"You're supposed to be dating me, not him!" Abhimanyu snapped at her once the server had departed their table.
Akshara glanced at Abhimanyu, confused at his sudden change in attitude. "What do you even mean by that?! Of course I know I'm 'supposed' to be dating you!"
"Oh really?! Then why won't you smile at me like you smiled at him?" He complained, looking around to see if anyone was watching.
Akshara was caught off guard by Abhimanyu's words. She leaned in closer to him, smiling through the facade, "What do you mean? I am smiling at you. Like I was told I had to. So much so my jaw hurts." She replied, emphasizing her fake, half hearted smile.
"Never mind. Forget I even said anything." Frustrated, Abhimanyu waved off the little tinge of disappointment he was feeling.
As the server came back with their drinks, Abhimanyu and Akshara went back to making small talk —their new normal.
"Do you remember the first time we met?" Akshara asked sweetly, suggestively, gently stroking Abhimanyu's palm.
"Ah yes, of course I do. You crashed your car into mine. Completely and utterly destroying it. And that's when I realized you were a terrible driver." Abhimanyu mocked, grasping her hands in his, putting on the fakest smile he could muster up and in return earning a glare from Akshara.
Krish set the drinks onto table and stood back, not wanting to interrupt their conversation.
Akshara opened her mouth to reply, but felt Abhimanyu tighten his hold on her hands. "Let me finish. And that is also the day when I realized I'd be willing to be your chauffeur and drive you everywhere and anywhere for our entire lives."
Yuck! He felt like gagging at his own words. He can't believe those words had just come out of his mouth just now. Did girls really fall for cheesy and cringy dialogues like these? No wonder movies and novels gave them such fairytale expectations.
"Aww, you're the sweetest for being willing to be my driver for life. If I knew I'd be getting a driver like you, I'd happily crash my car hundred times over." Akshara pulled her hand away from Abhimanyu's grasp and held it against her chest in feigned admiration.
Abhimanyu's jaw ticked upon hearing the emphasis on the word driver. Fine, Ak-sha-ra, fine. If that's how you'd like to play it.
"Sir, would you like to order or do you need a few more moments?" Krish interrupted them before they ended up ripping each other's hair out.
"Yes, I think we're ready to order, are we not, sweetheart?" Abhimanyu asked, glancing at Akshara before flipping open his menu.
"Yes, of course, Jaan." She replied, her irritation invisible to the naked eye as she flipped open her menu too.
"I'll just have the Chef's special for the night, and my date here would like to have...the Chicken Garden salad, I presume?" He looked over at Akshara with a smug seeking validation.
He had wined and dined many women like her —petite ones —in the past to know they always opted for the lighter menu options. Something to do with making a good impression on dates, or so he had been informed after he'd spent the night fucking then into oblivion.
"The Cajun chicken handheld special burger, hold the pickles and fries on the side please." Akshara snapped shut her menu and debunking Abhimanyu's presumption and wiping the cocky smile off his face all in one go.
The server shifted his glances between Akshara and Abhimanyu nervously. He could sense the intense tension radiating off of Abhimanyu and Akshara and he could feel everyone else —from staff to patrons feel it too.
"Great! I'll get your order to the chef right away! And I'll get these menus out of the way." He stated calmly before hurriedly gathering up the menus and bolted, not wanting to be in their line of fire.
"Are you always this conceited?" Akshara asked, staying as calm as possible as to not raise any suspicion.
"Not always, no. I guess today was just your lucky day." He replied, mockingly.
"You know, next time you try to or want to order for me...don't. It'll save both of us the embarrassment. Don't try to act like you know me, because you don't."
"You're doing all this to annoy me aren't you?" Abhimanyu asked, genuinely.
"As much as you'd like to think I'm being a pest on purpose, sorry to break it to you but I actually prefer my meals to be filling and I love my carbs and fat. Not everything I do or say is to irk you, even though God knows I want to." She stated, honestly, leaving no room for further discussion.
A few awkward moments of silence passed between them making them realize that neither of them were good at making small talks. It was either complete sickening silence or getting at each others throats like rabid wolves. Where was the balance?!
