Érase un rêve

A strand of her hair fell in front of her face, she pulled it away from her face, chewing on bubblegum as she was scrolling through Amazon. "Pratha." a voice made her turn slightly, "Did you service that table?"

She nodded not saying anything. Her phone was her only entertainment in her 4 to 10 pm job after her classes, semester break had been over for two weeks and she was busy with migration processes so she could move back to Mussoorie. Ashutosh was calling non-stop lately asking when she'd come back for a day or two, she had decided she would surprise him with her moving back there. She felt ashamed to still keep up with the company's news and events from the media.

"There there." Annika looked at her phone over her shoulder, "You'll look bomb with that hair cut too." Pratha rolled her eyes at Kavya's latest picture, which was breaking news that she chopped off a few inches. "Thanks but I'll pass." She loathed her style, it wasn't even because she almost had an affair with her husband but because the woman had been personally rude to her. She shut off her phone popping her bubblegum as she threw the device into her bag, "It's not even ten and this place is deserted."

"It's a weekday, what do you expect?" Annika shrugged, clearing the counter, "You can leave if you want."

"Thanks, I have some packing procedures pending. "Pratha wanted to mention how much she was looking forward to kissing the city bye, but somehow it seemed to her Annika didn't care. She changed into her regular blue baby doll top and jeans. All ideas of how she was going to reset back in Mussoorie, she'd be going to Dehradun. Weekends with Tina and Ashutosh.

She grabbed her coat and zipped it up, picking up her purse. She gave the counter and the sitting area one look before walking out. Her shared apartment with Anmol was about fifteen minutes from there. She put on some music to distract herself from slightly frightening quietness and darkness. Golden lights fell on her, she wouldn't notice if they hadn't stayed longer than usual, she kept on walking, only increased her pace, the car started to move right beside her slowly, the honking got loud and she finally pulled out her earphones to check as the glass of the window was moved down.

"Sit." She could hardly make his defined features in the dark but that voice was enough to recognize him instantly, that was the voice that played over and over in her head and she'd use loud music to muffle it, she shook her head, "Go."

"We need to talk". He finally leaned forward and she could see him in somewhat dim lights, "Veer".

"Sit." He repeated somewhat sternly. She stopped and his car to stopped, she heard the click of the door, and then silence, he was waiting for her to sit, random thoughts now, what was she supposed to do? Her eyes ran around to look at the silent street searching for anyone familiar before her feet started to move forward towards the car and she could bet he was smirking as she opened the door slipping in, before she'd speak he raced the car, not making any conversation. She sank into her seat, trying her best to avoid the fragrance from his body. Her eyes looked out the window now seeing where they were going.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked when she finally managed to find her voice, she would not dare look at him, being strong the best she could but she knew he would by the end of this conversation. "Hilltop."

She rolled her eyes at his answer, still not looking at him, by a half hour, she could see the buildings starting to disappear from her view, it did give her a sick feeling in her stomach that she was out of the area she was partially familiar with, the cars were going out of view and soon the car was slowing near a cabin located in a forest, nearly seven kilometers from the highway. She didn't move till he freed her from the seatbelt by pressing the button, she turned to him, looking down at his hands instead of his face, "Talk."

He sighed, his finger lifted her chin, making her look at him, "I thought we were good?"

She pursed her lips, she could see her reflection in his eyes, "We were till I came back and realized I couldn't do that."

He narrowed his eyes, "Why?"

"I don't know, it seems wrong. I know that I didn't give you any explanations-"

"Yes, no explanations, you realize you're driving me crazy right? Tell me what's wrong so I can fix it." His touch was tempting as he cupped her face, his thumbs stroking her cheeks, she bit her lower lip, "You can't fix it, it's not there when I am with you, just when I get alone, everything starts to eat me up."

She heard a chuckle from his mouth, it did offend her somewhat seeing him laugh at her feelings like that, till he pulled her near, his forehead falling against hers, his hand caressing her ponytail hair, till he tugged at slightly freeing it from the band, "That just means I'll have to hunt you down every time."

