Adrian's POV
Anjaane ho tum jo, begaane ho jo tum
Pehchaane lagte ho kyun
Tum gehri neendon mein jab soye soye ho
To mujh mein jagte ho kyun.
The moment those words left Ekaksh's mouth, my hold on the glass tightened further and suddenly, the glass broke, in my hand itself, letting drops of blood drip from my palm. All of a sudden, the attention of everyone present in the hall was drawn to us but my eyes did not leave her, who didn't even care to glance my way, not even once.
"Oh lord, what did you do Adrian? Leave the glass shreds." Ekaksh spoke and took away the broken glass from my hand. "Ariv, call the maids and get this cleaned. Adrian, come with me, we have to get your hand cleaned."
He took me with him to his room and Manisha followed behind us. Gio and Ariv made everyone focus back on the party, telling them that it was just a minor accident. All this while, her eyes never met mine nor did she look my way to even see what happened. There was a pang in my heart because of her behaviour but who was I to complain.
It's not like we know each other and she is something to me.
We reached his room and he asked me to go to the washroom and wash my hands under running water first. After that, Manisha came with the first aid box and started cleaning the wound. It wasn't a deep cut so she cleaned it quickly and bandaged it.
"What got into you? Who breaks a glass in their hand, Adrian?" Manisha asked with a chuckle.
"I didn't realise the glass was so weak. Otherwise, I would have held it very cautiously, you know." I replied to her jokingly.
It's not the truth though.
"Right, we should have given you silver glasses. That wouldn't break."
"See, now you nailed it."
Both of us chuckled at our jokes. I moved my eyes to a distance and saw Ekaksh leaning against the doorframe and looking at us with a strange expression. It's like he was missing this. There was a small smile on his lips but his eyes were sad. I couldn't figure out what he was thinking exactly.
"Don't worry, I ain't stealing your woman." I said, grabbing his attention.
"As if you can." He snorted in response and came to sit next to me. "You can try all you want but my Isha won't bat you an eye."
"Well, your Isha is taking care of me and holding my hand. Maybe she would bat me an eye if I tried. What say, Manisha?" I looked at her winked playfully.
"You see, Adrian, I am married. You should have tried before." She replied, flaunting her wedding ring.
"I lost my chance, didn't I?"
"Yes. But it's okay, if Ekaksh does something I don't approve of, you can try on me then."
"Excuse me, aren't you two talking a lot." He retorted and all of us laughed.
"Okay now, let's go downstairs. The dance will start anytime soon." Manisha said, standing up and keeping the first aid box on the table.
"Dance?" I asked with confusion in my tone.
"Yes, Avyaansh suggested that we organise a dance after the cake cutting." Ekaksh replied and my teeth gritted together at the mention of that name.
All of us stood and left the room. We walked downstairs and my eyes searched the room for the beautiful pair of brown ones. I saw her sitting on the couch, talking to her friend, who happens to be Gio's girlfriend, and that bastard. Her best friend looked at us and whispered something to Aadya who simply nodded.
"Was the cut deep?" Gio asked the moment we reached near him and Ariv.
"No, it was a minor cut. Nothing to worry about." I replied to him and he nodded.
"Ladies and Gentlemen, please get ready for the dance now. Find yourselves a partner and get on the dance floor." A voice announced and all of us straightened up.
Ekaksh and Manisha paired up together and went towards the dance floor, followed by Gio and his girlfriend, followed by Ariv and someone with him who I didn't recall. Before I could think much about them, a girl approached me.
"Hey, I noticed you don't have a partner. Wanna dance with me?" She asked me, biting her lips.
I was about to say no, when my eyes went towards the centre of the stage, where Aadya stood with that piece of shit. For the first time since I have been here, her eyes were on me. I saw Avyaansh placing his hand on her waist and holding her other hand with his free one. Without any further thought, I said yes to the girl and took her to the dance floor.
"So, you are The Adrian Williams?" The girl asked.
"Yes." I gave her a chipped reply as we positioned ourselves on the dance floor.
