Like You or Love You?

It had been more than fifteen minutes to this 'waiting' and upon asking Sudha would give her a dirty look, she leaned over her desk, "Say Pratha, what's this personal talk about?"

"Mmm I'd very much like to tell Mrs. Oberoi about it, I am sure she wouldn't want me telling anyone before her." She said giving her the best 'bitch' expression she could form. Sudha rolled her eyes, "Well if you must know, she is with Mr. Oberoi currently, they have a seventh anniversary to plan for next week."

She bit the inside of her cheek, "Fine then I can come later, could you fix me an appointment."

She held her hand up in front of herself as if stopping her, "Oh, she's probably ready now- Good morning Mr. Oberoi."

Pratha felt her breath hitch, he was passing the corridor and shouldn't be seeing her here. She squeezed her eyes shut hearing some steps, "Good morning Miss Chandran, I see we already-" he stopped midway seeing her, but quickly recovered the shock, "Miss Gujral, to what do we owe the pleasure?"

She got up from her seat trying to conceal her shaking body with fake confidence, "I -I was just leaving, good to-"

"She has a very personal discussion pending with Mrs. Oberoi, Sir." Sudha interrupted her, enjoying Pratha's nervous cough.

He took a step back smiling, "That's interesting, Miss Chandra, why don't you inform Kavu?"

"Sure Mr. Oberoi," she smirked at her pale face leaving the reception. Pratha tucked away the hair in front of her eyes, "I-uh."

"Zip it."

She didn't dare look up from the floor, he grabbed her wrist and She started following him silently till he pulled her into the room, letting her stand in front as he locked the door behind them, "What are you doing here?"

"I was- just, I was-"

He pulled her bag from her, unzipping it, his hand roughly dug inside pulling out items, "Veer what are you doing?"

"Making sure you're not recording this." He pulled out her phone, shut it down, and threw it back into the bag, "I am not recording anything." She took her bag for him, "Yes, I was here to tell her okay? With everything going on, you've been ignoring me, I guess the seventh-anniversary excuse will work."

"Excuse? Why would I need an excuse, it's the truth."

"So what am I then?" she pursed her lips, "You don't even need to answer that." She wore the strips of her bag rushing out, he held her elbow bringing her in front of him, "Pratha baby." His fingers slowly running through her long hair, she pushed his hand away, "No, none of that, I am the biggest, fattest lie of your life and we both need to accept this right now, Veer you've been so far gone in your duality that your 'love life' has taken on it too, but get this, you're not good at it."

"Pratha-"

"Shut up okay, I will believe anything but not the fact that you don't love her, you right? I am the distraction piece that you've forgotten about since she gave you a little attention but I have to accept this, she is your wife, and screwed-up things happen in a marriage, so we should forget this ever happened." He bit his lip holding her in her place when she was pulling herself out of his reach, "Pratha why are you making such a big deal out of it? I've told you I don't give two fucks about her or anything, I have to 'pretend' to run this marriage."

"Why do you wanna pretend to run it, just end it already, you'll have to choose Veer." She warned, "Besides I don't believe you anymore, you could be sleeping around like your wife."

"Do you have any idea how-"

She snapped, "It's no big deal for you Veer, you've done it with me it's all we do, all that you've given me in this relationship is sex and nothing else- well guess what it doesn't work this way, I am missing classes and hours at the 'cafe' which is nothing because I am not making millions every hour so it shouldn't matter, but I won't allow this anymore, because there is so much in life than being some guy's mistress."

"Why are you being so difficult, Pratha? You don't think I care about you?" he cupped her face, "Just trust me this last time and go home right now, I'll pick you up in the evening, we can go somewhere and solve this."

"There's nothing to solve, you're married and I should have never allowed this."

She sighed as he caressed her cheek making her look up at his shining eyes, "The marriage means nothing to me I swear, I love you and no one else." She felt her heart melting under his gaze, his soft touch on her cheeks, "I made a mistake by behaving the way I did and I have all explanations, but none of it seems good enough to make you feel this way, love I am so sorry, just give me a last chance, I'll do better." He slowly pressed a kiss to her forehead, "Go home and we'll talk about this okay?"

She pursed her lips, "o-okay, but it's the last time I am trusting you."

He nodded, "You won't regret it, Pratha just trust me once, okay?" she simply blinked to which he sighed, holding her arm, "Now get going, Kavya will surely create a scene if she sees you here."

"Another drink Angad." Veer said putting his empty scotch glass on the counter, Angad rolled his eyes at the man, for whom he worked for years. They both had been friends for decades, Angad's father worked for the company, and Angad had attended the same college as him. Honestly, Veer considered him family by now, he knew too much about Veer's business behind curtains but chose to shrug it off.

"What's with the drinking sessions at 1 in the afternoon." He said making him a drink. "Is Sid causing problems again?"

"Right, we took care of that, he was being way too obvious, I have that sorted."

"So what's the problem?" Angad said sitting next to him on one of the stools, he shrugged, "Nothing, there is no problem Angad, just a fucking confusion."

Angad raised his brows as if asking and he huffed, irritated by the questions somehow, "What do you do Angad when you're torn between whether to love someone too much or not to love them enough?" Angad was surprised to see him talk about his 'personal' issue because he never talked about his 'relationships' with anyone, he hardly talked about how he felt towards something or someone.

