Right Here [Regular Updates]

Chapter 10

Having all the attention on her, Shreya silently walked back to her seat. "Yes?"

"Let's... Let's talk this out slowly, okay?"

Lakshya noticed her chest heaving. "Are you angry? Come on!"

Shreya was not. When did she ever have the right to be angry? It was just that, she wanted to walk out and find a quiet alley and cry for a few minutes. She felt guilty for putting Lakshya in a tough spot. But at the same time, she wanted to start a new family. Badly. She was long done with her father.

To top all of that, Lakshya had a vibe that pulled her with so much gravity, one she could not shake off. She admitted it to herself right on their first meeting.

"No." She tried to smile.

Lakshya quickly pushed the menu to her and slowly flipped the pages. "See what you like."

She sighed audibly. Lakshya tittered.

"Will you pay? I'm a little tight on pocket money."

Lakshya was thrown off for a moment. "Of course! But don't you have a nice job? Why are you still taking pocket money?"

Shreya looked at the menu without answering. She pointed to an item.

As their orders arrived and they ate, Lakshya finally said, "I have a girlfriend. I love her a lot."

Shreya stopped eating. She put her hand to her head.

This time, she could not hold back. She cried. Before she grabbed a tissue, a drop or two fell into her plate. This... this was the guy she fought so hard for before her father. So confidently, that too.

Lakshya was unsure of what to do. He also stopped eating.

"I... I understand how you feel-"

"You don't!" She shouted.

For the third time, they called the attention of another customer and the group of waiters. This time, she did not seem to be bothered. "Don't ever say that to me! Ever again!" Her voice was louder with every sentence.

Lakshya had a lot of ramble on how he should not have presumed her feelings on the tip of his tongue, but he stayed silent.

Time passed. She calmed down. "What now?"

"I know you deserve better, someone who loves with his whole heart... So-"

"So?"

"So... So can you back out?"

She shook her head. "No." Tears flowed out of her eyes again.

"Please don't cry."

She shook her head again. Quite some of her hair escaped her rubber-band and stuck to her tear ridden face. She excused herself to the restroom as she redid her ponytail.

After a few minutes she came out with a washed face. But she did not look rejuvenated at all.

"If this is all, I'm not the one you should be seeking help from. We are on opposite sides here." She did not sit, choosing to stand instead.

"Will you still marry me if I have someone else? We're on the same side."

She sighed.

"I will."

"Don't be silly. Does it not bother you?"

"Really? Go ask your girlfriend that."

"Shreya!"

"It's been an hour. I should go. If you back out, I'll hear the news. If not, see you soon."

"Shreya!"