"You know, I am such a fan of yours. I admire your work from the bottom of my heart—" she kept talking and babbling but I couldn't hear shit.
The lights went dim and a bollywood song started playing and all the couples matched their steps with one another. Even though I was dancing with a stranger in my arms, my eyes did not leave hers. One song finished and the other started soon after.
Dekha hazaro dafa aapko,
Fir bekarari kaisi hai
Sambhale sambhalta nahi ye dil
Kuch aap mein baat aisi hai.
The beat changed and the partners were changed. Aadya fell in my arms and lost her balance a little, colliding on my shoulders unintentionally. I held her close and helped her stand back straight. She didn't look up while I stared at her beautiful face, which was inches away from me. The way she glowed in the dim lights made me speechless at her mystic beauty. I wrapped my left arm around her waist and pulled her to myself while holding her other hand with my right hand. She looked up to meet my eyes and I could see droplets of tears dwelled in them.
Le kar izazat ab aapse
Saansein ye aati jaati hai
Dhundhe se milte nhi hai hum
Bas aap hi aap baaki hai.
We moved together on the song, with our eyes staring into each other's soul while no words left our mouths. It was like the time had stopped around us and it was only her, me and the song. Her sad eyes held a glimpse of satisfaction and content. I slightly held up and placed her on my toes before moving and twirling around. Her little bump touched my abdomen and my eyes fell on it. Something in my gut twisted and my heart skipped a beat.
Pal bhar na duri sahe aapse
Betabiyan ye kuch aur hai
Hum door hoke bhi paas hai
Nazdeekiyaan ye kuch aur hai
Dekha hazaro dafa aapko
Fir bekarari kaisi hai
Sambhale sambhalta nhi ye dil
Kuch pyaar mein baat aisi hai.
The urge to pull her closer to me and let her head rest on my chest was making me restless but I controlled it, so that I didn't seem like a freak. The song soon ended and the lights were turned on. That brought me back to reality and I put her back on her feet before removing my hands from her. It seemed to be impossible to do that but I had no other option.
We separated from there. She went towards her friends while I went to the cocktail bar to grab a drink. Ekaksh, Ariv and Gio also joined me soon after.
"I hated the changing of partners concept." Gio complained and chunked the drink down his throat.
"You are saying as if any of us loved it." Ekaksh retorted back with annoyance and drank the contents of his glass.
"Exactly. Who the hell even came up with the idea." Ariv joined their complaint gang.
It wasn't that bad. I liked it.
A small smile appeared on my lips at the thought of her wrapped around in my arms. It felt so good. She fitted in my arms like no one else. It's like she was custom-made for me.
"Why the hell are you smiling?" Ekaksh's voice broke my trance and I looked at him and shrugged before chunking the content from my glass.
"It's late now. Everyone is also going back. Let's return to our rooms. I am already so tired." Ariv yawned and suggested.
All of us nodded at his suggestion.
"Adrian, you can stay at our outhouse for the time you are here." Ekaksh said.
"It's alright. I will get a hotel room. Don't worry." I replied to him, shaking my head.
"Cut the formalities and stay at the outhouse. It's my country, you follow what I say." He was not backing off.
I chuckled at his words and agreed to it. Gio was going to stay with his girlfriend so it was going to be just me there. Ariv returned back to his room and Ekaksh took me with him to the outhouse. We decided to bring my luggage from the hotel tomorrow as it was already almost midnight. He opened the lock of the house and showed me in. The outhouse was quite big and comfortable, it was a better stay than the hotel I must say. He showed me the bedroom which seemed spacious.
"I would ask someone to bring you a set of fresh clothes. Till then you can freshen up and relax." He said.
"Hmm. That would be great." I replied to him and he left.
I took off the blazer and opened three buttons of my white shirt before folding the sleeves. I made my way inside the bathroom and washed my face thoroughly. I wiped off the water and looked at myself in the mirror. My eyes went to a faded lipstick stain on the left side of my shirt. I touched it and felt my heartbeat under it. A smile appeared on my lips, remembering whose stain it could be. I didn't try to remove it and came out of the bathroom.