"Veer." She started but stopped as his fingers started running in her hair affectionately, she closed her eyes from the pleasant massage, and his soft lips brushed against hers slightly, she leaned forward catching his lips with hers not able to resist, her body feeling frantic again to touch him till wore her out fully. She was ready to let him ravage her in her seat, but in a second he was off her, making her think over her relapse moment for a minute, the door to her side opened and he slipped his arms under her, picking her up. It was all some blurry dark image, him being able to take her up to his cabin without her resisting it. There was no way she was resisting right now. He was confident she wouldn't, he threw her bag on the couch, setting her down on it, she could finally see his face in the lighting of the house, nothing had changed, if anything he looked more of a temptation, his dark hair and complementing glass blue eyes, chiseled jaw line, unlike other days, he was not wearing a suit, a dark maroon shirt with jeans, the outfit swap might be causing it, but god he smelled like heaven. He cupped the side of her face leaning down, she closed her eyes as he kissed teasingly on the corner of her warm mouth, her whole body was on fire as he slowly took over her lips, taking her lower lip between his lips, she missed it instantly when he parted from her, "I've missed you these two weeks." His voice was softer now as his hand ran down her body resting on her hip. "I gave you two whole weeks to clear your head, now you owe me this time." She licked at her lips feeling the taste of him on them, "Veer, it's just not me- I like you a lot, trust me.."

"Then what's the issue?" he leaned in making her decision more difficult, "You like me, I like you-" he winked running his fingers up her sides, she chuckled moving back, "You can have anyone Veer, if you feel lonely."

He rolled his eyes, "Why? I don't want anyone Pratha, it's you I want, I run a fucking business empire, thousands of girls throw their selves at me for the money, you're not my narrowed-down choice."

"Oh come on! I am not the 'prettiest' girl you've seen, we had freaking models on set Veer, seductive eyes, big rack." She got up, and he kept his laugh back, holding her wrist, pulling so instantly, she landed in his lap, he secured her there by wrapping his arm around her waist, "I am going to say this the first and the last time, it is you that I crave, not any other woman, from the second I saw you to this, you're the first thing on my mind every day, you make me lose this control, Pratha, you realize the power you have over me, the withdrawals I feel when you're gone too long are by far the worst ones."

She whimpered as he rolled her under him holding her arms down, "It's not fair that you get to leave after getting me so obsessed with yourself."

She swallowed thick melting under his gaze, his large fingers lacing with her little ones, her heart skipped a beat whenever he'd drop a soft kiss on her cheeks, she giggled when he licked her earlobe, "Veer, can I take a shower?"

"Now?" he sounded annoyed, "You smell -umm acceptable." She dug her nails into his hand, "Rude."

"What? You don't need a shower, you're completely fuckable." He said in a velvety voice, playing with the button of her coat, "Show me what you're wearing."

"Only if you let me take a bath after that."

"Umm, that's a tough bargain, okay baby." He dropped a kiss on her lips, getting up to sit aside, she bit her lip, her fingers shivering as she quickly unbuttoned her coat, took it off, and threw it on top of her bag, he gazed down at her baby doll blue top, "Umm it kind of has school vibes."

"Yes, it's from when I was in school, now don't ask about the underwear, it's granny panties."

He raised a brow, she got up, "It's comfortable. Now I didn't have any idea you'll want to 'abduct' me."

"I don't care honestly." He shrugged, "Now get in that shower before I change my mind."

She nodded, not staying to change her mind, he gestured towards the dark room on the right, and she went for it and after finding the right buttons, turned on the lights, this bedroom was huge, more significant than the one she had booked for him on their trip, and that was a royal suite of some kind. The man had so much money. She couldn't even afford to be a guest in this cabin. She ran her finger on the fog staining the shower glass, enjoying the water flowing down her back, but it had been more than sufficient time, and the caffeine, mustard, and ketchup smell was probably out of her by now. He must be thinking she drowned in there. Pratha turned the tap to close it and opened the glass door to the shower, wrapping a towel around herself. She adjusted to the cold outside the shower booth and walked to the mirror, checking her appearance, the bathroom was loaded with toiletries but not makeup and she had to reach into her purse to find two lipsticks, mascara, a tinted moisturizer Anmol had borrowed yesterday.

