Royal Arrangement

22) KABIR~ A piece of me

"For fuck's sake Kabir, you're telling me Her was the one you resented?" Yuvraj scoffed as we walked towards the edge of the bar, securing two stools to ourselves.
"You'd know if you had to live with her. Didn't you hate Natasha when she dated me. And when you got to marry her, it changed. It's the opposite for me, I hate her." No, I didn't anymore. I emphasised the two words 'dated me' a little too much and he smiled as always.

"Well, she is still annoying but I love her. But you- you can't hate Nalini, she's been to every event and I had met her so many times before. And let me tell you, your girl was on a high demand in the marriage market. Royals were ready to accept a diligent daughter-in-law. My brothers have a crush on her. She is a like a.." I stopped him with my hand. It was very surprising that everyone knew her, even my best friend. Not just knew her, she had quite an image.

"I am not interested in your facts. My perspective is very personal, just like hers and mine relationship. If you knew how annoying Nalini is, you wouldn't say this right now. Especially if you were in my shoes. After seven years of avoiding it, I finally got a chance out of it. And she's ruining the chances of it Yuvraj. I hate hate hate it." I complained like a distressed best friend I was.

"You hate what? Knowing that you're going to lose that stupid bet with your father or just the fact that you cannot love her, even if you'd ever want to?" He raised a brow, taking his time to order himself a cocktail. I clenched my jaw. "You know better, it's not a stupid bet."
"And what you're doing isn't very intellectual either. Don't tell me you're planning to fuck that innocent girl and move on when this is over. She clearly likes you dude. I'd hate to call you my best friend if you do. If I did that to Natasha, you'd kill me." He added and I gulped.

"It's not as simple as it seems Yuvi, I cannot say there is nothing. But I am also hating it, that there is nothing. It's true she's hot, she's cute, she's caring in-fact. She is bold, she is outrageously good at seducing, an even better cook, annoyer. But.. something about her just makes me feel like doing something. Every-fucking-time she is annoying me, getting on my nerves so easily, it makes me hate myself for even allowing that but.." I took a deep breath.
"But then when I push her away, I can't stand it either. It's like I almost miss the feeling of her getting on my nerves. And I fucking hate her for that." I sipped the drink and Yuvraj chuckled.

"You're falling for her." His simple statement hit me like a truck. I pursed my lips. What if it was true? I sighed and there was silence. Fuck.

"Reminds me, you two seemed too close to be enemies. Is this what? An enemies to lovers you're enacting?" He asked again.
"Honeymoon vibes." I quoted and we both smiled and then chuckled.
"You're an asshole." He said and I just stared at him as I tucked my tongue on the inside of my cheek. He raised his drink and I sipped it.
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My eyes followed Nalini as she made her way towards me. Her hair were tied in a bun, resting low against her nape. She was smiling ear to ear, but for Natasha. They seemed to get along and it was surprising. Natasha was everything but close to what Nalini was. I had loved her in the past, but it was all in the past. She was my best friend's wife now. Old memories flashed in front of my eyes.

I felt my heart hardening in my chest. The warmth vanished and I took a deep breath averting my eyes from her. We'd spent the whole day apart, just before sunset, I had seen her. She glowed different and she blurred my past for me in that moment. I heard Yuvraj clearing his throat. I looked at him and he was smirking.

"What?" I asked, annoyed. He had been lecturing me since morning on all subjects, that's what our friendship was.
"Just watching a guy fight his own feelings." He stated with such a calm that I wanted to smash the water bottle against his head. "Shut up." Just as I said I smelled Nalini's scent. I looked up at her and she smiled lightly.