Edited: January 31, 2021
| . . . C H A P T E R - 3 . 2 4 . 5 - M I D N I G H T - C O F F E E S . . . |
[Lavanya]
I watched as Arnav and Khushi left with Aarav. I was about to follow, my mind on the fact that Aarav knew Sam and talked to him in a friendly manner. He almost never approved of people. He could be quite picky.
Just then, Sam asked. "Why is he leaving?"
I recalled how he'd just came in and hadn't heard Arnav's announcement. "He has a good enough reason."
"A reason that lets him leave with his ex-employee and her step-son when he came to the party as your date?" Sam arched a brow and I realized he may have been absent, but he was quick to pick up on details.
I wondered if it'd be a crime to tell him. After all... Arnav did announce it just now. Pretty sure it's no longer a secret. God, I can't begin to imagine the PR nightmare its going to be in the morning.
Sam snapped his finger in front of me to recapture my attention. "You don't have to tell me if you don't want to, but atleast don't give me the impression that I'm that boring of a company that you zone out."
There was a smug grin on his face to imply humor, but do I spot insecurity? I wouldn't see why. He already belonged to quite a successful family. What did he have to be nervous about?
I returned a polite smile, "I was just thinking how much of a nightmare it'll be tomorrow."
"Nightmare?"
"Mhmm. Oh, and be ready to face ASR's wrath. Some of your employees have not left a good impression." I felt the need to warn him. He deserved a heads-up.
I started to walk around him when he stopped me again. "You're leaving already?"
"It is after midnight."
"So? You're an adult. Or do you still have to follow your parents' curfew?" He didn't realize the wounds he was pricking at. My facial expression must have hardened at the mention of my parents as his own face changed. His easy eyes registered a conclusion. "I said something wrong, didn't I?"
"Don't worry about it," I eased his guilt because it was not his fault.
How was he to know anything about my life? But... it was that thought itself that I recalled Arnav's words. The words he insisted on every now and again. To have a life of my own. To stop using work and Aarav as an excuse to keep my life on hold. He kept trying to get me to see that I didn't need to be there for Aarav 24x7. I did get his point. There were many people now to take care of Aarav. It was not the two of us struggling to make everything work. There were s a lot of good people in our lives now.
"So... does this ruin my chances of getting you to agree for that coffee date in the future?"
I tested him, "How about now?"
His eyes widen at first. Perhaps startled at the response that I agreed, or that I suggested we go now. He might not be ready for that. Only, he recovered quicker than I imagined he might. I said it to test him, see how serious he was or if he was just going to waste my time - be all talk and nothing more. "I don't mind. But are you sure you want coffee in the middle of the night?"
"It's not like I have a curfew." I pointed out, answering his previous question as well.
He waved his hand outwards, "After you."
I had no idea what I was doing. I haven't dated since my first year of college, and that feels like ages ago. Six years. It may as well be ages ago. Then, I tell myself. This is Sam. Khushi works for him. Aarav considers him a friend. He can't be all that bad. I have nothing to worry about.
We were going down the elevator in awkward silence when I made it clear, just in case. "This is not a hook up. It's just coffee."
Even though I was looking straight ahead, I caught his head turning my way in my peripheral. "I never said it was."
I cocked my head to the side with a knowing glance, "A girl agrees to go for coffee in the middle of the night. I may not have gone on a date in a while, but I do know what it implies."
He shifted so quietly I didn't notice it until his breath teased my skin. My spine stiffened as he said in my ear, "I'm not a hook up kind of person."
I turned around with a step back to put some distance between us. "Yeah right." I muttered. I didn't know anything about him to believe him.
He offered up so casually that it made me feel awkward, "Believe me, I've never hooked up with a stranger in my life."
"Um... I don't need to know the details of your sex life."
Is he always this honest?
Luckily, I was spared from his response as the elevator doors dinged open and we stepped out. "My car is this way." He nodded towards the left once we were out of the building. I was about to follow when I noticed my car. Arnav must have asked the driver to wait for me so I wasn't driving home after midnight by myself when he'd left with Khushi and Aarav.
