FOOLS AND GENIUSES

CHAPTER 16

Kiara in her little pink crop top above.

la vie en rose

(n.) life through rose-coloured glasses

It had been weeks since Kiara's date with Chris, days in which her mind had taken to reliving that night. Her thoughts were plagued with memories of his hands searing across the skin of her thighs, the scent of cinnamon, hearts beating wildly in unison. She touched her lips, shaking her head in an attempt to try and forget as a blush reddened her cheeks. It both excited and scared her that she was growing this attached to him in such a short span of time. It was starting to get worrying. From the corner of her eye, she noticed Vijay throwing suspicious glances her way, most likely understanding the subject of her wistfulness was her new mystery man.

 Breaking her away from her pensive state, he smirked, "He didn't fuck you into oblivion yet, right?"

"What?," she squeaked.

"Your mystery man."

Slapping his arm, she huffed, "Shut up."

"Fine, fine. I know you well enough, sweetheart. You're old school."

"Well, gee thanks. Now I feel like a relic."

He winked, "Don't worry, I'm always here to dust you off if need be."

Laughing as they drove into the Arts District to a restaurant well recommended by their peers, Kiara and Vijay stepped out of the car as Jimmy and Sanjay surrounded them to push reporters and paparazzi away.

From beside her, one of the reporters shoved his camera in her face and shouted, "Are you two on a date?"

She furrowed her brows but pushed forwards as Vijay turned to smirk at the reporter, who apparently still didn't get the hint and pressed, "Oh, I get it! You're probably just friends with benefits."

Unable to hold in her shock, she scoffed, "That's an awfully invasive question, don't you think?"

He stiffened as the reported nudged him with a familiarity they didn't share, "Of course she can't admit it but just between us guys, did you get the goods?"

Sensing Vijay's explosive reaction, Kiara whipped around to face the swarm of paparazzi and reporters as cameras flashed all around them, no doubt realising a money shot was in the making. Body still fraught with tension, she willed herself to relax as an easy smirk slid into place and she rested her elbow on his shoulder.

"Women can do anything men can do," she interjected sweetly, waving her fingers in the direction of the man in particular who had spoken up; "and I hate to state the obvious but I don't think you could wear the heels I do while you did it."

A few chuckles erupted from the crowd and Kiara smirked as the reporter's cheeks reddened. Good, she was glad. He should've thought twice before presenting such an intrusive question.

Vijay made no attempt to hide his satisfaction, releasing a loud guffaw as he shoved the reporter and leaned forwards to mock, "Just between us guys, how did your misogynistic ass take that?"

Ignoring the reporter's outraged response, the two of them made their way into the restaurant as Kiara linked her arm with Vijay's. People at the restaurant turned to survey them, recognising their faces as they ignored the few that pulled out their phones to subtly take photos of them. At this point in their careers, privacy was a luxury neither of them possessed so they had taken to enjoying the present without allowing others to interfere in their happiness.