MAYA'S POV

My breath caught. There he was, lying shirtless in the middle of the bed, and those sharp brown eyes on me.

A slow smile spread on his face as he patted the space next to him. "come to bed maya, its late. we have to get up early"

I lingered by the door for a few minutes and then slowly approached the bed. Adhi was smiling like a sly fox. That bastard knew I was uncomfortable and is still making me do this.

"come on maya, its not like we haven't slept together before" he whined. "its no big deal, you know I wont touch you without your permission"

"yeah.. right" I murmured and went to the bed.

adhi's eyebrows pinched together, "whats that supposed to mean?" he sat up in the bed.

"nothing... you wont touch me without permission, but would ask my permission, make out with me, record it and then give to a psychopath to upload it in the college Facebook group and have me expelled. such a decent guy you are" I barked.

His entire demeanour changed. He visually paled and some might think that he actually cared. But I knew better. Adhi stuttered for words. I let him stew in his guilt for a while and then went to lie down on the bed. He was still sitting on the bed when I pulled the covers onto my chest, turned around and slept.

ADHI'S POV

She fell asleep almost instantly. I listened to her breathing for a log time until it went slow and even. Then only I lied back down. She had every right to be angry at me, but I hadn't expected her to lash out at me like this. I know it makes me a hypocrite. But the old maya wouldnt have talked to me like that. She was more gentle, soft.

But the old maya was dead. I killed her.

A silent tear ran through my cheek. It wasn't long when the sobs came. It racked through my body and I tried my best not to wake maya. But the sobs wouldn't stop. So I quietly pulled on my shirt and left the room and sat in the hall. I made sure no one was around and then cried my eyes out.

I didnt know how much time had passed. I was lying down on the couch eyes set on the ceiling. thinking about the horrible stuff I said and did to her. I wiped the tears from my cheeks.I don't know if it was there before or it just appeared, a flood of light appeared from the side of my eyes. I looked up and saw maya leaning on the door frame.

How long had she be standing there? Her face was grave, not giving away whatever was that it was going on inside her mind, her arms were crossed across her chest.

She turned off the only light in the room and came and sat next to me. When the room plunged into darkness a small stream of moonlight Illuminated the room through windows. I couldn't look away from her. The moonlight made her eyes look as if they were pools of honey.

Those honey pools were set straight ahead when she spoke. "we need to talk Adhi"

I nodded "yes we do". This was it. I don't have to protect anyone anymore, in fact I don't want to.

My mom might justify her actions as sacrifices made for her son. But she had made her intention pretty clear when she decide to live with that man. I took deep breath opened my mouth to speak when maya interrupted me.

"And I want honest answers, No bullshit" she asserted.

"I know. I wont lie to you. Not anymore"

she sighed "Why did you do it?" Straight and simple. But for me it was a twin headed axe which will cut me no matter which way I duck. so I decided to receive it straight on. I deserve the pain.

"My mother is a whore, That's why" I confessed.

Her head whipped towards me so fast I was sure she would get a whiplash. "WHAT??"

Then I started, from the beginning. The words left my mouth with such fluidity. Maya's expression changed from shock to anger to sorrow to anger again. When I finished we both had tears in our eyes. mine was from guilt and hers was from anger and betrayal. The fire burning in those eyes were so powerful it could incinerate my existence from this world. I couldn't meet those eyes.

She remained silent for a while. She was sniffing which was the only way for me to know that she was still here. I was still hunched over. She abruptly stood up and rushed to her room. I followed suit. She almost slammed the door on my face but I caught it just in time. I turned the light on and my breath got hitched in my throat.

Her eyes were red and puffy from all the crying. And her face. . . it was like she lost the last hope. I stepped forward towards her but she put a hand out to stop me. I obliged.

"Maya im so sorry. You have no idea how much pain I was in thinking about what I did, im guilty. I was wrong. I admit it. please talk to me" I moved forward again.

"NO!!!!" she screamed. I jumped back.

"shush.... maya your aunt will-"

"do I look like I care? " she screamed again but this time the voice went down an octave. Tears started to flow from her beautiful eyes, she was shaking with sobs. she clamped a hand over her mouth to muffle the sound.

"please don't cry. I know my betrayal must have hurt-"

"Betrayal? betrayal..." she paced the room "yes your betrayal fucking hurt Adhi. i trusted you, i was in love with you and what did you do? you went and did That."

"you know what hurts more than everything? the fact that you didnt even bother to consider that you could trust ME. That maybe i could've kept your secret. If you had told me then why you had to do what you did sure.. i would have been mad, like any sane person would be, but i would've understood Adhi and maybe.. just maybe i would have been willing to help you through this whole mess. But no...." she accused.

I stood there numb accepting all of her verbal bullets. no matter how painful it was i deserved each and every single one of them. Maya sat on the bed dropped her face into her hands and wept uncontrollably.

i knelt at her feet and grabbed her knees. She looked at me through her wet lashes. i grabbed her hands and removed them from her face. she pulled it back from mine but i kept grabbing it until she gave in. "please.. forgive me maya" i pleaded. "i know i don't deserve it but you. . maya . . i. . i love you. I never stopped loving you. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. But your timing was wrong"

Her eyes narrowed, I immediately corrected "its not your fault. it was a messed up time for me. its no justification for what I did I know. but I want you to know that I know im at fault and im begging for your forgiveness maya" tears blurred my vision. "please" I wept.

Her face softened just a little bit. She squeezed my hands "I believe you Adhi"

My insides burst into a million butterflies. happiness unlike anything ive experienced went through my body. i grinned widely.

"but.." my grin faltered " a relationship is based on trust Adhi. And my trust on you is long gone."

i swallowed. she was right. i knew she didnt trust me. But hearing it from her lips, it was painful than i thought.

she continued "if you ever want there to be an Us, then you need to earn my trust"

"i will. trust me i will" i had finished saying it before i realised my stupidity. A smile broke in maya's face. it ended in a chuckle i didnt realise i was smiling too.

The smile on her face was the end of me. i couldn't resist any longer.

"Maya" i whispered, her eyes met mine "can i kiss you?"

She was shocked i could tell. after a long five minutes, she slowly nodded her head.

And the next thing i know is her hands around my shoulder, mine around her waist pulling her in so close and my lips devouring hers.

But i knew. This kiss meant nothing. If i wanted to be with her i had to earn it. And i will. The feeling that washed over me when i met her lips was so pure.

Home. I was home.

MAYA'S POV

Adhi kissed me like he's dying of thirst and im water. His lips devoured mine. His tongue met my lower lip and i gasped. He took that opportunity to slide his it in. He kissed me with deep strokes and my head spun. my grip on his hair tightened and he groaned in pleasure.

God I missed this.

We soon broke apart and went back to bed. Even though we were facing opposite sides i could occasionally feel his hands brushing my hair and pressing a kiss to my forehead. i didnt dare open my eyes.

When my alarm rang at 4 am Adhi's warm breath woke me up. My head was on his chest, his arms wrapped around my waist and across his stomach.

It should feel wrong, i wanted it to feel wrong. But it didnt. It felt right to me.

I felt at Home

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