Maira's POV:
I open my wardrobe to pick out something to wear.
Something that isn't my boring formals. Formal but not-so-formal kinda dress is what I am supposed to wear.
Not my words but the directions given to me by my family members. I am confused as heck so as to what I should wear that classifies as formal yet not so formal. Arghhh! Talk about contradictions. I am raking my wardrobe for something to wear but getting frustrated I shut the wardrobe door loudly. Letting out a loud exhausted sigh I turn around to go seek some help.
"Freak!!" I jumped out letting a loud shriek. I place a hand on my now loudly beating heart.
"Shreeks Anaya! Are you out of your mind? I almost had a heart attack."
"Good thing then we have a cardiologist at hand. We wouldn't even have to pay."
"Doesn't mean you'll put me in a hospital. It's like saying, just because I am a lawyer, you can go around murdering people."
I take a seat at the foot of my bed before turning to look at the person who almost gave me a heart attack.
"Have you ever heard of knocking before entering?"
"Umm... For you, nahhh."
"What do you want?"
"I wasn't even interested in coming here. Okay? I was forced to be here. Wear this for the party. Byeeeeee." I look at the bag she was holding that I didn't notice earlier.
I see Anaya turning around to leave but not before saying something along the lines of "I don't know how these peeps will function without me seeing everyone needs my help."
Drama queen.
I decide to get ready for the party since it's almost time and I know soon enough I would have to go downstairs. I move inside the washroom to take a long calming shower. I am feeling jittery and the reason for the same is unknown to me. Maybe because of this sudden party in my honor, something that hasn't happened for me...like ever. Or maybe the bomb of another prospective groom or rejection. I have a weird feeling... But the problem is I don't know if this weird feeling is good or bad or both.
Discarding these thoughts I decide to enjoy my me-time in the shower, getting ready to face the world. I step out and wrap myself in a fluff towel and proceed outside to see what clown am I gonna become today. I blow dry my dripping dog-like wet hair before going towards my bed to pick up the bag which encompasses my dress.
I pull the zipper down only to see a pretty ombre grey skirt becoming light as it goes down along with what seems like a black crop top. The dress no doubt is very pretty. Sighing I decided to get dressed.
I put on some gloss and kohl, wear the crop top and pair a layered white pearl necklace to go along, leaving the skirt until the last moment to slide on as I was afraid I might get it wrinkled before the party itself.
Once I am all ready, I stare at my reflection in the mirror. The grey skirt no doubt suits me and does pretty good job at hiding my insecurities a bit. The color reminds me of the grey gown that I wore to the last party I visited and my mind cannot help but drift back to the person who had been kind enough to get me that dress.
I remembered how he wanted to make me feel comfortable while we were dancing and the incidents thereafter might not be cheerful for me but I remember enjoying myself. I am compelled to think if we could have had a future together if he had agreed to the proposal. Before I could go in deep with my spiralling thoughts, a loud knock brought me out of my trance.
I opened the door only to see Rishi standing out there.
"Woah!!! Today it seems you are all ready to get a groom for yourself." Giving him a big eye roll I turn around.
"You do realise you have dug your own grave and you might not be able to see whom I chose as my groom if things keep going on like this." I gave him a saccharine smile before looking at my reflection in the mirror once more before I grab my silver clutch to leave my room.
"Ahh...why so murderous Maira? Calm down you know I had best intentions at heart."
"Well, the road to hell is paved with good intentions... haven't you heard. So, keep your good intentions with yourself and spare me." With another look at him, I move downstairs to the room where the party is being held.
I reach at the bottom of the stairs to see many known faces floating around. Inhaling a deep breath a only said one thing to myself. "Let's get over with this."
I am congratulated by many people, some whom I knew, others whom I didn't know but they seemed to know me. I was just roaming around feeling so out of place but not having a choice of escape, I knew I have to endure it for some more time.
Parties always made me feel getting judged by others based on my appearance and so I never liked attending parties. Being a lawyer and working at a big law firm, attending parties and becoming social comes as a requirement and now I can proudly say that I know the knack of plastering a fake smile and responding to small conversations that people do.
I am not sitting on one of the tables in a secluded corner as my cheeks hurt from all the fake "Hi" and "Hellos". If someone really wants to talk to me, they can find me here. Not being super close to many people present here, I know I will be fine being alone here.
