Heartless

22.

Ranbir, Arhana and Mayank headed to the parking lot but surprisingly, it was completely empty. Not a soul was present here.
Shahana: "Was she really here?"
Ranbir's eyes searched every corner, wherever he could see in the darkness but his wife wasn't there.

A scream caught their attention, and they worriedly moved outside the gates.
There was Prachi who was at the side of the road along with Rhea.

Ranbir walked furiously to them and held Prachi. He pulled her to him. Although he was extremely angry, his hold and touch on her was as soft as possible.
Prachi, slurring: "Rannnnbirrrr."
She immediately snuggled into him and rested her dizzy head onto his chest.

His arm automatically hugged her; providing the warmth that she needed.
But his angry eyes moved to Rhea.
"What the hell were you doing?"
His angry voice echoed on the empty road. 

Rhea: "Oh, so now you are talking to me."
Ranbir looked away annoyingly.
Rhea: "What happened, Ranbir? Since when are you so concerned about a girl?
Last time, I checked you hated girls."

Ranbir, angrily: "Get one thing straight, stay the hell away from Prachi and me."
Rhea: "Prachi became so important to you, in such less time? Wow!"

Her jealous filled eyes moved to an unbothered Prachi who was still snuggling Ranbir.
Ranbir: "Remember, I can destroy your entire modeling career. The media would want news about one model and if I say about you being gold digger, it will be a major headline."
He smirked as he watched the colours drain from Rhea's face.

Ranbir: "I hope you will be on a flight to wherever you live now and be away from us as soon as possible. Because if I see you near Prachi and me, I will definitely do what I just told you."
Rhea: "Ranbir..."

Aryan: "Let's go, Ranbir. We will take Prachi inside."
Mayank: "Yeah, she is not worth spending your time and energy on."
Ranbir didn't have to be told twice. Supporting Prachi, they all walked back inside the college gates.

Ranbir stopped by his car in the parking lot.
"You guys carry on. I will take her home."

Aryan: "We will also come."
Ranbir: "No, you stay... we will meet you tomorrow. Plus, if Prachi is leaving, then Shahana has to handle everything inside."
The trio nodded understandingly and they walked back to the gym.
But before going, Aryan had asked Ranbir to inform them about Prachi times to times.

As they disappeared from his sight, he turned to his sleepy wife.
He held her carefully and moved slightly away from her, so that he could pick her up.

But his drunk wife had other ideas. She slightly pushed him away but as he didn't expect it, he stumbled slightly and hit his car's bonnet. He was leaning onto it, while she watched him.
Ranbir: "It's going to be okay once we reach home, okay?"

Prachi, pouting: "But I don't want to go."
Ranbir tried hard to stop the smile from forming on his lips but failed miserably.
Prachi: "I want to go in there..."
She turned to go but he quickly held her hand and pulled her to him.
Due to her drunken state, she stumbled right in between his legs and lazily laid her head on his shoulder.

He too hugged her instinctively.
Ranbir: "We should go home, Prachi."
Prachi, cutely: "But I want to dance with you again."
Ranbir: "We will do it tomorrow. For tonight, it's enough."
Prachi, cutely: "Okay..."
But she tightened the hug and snuggled onto him. Having her so close, he too held her and enjoyed the peacefulness that surrounded them.

Prachi: "Are you angry with me?"
His forehead scrunched in confusion.
"Why would I be?"
Prachi: "I got drunk and I am troubling you."
Ranbir: "Not at all, I told you I wanted to witness you drunk one time."
She lazily looked up at him and he too looked at her. Within a second, Ranbir grew surprised as her soft but chapped lips touched his cheek.