Once Upon A Mr. Goody Two Shoes

Chapter 18.

I walked to the bedroom, drew the duvet closer and lied down the moment Abeer left, my eyes staring blankly at the ceiling.

"Aashi!" I heard Taira rush into the room and sit beside me on the bed. In the mayhem, it had slipped my mind that Taira had also been there. "I'm so sorry," I heard her mumble from beside me. I drew in a heavy breath and sat up on the bed.

"You don't have anything to be sorry for. Don't worry about me, you go home," I pinched the bridge of my nose to keep the headache at bay. Crying always made my head ache. It was going to be long night, and an even terrible morning.

"Aashi..." Taira spoke in such a tender voice that I felt like crying all over again. I inhaled, looked at her and smiled weakly.

"Its fine, Taira. Go home, uncle must be waiting for you."

"You sure you don't want me to stay?" She asked, her voice sweet with compassion. I wondered if I could be as tender as her someday.

Not in this lifetime, for sure.

Tender, sweet, caring, and yet strong in her way - that's what he needed. That's what everyone needs. That's what everyone's attracted to. Something I can't be. Something I haven't been all my life. My chest hurt more as I mulled that thought in my mind.

I shook my head and looked at Taira. "No, I'm sure I can manage. Go," I said with conviction, blinking my eyes dry. I was convinced she wouldn't listen to me and stay back, but something in my tone must have told her otherwise.

She nodded, and after gentling squeezing my hand, she left. I watched as the door closed behind Taira. I could have done with some company. I knew being alone wasn't exactly what I wanted. And yet I had asked her to go...

I wondered why. She was always perfect. She never embarrassed herself in the public, she never went out of line, she wasn't a spoilt brat either. She was kind. She was tender. She was beautiful. Capable of leading a company in the future - intelligent, smart, calm.

And on the other hand, me...

I forced the tears back to my eyes and cried my heart out. Crying over a guy had always felt stupid to me, but at this point, I didn't care anymore. I cried for Abeer, for Taira, for me.

After crying, screaming and being angry and dejected throughout the night, I had slipped into a dreamless sleep, only to wake up to a raging headache. My head pounded as I rubbed my eyes and looked in the mirror.

Swollen eyes, unkempt hair, torn pillows everywhere. My room looked a mess. Just like my life. I cleaned up my room and myself, making a strong, black tea for the first time in my life and gulping the bitter liquid down.

I looked at my phone and made my mind in an instant.

"Hello Aakash, good morning. Who was going to Mumbai for settling the legalities of the Alijah deal?...Yes, get me on it...I'm aware of that...please do what I have asked you to, Aakash. I'll talk to Mr. Chaudhary. Forward me the details...yes, thank you." I finished the call and strode to my room to get to work. I was aiming to get over with Chaudhary's call as soon as I could, appeal for a day's holiday to work on the project and fly off to Mumbai for the next two months.

It was a very convenient plan. The Alijah project was a two-month-long work in Mumbai, and that suited me just fine. It wasn't that important, but I was going to go anyways. I needed time away from Delhi. Away from Abeer.

He wouldn't magically disappear from the office, and I wasn't in the right mind to see him everyday. Let alone work.

Just then I heard my phone ring. "Aashi, how are you?" Taira's worry-laced voice greeted me. I sighed, my heart clenching at her worry.