This guy. I loved that he's my best friend. Even when worried sick over his wife, he made it a point to remember others.
"Just a sec." He waited as I walked over to the driver. The poor guy woke up this late in the night for nothing.
I exchanged quick words with him whereby he was reluctant, but I assured him I was safe with Sam before he got in the car and drove it back home.
Sam led the way to where his car was parked. Crossing my arms over my chest, I walked beside him. The chilly night was getting to me. "Oh, here..." He started to take off his coat.
I chuckled touching his arm to stop him, "Sam, I'm fine. No need to be chivalrous. We'll be inside the car in a second."
He eyed me for a second before letting my words convince him. They then traveled to his arm and I pulled back my hand. As awkward as it felt to have his piercing eyes on me, I couldn't shake off the feel of him. Underneath that layer of clothes, he definitely worked out.
He took out his car keys from his pocket and pressed the unlock button on the remote. Three cars over, his red Porsche beeped. I had no control over my actions as I whistled, impressed. He laughed, commenting. "Please. You have a Ferrari."
I argued, "Yes, but I have a Ferrari. How many Porsches, BMWs, Lamborghini's and the likes do you have?"
He was quick to shut down, "Point taken."
I chuckled silently. It was no secret that he was born into generations of wealth, and like any rich guy, he came with his toys. He walked towards the driver's side as I got in from the passengers and settled in.
It was once again quiet, but I didn't mind. I was occupied warming myself up as he navigated out of the parking lot towards the main road.
Ten minutes later, he pulled up in front of an apartment building. "Where are we?" I asked though I had a faint clue.
"I prefer homemade coffee." He turned off the engine. "Come on." Opening the door, he got out. I took a second to register the fact that he brought me to his place. A deep part of me was telling me to leave, to stay in my comfort zone. And then there was the part of me that never backed off from a challenge, to push my limits and see how far I was willing to go. To familiarize myself with new sides of me.
He must have seen me hesitate when I stepped out, "You can trust me, you know?"
I gingerly informed, "I only trust four people in my life."
"Do you always use set numbers to refer to things?" He teased and I realized I did do that. I didn't like things to be vague. I liked to know specificities of what I was getting into, and this... it was meant to be a quick experiment but half hour into it, I had no idea where it was headed.
He walked over when I didn't respond and reached for my hand. My eyes followed his actions before looking at him, "Lavanya, I suggest you stop overthinking. Like you said, it's just coffee. A few conversations. Then I'll take you back home."
I eventually nodded and convinced my head to stop zoning out.
As we got inside a lift, he asked. "So, who are these four people you trust?"
"I'll give you two names. ASR and di."
"I could've guessed the first. Does your sister have a name?"
"Oh, um I meant Anjali di."
He catches on I'm talking about Anjali Raizada. "You don't have any of your own siblings then?"
"That's a loaded question." I swallowed my feelings, reminded of Vivek. His brows narrowed in confusion, but it was a good thing he knew when to not press an issue. I inhaled and loosened my muscle tension, trying to get comfortable. "Enough questions about me. Tell me something about yourself."
He shrugged his shoulders, "Not much. You know who my parents are. Everyone knows I lived in US with my Aunt's family. I have an older sister, and I adore my little niece."
I teased with a soft smirk, "And here I thought you kept claiming you weren't a boring person. So far this isn't going as promising as you made it out to be, you know?"
"Oh, I wasn't aware we were starting the impressing game already. Atleast wait till the coffee is ready."
I was starting to enjoy the banter and let go of all my concerns. "Hasn't anyone told you first impressions start the second you meet someone?"
"By that guidelines, I already charmed you in our first meeting." He confidently claimed.
The lift doors opened, and the back of my mind was aware of it, but I was unable to look away from our locked gaze. It was the way he said it and he knew it. I couldn't deny it even if to hide.
The smile staying on his face, aware of his effect, he nodded towards the doors. I bit the inside of my cheek as I forced myself to blink away. Two doors down to the right, he stopped to unlock the door to his apartment.
That was when it clicked in my head. "You live by yourself?"
"It's easier to get to work and you can say I got used to my privacy when I moved away from my aunt's place for college."