"I guess when you love someone, there's no – specific frequency or amount." He said looking at Veer gulp down his drink, "Yes, right, there is a degree Angad." He kept his glass reaching for the half-filled bottle aside, and he poured the scotch, making it neat, "There is this boundary where on one side you are in control of things and on one side you lose the damn control, and when you lose it, the person you lost it for uses that, they know how easily they can make you do whatever, they feed on your energy and exploit you and the worst thing about it is that you can't take your control back."

"So you're off the idea that you need to control your relationship." Angad was still very much confused because according to whatever was displayed, his marriage was steady.

"Yes, exactly, I want to be strong enough to keep it to the limit that has me relaxed, I am done with throwing myself off hills and mountains for someone's emotions because it's never been worth it, yet it gets me curious, what if it's not a mistake this time." He swirled the glass lazily in his hand. Angad pursed his lips, "It's not Kavya we are talking about right? You're into someone else now?"

Veer rolled his eyes, "It's been a while."

"What? You do know Kavya will-"

"Yes she will, I realize that, but Kavya is not Kapoor or Brar that I can get rid of, she's my wife and the whole damn world knows that. The divorce is not something I can afford right now." he kept the glass down on the counter. Angad shook his head, "Veer this is Kavya we're talking about, the woman you've been with for years, who is this new girl, is she responsible for this behavior of yours."

Veer turned to him, "She's not the excuse Angad, Kavya, and me are 'media married', I swear if I hadn't signed those shares to her, she would be history."

"So what about it? So you're with someone else, does she know you're married?" he nodded, "Yes, and guess what, she still wants a freaking exclusive relationship knowing it can be risky."

"That's not possible Veer, you're lucky enough to get away with it all this time, why don't you call it quits?"

He got up shaking his head, "I can't call it quits because I don't want to yet, I've been in a broken marriage for years, and this girl is what- I really can't stop this right now."

"It seems that you already can't control it, you need to realize one thing though, you're ruining a third person here, it's not you, it's not Kavya, it's the girl you will never offer anything to because all you want is a break from your life, not a relationship." Angad said bitterly and reached for his glass, Veer got up, "Spare the lecture, Angad, I don't need to make you believe how real this is for me, I need the plan to control this."

"And you don't need my help right?" he asked with a tired expression. "No, I got this."

Pratha pulled away the hair to the back of her ear, the door to the cabin was locked so he wasn't here yet. She rolled her eyes, unzipping her bag to pull out the keys to the dark door in front of her. She opened the door and turned on the lights on the left side like she had seen him doing it a million times by now and gasped seeing the whole living room in front of her was decorated with pearl late white Gardenias and moon flowers. The glass tables were filled with pink roses. The collective scents of these flowers made her feel like she was in heaven.

She saw a very nicely kept envelope on the glass table somewhere and picked it up, opening it.

She sighed tracing her fingers over his handwritten note before she folded it back and kept it in her bag, humming and going towards the bathroom.

The bathtub filled with colorful bubbles and surprisingly when she dipped her finger to check the temperature, it was hot. She giggled and got out of her clothes, she relaxed in the bath, forgetting all about how 'heartbroken' she felt the past few days. She played in the colorful bubbles, even though she had thoroughly showered in the morning, she still took her time, using the loofah and scrubbing her body, and her heels. She got out half an hour later with a yawn, feeling sleepy for some reason. She reached for the robe and under it was a zipped-up pack with a note.

"I imagined you in this and couldn't stop myself from getting it."

She smiled zipping the pack and revealing a very beautiful blood-red velvet strapless dress, she sighed running her hands on the soft texture of the dress, this dress was the type she'd want to buy but never could.

She tapped her body dry with the towel, being excited to wear the dress, she put on her lacy black panties and pulled the dress on herself. "Oh sweet hell, this is – I have to this show Anu and Tina massi, Oh my hello boobs." She chuckled at the lift of her bust from the dress, turning around to see the back of her dress. She took out her phone snapping pictures of herself in the dress.

A knock on the door alerted her and she almost dropped her phone and caught it with a rushed breath, "Oh – umm hi, I was just-"

"I thought I gave you enough time." He smirked seeing her bare face. She pursed her lips turning around from him, "I was just clicking some pictures, this is a beautiful dress, all of the arrangement is beautiful."

"Well, I am glad you like it." He walked up to her, leaning on the counter and looking at her intently, "I didn't think you'd be taking this much time getting ready, you're usually so effortless."

She ignored his gaze, setting her hair, and putting on some minimal makeup. "So what is this thing you want me and you to do after this."

He narrowed his eyes, "Umm – not anything that'll be as boring as you sound baby."

She rolled her eyes, putting on some blush over the apple of her cheeks, followed by sliding the lipstick on her lips, and a little bit of mascara application for curling up her thick lashes, she picked up a perfume spraying it on her collarbone, her wrist, suddenly raising a brow at him, "How do I look?"

He cocked his head to a side, "Delicious, is there anything else left?"

