MILES AWAY

XI- Cherish

XI- Cherish

Cherish

/ˈtʃɛrɪʃ/

protect and care for (someone) lovingly.

“Please, stop!” Manya giggled as Manan delivered all his lame jokes one after the other. It was 8 in the evening, and they had just come from their work. The outside world is definitely a nightmare: the tension, the stress, it is better to be invisible than be the target; which ultimately made Manya miss everything and anything about Manan.

“I can’t” Manan slaps his hand over his mouth to stop the laughter erupting from him, Manya’s sweet giggles calming his nerves.

All these years seemed to be dull in front of these few days. Gosh, only if he had found her sooner. He is consumed by the mere thought of Manya. But the thought of telling her about his feelings was a big NO; though he was afraid by the time he will be able to pull his head out of his ass and make her mine, she would already be gone, as pathetic as it sounds.

Just tell her, don’t even think about it.

“Damn, you’ve got some fancy-ass jokes” Manya blurts out. Manan smiled, catching onto her lies. She can’t even lie, he thought.

“I wish you were here….with me” Never once did he think before saying this but he can’t picture his life anymore without knowing she likes him or not. All sense left the room. He wanted her, too bad to the point that it hurt or he might as well f*****g rip his heart off.

But all was he got was silence.

“Hello?” Manan asked, sitting upon his bed. He was tensed, s**t why did he do that?

“Manya-” Her soft breaths filled his ears, puffs of air hitting his ears, making him feel the presence of Manya, so close, so very close.

Manan’s heart thumped in his chest as if it would burst out any second. He pulled the spare pillow closure, hugging it as if his life depended on it, when his life was just in his ears, sleeping peacefully, without knowing the havoc she caused inside of him a few moments back.

How long, God?  

Low groaning sounds came from her, he instinctively pushed his earphones closer, and as creepy as it sounded, he listened to her little moans and groans from time to time. Yes, he didn’t sleep. It was all he wanted to do, he wanted to listen, to everything she has to give. Maybe he has become bold. Just then-

“Do you…love…me? I l-love you so…much ya’know” For a while, his brain did not process what she said, was he hearing right? He was, right? He frowned as he felt his heart clench with an unusual feeling.

She loves me?

Manan waited for a few minutes after that, he didn’t know if she had woken up yet or was she dreaming? She must have been dreaming, he concluded for she hadn’t said anything after. He sighed. What if it’s someone else?

And why do you have to always think negatively?

Could be. But he wished not. And now that he knew what those three words sounded like from her mouth, he didn’t think he would be able to control himself from further asking her to repeat them. But what if she thinks of it as a mistake? Would he be able to handle that?

A light gasping sound came from her. He opened his eyes and squeezed his pillow tighter. What is happening?

“Manan...” She moaned out, drawing each letter like the notes of a song, a song made for their love, a song made out of their love. But this heavenly feeling did not sit well with the ways of the love meat down. His pants felt too tight for his liking. He wanted to cherish these moments when his love is confessing her feelings to him, even though subconsciously, but he didn’t want to sexualize these innocent gestures of her.

He wanted to love her. Heart first.

He realized then only that she talked in her sleep, both a risky and an adorable habit. But to him, it was the best thing that could have ever happened.

“I love you more Manya” He whispered out. Eyes wet with unshed tears, he smiled as he had never before. Yes, she loved him.