"But don't you miss your parents?" I pried once he let me in while also glancing around the place. It was nothing as I expected, which was lavish. It was all... normal. Nothing too expensive. Nothing out of the ordinary. Very much cozy. Loads of personal touches. "I mean you already lived away from them in US all this time."
He dropped the keys on the counter and started to take off his coat. "Well yeah, I've lived away since I was 15, but I do see them every weekend, so it works out fine. Make yourself comfortable. I'll be back."
I nodded and he left his coat hanging over a chair. I observed that almost everything had its place. There were family pictures on the wall above the entire TV furniture with its two sides filled with books and the drawers' underneath with DVDs and a gaming system. There were two couches, two seated, in an L shape and a single seated bean bag chair. A coffee table in the center with a few fashion magazines.
I walked closer to the certificates to read which university he attended. Harvard Business School. Ofcourse he went to Harvard. He cleared his throat to get my attention. I abruptly turned as if I had been caught prying. He just smiled and forwarded his hand. I took the mug and internally sighed as it warmed up my hands.
As I brought the mug to my lips, he warned. "Careful. It's hot."
Still, I took a sip and relished the warmth trickled down my throat. "I can handle hot." Then, I cringed at my own words. "Cheesy?"
He laughed, "I don't mind." I would have blushed if he had kept staring at me. Luckily, he walked over to sit at the couch directly across the TV and I followed.
I placed the mug on the table and reached for the straps of my heel after. "You did say to make myself comfortable."
Wordlessly, he moved on to take a sip as if he did not mind that one bit either.
I grasped the mug in my hand again and just as I was about to tuck my leg underneath me, his words froze my spine. "So, you're Aarav's mother."
My head snapped in his direction. How do I even respond to this? I didn't expect him to figure it out, neither did I think he'd know this quick. I'd never had to answer this for anyone. I kept my personal life under a thick blanket in tight wraps.
"Ho-how...?"
"Your car." He explained, "I was there when once you came to the office once to pick up his lunch. I didn't see you but Khushi did mention her sautan was coming – her words, not mine."
He put two and two together faster than I gave him credit for.
"ASR's best friend first. His child's mother second. Employee third."
"For someone who comes off as absent, you're a lot more observant." I commented looking for a way out of this. He didn't answer. Just, kept looking at me. It put the pressure on me to carry forth the topic. "Have you watched the news of when Anjali di was kidnapped?" I rationalized that I could tell him. That it's my choice now that Anjali didn't mind it if others knew. She had said she was done hiding. So I needed to learn how to tell my story.
He expression changed. Perhaps, he recalled the news about her rape and carefully asked, "Aarav is...?"
"Yes." The whole truth confirmed in one word.
"You and Arnav...?"
"Best friends. That's it."
He nodded, probably clearing his implications. I could understand that. I'd gotten that a lot over the years in the office. People loved gossiping and speculating. I didn't understand why they thought two people of the opposite genders couldn't simply be friends. Yes, I had a crush on him when I first met him, but it was because he was the first one who had been nice to me in a long time and I was a freaking adolescent. What did I know? Just that he was the first one to truly understand me for who I was. It didn't take me long to realize he was the best friend I always wanted in my life.
He complimented, "Now I get why you're so fiercely dedicated to him. And his family."
I smiled faintly recalling thousands of my memories with the Raizada's. "They've been more my family than my own." His head bobs to the side in clarification. "Uh... my family. We were always well off, you know, financially, but after my mother passed away, dad remarried and let's just say life wasn't sunshine and rainbow."
"Cinderella and her step-mother?"
I laughed at his adorable attempt. "No, no. I didn't mean to give that bad of an impression. She was nice to me. But she wasn't mom. You know? And my dad... he found it easier to leave his new wife to take care of me. I reminded him of my mother a lot, so..."
He offered a consoling smile, "I can't imagine going through that."
"It was tough, but Arnav got me through it." I wasn't one to linger on heavy moments. It happened. Big deal. I preferred to move on than dwell. What was staying miserable going to get me in life? Nothing positively deserving.
"Well, I know we don't know each other well, but I think I can still stay this. It was their loss to not have cared for someone with such a wonderful and pure heart."
