Hell of a Lover!

CHAPTER 1

"How's everything?" Harshit asked taking a sip of the wine. "It was supposed to be all good." I replied looking away. It was so easy back in the days for him to read my face and tell if everything was okay or not. I was just not so good at pretending. After all these years of practice, it's been a piece of cake for me to pretend. Or atleast that's what I thought.
"I can smell something." He sounded suspicious. "Yeah this is the best restaurant in the town. So it's obvious you know. It's been a go-to place for me since a couple of months. A friend of mine introduced me to this place."

"You still talk so much!" He exclaimed like it wasn't what he expected.
"Is it good or bad?" I asked.
"Obviously good! I love to hear you talking. And if you ever sound like silence, it's gonna be a disaster for the world."
I giggled but he should try a better one next time.
"That was lame!"
I hadn't had even one sip of my drink so I lift my glass and bring it to me mouth. He grabs my wrist and stops me.
"What?" I asked with a big question mark on my face.
"That's not Wine by the way."
Now that I can't lift my hand up, I bring my face down to the glass and take a sip. He eventually releases and let go off my hand.
"Stubborn as always." He mutters but I hear it any way.
"Yeah. That's not Wine you little boy."
"Don't act like you've grown up." He taunts.
"Of course. I'm a grown woman." I say proudly as I toss my hair off my shoulders.
"Why and since when?" He asked. He seems to be worried.
"For fun and since a couple of months."
"While I was off?"
"Yes." I smiled and replied, "Yes- While you were off."

"Come on! Spit it. What's it?" He asked. Continuing like he's in a rush, "I hope you don't get wasted often."
"Excuse me mister." I narrowed ny eyes and scanned him from up and down twice.
He looked confused.
"I don't drink often." I replied and took one more sip of my whiskey.
"Thanks." He rolled his eyes. "You've learnt very well how to change the topics. So let me ask again." He sits up straight adjusting his hoodie in a right position as if he's ready for some formal investigation. "What's up with you little sis?" He asks.
"Stop calling me that." I roll my eyes. "I'm not little anymore."
"Yes you are." He pulled the glass of my whiskey towards him. Indicating that I should talk before I take any more of it.
"See you've been on a holiday after almost a year. You don't deserve to sit and solve my problems. And there's nothing going on really -" He cuts me.
"I caught you." He pointed at me. "Nothing is going on? Explain."
"Stubborn bastard!"
"I thought this was all I wanted but it doesn't feel like it. I mean  Everything is good, but it's been the same for years and nothing new is happening. Going to the gym in the morning only returning in the afternoon for a break of a couple of hours and then again the same. Now it's just me and the students, the gym and the business. There's no one to have fun with it's so boring I swear but also it has become a habit now. And that's not disturbing and that is ridiculous." I let out a sigh after speaking for almost half a minute.
His eyes looked unhappy after hearing this. "But you're doing what you wanted to." He said.
"Yeah!" I nodded my head.
"You're not regretting, right?" He assures. I think about it for a while. I always wanted to spread the knowledge of the sport that I have, I always wanted to teach the youth the importance of this art and wanted to see alot of players grow and that's what is happening. Harshit is a reality check to me. Everytime a conversation with him gives me a clarity of my life. Also always being around me put me into a habit of taking assurance from him. And him being far from for a year was more than difficult. I gave a final thought of it and replied, "No. I don't regret at all." I pause for a moment to recollect words. "But also the only thing that makes me happy is my students and their progress. The business thing is just not my thing and even if it's going well it just doesn't fits well. Other wise I don't know why everything feels colourless and meaningless."
"Do you think you need a break?"
"Not really!" I replied.
"Um..." Like he was processing something. A forever buffer.
"Do you wanna hear something crazy?" I know why did he asked me that. A good mood is on the way.
"Yeah but only after you pass me that whiskey." I grab it and slide the glass on the table.
"So..." He looks like he has a ton of things to say.
"Sorry that you're not the first person to know about it." What? How's that even possible and what is he talking about? I remained silent with A disguised look on my face. He understood the assignment.
"Yeah-" He started talking, "Yesterday I met Siya at the beach. And we talked. Actually we use to talk on phone too when I was off on duty and she was always excited. We were just friends. Really. But she was the only friend with such a bond. You know how the others just disappeared."
"Yeah so?" I just can't wait till I hear the climax.
"Don't interrupt." He says so I just closed my lips with my finger.
He giggled and continued," She was talking about her family and how they're asking her to get married. She said, 'I don't want to get married to anyone else. I don't feel like it. It's just you with whom I share such closeness. This is the first and the last time I'm gonna confess and ask' She turned to me kneeling on her knees. Lifted my hand and said, 'I always loved you and could never tell. I was afraid to lose out friendship. But now that I'm at a position to marry someone. I don't wanna marry anyone else but you. Will you marry me Lt. Harshit Desai? Now you say what should I have done?"
He looks at me with a smile actually no, it was the blush.
My eyebrows top up on the roof with, with pupils running left to right I did not say a single word.
"Till last night I didn't knew I was gonna get married. She said by December. And I guess I'm ready. I don't think I can wife someone else."
I acted like I didn't hear.
"Yes, I'm getting married. And now you know. "
I jumped off my seat with excitement screaming 'yay!' and hugged him from across the table. "I was waiting for this." I said.
"That's why the bill is on me today."
"It was on you any way."
I sip some more of my drink.
"When are you planning to tell uncle and aunty about it?" I asked.
"Today. After we go home."
"Sorry sir, I'm in no position to talk to your parents. Is it okay to meet you tomorrow morning? Also I'll make something and bring." I think about it and say, "Shit I'm on top of the world right now!"
"Of course you are."