Our insecurities are our greatest enemies.
°°°°
Three weeks later
He pulls me closer and kisses me again. I giggle and push him away. "We are getting late." I remind him.
"Let's ditch it." He says as he lifts me up.
I gasp. "How can you even suggest such a thing? It's your best friend's exhibition today."
He sighs. "I guess." He puts me down and we go to the car.
We reach the hall where Noah's latest painting collection is being exhibited. Paparazzi are all over the place and many big celebrities are also here.
Jacob and I walk hand in hand, guards blocking us from the camera.
Once inside, we give our coats to the attendant.
The ambience is just like I imagined it would be. Creme walls, golden lights, paintings on different walls. Beautiful masterpiece. Noah is a miracle worker.
Only one thing is strange, people are looking at me. With curiosity or strangeness, I can't decipher. It's weird and really uncomfortable.
We move ahead, looking admiringly at every painting.
"Do I have something on my face?" I ask Jacob in a whisper.
He smiles and touches the tip of my nose with his index finger. "Nope. Flawless as ever."
"Then why are people staring at me?"
He shrugs. "Maybe because you're very pretty." He replies.
"Even women?" I ridicule his answer.
"Maybe I should hide you." He puts his arms around me and covers as much of my body as his big body can.
"You can't keep your hands off her, can you?" Comes a very sarcastic comment from the Noah Song who I'm assuming is standing right behind me.
I shrug out of Jacob's hold and turn to face him. He standing on the spot I assumed he would be looking like the perfect eye candy in his armani suit and his hairs combed neatly for once. He has shifted from street style model to a rich heir.
I hug him as a greeting.
"Not when I have a fiancé as pretty as her." He answers and pulls me back to him. He is such a baby.
"Let me give you a personal tour." Noah says and guides us.
He explains his different abstract paintings and all the while passers by still look at me weirdly.
What is up with them? Or is it me?
We cross the corner and step into another corridor and I gasp. My hands fly up to my mouth.
I don't believe it.
There are three big paintings on the wall. On top of them in bold letter is a big name stating, 'Princess of Hearts'. And the paintings below, all three are of me.
In the first one, I'm sitting in his studio with a steaming coffee mug in my hands. I am looking out of the window. It's the time when he told me to pose. I thought it was a joke and to pass time but apparently he had other plans.
The way the surroundings blend and the contrast of me against them makes me seem so unrealistically beautiful. Every painting makes me seem the same.
The second is me dancing in the club with my hairs flying in the air wearing the cocktail dress with an exotic look on my face. My eyes are closed and my red lips are shining bright.
And finally the third. It is of me in the Perez's ball wearing the pink princess ball gown as per the theme. I am standing with my face to the left as if I am looking for someone and my hands are holding my skirt.
I remember this. I was looking for Jacob when he had vanished to get some champagne.
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Sierra still has her hands on her mouth. But it's not her fault.
The portrait calls for this type of reaction. Hell even I can't take my eyes off them.
"I want all of them. ASAP." I tell Noah.
These are the paintings of my girl, no one should get to stare at them but me.
Sierra steps out her daze and glances at us.
Noah shakes his head. "Sorry dude, two are already sold. Actually the first one to go out was this one." He points at the club picture.
Anger boils inside me. How can I bear even thinking of someone else gazing at these pictures of my fiancé.
The manager of the event comes and says something to Noah. "Great! Even the third is out." He announces happily. "It was the most expensive out of the three." He points at the coffee mug painting which flaunts her natural beauty.
"Who bought it?" I ask, trying hard to keep my temper on bay. I'll pay double and buy the painting back. I want it at any cost.
"Yeah. Who will buy this?" Sierra repeats with a chuckle.
"Me." Comes a British accented voice from behind us. We three turn to find a guy with a slight dimpled smile standing there, staring at Sierra with a knowing expression.
From looks, I can tell he is Indian. He is tall but at least two inches shorter than me. Lean but muscular, adorning an expensive suit. He is of wheatish complexion with sharp nose, defined forehead and a good triangular jaw.
Recognition flashes in Sierra's eyes and she runs to him and hugs him tightly. "Aditya!" She shouts simultaneously.
The man laughs and hugs her back. He even lifts her up and spins her around. Noah and my jaws drop. What the HELL!
She pulls away and cups his face. "Oh my god! Is it really you? After so long. Oh god, I missed you so much." She says in a single breath obviously very excited.
"Yes Saras. It's me." He replies, gazing at her fondly with eyes filled with love. He even called her a different name! One I had no idea about.
She hugs him again. "You don't have any idea how happy I am." She says to him.
"Whatever you're feeling, I am feeling double.. or wait triple times more." He has his hands so protectively and lovingly that it physically hurts me to see this.
Then his eyes meet ours.
"As much as I would love to hold you, two guys are literally gawking at us." He says to her.
Sierra pulls away and looks at us and her mouth forms an o.
"Who are they?" He asks, his one hand on the small of her back.
Noah and I move closer to them. "I.."
"They are my friends." She cuts me and lies.
Noah's eyes snap to her then to me.
Why did she lie?