I didn't snap at him for being cheesy the way I would have at anyone else. His words touched a corner of my heart. Words spoken out of genuineness. Without an ulterior motive.
"Can we talk about something else?"
"Sure, what do you want to know?" He easily agreed to switch topics.
"Hmm, I am curious about one thing. How come you took over Irani House this young? No one know your father was planning on retiring."
"Are you the kind of person who uses people's personal secrets against them in business?"
"Why don't you tell me and let's find out." He may be careful of sharing his personal life. That much was evident from the way there was little information floating about him in the news other than generic things such as where he was raised and where he obtained his education.
"Dad had a heart attack last year. Gave us all enough of a scare that we made him quit so he could rest. My sister is more experienced and has been going back and forth with US to handle the operations there while I take over here."
I didn't apologize, it felt insincere. I've never done things or said something just because it's the polite thing to do. I have met Mr. Irani at business events and I do know he is a fair businessman. But our industry of fashion is also cutthroat. "How is he doing now?"
For a second, he was quiet, studying me. "You're the first person in the longest who hasn't shown me pity. And he's better now. Thank you for asking."
I smiled back at him. I was still forming an opinion about him, but everything I was learning... I liked so far. Which might be a problem. "Tonight all the times you were absent, you were on the call with your family."
He nodded in confirmation, "At first it was dad anxious over the party and then it was mom complaining about how he was dampening her plan of a relaxed Valentines night by stressing."
"Cute couple."
"They have their moments when they aren't driving me nuts."
I didn't realize how long we kept talking, but the conversation did not stop. It easily jumped from one topic to another.
. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .
Sam fished for his cell when it started to ring. "Sorry," he apologized, and I paused my sentence figuring he would want to answer it. Instead, he just pressed a button to silence it. "It's just a friend. I'll call him later."
"Your friends call you at 3 in the night?"
"You don't have many friends, do you?" He questioned as if receiving calls from friends at wee hours of the night was the norm.
"I have enough friends, thank you very much." I felt the need to defend myself even though he wasn't wrong. Can you blame me? Having Arnav as your best friend could turn anyone into a workaholic. "Anyway," I started to stand up after leaning over to leave the mostly empty mug on the table, "I should be heading back."
"Right..." He muttered pinching the bridge of his nose. Neither of us had realized how the conversation had flowed from one topic to another for the two hours. "I'll get my keys."
"Don't bother. I'll call a cab."
"At 3 in the night?" He admonished, standing up himself, "I don't think so. If anyone, you should know to be careful."
I slipped into my heels. "Sam, really. I'm fine."
As much as I understood where he was coming from with how the lives of those I cared for had been affected due to sexual abuse, I wasn't going to let fear drive my actions.
"But La..."
"Oh hush." I snapped at him as I reached the door, "I'm an adult. I can go back home just fine. It's not that far anyway. It'll barely be a five-minute ride."
"Fine, but text me when you're home." He started to compromise.
I turned around to tease, "Is this your way of getting my number?"
"What? No. I..."
I chuckled as he started to fumble. "Relax, I'm just pulling your leg." I reached into my clutch to pull out my phone and handed it over. "Here, feed your number."
After he did that, he pressed the home button and came across my wallpaper. It was a picture taken with Aarav on Arnav and Khushi's wedding. He was kissing my cheek and my eyes were squeezed shut, laughing.
"He's lucky to have you as his mother." He turned the phone around and forwarded it in my direction.
"Thank you." It felt good to hear someone else validate that. "I'm trying... but I don't know how he'll react when he finds out the truth."
He touched my arm to console me, "Don't think about it. There's still time for that."
"You're right. Well, thank you for the coffee... and good night?"
He chuckled along with me after I said it because night? It'd be morning in about an hour. "Some Valentines night, huh?"
I smiled back having almost forgotten the day. It was not like I've ever celebrated it with someone special. Without thinking much of it, I reached forward to hug him. And then, my heart skipped a beat when we parted and I lifted my eye lids.
He was right there.
Just a breadth away. Even his eyes traveled from mines to how close our faces were and back to my eyes.
It was a snap.