"Nope." She said with a popping p. he nodded reaching his hand in his coat pocket. She looked at the black velvet box resting on the palm of his hand in confusion, "What is this?"

"Open it."

She bit her lip, reaching for the box slowly, she opened it and felt her jaw drop, a glimmering string of Diamonds blinding her vision almost, she shook her head, "I am sorry, I can't accept this."

"But why? Don't you like it?" He had a frown. She looked at him, "It's beautiful but I – I can't afford this. Not in this life at least."

"Baby, it's a sorry present, it'll upset me if you don't take it."

She shook her head, "I forgave you already, you don't need to do this."

"I know I don't need to Pratha, but I want to- it has nothing on you baby." He kept the box aside, pulling her in front of him, "Turn around."

"Veer!"

"I told you to turn around." He said with a cheeky grin. She huffed complying with his orders, the hair on her body raised when he touched the silky skin of her back, sliding her hair to one side. He picked up the beautiful diamond necklace and slid it across her neck, wearing it to her. She felt her hand tracing the necklace, "This is so beautiful."

"Hmm" he wrapped his hands around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder, "I mean it did look so much beautiful when I first saw it, but now that it's on you, it can't compete with you."

She giggled, "You're so cheesy." He moved his face, leaning in her neck, he pressed his lips to the dip in her collarbone, "I have to be cheesy for my sweet little angel who is so pouty when she's not given attention."

She moved in his arms, turning to him, cupping his face, "Thank you for this. You're going to be with me tonight right?"

He nodded, "I wouldn't want to be anywhere else."

She leaned in and wrapped her arms around him feeling euphoric., giving him the tightest hug, "Thank you so much, I just, I am sorry for what I did love, I don't know what I was thinking."

He kissed the side of her face, "You don't need to be sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"I don't even want to talk about it." She pulled away looking at him with her doe eyes, "I don't care, baby, all I know is that I never want to fight again." She cupped his face, leaning in, and pressed her lips to his, slowly pulling on his lower lip, letting her tongue lick at it. She moved back slightly, her eyes darkening as she slid his coat off. He held her, "Baby, not yet."

She narrowed her eyes at him, "What then."

"The sequence is dinner, a movie, a freaking long drive- and if you're still not exhausted by the end-"

She shook her head, "Yes, how about we delay it for forty-five minutes."

"That is if we get done by forty-five minutes and then you'll be snoring on my chest till 9 am so hurry, wear your shoes, take my spare coat, and let's go."

"But-but Veer." She whined.

"Hey, you were the one with the 'using me for sex' allegation now."

"I was angry okay, and now I am fine with a big 'f', I've had nuggets for lunch I am full- please just."

"No excuses Pratha, get your little tushy in the car." He warned in a playful manner slapping her behind. She gasped, "Fine you're playing hard to get, I'll play harder."

"We'll see about that."

She laid back on the soft mattress in front of the big screen, on a hill where their car was parked with a whole dinner and movie set up, he had brought them chole bature and some expensive wine, a soft chocolate cake for dessert, she was still having her desert while watching old flicks together. Her wide eyes focused on the screen while he set the blanket on them, taking off his coat, he too sat back, then the commentary started, she knew every scene and kept talking about it herself, "You know I did watch this before, like when I was twelve maybe."

"Yes, I can see that." He said ironically. "The dress she's wearing right here, my mom ordered it for me, I wore this to my first day in college, gosh I looked so extra, but I loved it."

"Ahuh- I haven't seen you in skirts."

"Really? I have this denim mini, I'll wear it someday, but I don't wear it anymore, you never know if it'll fit, and when it doesn't, it's a mid-life crisis, I choose to ignore it." She took a bite from her cake, "Veer."

"Hmm." He looked at her with a smile, "I like it here." She kept her plate on the side dragging herself forward till his arm was around her, she looked up at him, "This is what I want, not even the dress, the necklace, or the flowers, although it's so much, I am so grateful but what I want is to be with you, even if it's as simple as looking at you."

He ran his thumb on her lower lip, wiping off the cake residue as he leaned in to cover her mouth with his, she immediately opened her mouth for him letting his tongue fight hers, she moaned into his mouth cupping his face, she slowly pulled away after a few moments, pecking his lips twice, "Wait I love this scene."

He chuckled, "Come here." He wrapped his arms around her, resting her head on his chest, she smiled when he kissed the top of her head. She'd occasionally look up at him and smile or blush, he'd kiss her gently and they'd continue to watch, she felt him shift a little, he had pulled out a cigarette, and lit it, smoking away from her head, she frowned looking up at him, her hand reached for his taking the cigarette from him, "I've never smoked you know."

"That's a clean record seeing your twenty." He said still stroking the side of her head.

"Do you like girls who smoke?" she asked in a low voice. He raised a brow, "I like you."

She rounded her lips around the other end of it and inhaled, feeling a sudden spice in her airways, she jerked a little with a pressed cough, "I did it wrong didn't I?"

"Yeap." He said with a popping p smiling at her worried face. He took the cigarette from her, "You do it like this." He took the cigarette from her, "Just inhale a little and, then take this out." He said removing the object from his mouth, then after a moment exhaled the smoke.