"Ahhh...there you are! I have been looking for you everywhere."
Seems like you made the assumption quite fast.
I turn around to see my dearest father making his way towards me.
"So, the guy I told you about is waiting for you upstairs on the terrace. I assume you would have wanted to meet him alone."
Well, thanks for deciding for me I guess?!
Instead of arguing I decide to silently get over with this.
"Cool... I will get going then."
"Umm... Maira, just please give this guy a chance, I have a feeling this person is the one for you. For my sake please take it easy on this one."
I exit the hall before I could question what he meant by Take it easy on this one. I only show mirror to douches who think the world revolves around them. I might intimidate strangers a bit but that comes from a place of protecting and guarding myself and my emotions.
I have seen how when people perceive you to be weak, they try taking advantage of it. I have seen men trying to manipulate women just because they believe that they can do so. I have always been worried about marriages because I feel somewhere men feel entitled to owning women and try objectifying their woman but they don't like getting claimed as some woman's. The misogynistic ways our society functions is reflected in each and every person irrespective of their gender, caste, or class and I cannot tolerate it in someone with whom I expect to spend my life with.
The conditions I have for getting married are just my way of assessing a person's outlook at things and if he is marrying me because of me or my family wealth. For me it is very important to have a person who does not depend on others to feed him but knows how to stand on his own legs and no matter how hard the situation is, knows to stand up against the wrong.
With such thoughts revolving in mind, I make my way upstairs thinking if my father's gut feeling is gonna be proven right or will I have to deal with another buffoon.
I reach the terrace and can see a silhouette of a person leaning against the railing with his back facing towards me. I take my time to analyse/admire the guy from behind before I see his face. The black three price suit does justice to his lean tall figure, he isn't a very bulky muscular guy atleast from behind. There is something about him and the aura that surrounds him that seems very familiar but at this moment I cannot really pinpoint who he might be.
I want to say something to make my presence felt but for some reason I am afraid and my feet aren't helping me move forward. I can hear my heart thumping and I am sure the person who is standing a few feet away from me can too if he strains his ears a bit. I should have come making that clink noise from my heels.
For that you need to wear heels, duffer.
Oh yeah, I am all for sneakers and flats. I cannot go out of my comfort zone and wear heels even if it will give me a good height and make me look more intimidating. My comfort comes for me before anything else. And let me tell all the ladies out there that you can intimidate any man and I mean any man as long as you appear to be confident while talking to them, even if on the insides you are shaking and sweating, this comes from personal experience. I have literally seen people substantiating their arguments with tonnes of bullshit but no one questioning them because of the confidence with which they speak. People either get confused if they heard it right or if the information they have is right because of the conviction with which they hear the things being said. Until and unless one is very much confident in their skills, no one can catch such people. I mean if you guys have watched Suits, isn't this what Harvey Spectre did? So, more than anything it's the confidence you pose that intimidate people.
I am so lost that I forgot why I was standing on the doorframe of the terrace. It was when I heard some commotion from downstairs that I finally got back into my sense and decided to make my presence known. I mean I think the person already knows, someone is standing behind them but they are also procrastinating like me I feel. I can tell by the change in their posture that they can feel the presence and so as to put us both out of our miseries, I decide to approach the person and get over with this.
I finally enter the terrace which is covered in lush green grass with round stones paved to make way towards the seating area near the railing with the overview of the streets beneath. It is night and so there aren't many people or lights on the streets. The terrace is well lit though making me feel more exposed, I would say as compared to the broad daylight, when it's light everywhere and not only in the area you are present in.
Putting a stop to all my useless thoughts I clear my throat. I can feel the person's gaze but I cannot see him.
Idiot you will be able to see him if you look up.
Right!
So, I raise my eyes slowly to see the black dress shoes of the person, the black pants and the tie around his neck perfectly in contrast with the white shirt he is wearing. I raise my eyes further to finally look at the guy and believe me when I say this, all the air from my lungs is knocked out. The guy in front no doubt is looking devilishly handsome, with the perfectly gelled up hair, and has the same dark-grey eyes I have been dreaming about the last few days making me want to keep on staring at him.
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