Not Around The Corner

A Couple of Glasses and A Little Bit of Flirting

You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the person who was just a friend is suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with. ~Anonymous

The marriage had taken place last night. Everything had gone without a hitch. It was a magical evening. Anushka looked so beautiful and Gaurav was ecstatic. It was a night to remember. Today we were having a reception before the couple left for their honeymoon. The house was frenzied. I was at Gaurav's house helping Anushka get ready when my mom called me. We were having the party for Gaurav and Anushka at one of the hotels in the city. It was going to be an extravagant affair.

I had to go back to change at my parents’ house. I bade Anushka a goodbye and left immediately. As soon as I reached home, I heard my mom asking me to help Gaurav with something he needed.

"Please get my bag. It’s with Jai," he pleaded.

“Sure,” I said.

I ran up to Jai’s room and knocked once before entering. Jai was standing near the window talking on the phone. His back was to me. He was just wearing a pair of jeans. I could see the perfect shape of his back muscles. Please don’t stare, I tried persuading myself. He turned around after hearing me and excused himself of the phone. I couldn’t stop ogling at him. Since he was on the phone, he didn’t notice me making myself so obvious.

“What?” he asked after he saw me.

“I need Gaurav’s bag,” I said with an apologetic look. I didn’t mean to disturb him. “It’s on the bed, or near it. Could you see please?” he asked pointing to the fact that the call was important. I nodded and went to check on his bed.

Jai was on a business call. I searched his bed and I couldn’t find the bag and I looked in the cupboard. I saw a couple of gifts on his shelf and saw my name on one of the gifts. I was dumbstruck. He got a gift for me. What was the occasion? I held it in my hand and wondered if I should open it.

I was still holding it after ten minutes. Why would he get a gift for me?

“You can open it,” Jai whispered in my ear. When did he come that close to me? And his breath down my neck was doing absolutely no good. Why was he so sexy? And why did I care? Maybe the fact that he was half-naked right behind me insinuated that thought. I couldn’t deny the way my head was raging for him to keep going on. I tried to shake that feeling and looked at him.

“What is it?” I asked trying to ignore his perfect body.

He picked up a shirt from his bed noticing my embarrassment and put it on.

“Something I got for you when I came to the city,” he said.

“Why didn’t you give it then?” I asked.

“Open it and you will know,” he said.

I opened it to see a box of lens shot glasses. There were three of them. This highly detailed shot glass looked like a real camera lens, and it was so cool. I smiled.

“You remembered?” I asked. I always wanted to be a photographer when I was a kid. But I somehow gave up that dream.

“You were good,” he said. I nodded. I was in awe of those glasses. They were so articulate. “Always thought you would end up as a photographer,” he continued.

“Never thought of it as a career,” I said.

“You should have. You still seem to love it,” he said.

“I do still love it,” I said softly.

 “We should have a drink in them someday,” he suggested.

“Never,” I said with a horrified expression. “It’s my gift,” I scolded him. He put his hands up in defense and mouthed a sorry.

“You like them that much?” he asked me while I was gazing at the glasses.

“I love them,” I said sincerely. “Why didn’t you just give them earlier?”

“I thought you didn’t like it anymore. Seemed a little childish,” he shrugged.

“You were wrong. I honestly love them,” I said.

“Why did you give it up?” he asked coming close to me.

“Thought I wasn’t good enough,” I mumbled. The closeness wasn’t helping my speech. He smiled. I looked down to avoid his gaze. He hadn’t buttoned his shirt so I could still his perfect body. I needed to look elsewhere. I was so infatuated right now.

He smiled coyly and came even closer. “What are you doing?” I asked him suspiciously.

“Flirting,” he said shamelessly. I smiled and decided to change the topic.

“Where’s Gaurav’s bag?” I asked.

“Right behind you,” he said still staring at me.

“I should go,” I said quietly turning around and picking up the bag.

“Why?” he asked pinning me to the wall.

“Jai stop this,” I whispered. What was happening to me? I heard Gaurav’s voice outside. My eyes widened and I pushed Jai. I took my gift and Gaurav’s bag. As I was leaving, Jai asked,” What about that drink?”

“I have to go,” I said trying to avoid his smirk. I was acting like a kid. I had a boyfriend. And this flirting needed to stop. I had to ignore whatever was going on with my heart. This was just friendly banter, I tried convincing myself. I was in a relationship. This shouldn’t affect me. It will not. I needed to get ready. I hurried off to my room.

The reception was a gorgeous affair. Everything was beautifully decked. The guests were leaving tonight so there was a rush to meet all of them in the end. Gaurav and Anushka were going to go to the Maldives for their honeymoon and they were to leave in an hour. Jai was acting a whole lot better now. He was hardly disturbed with what happened. Then why was I so perturbed?