One split second decision.
The dam holding back the water crashed.
His hand traveled from my back to my cheeks. The softness of his thumb caressed my face as if giving me a second to make my choice. If he expected me to move away, I couldn't bring myself to.
People talked about it as if its slow motion, but here was the truth. It took a millisecond for my eyes to close and his lips to capture mines. It was the briefest of the brush. Still giving me a chance to leave. Only, when I didn't, his lips returned to mine and this time, he properly kissed me whereby I kissed him back too.
He angled my face as his free hand traveled to my waist and nudged me closer. My hands reached for his chest and before I knew it, they were reaching for his shirt buttons.
. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .
I was rushing around getting myself ready as well as Aarav. I'd woken up late, and that led to him waking up late because I'm usually the one to wake him up. No one thought to come check if we were up - leading to no one waking us up until there was only 20 minutes left before Aarav's school would start.
I didn't know how we made it to the parking lot because definitely don't remember driving - thank God for auto pilot mode.
Aarav grumbled taking off his seatbelt, "We are never doing this again. Ever."
"Yup, yup," I agreed even as I turned off the car and got out to walk him inside - no doubt I'd have to take him to front office so they'd let him in with a tardy note.
Once we made it to the front office, I caught a familiar face seated on a chair with a girl next to him. His head was buried in his phone until Aarav greeted, "Hi Sam!"
Sam.
We last saw each other three days ago. I hadn't heard from him since the morning after Valentines day. Even though he'd said he would text me. When I didn't hear anything from him, I told myself he was just saying that because that's something everyone said.
Sam glanced up and instantly smiled at Aarav, before his gaze traveled to me. I decided to focus on my child. "Hi, Eva. This is my mom."
So. This is the Eva that got Aarav wishing he had a sister of his own.
"Hello," she sweetly smiled and only thing I could do was return it. Even though it very much reminded me of Sam's smile. They might as well have the same facial structure and why wouldn't they? They were related. Her mother was his elder sister.
Principal's secretary approached us, "Alright, Eva, here is your tardy note. Mr. Irani, let's not make a habit of this, yes?"
"Ofcourse. A one-time thing, promise." He replied getting up to thank her.
She nodded for Eva to get going to her class and she waved at us before leaving. Then, the lady turned to me and Aarav, "Aarav, you too? Is today the day sun rose from the west?"
I supposed it implied that Eva wasn't the kind to be tardy either. Everyone was allowed a slow morning once in a while though.
She put out her hand for Aarav to take, "Alright, come on. I'll take you to class myself." She directed at me briefly, "I'll see you at the PTA meeting tomorrow?"
"I'll be there," I confirmed.
The latest on the agenda for parents was to organize a Holi event for the students. Sometimes it felt as if I didn't have enough hours in a day to accomplish everything on my to-do list, but I'd always do my best to make time for Aarav and being as involved in his life as possible.
After she leaves with Aarav, I started to walk back towards the parking lot. Sam caught up in no time, "Lavanya, wait, you're not even going to say hi?"
"Hello." I curtly replied even though I wanted to scoff, roll my eyes.
"What's with the cold shoulder?"
Is he for real right now? "Oh, nothing. I just figured I would return the favor - you know, with you avoiding me and all."
Maybe I was being a little petty? But I was just... mad. If you say you're going to do something, then freaking do it! I was just so done with people disappointing me at every turn. I mean, it wasn't like I had too high expectations of them that they couldn't have met them.
His brows pulled together. "I'm not avoiding you. Why would I be avoiding you?"
"Really, now? You clearly seem to be following the stupid 3-days rule of dating"
"I wasn't aware we were dating."
How I want to wipe off that smugness. "We aren't."
He raised a brow, calling me out on my flawed anger. "So how can I be following that rule if we are not dating?"
I fished for the keys in my purse as we started closing the distance to my car, "Don't change the topic." Once I reached my car, I paused to turn towards him and gave him a piece of my mind, "Who do you think you are, huh? You were making such big claims about not being the guy who has one-night stands and then what do you do? But, you know what? I'm Lavanya Kashyup too. You don't get to treat me this way."
I paused.
