Page 123 of A Lab Rat's Guide to Fated Love
When she glanced at him again, she found him already staring at her. As always. Kitten eyes and everything. It made her face grow flushed once more.
“I’ve missed this.” His fingers brushed against her cheek, making her blush even more. He chuckled, reaching for the discarded throw on the floor, and pulled it over them.
“You keep making me fall for you,” she mumbled, brushing hair away from his brow. “I love you.” She wanted to tell him a hundred times over. Every day, for the rest of her life. “Vir Varma, did you just slow-blink at me?”
“I love you.” He laughed, squinting at her again.
She knew he did. He’d loved her for a long time.
It was her turn now.
“Did you seriously name agoatafter me?”
“She likes guavas, too.”
Epilogue
Half A Year Later, June 2023:
Pondicherry, Tamil Nadu
Nori
Nori sat cross-legged on the beach,her loose curls swaying in the breeze. Far ahead, with strokes of warm pink and purple swirling into the horizon, the evening sun dipped into the sea a few quarters of an inch every time she averted her gaze to briefly glance at Anita while they talked.
They were close enough to the shore for the water to gently lap at their bare feet with each incoming wave. In the distance, Vir and Adi bickered playfully, standing chest-deep in the water.
“What time is your flight tomorrow?” Anita asked, taking a small sip of her beer.
“Nearly midnight. Vir wants to sleep through it. Helps him fight off jet-lag.” Nori tipped the last of her beer into her mouth and set the empty green bottle to the side.
She pulled her knees to her chest and sat hugging them while she watched Vir hop onto Adi’s back. He begged his twin for a piggyback ride, and Adiseemed to oblige at first, but then threw him into an oncoming wave at the very last moment.
She laughed.
“Did you tell him?” Anita asked her a moment later. “About the past-life stuff?”
“I did.” Nori replied. “He doesn’t remember anything. I don’t either, except for the bits I told you about. He did mention the dreams he’d been having before we met. Fascinating.”
“Ah, yes. That’s where he got the Algiz rune from, it seems.”
Nori nodded. “He’s not had those in years now, but digging into these subjects has made him even more intrigued about this field of science. That’s why he’s joining the university in Alberta to continue his research on dream-science there. I haven’t seen him this excited about anything else before.”
“I thought he was more excited to finally meet Goober after all these years.” Anita chuckled. “Are you sure it’s the research and not the cat?”
“Honestly, I’m not sure if I should let those two meet.” Nori shook her head. “What if Goober likes Vir more than me, switches alliance, and demotes me to his spare-human? After watching Vir with Billie, I can’t rule out the possibility.”
“Ah, no way, that’s too big of a risk. Maybe you should cancel your flight and just stay here with us. We’d have plenty of time to do that sleeve you wanted, too.”
“Should I?” Nori laughed again.
“Are you sure you don’t want me to do another reading for you? We could find out who you both were. And what happened.”
Nori shrugged. “I don’t need to know who we were in the past. He’s here with me now. That’s enough.”
“Aren’t you coming for a swim?” Vir called, sloshing towards them. “I used to have todragyou out of the water earlier.” He looked pointedly at Nori.
“We were just finishing our beers.” She stretched out a hand towards him, and he pulled her to her feet.