But truth be told, Akshara had only had a few first dates which never exactly lasted beyond dinner and not for the lack of trying. There had been times when potential boyfriends had texted her for second dates but she'd forgotten to reply back after reading the messages, thus accidentally ghosting them.
Or she'd lose interest in them and drop them with a simple, "Sorry, I don't see this working out. It's not you, it's me," texts. Or she'd simply just gotten tired juggling extra shifts at work and giving music lessons to kids at the community center that she'd found herself with no energy to entertain a potential boyfriend.
Abhimanyu on the other hand didn't need to have a conversation. It was so much easier to meet a stranger at a club and just go to home where no talking was needed. He couldn't even remember the last time he had a proper conversation with the opposite sex which didn't include sex.
He tapped the table lightly, the silence irritating him more than he expected. "So..."
Akshara glanced at Abhimanyu expectantly, wanting for him to start the conversation. Anything. This silence was driving her insane.
How could it be that they has nothing to talk about that didn't result in them tearing each other's throats apart, Akshara thought. They had to live together for one year. The least they could do is try to be cordial with each other, right?
"How's work?" Work? Work Abhimanyu? Is that the best you could come up with?!
Akshara's eagerness turned into a frown, "You. You are my work and we can both see how well that's going." She replied, her annoyance increasing just a tiny notch.
Before Abhimanyu snap back at her, they both turned their agitation into petty smiles as Krish returned with the food. He set the plates on the table, offering the Chef's special and Akshara her requested Cajun chicken burger with a side of fries.
Abhimanyu watched as Akshara began to excitedly dig into her meal, dipping the French fry into the kitchen before munching on it with extreme pleasure. He hadn't seen any girl throughly enjoy her food before. But guess Akshara Goenka was no ordinary girl.
"You requested a male server because you didn't want your food poisoned or spit in, but didn't request for a male chef?" He mentioned casually, putting a spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.
He watched as all the excitement disappeared from Akshara's face and be replaced by shock. "What?"
He shrugged, "I mean, just saying. What if I had slept with the chef?"
Akshara gulped, like a deer caught in the headlights, "Did you?" She pushed her plate away.
Abhimanyu chose to let Akshara ponder for a few moments while he quietly ate his meal. Teasing her as fun. Devious of him but fun.
"No, no I didn't. I was just messing with you." He replied, earnestly.
Akshara was still skeptical about trusting him and refused to touch the food.
"Trust me. I was just pranking you. I haven't slept with the chef, or at least I don't think I did." But Akshara still wasn't convinced. "Here." He offered, dipping her French fry into the ketchup and eating it. "Trust me now?"
Akshara frowned at him and pushed his hands away from her food. "I don't share."
Akshara looked around the restaurant to see that everyone continued to sneak glances at their table. Richa hadn't been lying when she'd said every girl and their mother had eyes for Abhimanyu.
"So, why did you chose to do this? This fake marriage contract, I mean." He asked looking up at her.
"Because money. Is that reason enough?" She bit out. It wasn't a lie exactly. Money was a part of why she chose this line of work but it wasn't the only reason. But he didn't need to know b that.
Abhimanyu paused eating to glance at Akshara. For a girl like her, money couldn't be the only motivator, but why did he care? He shouldn't.
"Why you do sleep with any and every woman that you come across?" She asked, feeling a lot of negative energy radiating off of the women in the restaurant,
"One, the women sleep with me. Two, because I can. Married, dating or single, they throw themselves at me, and it would be terrible of me to decline their needs." He answered without a hint of sarcasm or truth to his words.
"Do you not have any self respect? Sleeping with married women or women who already have boyfriends? You are being active part of relationships falling apart!"
Abhimanyu shook his head. "First of all, it takes two hands to clap. So if I'm at fault, fhe women who chose to actively cheat on their partners with me are at fault too. They know what they're signing up for and so if they don't give a hoot about their own self respect then why should I? And second of all, I don't chase women, women come to me. Every single girl, every single girl wants to be a part of my 'little black book' as you have christened it."
"Not me. In fact I want to stay far, far, far away from even the shadow of that book." She tried to keep her voice low but hearing him talking about the women he'd slept with irked her. Not disgusted, displeased. She didn't like hearing about his conquests.
