Chapter 15

Third person point of view

Aravind let out a puff. " Wait. Just... wait for a minute ". Dev didn't speak as asked and Aravind removed his hand and sat back again. He calmed down and started to digest what Dev has told him. He knew how the period of understanding yourself and the liked could be. They were definitely not as pretty. 

As someone who has been through it, he knew how hard it could get. He didn't really know if he wanted to take into account Dev liking him. He couldn't help think that have just been too close and had too much part in each other's lives that Dev was confusing it with like. Even though he understood how Dev felt, he couldn't just accept it as easily. 

He decided to speak up to try and clear his thoughts a little. " I get that you are currently confused about your own identity, but honestly speaking, there is no need for it to have any label. You need not try to fit yourself into any category and box yourself up. You can learn things as life goes by. And it is totally fine ". 

Aravind consoled Dev. Dev nodded. Aravind let out a shaky breath. " And about you... umm li- like... " He couldn't get himself to say it out loud. Dev blinked. " About me liking you ? " Dev finished it for him. Aravind grunted. " Can you not say it so easily like it's nothing ? " He complained frowning hard. 

Dev just shrugged. He yawned and rubbed his forehead. Aravind could see he was still drunk and sleepy but was sitting and chatting with him about all of this. He was now worried if he would even remember it in the morning. But then again that was not really the matter of concern for him at the moment. He was getting distracted.

Aravind brought his thoughts back on track and tried to analyze the situation. " Anyway about that, don't you think you are just confusing yourself ? Or I don't know, it might be something else too ". Dev just stared at him with a blank face. " Do I look like an idiot ? " He asked and Aravind looked away. 

" It is just that I don't know what to do about it. It is too abrupt and after we have known each other for so long and everything else... I really have no clue how to handle this right now ". Aravind said it out loud. That was his concern and he knew there was no reason for him to hide it. They were talking about finding a solution for their problem. 

So they would have to talk about what they are thinking if they want a solution. Dev nodded. " I understand how you feel right now and that it is not easy. Honestly though, I wouldn't have told you about this if not for all of this happening. Maybe not now but in the future, at some point, I definitely would tell you. So I am not asking you to like me back right away or anything. I just told you about how I feel and what I think ". 

Aravind nodded. " Then... what do you want to do ? " Aravind asked as he had no idea what to do. Dev looked down for a few seconds and looked up again. " How about you let me flirt with you ? " " AH ? " Aravind yelled in shock. Dev looked around as he spoke. 

" You already found out anyway, so I don't see a reason for you to not let me try to hit on you. You like guys and I am one. And a handsome one at that. At some point you would want to like a guy and be in a relationship with him and it just so happens to be that that time is now and that guy is your best friend. I understand if you don't want to do by thinking about future. I wouldn't mind it if you say that you don't want to do it and we can just go back to being how we were. I am fine with letting it go, by thinking of it as something like a drunken mistake and moving forward. The future is not in our hands anyway. We will get back to normal in a few days. And we can let future take us where it wants to ". 

He finally looked at Aravind. Aravind knew what he meant by that line even though he spoke indirectly. Dev was saying that it was not like they were going to forever remain like this as neighbors. There was a long life ahead of them and things will definitely change a lot. He gulped and the fact that they had one last year for college struck him hard all of a sudden. 

Dev continued speaking. " And again if that same future is worrying you about how it might be like if we are to be dating, shouldn't we let time decide that too ? We might not be able to decide the future but then again we can choose what we want it to be and manifest on it right ? We also never know how it ends if we never start it ." 

Dev smiled. " And I don't mind seeing where the end of this is ". Aravind looked at him with mixed emotions. He thought about it over and over again but couldn't reach a conclusion. He looked down. " I need some time to think about it ". Dev nodded. " Fine. Take your time ". Dev said and Aravind nodded. 

" Can I sleep now ? " Dev asked and Aravind let out a dry chuckle. " Sure ". Dev slowly got out of bed. He changed out of the clothes as they were uncomfortable. He then got on the bed and covered himself with the blanket. Aravind sat there as he watched Dev fall asleep pretty quickly. He also slept on the other side of the bed and fell asleep.

-MG