"Hey." His voice made her gasp, she turned to see him leaning against the door, "Oh, I was just getting ready."

"By all means." He grinned, not moving. She tried to focus in the mirror but couldn't with him looking at her with that grin on his handsome face. "What?" she shrugged letting out a sheepish smile and looking down.

"I am sorry, am I being annoying?" he set his foot down, moving towards her, she bit her lip, shaking her head, "Which should I put on?" she held one lipstick in each hand, one of a plump shade and one more of a blood red color. He picked the red one, "I like this color."

She threw the plump lipstick into her purse, turning to the mirror, trying her best to avoid his gaze on her. His hand reached in-between moments to stroke her wet hair. "I have to get home after this, I don't have any classes but I have to go to the cafe for my job."

"You're going nowhere." He pulled her into his arms slowly turning her so she could face him, "What do you mean by 'after this.' "

She rolled her eyes, "After this as in drive me home after you screw me."

He pouted, "That's not nice, I want to spend time with you." He leaned in nuzzling her neck, planting a trail of kisses along her jaw, "I am not dropping you home, you'll spend the night with me."

She squealed as he picked her up, letting her legs go around his waist, he looked up at her smiling, she cupped his face, pressing a kiss to his lips as he slowly walked them back to the bedroom, in much contradiction to his hard body, the mattress was the softest thing she had felt in her whole lifetime, he gently undid the towel around her body throwing it away, not even giving her time to blush on her nakedness as he attacked her mouth once again, this time ditching the soft slow behavior, She gasped when he left her bruised lips to pressing kisses down her jawline, towards her neck, enjoying every little sound from her throat. Her raced breathing, her body shaking with the need for him. He buried his head between the mounds of her chest, cupping her soft breasts, his mouth licked around her hard rosy buds till she started screaming for him. Her hands pulled at the ends of his shirt, pulling it over his head, he smirked throwing it away, she leaned forward wrapping her arms around his hard body, enjoying the muscles contract under her fingertips as he sunk her into the mattress, her other hand appreciatively ran over his abs, sinking low till she reached the top of his zipper, "Let me." he swatted her hands away unbuttoning and unzipping them. He widened the space between her thighs, bending her knees, reaching for what she assumed was 'protection'. Pratha gasped when he ran his pointer finger between her folds, proud of the fact that she was very ready for him, "I need you." She moaned lacing her fingers with his, "Right now."

"Then let's make a deal shall we?" he raised a brow at her, her chest was still heaving by how he was still teasing her with his finger, "You will not end this, not until we both want that, it's not your decision alone."

"Veer-"

He shook his head, "Shh baby, just promise me that you'll not run away from me." she moaned feeling him add another finger, swallowing thick she nodded, "Okay."

He grinned, "Told you I get my way every time." With that he removed his fingers from her, positioning himself at her entrance, watching her as she gasped at them uniting. He gave her a few moments to get used to his length before he started moving within her slowly, guiding her to buck her hips the way they would both get satisfied, his soft lips were everywhere, her neck, her jawline, her lips in between her moans and gasps. He would never get tired of the way she said his name in a moan, her legs coiling around his waist to pull him deeper. Her head hit the headboard as he doubled his thrusts in her, her hands pressed him to hold on to life as he set her off to the moon with her orgasm, her muscles contracted his enough to groan deep into her collar bone as he finished inside her.

Present

"Tell me, Pratha," Anmol asked her the millionth time but she refused to talk about it, this was her final card on the man, she wasn't going to tell everyone, till it was the talk to the town, this would cause her everything, the man, her life maybe, maybe he'll kill her.