She nodded excitedly taking it from him and doing what he did, except a lot more slowly, her cautious movements were making him chuckle, she exhaled the smoke, "It feels like I am a chimney."

"That's the weirdest thing I have heard about it." He took the cigarette from her crushing it to the ground beside him, "Wait till you do crack."

"I've heard it feels like fireworks in your lady parts." She laughed. He shrugged, "I don't know I don't have any lady parts." He moved his head in a no, "Don't count on me on getting you high though."

She pouted, "That's very unfair justice coming from someone who has licked it off my breasts."

"I never said I was fair." He said with a proud grin making her rest her head on his chest, "Now can you get back from crack discussion to fashion discussion because I need your opinion on hairstyles and why some leather pants are tacky.

She slapped his chest lightly, "You're mean."

She softly sighed as he kept her on the soft pillows of the bed, taking off her heels, her words slurring in her sleep as she kicked off the blanket, "Veer."

"Yes."

"We're home right?" she asked giggling, a wide smile on her face with fluttering eyes.

"Yes, baby." He kissed her forehead making her rest back, putting the blanket on her, she held his wrist pulling him over her, he landed across her laughing, he rolled aside taking off his shirt, Pratha dragged herself to rest between his arms, she was giggling in her sleep, "You're a hunky teddy, all mine."

He stroked away the hair from her face, "I'll take that as a compliment."

She nodded with closed eyes as she dug her face into his shoulder surrendering to sleep. He felt a little guilty the girl in his arms was in love with him, she was young and a free spirit, who still had so much to see and live, who didn't deserve to be tied to a person who wanted "a break from his life". He hated himself for being paranoid at the thought that she'd tell Kavya, and then Kavya would leave him, after all, she was his first love, and no matter what he wasn't ready for it yet and he loathed himself for feeling other than "alerted to lose his fortune". He didn't want Pratha to suffer as he did. To chase after someone who they can't get even after being so close as this, maybe not love but he did care about her. Her eyes when in tears, hurt him. But at the same time, it felt good, that someone still cared enough or loved him enough to cry for him, it was sick! He told himself, feeling good about someone feeling terrible was sick, yet a dark side to him liked it. The feeling of someone wanting him so selflessly was his new fucked up obsession. But then when he saw 'the happy side' to this girl when he was able to make her laugh and smile wide, or blush or cared for, made his heart swell. She was so easy to love, she wanted something as simple as spending time with him. She had no desire to win the world and though it had always been his preference in women to find 'strong and abled' one, seeing someone who was so satisfied with whatever they had, he had noticed on multiple occasions, she was happy with how she lived, she wasn't in an inferiority complex and wanting more and more unlike him and Kavya or the many people he knew, or maybe she was just she was very young to notice how sparkling diamonds were or how big cars were.

PRESENT

After a long commercial shoot day, Pratha was very tired, taking her makeup off in her vanity. Her hairstylist took off the pins in her hair, she was hissing from being tired, "Okay -okay, can you just go tell someone to make me a juice or something, my head is blowing up with pain, also set me a massage appointment and get me some painkillers"

The woman nodded, "Okay I'll be right back, don't pull these out, you'll hurt yourself."

"Sure."

She huffed clearing up the last off her makeup, and washing her face, she drank her juice and headed off for her massage, not bothering anyone to drive her there, she wanted alone time as she sat in the car, her heart and head were so filled with sorrow, yet so empty and hollow, she breathed out letting her head fall back as tears started to form at the corners of her eyes filling to the center, she let out a whimper dropping her head on the steering, having one of her biggest regrets, why did she move here ever? Why did she fall in love with something that was so out of her reach, why couldn't she move on, like Anmol said it was a step-by-step process, she wiped her eyes, started the car, and all of a sudden feeling very light-headed, she wiped the sweat off her forehead, concentrating on the road, something was wrong with this car, she couldn't concentrate and even when she tried she couldn't control it when the thought of stopping it on a side came to her, she realized the car couldn't be stopped, someone had messed with the brakes, she swallowed thickly wiping the sweat as she dialed Anmol's number with shaky hands and raced breaths, "Anu- Anu I am not okay, Veer, he –" she coughed into the phone, listening to the shrill sound on the other end, "Pratha? WHAT'S WRONG? WHERE ARE YOU?"

She screamed as the car went out of control on the road, instantly she covered her face with her hands as the mirror of her front broke and she jolted forward falling into unconsciousness with pain creeping up her every limb.

"Is she going to be okay?" Ritwik asked the doctor when he exited the operating station, "She's had a concussion due to a head injury, we've stopped the bleeding but recovery might take weeks, her arm is fractured and there are some very bad injuries."

"She's out of danger right?" Anmol asked in a worried voice, the curly-haired man nodded, "She's okay now, she's still weak so we'll be keeping her under strict observation, you are?"

"I am her best friend."

"Can you call the family for some dues clearance?"

"I'll take care of that..." Ritwik interrupted, "When can we see her?"

"Maybe by tomorrow morning she'll gain conscious, although I think you better inform the police, Miss Gujral was given some pills for unconsciousness, we got her to vomit it out earlier, it was in big amounts, so someone has deliberately caused the incidence."

"What?" Ritwik said shocked turning to Anmol, "That's what she wanted to say on the phone?"

