The Royal Match Making

Almost

"Dadabhai." Shakti seemed rather eager to talk even before his hello "I heard you are partying tonight!"

"Yes," he shook his head "With Mr. Tanwar if Heer hadn't mentioned that"

"And Ajabdeh! '' Shakti smiled.

"Yes, she is the one who dragged everyone to it." He smiled at his reflection.

"How was she all day?" Shakti asked, "Our work here is almost done, I will be back around dawn or so... if the flight is not delayed due to fog and..."

"She was helping Ranima..." he sounded unsure, making Shakti laugh. "So? What is wrong with that?"

"I don't know... but she didn't need to." He shrugged.

"Dadabhai, we all know by now, that Ajabdeh doesn't do things she needs to. Rather she does things she wants to."

"Hmm..." But why will she even try impressing Ranima if she doesn't...

"Can I say something?" Shakti broke his thoughts. "Yeah."

"Tell her."

As soon as Shakti said it Pratap's door flung open making him stare a little wide-eyed and in a reflex he disconnected the call. Shakti frowned at the other end.

At the door stood Ajabdeh Punwar, in black tight leather pants, a shimmery black one-shoulder top, and a pair of rather funky moustache earrings. Her hair was curled up and hung at her waist rather messily, and the only make-up she wore was the smoky eyes that stared back at him.

"I have no party clothes here." She shrugged. He dismissed the helping hands with a gesture and she stood there at the threshold still.

"You can come in." He looked away rather indifferently trying hard not to let the thoughts of how beautiful she looked make him act weird. She frowned, "You should come out, we are late."

"The bosses are always late, let Tanwar wait." He put his purse in his pocket as he spoke.

"Who says that" She frowned "Where on earth is such a rule made?"

"Okay, leave with him if you want to." The moment he said it, he was scared. Scared that she would do it but instead, he watched her narrow her eyes at him rather funnily and she took her place on the couch.

"I have never been here." She looked around the bedroom "Haina?"

"No one, except my family, has been here." He smiled at her through the reflection. She caught it with a smile and said "I like that rule, I follow that too. If you are not a friend, stay away from my house!"

"Can I ask you something?" He turned to stare at her looking rather impressed at the room.

"I didn't count!" She shrugged. "What?" He frowned clueless.

"I didn't count how many men I mingled within the past few years." She tilted her head and he realised how much he had missed that tilt and the smile at the corner of her lips.

"I was not going to ask that." He let out a chuckle.

"Do you... umm... Like.... Tanwar?" He asked, sitting down beside her, a cushion in between.

"Like... I like him, and his work, of course!"

"Not like that, I mean... I..." He was interrupted by her phone, as she jumped up rather excitedly with "Jalal hi!" and walked out, gesturing at him to follow.

The Pichola Pub, at the Taj, in the middle of the lake was a rather extravagant sight. The open-air party place and bar had a spectacular view of the lake and the crowd was always elite. Jalal sat with a drink, in his effortless-looking weekend look, a lot of eyes staring at him and Ruqaiya who looked rather awkward at the stares. Their eyes travelled to the dance floor where Ajabdeh was dancing to some tune that went Let me terminate you... terminate your body... terminate this night... I am too hot for my ways... Jalal stared at Tanwar on the dance floor with her, he was the one who got her there and then he was standing while she danced on her own. Ajabdeh Punwar didn't even need a partner!