Love : A Wicked Game

Chapter 9 : Be My Guest

Samaira stepped down the car with a bouquet of flowers in her hands and looked at Vivek's house. Her soon-to-be house. The Desais were a middle class, simple family. Vivek's father, Ashwin, was a retired headmaster from a government college and his mother was a homemaker. Ashwin and Yashwant used to go to the same school and were best of friends ever since. Despite the difference in their status, they remained strong with the passing time and today, here they were. Turning their years long friendship into relationship by getting their children married.

Smiling slightly, she moved inside the gate and rang the bell.

It was a Friday evening. She was dressed up in blue jeans with a casual blue floral top, having her hair tied up in a high ponytail. Vivek was on leave since yesterday because of his hand and she decided to pay him a visit as she had been so busy in managing all the party decor of Rajveer that she didn't get time to properly ask him about his burn.

The door swung open and Anita smiled at her in surprise.

“Samaira! Come in, come in!” - she ushered her inside before closing the door behind her. “Oh such a lovely surprise!”

“Thank you aunty but are you going somewhere ?” - she asked because Anita was dressed up in a heavy saree, her hair tied up in a bun while a clutch tightly held in her hands.

“Oh yes, I was just leaving for a friend's house. A get together of old friends nothing major.” - Anita told her with a nervous chuckle. “Are these for Vivek ?” - she asked about the flowers in her hands.

“Uh yes. I came to pay him a visit as he's not feeling well but if-”

“No no! He's upstairs in his room dear. Feel free to go. It's your home after all.” - Anita assured making Samaira smile.

“Thank you aunty. Have fun.” - Samaira said as Anita made her exit through the main door.

She took stairs towards the only room up there which was Vivek's and she had just raised her fist to knock when she heard him talking on call.

“...oh don't be silly! How can I make you upset ? I'll be at your house tomorrow night, sharp at 9. That's my promise!”

She paused. Her forehead creasing. He was not coming to office because his hand was paining but he was ready to go to a party of a friend ?

She had half a mind to turn around and leave but decided against it. She shouldn't make assumptions and react on them without knowing the whole story. It'll be irrational. Calming herself down, she raised her fist again and knocked. It took a while before the door flung open.

“Sam!” - Vivek's eyes widened before he grinned widely. “Oh what a pleasant surprise!” - he exclaimed, engulfing her in a hug which she reciprocated before pulling back and handed him over the bouquet.

“Come in.” - he said, stepping aside but she hesitated. “Oh com'on, it's the same me, my room and us. We used to play here remember ?”

‘As kids!’ - her brain screamed. They used to play as kids. Now they were grown up adults, about to get married, and she felt weird going to his room with no one but him.

But he pulled her inside by tugging at her wrist and closed the door with a soft click. His room was just as simple as the rest of the house. It had a bed in the middle, a study table, an in-wall closet and an attached bath. The wall behind the bed was a deep green, which she always found disturbing, whereas the other three walls were painted light pistachio. He noticed her making faces at the dark green wall and chuckled.

“You can change it. It's going to be your room so change anything you don't feel right.” - he said with a smile and she froze.

‘...if there's something you don't like, you can change it...’