Anmol seeing her phone ring with the man's name, snatched the phone out of her reach, canceling the call, "Pratha tells me."

"I'll tell you but can you let me talk to him first."

"He's not going to negotiate on a call Pratha." Anmol held her shoulders, " He doesn't love you. Hear it from someone who does."

"Anu stop this please." She took the phone back, "What do you want?"

"Just leave him already Pratha, I don't want more drama, he's not the last man on the planet to obsess over, he's a fucking monster, and you're too young to be in this kind of world where-"

A ring from the phone interrupted Anmol, Pratha reluctantly picked up the phone, "Hello."

"Don't tell me you are starting this again, where are you?" his voice was urgent, "Are you alone?"

"Uh yes."

"Listen to me Pratha, I don't want to deal with you right now okay, Sameer Parihar is in town and I don't want you to do something stupid and make me do something I don't want to." He said in a firm voice. She rolled her eyes, "Well did he tell you to abandon me there? And shutting out on me? Veer, listen to me, I don't want to do this anymore okay, if you can't get your shit together, I am and will move on. She turned away from Anmol but she could hear the infuriated man's voice, "What? Look I left the hotel-"

"I don't want it Veer, I don't want your excuses, I love you – but this has to end, I am taking someone's advice, we by no means want the same things from my life, I am not going to do anything that's going to damage your reputation, last night was another mistake." She spoke somewhat softly.

There was silence on the other side, she thought he had hung up on her before she heard him hiss, "Pratha I swear I get my hands on you-" he growled, "Don't start with me, I am already stressed and don't come with this 'moving on' bullshit, move back in the fucking apartment."

"Veer understand this-"

"No, you understand this, you and your fucking mouth go around spitting shit when it's not fucked for too long, you think you can occasionally blackmail me and then get away with it? If I wanted you'd be dead right now." he seethed, she swallowed thick alone from his harsh tone, "I am done Veer, you try to interrupt my life from now on, I'll report you and let you handle a real problem."

"Oh then go fucking do it, let's see who is dead by the end of this week and who is behind bars." He challenged. "Are you threatening me?" she couldn't believe that he would try to hurt her, "Yes I believe I am because you're being intolerable, you crossed the line with your Bagchi threat."

"I am going to hang up now," she said feeling anger rush through her veins, she didn't want more drama from it, she didn't want to destroy him, she just wanted to take Anmol's advice and move on, start over and he was making this very difficult. "Just wait till I get done with this Parihar visit, I put an end to you once and for all."

2 years ago

His long fingers were running through her hair, and with every rise of his chest she'd chuckle slightly, her body resting on top of his, her fingers drawing circles on his naked chest, she looked up at him smiling slightly when she saw him looking at her, raising herself a little, she moved forward planting a kiss on his eyebrow then his lid, he wrapped his arms around her, hugging her close to his body sighing, "What's got you so chirpy?"

"I am going to ask you for something." She said with wide sparkling eyes, he narrowed his eyes, "Hmm What is that you want?"

"I am going to Mussoorie tomorrow, I was wondering if you'd come and meet my family- uh my aunt and Swarna." She cupped his face, and the smile on his face faded, he shook his head, "I can't. Can't risk the media to know."

She bit her lip, she sat up on his body, "It's a small town, no one will know- we haven't done anything but go from hotel to hotel, cabin to cabin, I want to-"

"That's not possible, baby." He too sat up against the headboard, dragging her closer, he rested his face on her shoulder, "Besides I would rather be here with you." She huffed moving away, "Can I have one day and feel like you're mine and not anyone else's?"

"I'll give you what I promise." He cupped her face, "Come on, don't frown like that." His hand lightly pulled at her cheek, "I do enough showing off daily."

"I am not going to show you off, okay how about dinner? You know, you and I are having a nice date night." She bit her lower lip, circling her arms around his neck, "You think you can arrange that?"

