Ari threw a loose gown over her body and left the house.
As she walked to her car, Xavier drove into his house. She turned her head so he would not see her, but his lights were on, so they flashed on her as he drove past. Xavier was about to enter his house, but he stopped and stepped out.
'Shit!
Ari cursed underneath her breath as she walked faster to her car.
Her hand ransacked her bag, searching for her car key, but she couldn't find it. Then she rembered she had dropped it on the couch.
Before she could go back inside, Xavier had already reached her.
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