The Marriage Contract

11 - A Hero, A Heroine and A Villian Too

"Yes. A real boyfriend. You are my fake boyfriend. And I'm your fake girlfriend. Didn't Richa tell you we'd be meeting up at the theatre?"

"Richa says a lot of things."

"And yet you fail to listen to any of them! You can't be seen here!"

"And why not?" He asked casually, plopping down on her rundown couch.

"Because people will talk!" She replied, frantically.

Abhimanyu felt something pricking his bottom. He rummaged around the couch cushions and found he'd sat on Akshara's bra. He dangled the bra in the air as he replied, "Yes, but isn't that what we want? To get people talking?"

Akshara's mouth was left agape and her cheeks turning bright red as her eyes flew to her bra dangling from Abhimanyu's fingers. She crouched above Abhimanyu's head and grabbed the bra from his finger and hid it behind her back. Away from hsi prying eyes.

"Yes! But only when it's structured by Richa. Not on our own accord. So please. And who gave you my address anyway?"

"Richa did. I told her I was in your area and that I could pick you up and she thought it was a fantastic idea."

"And were you really in my area or did you just decide to wake up today and think 'Hmm, what can I do to annoy Akshara more than I should?'"

"As special as you think you are, I was doing a house call on a patient who happens to live around this area. So sorry to burst your bubble but my entire life does not revolve around you or this stupid contract!" He exclaimed, feeling his temper rise.

Akshara glared at Abhimanyu with suspicion before nodding her head at his explanation. "Yes, sorry."

"Are you finished getting ready?" Abhimanyu bit out, trying to get anger in check.

He didn't know why Akshara enjoyed pressing his buttons but her lack of trust in him was starting to annoy him. But he also couldn't truly blame her. She barely knew him and it wasn't as if he had given her a chance to fully trust him either.

"Just about. Give me 5 minutes." Akshara stepped into her bedroom, feeling horrible for her attitude towards Abhimanyu.

But it wasn't her fault either. She didn't know when he was being serious or when he was joking and being sarcastic. How was she supposed to know when he was telling the truth. It wasn't as if she was a mind reader.

Akshara finished her makeup by adding a light touch of blush on cheeks and a satin nude lipstick to her lips. She puckered her lips out and smiled at the girl standing in front of her in the mirror. She then grabbed a stack of bracelets and arranged it on her one wrist whilst adding a watch to the other wrist.

"So. You make house calls?" She asked, stepping into the hallway.

Abhimanyu was left stumped as Akshara walked out of her bedroom, looking even more beautiful and enchanting than before. He felt words escape him as he felt himself mesmerized by her.

"Ummm....yeah. Only for my more senior patients. I don't want to trouble them by making them come all the way to the hospital when it's just more convenient for me visit them in the comfort of their own home." He answered, trying to get a sense of normalcy back.

"Oh...that's...actually very nice and thoughtful of you." Akshara replied, furrowing her brows are his response. "Do all the doctors at Birla Hospital make house calls?"

"Don't know and don't care." And the Abhimanyu Birla she knew was back.

It didn't matter what kind of a person Abhimanyu Birla was, but he was one hell of a doctor, Akshara thought. Only a good doctor who cared about his patients would go above and beyond the scope of his job to make house calls for his patients.

"But shouldn't you know? Since you're going to be C.E.O. soon?"

Abhimanyu's jaw ticked and his demeanor hardened at the word C.E.O. which did not go unnoticed by Akshara. Abhimanyu did want to be C.E.O. didn't he?

"But I'm not C.E.O. yet." He replied curtly, putting and end to any follow up questions she may have.

Akshara got the message loud and clear. Before she could respond, the doorbell rang again. Abhimanyu and Akshara exchanged quick glances before Akshara went to go open the door.

"Ronak. What are you doing here?" Akshara's heart was racing as she tried to block Ronak's view into her apartment. The last thing she needed was Ronak to make a scene in front of Abhimanyu.

"Akshara, you have been a tenant of this building for a very long time. So I don't think I need to tell you that all guests have to sign in at the front desk." His voice was forceful and loud.

Crap! He knew Abhimanyu was here!

"Yes." She stuttered, nodding her head. "I'll...make sure he signs in when we go downstairs."

"You better." Ronak smiled, running his creepy gaze up and down, all over her body, making her naked and on display and very uncomfortable. Just standing there in front of him made Akshara want to vomit. The way he looked at her made her feel impure and disgusted with herself.

As if on cue, Abhimanyu came to stand beside her, sliding his large arm around her waist, resting it on her stomach. His grip on her was gentle yet firm. Protective.

"Hi, is there a problem?"

Ronak was by no means a short man, but even then, Abhimanyu towered over him.

Ronak glanced at Akshara, smiled at her before turning to gave Abhimanyu his most fake smile ever.

"No, no, I was just telling Akshara that all guests have to sign in at the front desk."

"If you had actually spent your time checking in with the front desk, rather than harassing my girlfriend, you'd have known that I did check in." Abhimanyu responded making Akshara's eyes widen in shock.

"Harassing? Me? I wasn't harassing. Was I, Akshara?"

Akshara glanced at Abhimanyu before glancing back at Ronak. "No." She replied, hating herself for lying.

Abhimanyu pressed his lips together as he continued to glare at Ronak.

"Well, I must get going now. Sorry to disturb you, Akshara." He apologized half heartedly before scurrying off.

Abhimanyu removed his arm from around Akshara's waist as he turned around to face her after Ronak's departure. Akshara suddenly missed Abhimanyu's arm wrapped around her waist.

"Is he always like this?" Abhimanyu questioned, unhappy with what he had just witnessed with Ronak.

Akshara shrugged. "Not always. Other than making me a bit uncomfortable with his creepiness, he's harmless." Or so she'd hoped.

"Let me know if he harasses you again." Abhimanyu replied, looking in the direction Ronak had gone.

"Oh and what will you do? Beat up him?" Akshara joked.

"I can if you want. I know how." Abhimanyu half-joked back.

"Oh please. Leave all that for the fictional movie heroes." She quipped.

"Promise me you'll tell me if he harasses you again?" Abhimanyu requested, no hint of mischief or playfulness in his eyes.

Akshara stared back at Abhimanyu's serious, pleading eyes and nodded her head. "I promise."

Abhimanyu and Akshara stared at each other, wondering where this sudden change of expression had come from. They were making promises to each other. They were starting to share things about each other with each other. Things that were not a part of the contract.

There were cracks starting to form in the contract. They were supposed to be professionals. Every part of their relationship was supposed to be planned with intricate detail. But then why was everything turning personal? Why were they deviating from their own prescribed path?

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Many were hoping for Abhimanyu to punch Ronak and don't worry, that's coming too! But for now, enjoy protective Abhimanyu.