He nodded, "Of course, I can sweety." His face leaned in, his lips softly brushing over the side of her face, "I love it when you call me that." His hand cupped the silky hair at the back of her head propping her head up, she giggled, "Because you know how much I do." He rolled them over, getting on top of her, "I don't actually." He smirked with his mesmerizing eyes. She shook her head at his charms, lightly running her hands on his warm, contoured chest, her eyes unable to meet his as heat and blood rushed to her cheeks, "Mmm you know, I've been in love with you since the start." His hand slowly ran up her side holding her chin softly, lifting her face to look her in the eye, his thumb stroking her lower lip, "This calls for a celebration."

"Veer- can you please just acknowledge my feelings." She pouted. He chuckled, "It's been three months Pratha, I'd be done if I didn't love you."

"Stop with the crossword-"

"Yes I do, my little ray of sunshine, I do love you." He pressed a kiss to her swollen lips, and she smiled against his mouth, he parted after a moment, tucking her hair aside, his sparkling brownish eyes looking at her face with so much affection, "You're so beautiful Pratha." he whispered, "If only I had met you a few years back, this would not be all I'd offer you."

She shook her head, "I don't care, all I need is for you to love me, that's what is important to me."

"Pratha." he sighed, dropping a kiss on her mouth again, she held him against her this time till they were breathless, "It's hard for me to go on without seeing you, you know."

"I know, me too" she pouted, "I can't believe I'll be spending a whole week without you in Mussoorie."

"You shouldn't go." He complained, "Two, three days, not the whole week Pratha." He coiled a strand of her hair in his finger, "Do me a favor, come back to the company."

She rolled her eyes, "R-right and be the center of hate again, no thank you, I'll pass Mr. Oberoi."

He caressed the side of her face, "I mean not what you used to do, you can join in as- as a Model."

She laughed at his suggestion, "Veer that's ridiculous, even I'd laugh." He frowned, "I don't get how you ignore how stunning you are, you can be one."

"I appreciate it Veer, but I've seen Models enough to give me insecurities and insurance of the fact that I can never be one, I am not 6 feet tall, I don't have colored eyes like you honey, and my features-"

He interrupted her, "What are you talking about? You cannot say that Pratha, I mean." His thumb stroked her cheeks leaning closer, he smiled seeing her biting her lip at his closeness, "Your eyes, they are by far the most mesmerizing ones I've seen, they lure me in every time. They speak more to me than you do, and just by looking at them I know what's going on in your pretty little head."

"What is?" her grip on his arms tightened. "You're not going to say no because you know that if you do, I'll get you to say yes by the end of an hour and by that time you'd be screaming your approval."

She moaned, feeling his hard member poke at her wet folds, "I was going to say yes but I don't mind the latter either."

"Good girl." He cooed, "That's what I expected."

What was his mad obsession, he looked over the girl sleeping right by his side, the silky skin of her back in close contact with his arm, her hair spread over her back, the left side of her face showing between the strands of her fragrant hair as she breathed softly. He held his cigarette in his other hand, moving back to let his arm go around her, his fingers on their own started stroking her hair away from her face as he silently smoked. It was after a full decade that he felt this way, so relieved to be cheating on the woman who had been the love of his life. He remembered finding out about the company, the fraud, the schemes, the debt, and how it was drenched in pain and death. How it had nauseated him. How he had told her first thing after coming back home. That was the eighth month of their wedding, the first time her sass didn't stir too well with him and gave him a sick feeling when she shrugged it off. There was no right or wrong for her. He remembered her telling him that he shouldn't give up the company because she was not going to support his 'starting over', he remembered the idea being called absurd and movie-ish.

