Argh. Yes, you have leave to thwack me hard with whatever comes by your hands because I haven’t updated this for ages. Thank you to those who bothered reviewing and hopefully, this will turn out good enough.

Oh, the beginning of this chapter starts off from where I left the story, the last sentence being “Van’s grip loosened on India’s shirt before he bolted upstairs in his room, dragging her behind.”

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India found herself all of a sudden in Van’s world. His curtains were drawn, making it hard for her to see anything but she could make out a mattress on the floor with two speakers and a portable cd player nearby. Otherwise than that, the room was bare.

She tentatively took a step forward, noticing how everything was neat except for the array of alcohol bottles lining against the wall. Van leaned down and caught a bottle of vodka, which he started chugging, making a face whenever he swallowed the hard liquor.

- What are you doing here? He finally asked.

India lifted an eyebrow.

- You fucking dragged me in here.

- Oh.. right, Van responded distractingly.

She rolled her eyes and prepared to leave but Van pinned her to the wall before she could go out. It seemed to be his speciality, leading her in situations she’d rather not be stuck in.

- Stay.

Although his voice was hard and commanding, the look in his eyes was soft. A second later, he was sitting down on his bed and beckoning her over.

- What do you want? She wondered out loud, staring at her feet.

- How about we get drunk together? came the unexpected reply.

- I don’t think I want to.

- What, are you scared? He queried, his voice once again filled with mocking defiance.

It had barely been two days she was living there and it was already the second time he had asked her that. Maybe he was right, maybe she was scared.

- No, I’m not, India retorted, plopping herself down next to him.

He handed her the bottle with a twisted smile on his face. He seemed to be in between laughter and tears. His barrier was so fragile, India wanted to hold him in her arms and say he could cry. Which was total nonsense, she scolded herself.

- Do you have anything to mix with that?

- Be a man, India, he scoffed. Why would you want to pour stuff in the shit?

- I’m not a man so fuck off.

- I guess there’s some juice lying around, he sighed, carelessly waving his hand in the air.

India hesitated, who knew how long the juice had been moulding in there? Luckily, the carton was still closed and felt cool so she decided to take a shot at it. Even if the glass she poured it into didn’t seem as sanitary as the rest..

She leaned against the wall and hesitantly looked in Van’s direction. The boy didn’t seem to pay any attention to her presence and continued drinking directly from the bottle.

India let her eyes roam around the room and slowly realised the walls were covered with pages. Large drawings, small sketches, several canvasses, pages and pages of written words, all pinned in a hazardless way over each other. She wondered why she hadn’t noticed before because.. Well, it was impossible not to notice.

- Is this yours? She asked, nodding to a strangely coloured drawing near her head.

- This is my room, isn’t it? Why wouldn’t it be mine?

Basically, because Van had a hard permanent cold wall surrounding him and that it seemed odd he actually bared his soul in such a manner.

India didn’t tell him that though and continued quietly sipping her drink. She snapped out of the thoughts she was having while studying his walls when he took her glass out of her hand.

- Come on, India, he whispered, dangerously close to her ear. This isn’t the way to get drunk and you know it.

- I.. I know, she replied, trying to steady her voice.

How can you explain such an attraction to someone you barely know but at the same time, there’s a gut feeling telling you to back away?

- Relax, darling, he softly said, slowly massaging her shoulders.

She closed her eyes and tried to control the frantic beating of her heart, coming directly from inside her head.

He gave her glass back and she gulped down its contents in few mouthfuls. When Van filled it again, she drank it quickly without hesitation. Their brief exchange went on and on until India couldn’t swallow anything anymore. It was impossible for her to know how long she had stayed there because Time had vanished, thanks to their repetition of actions. Not to mention that now, she was completely wasted and didn’t even care. Van hadn’t pronounced another word ever since the last ‘darling’ and she didn’t want to interrupt the soothing silence.

Van leaned back and looked at her with half-closed eyes. She was simply beautiful from her innocence, it made him want to crush her in an odd vicious way. It was almost maddening how pure she was, how untouched.

He gently shook her from her drowsy state then helped her lay down next to him. He stared at her slowly falling asleep, wondering if her life was as perfect as it seemed to be. Hell, she had an awesome brother and parents not as half-bad as they come, money, a place to live and generally safe friends.

Van blinked, his vision blurry from all the alcohol he had downed. Why be such a fucking whining baby? His life may have been shit but he had survived it all. He was a fighter, yeah.

He moved to take India’s shoes off. The girl merely shifted and didn’t protest when he removed her hoodie then her tee-shirt. Van quietly looked at her soft breasts encased in the bra. What kind of new torture was that, anyway?