Anmol looked at the doctor and then at him, "Can I get some privacy Doctor?"

"Sure." The man left them to talk, Anmol held his wrist pulling him to a side, "The last thing she said on the phone was your brother's name!"

"So you're saying he did it?"

"Yes, it's a big fat yes." She snapped. Suddenly a smirk appeared on Ritwik's face, Anmol narrowed her eyes, "What?"

"But she's alive and I am sure as hell she'll not forgive him this time, it's going to be the unwrapping to –"

Anmol interrupted, "You're seriously the most fucked up person I've met, how dare you exploit this situation!"

"It is screaming to be exploited, imagine me being all torn between my brother and the love of my life in front of the media- ahh, me being heartbroken when the affair is exposed." He turned away from Anmol rubbing his hands together, "We'll see who wins now brother."

Anmol stomped her foot, "This will be Pratha's choice- now shut the fuck up, I can't believe I called you!"

"And I love you for it, Anu." He said with a grin, moving around her, "Quick, tell me, what face is better, the serious 'I can't believe this happened' or the 'I am so heartbroken please heal me with a billion dollars ' face."

She shook her head, "My friend is there in that room, destroyed because of both of you, and you're here selling her 'almost' murder."

"Look she chose this life. She chose to be treated this way so spare the lecture."

"You're disgusting." She seethed, Ritwik rolled his eyes turning away from her dialing a number on his phone, "Confirm the news, Alok my girlfriend has had a terrible accident, she's weak and we all are going through a very tough time, but this might not just be an accident, stay tuned and make sure you sent ten of those copies to my brother's mansion and ten to his office." He cut the call.

She was breathing heavily into the oxygen mask, her head was still very heavy and she couldn't move her body, yet there was rage boiling inside of her, Anmol was sitting aside her holding her numb hand, "I've called Tina massi, Pratha she'll be here first thing tomorrow."

She simply blinked, Anmol smiled at her, "You're going to be okay Pratha." her hands pressing Pratha's hand firmly she lightly nodded pressing her fingers against Anmol's hand, silence in the room was interrupted by Ritwik almost barging in, "You never called to tell Pratha woke up, thank God I called and asked the doctor myself."

Anmol looked over her shoulder at the man and shook her head with disappointment, "Can you please leave her alone."

"No, I love her and I am worried." Ritwik said with a sweet fake voice walking to the other side of the bed, "Baby, you have no idea how scared I got when I was told about what my asshole of a brother did to you."

She furrowed her brows when he leaned down kissing the top of her bandaged head, she growled in a low voice and Anmol squealed, "Ritwik, get out or I'll call the security on you."

He shrugged, "Look whatever, I am just here to help, do you think he's going to let her live, he's going to try it again so stop with the 'taking the high road' Let's fuck the motherfucker, get the money and make him suffer."

Pratha pulled off her mask coughing, "It's me who he will kill if I don't stop, so shut the fuck-"

"How Pratha how? You have all the freaking proof, Anmol witnessed him threatening you, in the same week he drugged and tried to kill you, we tell the story, and we win- Kavya will have a reason to divorce his ass since the media will already make his life a living hell, we'll get the money we want Pratha."

"She likes her life better." Anmol snapped.

"You shut the fuck up, no one's talking to you." He growled at her and she almost shuddered from his voice, "Do you want me to call the press baby." He turned to her stroking the side of her face.

"Please give me some time." She squirmed in her bed, "Please ah- not right now Ritwik."

"Fine, you have time till one more murder attempt." He leaned down kissing her cheek, she flinched moving back, "Fuck off."

As soon as he left, Pratha clenched her otherwise weak fists, "God I hate them both so much- so much."

"Then let them be Pratha, we don't want revenge," Anmol said softly.

She shook her head, her eyes filling with tears, "He tried to kill me, I can't believe – he said he would, how can he hate me this much Anu, I did everything for him, everything."

"Pratha you can't make him love you." Anmol sighed to which she whimpered and almost screamed in frustration pulling at the drip, the machine beside her beeped showing a flat line as she bumped her bleeding hands against the mattress, "WHY CAN'T I? What is so disgusting about me, is that he wants to kill me, everything he said was a fucking lie, he hates me, he threw me out so easily Ahhh." Pain shooted through her hands, Anmol was panicking seeing the bleeding, seeing her go insane, she was calling for the nurses and trying to hug her as Pratha threw away everything that came into sight and reach, "Why Anmol, tell me! it hurts so fucking bad." She screamed looking up at Anmol who was cupping her face, wiping her tears, "Pratha please stop this please, we'll go far away from this life, it'll be okay."

"It can't be okay Anmol, he hurt me so much, he took away everything I wanted- now I need to do it to him, Ritwik is right, I don't need to care about him! I don't need to love him because he killed me already, I am already dead to him, but I survived and I am going to make this difficult for him, I might not get the money or anything- but I will see him in this much pain."