He had fallen in love with that woman, her confidence, the way she carried herself, the way she didn't take shit from people, spoke her mind. She turned him on in all ways. He had always been attracted to strong women. Who knew what they wanted and she did. And she told him that a man without money was better off alone. That living on 'daddy's money' was all he knew and he was good at it. So morality should not awaken his 'consciousness' now. At the time, it felt unsettling, but he knew she was a smart woman, he knew she wanted the best for them or maybe herself. Soon he realized, it was not them, from being a team to being alone. Kavya was his only achievement and soon he realized it was also a 'daddy's money' accessory that he had kept without realizing. By that time, he was so far in the dirt, he couldn't own up to it even if he wanted to. That's when all the 'what ifs' came in. What if he divorced her? That was one and a half years. But what after Kavya? She was the first thing that came to his mind when he thought about a 'future'. The six months followed when they took vacations together now and then to mend his marriage with her by taking her to the most beautiful, peaceful places, hours of adventurous sex, Lakhs of money spent on buying what she liked for her, then he asked again, about starting over sitting on a beach, running his hands through her hair, maybe the last time he had felt his heart beat for her, he'd be able to alter her priorities, but she snapped at him,

"Is my love, not enough?" he had said

"Nothing is going to be enough ever, these things sound good in books Veer, don't ruin my mood."

He had never felt so hollow, so ruined. It was like he loved her but he couldn't bear the sight of her, he didn't want to lose her yet he didn't want to be with her for another second, staying out all night, indulging in work, all he wanted was one phone call, one text, that she wanted him back home, that she couldn't sleep at night alone, well not alone, but alone with over sixty servants. She started taking trips alone, to islands, with friends- and he never heard the end of it from the media, he had to read where his wife, the love of his life, was through the media. After weeks of being drunk on work, the agonizing addiction to drugs crept up his lifestyle. Being broken to the point where he was calling her at 2 am on a working day to say 'how he was wrong', how he will do whatever she says so he could get her back when someone had picked up for her, a drunk man, the way he talked showed damn well he was more than her 'friend' but it was a raspy, whispery, slurred up voice. Kavya had screwed him over, his morality, his lifestyle, and now his bed- everything was tainted. Maybe two days to that he had 'overdosed'.

And then he became this after recovering, he didn't care who she screwed, he admitted he was not the man she had wanted, and he was not as fucked up for her taste. The fact that Kavya had altered him in the way she wanted and yet she didn't want him anymore. For a while, all women seemed like her, but then he accommodated and got over it. He was no better, for three years he had used up money that was stained with blood, blood that the mafia shed to which his company provided 'ammunition' and other support at times. If he wanted to live, he had to do what every 'media and public icon' do, take on the duality of character. The one person who loved everything, who wasn't familiar with the word 'hate'. The other person who he was, the real him, who wanted to let it all out when he was alone, who accepted that he was indeed a 'bad' person, who was not in the mood to lie to himself.

It went on and on till he met Pratha a few months ago, a sweet young girl whose only problem was providing for her sister who stayed in Mussoorie and had a 'simple' life. Who wanted to be a reporter? Her aspirations were not as glossy as Kavya's, her eyes weren't sharp and dark like her rather they were doe and reminded him of 'Bambi' he'd chuckle at the thought. She had a happy-go-lucky formula. She didn't care about how she was at a company such as his, unless she was happy there, she'd work at a restaurant instead. She was simple, not the kind of girl he usually fell for. Not the kind of girl he'd obsess over.

But it was changing every second he'd spent with her, he had started to realize she wasn't as 'simple' as he had thought she was, Pratha could be 'the death of him.' That too in literal meanings. She wasn't bothered with how he lived away from 'media'. She was concerned but not judging him, which scared him sometimes because he would get very comfortable around her, and let her in on things that even 'Kavya' didn't know. She kept breaking the walls he built with so much difficulty. Pratha was a Nymph. She was seductive in her innocence. A constant reminder that he was human with emotions like love and admiration. He pressed the cigarette to the tray on the nightstand when she moaned in a low voice shifting to rest her head against his chest. He grinned hugging her close to himself as she absently spoke about ice cream flavors in her sleep.

"Tell me who he is?" Tina begged her the umpteenth time but she refused to spill it, Veer had very 'strictly' forbade her to make anything public. Tina would not understand her 'relationship' even if she did explain it to her. "It's complicated." She shrugged helping Tina with planting the new seeds of the season in her garden.