"Well." I egged off impatience, "Are you going to say something or just keep standing there?"
He decided to throw sass back, "Oh, are you done? Sorry, I thought you might have something else you'd want to get off your chest."
Rolling my eyes, I started to turn towards my car again, "No one likes a smart-ass."
Before I could reach for the door handle, his fingers circled my wrist. And damn it. A single touch and my anger was melting. Just... how the hell? That's not okay! Despite my wish, he managed to nudge me into facing him. He took the smallest step towards me that had me take one back. I was acutely aware of the fact that if I were to take another step backwards, my back would be against the car and he'd be looming over me.
That was also not okay.
His voice softened as his eyes bored into mines. "Lavanya, I am sorry for not messaging you earlier. I thought about it."
I wanted to ignore his apology that seemed... sincere. "But you didn't." I expressed.
He didn't cave away from acknowledging. "No, I didn't. Because I thought it would be rude to message you but not be able to properly talk. I didn't want to have formal conversations. I wanted a real conversation and I couldn't do that stuck in back to back meetings. So, I thought I would message you when my schedule looked less hectic towards end of the week."
With a light jerk, I tugged my wrist out of his loose hold. "Right. I forgot I am standing in front of the Samar Irani. As if you're the only busy one. Not like I don't work or have other things in my life. Anyway, if you are so busy, I should probably let you go. Don't want you to be late to wherever it is you need to be. Goodbye."
He held my shoulder to stop me from turning my back to him and reaching for the door handle again. "Stop, will you please not put words in my mouth and listen? Instead of focusing on the busy part, focus on the part where I said I wanted to have a real conversation with you. Meaning, I want to get to know you and I want to do it right."
My eyes searched his... as if looking for a sign of deceit. Anything that I could use to hold on to my anger. To justify pushing him out of life. Sadly, nothing. All I saw was his eyes looking back at me earnestly. I remembered the night earlier in the week. A big part of me knew he wasn't that asshole. I had misjudged him the morning after only to have found him in the kitchen cooking. Maybe I jumped to conclusion again when he didn't message.
I might not know him in his bones, but I trusted that gut instinct that told me he meant what he was saying. And... maybe I did appreciate that he wanted to take the time to properly speak to me. Because, let's face it. If he had texted me, it wasn't as if I would have been able to hold a decent conversation with him. I was swamped with work too. It was just that season. I would have barely managed to send two messages scattered throughout the day.
So, honestly, what was I getting mad at him for?
Half-reluctantly, my anger faded in thin air. It didn't help that his hand traveled down my arm, brushing my elbow back and forth with his thumb. Soothing me. Somehow, it was messing with my ability to think clearly.
When I failed to retort right away, he took that as a sign that I was no longer mad at him. "Are you free tonight?"
I remembered my resolution when he asked that - as if it was that easy. As if I was that easy. He might have meant it this time, but I knew he'd disappoint me at some point.
They all did.
Breaking our eye-lock, I pulled my arm out of his touch. "No." I sternly replied, making a point... though if someone were to ask, 'what point?', I wouldn't have a clear answer to give them.
Maybe I was just being difficult on purpose.
Maybe I was projecting the failure of my relationship with Vivek onto him.
Maybe I wasn't being fair to him, but you know what? Tough. Life ain't fair.
I waited a split second for him to move back. He didn't. He invaded my space instead, and... yup. I was backed against my car. I wanted to hate it when he lifted his finger to touch a loose strand of my hair.
I was ready to snap at him. Tell him that he needed to learn how to take 'no' for an answer. The plea in his voice didn't let me. "Please, Lavanya. Give me a chance."
A fool.
That's what I was.
A fool that didn't have the heart to say no.
This time.
The next time he fucked it up, I wouldn't let it go this easily.
I swear, I wouldn't.
. . . ∞ . ∞ . ∞ . ∞. . .
| . . . A U T H O R - N O T E . . . |
Hi everyone, I hope you like this chapter. This is the only chapter I had already previously edited. The next chapter is only half edited and the rest requires new parts that I'd thought of. I will do my best to write it and post again at the earliest possible. Thank you so very much for all your patience and understanding. <3