PAST

The water played around her body as she swam in it, enjoying its cool and warm contact with her body. The only thing she had envied about rich people was big ass swimming pools, she woke up with him by her side, fast asleep. She did want to wake him up but she rarely saw him asleep that too so peacefully so she let him, it was almost afternoon and she was way too happy with her date yesterday. She decided to take a swim in the swimming pool which was in the basement of the cabin, the blue water reflected on the roof of the large room and all of it was like an ocean disco. They were always in such a rush, she never got to explore this house. It reminded her of Anmol's boyfriend's house in Musoorie which had a swimming pool as big as this, this made her realize that it had been months since she went swimming since when she had lost her bracelet at the beach, and then Veer got her that later, he told her he had never swam that much till that day.

"I am good."

She shook her head with a smile, racing back to the other end, he leaned forward sipping on the drink watching how gorgeously she moved in the sparkling blue water, looking like the magical mermaid he had thought about when he was young and read. Just like a nymph of a spring, her every movement was alluring, captivating, and hard to look away from. She had no idea how attractive she was, he was sure that if she didn't put on the usual baggy clothes, she would be tired of men falling in love with her by now, before Pratha he had never fallen so much for 'innocence', someone who had no idea what she did to him, whose life and life problems were so different, she didn't know who he was, what he did, but she still loved him.

He grinned when she suddenly winked at him and he gestured for her with his finger to come out, slowly she got out of the pool, her moon-white bikini clung to her body as she made her way to him, standing in front of him, "You're finally up tiger."

He picked up a towel from the side, "Come here."

She bit her lip as she almost crawled up the seat and he wrapped the towel around her pushing back her wet locks, she took a sip from his glass, "You could have woken me up last night."

"Trust me I tried, you were too adorable to wake up." He pressed his lips to her wet ones and she moaned into his mouth kissing him back passionately. He rolled them over getting on top of her, parting to trail kisses down her neck, "I have another surprise for you."

"What?" she asked cupping his face and making him look at her, "You're gonna do that tongue thing with me again." Her eyes shone.

Oh, my sweet horny teenager." He sighed, "It's a gift."

She huffed annoyed, "No more gifts Veer, I swear I don't wear this type of stuff."

"No baby, we're going." He wiped the side of her face from the water, "To Mussoorie."

He loved the way her mouth hung open, she closed her eyes processing his words, "Wait- you're going to, my city with me?"

"For the weekend. I'll handle it baby I just want to be with you." He smiled sincerely, she bit her, then sighed releasing it, "I am sorry Veer, you don't have to do this if you don't want to, what you give me is enough."

"What do you mean?" he frowned.

She cupped his face, "I don't want you to risk it, I know why you're doing this, because I was upset, and trust me, the flowers, the date- this, it's so much, I love you no matter what, I just want you to be true to me so that I can be true to you, I don't want to be a second spoiled woman, I don't want to lust over your money, I know I'll start if you keep giving me all this, I just want to be in love with you."

"Pratha, I am not doing this because of what happened. I am doing this because I want to know you better." He stroked her semi-dry hair, "And let you know me."

She moved upwards catching his lips with hers, letting her tongue dance with his, she pulled away nibbling on his lower lip, then licked it giggling, "You should meet Tina maasi with me, you'll love her, don't worry she'll not recognize, the last thing she'd catch up with is the business community."

"Are you implying that I am boring?" He raised a brow at her. She shook her head, "Well you're not boring with me, but other than that-meh."

"Okay. I'll meet her, what will you introduce me as?" he said with a naughty grin, "Your boyfriend? Cause I am more like a man-friend."

She nodded, "Mmm that's a tough one- maybe I'll introduce you as my fuck buddy."

"I am offended." He pretended to be angry running his hands up and down her sides, "I mean I am taking you on dates, meeting the folks and that's my name in your contact list."

She giggled, "No, your name in my contact list is Humungousaur."

"What?" he chortled, "What's that?"

"It's a cartoon, it's so big and makes this growly voice that turns me on." She said with a laugh.

"You're fucking weird baby." He pulled her up, letting her legs go around his waist picking her off the chair, "Wait till I go all humungousaur on you."

He sighed seeing Pratha's maasi reaction to him and her, she was not hostile but very startled at what was happening, they had been in Pratha's family home since that morning when Pratha had invited Tina over to meet 'someone'

Although Veer thought it would be risky he let Pratha do whatever, believing he owed her this much.

She had shown up late afternoon when they were watching some old videotapes of Pratha and her family. The woman had raised her brows at Veer, and he immediately knew she was judging the 'age difference' since Tina herself was a thirty-year-old woman seeing her with a man two years older than her did weird her out.

"So this is your boyfriend?" She asked when they all were seated back on the sofa, Pratha nodded snuggling closer to the man, and he let his arm across her letting her rest against him. Tina bit her lip, "Wow – I mean, this was the guy you said-"

"Maasi!" Pratha warned with widened eyes, "Not now."

"O-okay, so when are you moving back by the way?"

Pratha huffed, "Way to go! , I don't know I still have migration issues."

"Wait? Moving back here?" Veer suddenly interrupted, "You never said anything about it."

"There was an issue." She said after a gulp, "I thought I'd continue from Dehradun."

"What's the issue?" he asked tensed, "Pratha, you said you weren't moving back."

"Okay-okay guys! I'll explain myself, but does anyone want some coffee, I could use one." She got up from the sofa running a hand through her hair nervously, "Maasi? Babe?"