"What? Why do you think he doesn't love you?" Tina asked giving up on getting the name. Pratha shrugged, "Because it never reaches his eyes maasi, when he says it, it doesn't reach his eyes. The love. I know he likes me, I am just not sure about love."

"Do you love him?" she said with a sigh, wiping her sweating forehead with her arm. Pratha nodded, "Of course, why would – go as far as sleeping with him if I didn't?"

She scrunched up her face, "Eww don't say that, you're my baby, I can't bear to hear that –"

"Maasi!" she whined, and the woman giggled, "Look Pratha it's common for people to sleep around without being in love, I mean maybe you're just attracted to him."

"No maasi, I love him, I am not going to bullshit around and not admit it, he makes me feel special and wanted and – just very warm and fuzzy, of course, it's love." She raised her eyebrows dusting her hands as she sat back, "I try to understand how he thinks, what he does but I can't, he has a lot of problems, a lot of things that he doesn't share with me, and I don't want to push it, I think if I bring it up, he'll be pissed off."

Tina too sat back, "Look Pratha don't rush into this, you have had enough to deal with since your parent's murder, speaking of that, you're getting PTSD therapy right?"

She huffed, "It's not as bad maasi, it's nothing like the summers now, I am doing well."

"You should still consider it Pratha, I can't imagine you being that petrified." Tina would shudder at the memory of her niece being in so much agony after that incident, being in the same house as her parents as they die, it was not easy to get over. "Oh when you're in the working system, you get a breakdown by not having enough times for breakdowns."

"What did I miss?" Swarna came into view with coffee mugs, "You're done talking about your college crushes."

"Shut up Swarna." She rolled her eyes annoyed at her.

"Mmm this is delicious," Veer commented as he sipped from the hot chocolate mug she had handed him, decorated with warm marshmallows. She had read it helps with 'with-drawls' and pressing the temptation to take more drugs. Being with him for six months, she had known he got a lot of them sometimes when he had to avoid it for media reasons. "Do tip." She said with a cheeky smile. He held her arm pulling her to his side, "Umm I will as soon as I finish this." She got out of his arms facing the open window they were standing near, letting the moon shower her with its light, "There used to be this café in my town that me and my friends would go to every weekend for brunch since the tenth grade and now it's shutting down. The hilltop where I had my first kiss is also being turned into a tourist attraction." She sighed with an upset tone, "They say they're going to make it bigger and better."

"Isn't that a relief, not being able to see the thing that reminds you of a person you're no longer in love with?"

She interrupted, " I was not in love with him okay, that is the reason I never resisted the break-up but I am talking about the memory, you can give up the person and not that time, just being reminded of being a mindless teenager having a blast with a few friends on a Saturday night sounds so- right, so amazing."

He kept his empty mug, coughing to clear his throat, "So you're not a mindless teenager now?" she gasped, throwing a fake punch at his chest which he caught laughing, "I was kidding, you're a mindless young adult, my bad."

"I am sorry I am not forty unlike someone here who makes fun of people's emotional nostalgia for the sake of a laugh."

He frowned, "Hey I am not forty, I am thirty-two and nine months, six days by midnight."

She giggled, pulling away from him, "Someone's a little conscious, I'll remind myself to put more candles on the cake."

"Huh, look now who's planning on hurting my feelings 'intentionally' I'll remind myself to celebrate my birthday with people who are not as 'mindless' as yourself Miss Gujral." He leaned back against the window frame, she shook her head at him, resuming to look at the starry sky, till she heard his calm voice, "Come here." She slightly turned to see him gesturing for her to come closer, she smiled moving back till her back was pressed against his chest, he let his arms go around her waist, and she felt him bury his nose into her hair, breathing in the scent, "Do you love me?"

His sudden question was no less than a shock, usually, she would talk about these things, about the 'seriousness' of the relationship. She nodded her head, relaxing her body in his strong arms.

"Then say it, you've stopped saying it."