"Why do you do it? Sleep with women and then discard them?" She asked candidly. There had to be a reason, right? Right?! Why did she want there to be a reason?
"Because I have daddy issues. I do it to annoy him. And because it's fun, uncomplicated. And because I'm a very shallow person." Sarcasm dripped from his voice as he answered her. He was mocking her.
Even though Abhimanyu was being sarcastic, she felt that hidden between lines was a hint of reality. A reality that Abhimanyu was trying very hard to forget.
"And what about your mother?" The words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. Mother. That was the one thing Richa had asked to never talk to him about. Mother.
"I...I...I'm so sorry." She stared at him with widened eyes, trying to gauge his reaction.
All hints of sarcasm and playfulness vanished from Abhimanyu's face within seconds, and instead replaced by a cold, hard, unforgiving glare. She felt the room grow colder suddenly and chills rushed through her body as she watched Abhimanyu's jaw tick.
"I'll say it once and never again. You are only here to do a job. And that job —for which you're getting paid rather handsomely —is to act like a trophy wife. Nothing more. And don't ever mention my mother. Ever." He emphasized each word, making sure she understood the significance and impact of the message he was conveying.
Stay out of my personal life. Yes; she got that message loud and clear. Abhimanyu Birla was not as shallow as he wanted the world to know. He in fact did care. He in fact was more than a womanizer. But why did she care? She was only here to collect paycheck as his trophy wife, just like he said.
The rest of the dinner went rather smoothly but no further conversations were made. As they finished their dinner in silence, Abhimanyu paid for the dinner and left a $100 tip for Krish and they made their way out to the parking lot, making sure to try to be seen by as many patrons and staff as possible.
A valet brought out Abhimanyu's car to the front but they waited for her car —the one Richa allotted her to arrive with her own personal chauffeur.
Akshara could feel the tension rolling off of Abhimanyu. Mother was a touchy subject for him and she hated herself for being the one to add to it —even though she shouldn't feel bad —but it had been an honest mistake.
"I didn't do it on purpose. It just slipped out of my mouth. It won't happen again." She whispered, hoping he'd understand.
"Oh I know. I'm just thinking about all the women that get to miss riding out on the AB Train now that I'm going to be a one woman man." And the Abhimanyu Birla she knew was back and a part of her was glad to have him back. It was easier to hate him when he was being a jerk.
Abhimanyu and Akshara saw a car pull up into the parking lot. "I guess that's me." She stated.
"Ah yes, so I guess I'll see you later?" He asked.
She nodded her head, "Later."
A few more awkward seconds passed before either of them made a move.
"I think we should get going." Abhimanyu mentioned, faking a smile.
"Should we kiss? On the cheeks I mean? Richa said." She clarified before he got any vulgar ideas, returning his fake smile.
He cleared his throat, "I guess."
They both looked around each other to see the valets watching them secretively. He then moved in for a cheek kiss while Akshara moved in for a hug first. They almost bumped into each other, stopping once they realized what the other was trying to do.
"Sorry." They both said in unison.
They both let out an awkward and embarrassed laugh before trying again. This time, Akshara went in for the hug and Abhimanyu for the cheek kiss, bumping into each other again. While it had been funny the first now, it was annoying now.
"What are you doing?" Akshara grit out, looking around them to see only the valets watching them with curiosity.
"Me?! I'm trying to give you a cheek kiss. What are you doing?" Abhimanyu exclaimed while still trying to keep the pretense up.
Akshara took a deep breath trying to remain calm even though she was at her wits end. "Okay, you stand still and let me kiss you."
"Fine!" He sneered.
Akshara got up on her toes and placed a gentle yet chaste kiss on Abhimanyu's stubbled cheek. Abhimanyu involuntarily closed his eyes when he felt Akshara's soft lips touch the hairs of his stubble. He'd been kissed many times before but never like this. So soft; so hesitant, so pure.
"Goodbye," She whispered again before hurried making her way to the car, trying to hide her rosy cheeks from him in the process.
A small smile teased the corner of his lips as he watched Akshara's car drive of.
An act. This was all supposed to be an act they reminded themselves as they both drove back to their respective apartments.