Her skin was soft and seemed white in the dimly lit room. Experienced in the matter, Van hugged her close with one arm while he unbuttoned her pants with his right hand and slipped them off without too much trouble as she was wearing baggies.

He then calmly slid out of bed and went to peer cautiously out the door to see if anyone was there. Assuring himself that TK wasn’t coming upstairs any time soon, he lit a candle and let the flame play near India’s body.

Van frowned then fumbled in his messenger bag before finding some charcoal. After easing himself on the floor with a large drawing pad, he began sketching carefully the outlines of India’s silhouette.

She moved a little and Van admired how her new position enhanced the curve of her hip and advantaged the size and shape of her breasts. He continued drawing, throwing quick glances now and then at the sleeping girl.

He was almost done when a strident ringing echoed through the room. Cursing under his breath, Van picked up his cell, noticing with frustration that India had woken.

- What do you want, fucker? He growled, motioning to India to stay where she was.

The girl’s cheeks flushed as she hurriedly covered herself with his bed sheet, her head raging with questions and leftover alcohol, pinning her down in the seeming safety of Van’s bed.

- I was making sure you weren’t cheating on me, love, Josh’s cool voice said. It seemed like you were pulling that girl upstairs with you.

- Fuck you.

- I wish, the man dramatically sighed. So, are you coming Friday?

- I don’t know.

- I kept you some tabs of acid, you know.. Or some meth if you prefer. I may have some coke by then as well.

- Shut up and stop calling. I’m busy, Van retorted, hanging up on him.

He cast a look over to India who was looking at him with a weirdly tired expression.

- I was drawing you, he simply said.

- I saw.

- Why did you move?

- It wasn’t like you asked for my permission, she sighed, holding her head.

- Why are you covering yourself?

- Excuse me for being embarrassed, waking up and being half naked in front of a guy I’ve only met yesterday.

- It isn’t like it’s something I haven’t seen already, he smirked.

- Don’t be such an arrogant smartass.

Van scooted over and surprised her by stroking her cheek with an almost shy look.

- Let me draw you again.

She trembled under his gaze but quickly stopped when she became aware of it.

- No.

- Why not?

His voice was commanding again.

- I don’t have to give a reason, she retorted.

She stretched out to grab her tee-shirt, not caring if he saw her bra because, he was right, he had already seen whatever she was hiding. He flung it away from her reach.

- This is fucking childish, India angrily said.

- It is, Van agreed. If only you’d admit you’re attracted to me and let me fucking draw you!

- I am not attracted to you, you pretentious bastard! India cried out.

Van blinked in mock confusion then leaned in to almost touch her lips with his. He then seemed to change his mind and started licking her neck, randomly biting it as he went down to her shoulder.

- Goose bumps, Indy, goose bumps, he teased. For someone who isn’t attracted to me, you sure have no control over your body. You could at least fake a little bit better than that.

India clenched her teeth. If only the stupid cunt wasn’t as fucking hot, maybe she could have. But -and God was she ashamed to admit it- she was attracted to him. With every cell of her body and every ounce of her mind.

Van unclasped her bra with an expert hand then rapidly threw it far from them. Holding her wrists with one hand, he clasped her mouth with the other.

- What have you got to hide now except this? He asked, nodding towards her sex.

India cast her eyes down. She wouldn’t cry, no. She wouldn’t hit the bastard either because even if he was an arrogant jerk, he sure knew what he was talking about with such conviction. It made her angry to be such a puppet.

- Fine, she tensely said, one tear rolling down her cheek.

- Fuck it! I’m not raping you now, am I? Because it surely looks like it, Van snapped, unwilling to let her see he was touched by her confusion.

After all, he was confused as well. He had never felt the need to draw a girl who wasn’t willing and generally, the weak and vulnerable act annoyed him out of his mind. Probably why he ended up fucking with assholes like Josh.

- Why are you so shy, Indy, he whispered before he could think. You’re fucking perfection, he said with pure honesty. Please.. Let me draw you.

India relented and was aware she was giving up more than her self esteem, a low one at that.

She just knew she had let herself fall in love with Van.

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I’m the first one to laugh at the idea of falling on love with someone this easily but hell, I guess it happens. I basically loved a boy for two years while being attracted to him three years before on pure instinct. I hope you weren’t too shocked or whatever but this is my story anyway. Van is based on my ‘guardian’ which I suppose you could consider an imaginary friend.. except that he isn’t my friend. Too long to explain really but some things don’t need to be. In case you’re feeling curious, you can still ask about it and I’ll answer. Next chapter will involve more of TK and Charlie so don’t feel sad they aren’t present in this one.