Because she felt she was pressuring him to say it back, she didn't want to force him into confessing things he wasn't comfortable with.

She turned in his arms, letting her weight fall on him almost as she cupped his face, "I love you." The sudden vulnerability in his eyes at her confession was speaking to her, she could swear she had never seen him this way, although he was ideal in public, that man was not this one, this one wasn't perfect he was flawed immensely. The man in the papers was a damn Oberoi, but this was her Veer, the one who needed her help, her liking, her approval, and that smile he'll give her after she'd say she loved him, that washed away his smugness, confidence- the created image, she loved that smile, it was probably the most beautiful smile she had witnessed. She took pride in the fact that only she could make him smile so sincerely. His lips brushed over her palm that previously rested against his jaw, he pressed her soft hand against his lips, "You should not stop saying that ever."

"Hmm, I never want to." Her eyes sparkled with compassion, heart swelling at the thought of her being 'needed' this much by him, being someone's last shot at life as he liked to call her, "It's very narcissistic by the way." She joked trying to suck up the tears that had formed in the previous heated moment. He chuckled, "It's no surprise if I say I love you, doesn't everybody?"

"Nope Miss Brar doesn't, umm Mr. Khosla doesn't – oh wait." He stopped her, "Oh screw them, the point is that you're lovable Miss Gujral, very lovable I must say, and let me feed your ego by saying that- "He held her against himself making her gasp almost, "I love you with every bit of my screwed up heart." She looked into his eyes again, his eyes burning as they looked into her sparkling brown ones, he held her face in his hands as he leaned in to touch her lips with his when the shrill sound of the cell phone shook them, he moved away from her picking up his phone, his voice had lowered as if didn't want her to know who he was talking to, she narrowed her eyes, hating herself for trying to overhear his conversation. Who could be calling one in the night, probably his wife, Pratha's mind screamed at her?

He ended the phone call turning to her, "I gotta go."

"b-but we just got here, Veer we haven't spent time in two weeks."

He nodded, picking up his coat, "Yes, I know, something came up."

"Is she calling?" Pratha asked hesitantly as she pretended so much that he wasn't married but it did come and bite her in the ass occasionally, he had stopped looking for his car keys giving her a sudden detached look, "Why?"

"I mean- you can make something up, I even took a break from the cafe so we could-"

He huffed, "Oh thank you so much, Pratha, how shall I ever pay you back for taking precious time from your 'busy' schedule." His ironic voice bugged her, she swallowed thickly, "Veer you don't have to be a dick about it, I was just asking-"

"Don't ask, don't ask me anything, I don't have time for this, no, no, I have to go, where the fuck are my keys?" he suddenly shouted in panic. She felt herself shivering from his voice as she started looking around for the keys, "Oh found them." She picked them from under the nightstand, seeming they may have slipped, he snatched them from her hands, picking up his wallet, "You need money to get home?"

"No, I'll manage." Some left pride in her made her speak as she picked up her bag and shoes, not giving him another look, some tears stinging the corners of her eyes. He was looking for the cabin keys, and when she let herself out, the cabin was suddenly suffocating her, he never treated her this way before and it greatly made her question herself. Did she love him? Was it worth it?

She couldn't believe she was doing this, probably being stupid and petty, but she couldn't stop herself everything wasn't what it looked like and she had to confront someone because she knew that she wouldn't be able to refuse him, if he showed up, uninvited. Being in a back-and-forth relationship with someone who claimed to have 'ended 'things with his wife was not her cup of tea. What if he had a whole damn harem, what if he had multiple mistresses. What if Kavya wasn't what he said she was?

Sudha grinned at her, raising a brow, "So what are you here for? A second chance?"

She shook her head, "No, I wanted to talk to Mrs. Kavya Oberoi, about something she would want to hear, it's important."

The woman narrowed her eyes on her, "Okay I'll get you an appointment, but what is it about?"

"It's personal." She pursed her lips looking down at her lap, this was probably the end.