The moment I entered the room, I saw a familiar figure waiting for me. Her back was facing me but I immediately recognised her from the clothes and her hair. I closed the bathroom door behind me which grabbed her attention and she turned around. Her eyes met mine for a fraction of second before again looking here and there.
"Hey." I tried to initiate a conversation.
"Uhh— hii. Actually, I brought clothes for you. You can change into them for tonight." She spoke and kept the clothes on the bed hurriedly before making her way out of the room.
I looked at her disappearing from the door and felt a little hurt at her behaviour. I know I am a stranger, but does she not like me already? Did I behave like a freak back on the dance floor? I don't understand what happened.
Suddenly, something struck my mind and I moved towards the bed and picked up my blazer. I took out a white box from the pocket and looked at my phone to see the time. There were still fifteen minutes left for the day to end. So, I rushed outside. I hurriedly came out of the outhouse and looked around to see if she was still anywhere near or not. I saw her standing near the gazebo and staring at the moon intently. Slowly, I made my way near her and stood behind her. The night sky had her undivided attention when all of a sudden, I heard a chuckle escape her lips.
"What is it about the sky that made you chuckle?" The question left my mouth before I could even process it.
Aadya abruptly turned around and her eyes widened with shock when they landed on me.
"What are you doing here?" She asked me, with shock filling her voice.
"I—" I tried to remember why I followed her and then spoke further, "I realised I didn't wish you."
"Oh."
"Happy Birthday, Aadya." I wished her with a smile.
"Thank you, Ri— Adrian." She replied, fumbling on her words. "Well, now that you wished me, you should go back."
"I also brought a gift for you." I spoke and her eyebrows joined in confusion.
I forwarded the small white box to her and she took it with unsurety in her movements. She flipped the box, turned it and tried to understand what it was.
"Open it." I said and she looked at me before taking off the ribbon from the box and opening it.
Her eyes widened in surprise and a few droplets of tears left her eyes immediately. Before I could even say anything or ask her, she wiped off those tears and looked at the gift with adoration, love and hurt.
Is the gift bad?
"Hey, did you not like it? It's okay if you didn't. I will get you something else." I held her shoulders and said.
"No. It's not like that." She replied after composing herself. "It just— it just reminded me of something and it's very pretty. Also, I am so overwhelmed with the whole party and stuff that's why I reacted like this."
"Oh. So, you liked it?"
"Mhmm. It's pretty. Why did you buy it?" She asked me, while touching the gift.
"I don't know. I had no clue what I wanted and when I entered the shop, my eyes fell on this and I had the urge to get it. I guessed you would like it." I replied to her and she took out the gift from the box.
It was a five hundred thousand dollars worth 'Dove' pendant with diamonds engraved in platinum.
I don't know why I bought it but when I saw it I knew I had to get this. The price didn't matter after that. Aadya tried putting it around her neck but she couldn't do it alone.
"Here, let me help you." I said and she gave it to me.
I turned her around, holding her shoulders and made her wear the pendant.
"Happy Birthday, Aadya." I said again as she turned back.
"Even though you didn't have to get me this, thank you so much. I didn't know I needed this until I got it." She said with a sad smile.
I didn't know what else to ask her or talk to her about or how to initiate another conversation. I was thinking about possible topics when my gaze landed on someone who was coming towards us and I fisted my hands on my sides. Before I knew, the question left my mouth,
"So, I heard you are getting married to Avyaansh next month. Is it true?"
*******************************************
Anjaane ho tum jo, begaane ho tum jo
Pehchaane lagte ho kyun
Tum gehri gehri neendon mein jab soye soye ho
To mujhe mein jagte ho kyun
Jab tujhko paata hai, dil muskurata hai
Kya tujhse hai vaasta
Kya tujhme dhundhu main, kya tujhse chahun main
Kya kya hai tujh mein mera.
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