My BlueBird

Chapter 19

                                                                                               ARTH

"Your brother does know how to throw a party,"

Hmm.

After the fiasco with my shoes and her toes, I had resigned myself to be Dainty Sandals companion for that evening. I stopped a waiter and offered her a glass of colorful drink that had a delicate umbrella floating on it.

"Thank you," she smiled. I refused a glass that was offered to me and stood tapping my feet impatiently as she continued to sip her drink.

"He has definitely made a name for himself. A lawyer turned politician!"

Hmm. Oblivious to my impatience Dainty Sandals took her own cool time to finish the drink. Wish she would hurry. A headache was slowly but steadily building and I wanted to be as far as possible from the fawning crowd.

"Quite a few celebrities and politicians are here,"

Hmm. I shook my head to clear the headache. I needed to breathe. The walls were closing in. As for the Dainty Sandals, she was busy admiring the crowd. I turned heel and started to walk away.

"Arth! Wait!" she called out.

I didn't. I continued to walk. She placed her drink down and hurried over as fast as her heels would allow. "Can you please slow down?" she pleaded. "Why are you in such a hurry?" she grumbled as she tried to avoid Sarthak's guests and the waiters who were loitering around.

Her momentum carried over and she bumped into me when I stopped abruptly. "Sorry," she mumbled and took a step back.

"Oh!"

I didn't have to look at her to see the surprise reflected on her face. I was equally taken aback.

"It's beautiful," she whispered in awe.

We were standing at the portico that led us to the garden. My big brother's party had spilled over from the huge hall to the garden.

"It looks like a dream,"

She was in fact right. The garden which was mother's pride was now totally transformed. There were tents with flowing canopy, lanterns hung from the flowering bushes, candles softly danced in the night, the air was thick with the fragrance of flowers and soft clinking of glasses could be heard in the background.

I should congratulate Krishna for her commendable job. The Power couple, no matter their personal differences always delivered. Wonder if Krishna knew she was also a pawn in his chess game. Or, was she a partner in crime?

"Arth!" Dainty Sandals called out when I climbed down the stairs leading to the garden. "Where are we headed to?"

"To the Host, the one you have been praising for the past twenty minutes,"

Huh?

"I am taking you to him. You can personally shower your praises on him,"

"What do you mean?" she rushed down the steps and pulled me to a stop.

"You are his guest. You have been talking about him. What is not there to understand?" I looked pointedly at her hand clutching my arm.

With a frown she let go off my hand and took a step back. "You have a chip on your shoulder, do you know that?"

"I didn't ask you for your opinions," I retorted.

"Right. My bad," she gave a scathing reply. "Thank you for your time. I can find my way from here," she brushed past me.