They both didn't say anything to which she sighed going towards the kitchen behind the living room, "Tell me if you change your mind."

The silence was quickly broken by Tina, "Are you two seriously together?"

He nodded, "We are together, not very exclusive." He huffed, "Just in the getting-to-know-each-other phase."

"You know she's twenty right?" Tina tried not to sound bitter, "Pardon, but you seem a little old for her."

"I am thirty-two." He tried to sound polite, "Pratha knows I am thirty-two."

She nodded, "Yes, she did tell me about some guy a while back, so what do you do for a living?"

He sat back, "I run the family business."

"Oh- that's very informative." She said ironically, "Umm listen my niece is a little, how should I say this, disturbed, she's lost her parents and went through a very bad PTSD because she witnessed it, now I have no idea what is going on- but I am sure it's not normal like it seems."

He chuckled, "Are you implying that your niece has gone bonkers and that's why she's with me?"

Tina looked back to check if Pratha's there, "I just don't want anyone taking advantage of her vulnerability. She won't be able to bear it."

"You have nothing to worry about Tina, I don't know what your niece told you before this meeting but I am not going to force her or make her feel uncomfortable, we're taking this very slow." He said in his best convincing voice, "I know it looks weird but Pratha and I need each other, I don't think I've met anyone this magical, she did share bits of her past with me and I would never want to use her weakness against her to get something from her because I know how that feels, I know I am twelve years ahead of her in life but you never know when you find a connection with someone, I just really connect with her." He smiled politely, "And I guess she needs me too, she sees me as someone who knows how to tackle life and we go hand in hand that way."

"I hope that it's all true, she's very emotional."

"I've very recently discovered that too, she goes full kill bill if she doesn't get her way." He joked to lighten the mood, Pratha came back with a coffee and sighed seeing the tension in the room lightened, "Thank god, I thought it'll take hours to dissolve this first meeting stress. So what's going on, what are we talking about?"

"We're talking about how you talk in sleep." He tapped the space next to him telling her to sit and she did, she narrowed her eyes, "No I don't."

"Yes you do sweetie, you call out all the ice cream flavors, the specials, the drinks, and sometimes you mumble Arjit Singh's songs." He said seriously, she gasped and turned around hitting his chest playfully, "Don't embarrass me please."

Tina rolled her eyes, "You shouldn't be feeling ashamed in front of me, I changed your diapers."

"You did not." Her face was flushed, "Veer!"

He laughed at her red face, he pulled at her cheeks, "You should have seen it coming baby."

"I am two pigtails away from high school," Pratha said angrily. "Wait." Tina said alarmed, her face serious all of a sudden, "Did you get engaged?"

Pratha widened her eyes, "What? No."

"Why is he wearing a ring?" Tina gestured to Veer's hand that was around Pratha, her doe brown eyes turned to him then looked down at his hand, she had never once noticed the ring till today, till this moment, "I um-"

"Is he engaged to someone else? Are you married?" Tina asked horrified. Pratha turned to her, shaking her head as her locks flew across, "No, no Tina, it's a promise ring, I gave it to him."

"But it looks so expensive, you're not lying right?"

"No massi! I swear- why would I lie? Have I ever lied to you?" she bit her lip, but Veer could tell she was tensed now, "It's a promise ring." She whispered again in the dead silence, Tina looked at her with uncertainty but was fine after a while. Pratha shrugged it off smiling and laughing, acting like nothing happened till Tina was more convinced and when she was leaving she gave her a warm hug, telling her to be happy and take care of herself, she also wished them both good luck and 'requested' him to take care of her.

When Pratha closed the door, she didn't turn instead kept facing away from him, he realized she was composing herself, she could hear her shallow breaths, when he touched her shoulder she turned to him, her eyes were glassy with tears, "You could have taken it off Veer, at least here."

"I never- I am used to wearing it Pratha." he said with an apologetic expression as he tried to wrap her arms around her but she moved away from him, "I never noticed it, but it's bugging me now."

"Pratha it's not a big deal."

"It is to me, I never lied to Tina, I did this to protect my relationship with you, which means nothing to you." She sucked up more tears, "Take it off, Veer."

"Pratha you're doing this? I've been with you here for the last three days love, did you see me even calling her? For god sakes stop being this way."

She shook her head, "How can I not? You're still wearing the ring despite being with me, you'd never wear anything I give you in front of her, you'll never even use my first name in front of her- even though we're together she has you- and I'll never be able to call you mine, I'll just keep on lying and lying to people that you love me when you don't when even I am not sure if you do."

"You're not sure? Pratha I care about you, I canceled so many things to be with you, not to have meaningless sex but to know you better." He held her by the arms, "Don't you think it's hard for me? I have to trust someone again, let someone in again- after years and years of not wanting to be in this position Pratha, I am trying my best, because the last time I dived this deep in a relationship, it screwed me up and I regretted it."

"But it wasn't me Veer, it was her, I am not her." She bit her lip as tears rolled down her red cheeks, "I love you unconditionally. If you'd ask me to leave everything, I would. Because I need your love, it's more than enough for me."

"Pratha." he sighed cupping her face, his thumbs wiping off her tears, "I know you're not her. It's the reason I want you to be around."

