Life's Second Chances

Fifteen

For the entire ride to the airport, he's busy on his phone. Not once does his hard-set jaw even twitch as he taps away on the screen. Eyes blocked by his sunglasses I can't tell if he's angry or concentrated. But from the extreme cold shoulder, he's giving me, I'll just go out on the limb and say, angry. Sidharth is the type of person to let his fury, boil up and fume terribly until he snaps in the most outward projected way. Which usually results in a lot of screaming, hitting things and of course drinking.

To keep up with his fast walking pace I'm practically running behind Sid. An airport personnel wheels our luggage while another leads us down a private entrance to Sid's jet. Both men on their P's and Q's because of his outright livid mood. We trot up the front steps into the luxury aircraft, Titan. Apart from Rai Consolidated fleet of corporate jets, Sidharth keeps Titan for all of his travels, be it business or personal. Stuffing his duffle bag into the overhead bin, he pushes past me down the aisle of passenger seats disappearing into the onboard office.

Once we're in the air, I order a Manhattan to work up the nerve to seek him out. I substitute the usual bourbon or Tennessee whiskey for a strong Scotch whiskey. Since dating Sid, if its one thing I learned to love its scotch. I didn't particularly care for it before, but couldn't resist when I would kiss Sid after he had a shot or two on the rocks, that's how he would take it, or if he had a particularly hard day, neat.

Blowing out a nervous breath, I hold onto the back of the seats walking down the aisle, past the sitting area, towards the office. The office door suddenly flies open and Sid steps out in all his fuming glory. Lightly itching his scruffy jaw, his lips turn up in a sexy snarl. Seeing me he sighs heavily, lowering his face. Passing his left hand through his now overgrown, thick hair, he closes his eyes, breathing out.

"You make it so hard to stay angry at you," he mumbles leaning up against the wall, rolling his head to look up at the jet's ceiling.

"Why are you angry?" feeling more at ease, I step closer to him. My hand resting on his chest the other traveling up his neck to his ear.

"The freaking stunt you pulled last night! Anuksha...you have any idea what you even started? Both of our families saw, now there's the expectation of us getting married and we're not even together anymore,"

"Like you give a rat's ass what people think. I did what you were afraid to do and that was to commit. This back and forth, together, not together, fight, stop speaking, get intimate and suddenly we're all lovey-dovey again, is frankly getting me on my last fucking nerves," hands sprawled over my hips to my ass, I feel the burning of his finger against my jeans, spreading an aching heat between my legs.

"What happened in Delhi was a moment of weakness, on my part, and a very bad decision. I'm sorry but last night means nothing, it never will. You might have promised yourself to be my wife, my partner for lifetimes to come, but it was all in vain. We will never be together in that way or any way, other than two people who know each other cordially,"

"You don't know what my promise was and don't assume you know my feelings either. I've had immense clarity over the past days, Sid. I'm not pursuing you anymore, I really am calling it quits. All I'm asking is that you regard me as a trusted friend and know that no matter what I'll always be there for you. I can't, nor do I wish to, erase our memories together because they were beautiful and I will cherish them but that's all we'll ever be, a beautiful memory," rising on my toes, I kiss his cheek.

If I want to get the truth out of Sidharth I have to make him feel as though he's won, that I've given up on him and us as a couple. If he thinks that I no longer see him as the man I'm meant to spend the rest of my life with, then maybe he'll confide in me as a friend that he is dying. He has many admirable qualities, but being so headstrong has to be one of the greatest. Sid will crawl through mud to get his way, and I must do the same.