"Aaliya?"
I look up from my laptop, and meet Rishabh's eyes.
"Yes?" I blink up at him.
"In my office. Now." He snaps and stalks off.
I walk to his cabin, fiddling with the ring on my finger.
"Yes, Rishabh?" I ask, formally so, once we're alone.
"I'm sorry." He says, and sizes me up and down. "I made a mistake. I want you back. Please."
My heart gains beat inside my chest, but all my mind says is Abhi, Abhi, Abhi.
"I'm getting married." I blurt.
"Huh?" He looks so dumbfounded.
"After three days, I'm getting married." I repeat.
"You..what? Why? You love me."
"I don't." My voice is cold. "Not anymore."
"Very well." His eyes turn cold at my admission. "Will you continue here?"
"No. I'm going to Delhi."
"Alright. I'll transfer you to our Delhi office, if you wish." He says.
"Thank you." I give him a small smile.
He nods. "Lucky guy."
I smile politely.
It could have been you.
- - - - -
"So you are getting hitched." Manik estimates after I give him a long long explanation about Abhi.
"Wow, you figured it out." I say dryly.
"Its just that, fuck, what am I gonna do without you?" He sounds almost forlorn.
I laugh sadly. "I'll miss you the most."
"I'll miss you too, baby girl. "
"Do you wanna go out?" He asks.
"Yeah, sure. I've been meaning to check out your brother's lounge."
"Yeah? Get ready then." He says, then hangs up after a while.
I wear a halter top and a skirt, and do goth chick make up, then text Abhi.
Going out with friends to Dhruv's brother's lounge. XOXO
He replies within moments. Okay. No more than two drinks.
I roll my eyes. Bossy jerk.
Manik comes over soon and we drive to our destination where we meet everyone else - Adya, Mia and Vehaan.
"Hey engaged girl!" Mia squeals, hugging me.
"Hey!"
"We need to meet your man, dude." Adya says.
"Yeah? I'll try. Maybe tomorrow."
"Why not today?" Someone whispers into my ear from behind. There is no way I wouldn't know that voice. Abhi.
I turn around to face him."Hi stalker."
"Hi babe." He grins.
Manik comes in from behind Mia, and tries to intimidate Abhi, by towering over him, but its not really possible, because Abhi is a few inches taller than him.
"He stalking you, baby?" Manik asks, taking a protective stance.
Abhi wraps a possessive arm around my waist. Manik's eyes narrow.
Uh oh.
"Guys!" I say cheerfully. "This is my fiancé Abhimanyu."
Abhi gives a look to Manik then turns to the rest of my friends, smiling at them, and the girls are particularly swooning. I introduce them to each other and everyone seems happy with my choice.
"Beer anyone?" Vehaan asks, and everyone nods.
"Drinks on me." Abhi interrupts, and goes to the bar with Vehaan. They seem to be getting along. Good.
"Hot damn." Adya says before they're even out of earshot and I agree.
"He's better than Rishabh or Arjun or anyone else. Good, Alz." Mia inspects.
"And that smile."
"Stop drooling guys." Manik says, rolling his eyes.
I shake my head, turning away from them, looking at Abhi laugh at something Vehaan said. God. He's so beautiful.
They return soon, and Abhi steals me to introduce me to his friends.
He wraps an arm around, his hand resting on my hip. I kind of like how he's such a gentleman, his hand doesn't even go near my ass.
He pulls me close to his side. He leans in, to anyone else it would seem he's kissing my hair, but he whispers menacingly. "Baby? He calls you baby?"
I stifle a laugh at his jealousy. Me and Manik are very platonic. I decide to play with him.
"It's Manik. Get used to it." I shrug.
He bites my ear, hard. "Let me inform you of something," He hisses into my ear. "I told you you are mine. I will repeat. You belong to me. I will not have another man looking at you in any way that is not platonic. I have said it already. I will trample, Aaliya."
I shiver at his words.
God.
"I'm not a thing." I snap, and his eyes narrow, but he doesn't say anything.
He leads me to the bar, where he introduces me to his friends.
"Guys, this is my fiancé Aaliya." He says as his grip around me tightens.
"Hey." I wave at them.
They're cool. Three people - a lanky guy, Ankur, his girlfriend Riya and this girl I'd like to call a slut, Maya, because she keeps on throwing herself at Abhi.
God.
We chat for a while, and Abhi buys me another beer, we dance for a bit, then sit down at the bar.
I feel a little tipsy, but I wouldn't tell him that.
Our friends are either off dancing or drinking.
I press into Abhi's side, and breathe in his musky scent.
"You smell good." I tell him. He chuckles, and it reverbates through his chest, which I feel right in my ear.
"So do you, my peach." He kisses the top of my head.
"Why do you call me peach?"
He laughs, shrugging. "Because you smell like peaches."
I smile at him. He's adorable as fuck. I watch his long eyelashes brush the upside of his cheek whenever he blinks. He's looking straight out at the crowd, one arm wound around me. I've never felt safer.
"I like you so much." I whisper to him.
He stiffens and looks down at me, his eyes cold. "You don't even know me."
I shake my head, straightening up, and look right into his eyes. "True." I say. "I don't. I don't know what your favorite number is, or if you like tea or coffee, or who was the first girl you loved, or why you stopped loving her or why you still do, or what are your demons, or if you know that you're something so unimaginably flawless, but this," I place my hand over his chest, right over his heart, "This I know, Abhi. This I know."
He shakes his head. "You don't know anything." He snaps.
His voice has taken on an edge I've never heard before. He sounds so...cold and impassive. And angry. Definitely angry.
Come back. I want to whisper to him. But this is who he is, I realize. This is who he will be. I should probably pull away, but I'm already in too deep.