"Do you love me?" she asked abruptly, "Answer me truly, just be honest once please." She pleaded. He sighed shaking his head, "Pratha give me some time." She nodded swallowing thickly, he could see tears forming in her eyes, she moved back, wiping her eyes, "We should pack, I have classes tomorrow."

"I care about you a lot baby." He held her wrist turning her to face him, "I adore you."

She looked into his eyes, "I don't want to be adored." There was dead silence which was slightly filled with her low sobs, "So that's your decision then?"

"I didn't make any decision baby, I don't want to live without you." He pressed a kiss to her forehead, she looked up at him, "Just take this off please."

He nodded pulling off the ring and keeping it on the desk aside, "See, it's just a stupid ring."

"Yes," She moved forward crushing her lips against his, pushing him back to the wall behind him, he groaned when she bit his lip, tearing his button up whist till kissing him passionately. He let his arms go under her picking her up the ground, letting her legs wrap around his waist, she moaned when he pulled away from her lips, sliding his mouth down her jaw, she softly whimpered, "Oh! I need you right now." he put her down on the couch hovering above her, he pulled hard at the collar of her dress, causing the zipper of her dress to open, the dress slid down her as she sat up cupping his face kissing him roughly, her hands held his, tracing them up her body to her breasts, he parted from her mouth to look at her, "You're so warm." She nodded hooking her fingers in his belt to undo it, "You set fire to my body, of course, it's warm." He smirked as she unzipped his jeans, getting him out of it. "Lie down." She pushed him down on the couch and straddled him, slowly kissing his mouth to her neck, her soft lips and tongue sucking the skin, pressing wet kisses down his neck to his chest, she unhooked her bra, letting him groan to the view, his beautiful little rage princess. She settled between his legs rubbing his long length once or twice, "I want to suck you off."

He moaned, "Oh Pratha."

"Can I suck you off baby?" she asked licking his length, her wide doe eyes were making him go insane, he nodded, "Yes,"

She bit her lip, "You promise to play with me afterward?"

He nodded, "I'll fuck you till the only word you remember is my name." she grinned at him, leaning down to engulf his erect member, he groaned loudly letting his fingers run in her hair, he clutched it when he felt her suck at his swollen head, she moaned continuing her word, the sounds vibrating in her throat were making him go nuts, he clutched her hair tightly, "You're so fucking perfect, Oh! Fuck- you're, ahh, my El-Dorado."

She sucked his length the best she could and took him deeper, letting him thrust into her throat, "Aw-shit baby stop- I am."

She shook her head slightly and in moments she could feel his cum down her throat, she reluctantly released his cock, licking the liquid from the corner of her mouth, "That was fun."

He sighed letting his head fall back, "You're a little devil, who taught you this?"

She shrugged crawling up his body into his arms, "Did you ever feel this way before?" he shook his head, "I don't remember, I don't remember anything right now you little minx." He held her chin, kissing her puckered-up lips, his hand slid into her wet panties, his fingers rubbing the slick button between her folds, she whimpered, and he parted from her mouth, "You're so wet for me, sucking me off turns you on right?"

She bit her lower lip, her cheeks reddened at his words, she nodded, "Yes."

He groaned at her confession, he rolled them over getting on top of her, and thrusting his finger inside her, she cried softly when he curled his finger inside her, and her body clenched around them, he cursed, "Fuck you're so tight." He added another finger, moving them at an agonizingly slow pace, but pushing them deeper, she pleaded, "Fuck me please."

"I will don't worry about that, just keep feeling this." He kept moving his fingers inside her, she moaned arching her body up to feel his touch, "Veer now, please, now."

He leaned down wrapping his lips around her erect rosy nipple, she threw her head back, "Oh God." He pulled out his fingers from her, tearing the front of her bra, he kissed around her soft mounds, his hands parting her thighs as he slowly thrusting himself forward in her, she moaned loudly, arching her back up moving her hips to meet his thrusts, his soft lips kissing her neck, sucking on her pulse point, enjoying her shallow breaths, her loud moans, "Ah V-Veer! That's it baby- just oh- harder!"

He nodded lacing her hands with his, he brought them above her head, thrusting forward, pushing her over the edge, she felt fireworks behind her shut lids, "Open your eyes." He said out of breath, she bit her lip as he growled thrusting forward into her, "

She opened her lids, his eyes boring into her, watching her approach her second orgasm, her breath hitched when he angled her hips up, thrusting into her at a different angle, she had never had such an intense moment like this, she dug her nails into the back of his hand moaning, "Cum with me."

The sound of skin slapping skin filled the air, he loved how she pressed her heels to his back moaning, "Yes, right there baby! Ah God, Oh-Oh Fuck, Veer, yes-ah!" she heard the low growl from his mouth vibrating against her neck as he pushed her over the edge following her with his release. She relaxed falling back against the surface of the couch, they stayed enveloped in each other, till he slowly pulled out of her, "You're on the pill right?"

She nodded with fluttering eyes, he rolled them over, and she rested her head against his chest, "When are those auditions in your company?"

"They're next week, you'll get it, don't worry, but you want to do this right?" he asked

She sighed, "I just want to be with you."