Love that Hurts

UNLIKELY ALLY

"What are you getting out of this?", Raina questioned Aryan as he was busy making the preparations for the party that 'they' were about to host. It was hardly a joint effort, Aryan had basically forced the party onto Raina saying that his friends would love to hang out with her.

"It's a party bubbles, It's to help you socialize better with my crowd of people before we go on to official parties or brunches."

"What do you think I am? A savage who wouldn't know how to interact and be civil with people."

"That is not what I meant, you're putting words in my mouth."

"Go ahead and tell me how I'm crazy and overtly sensitive for pointing out the obvious."

Raina pushed the salad bowl into Aryan's hands and left to tend to the fries which were on the edge of being burnt to a crisp. He was about to grab her waist from behind when she commanded him to stop in a stern voice. Aryan awkwardly backed off and looked at the wall clock, it was almost time and his friends would be arriving shortly.

"My friends will be here shortly, I should go and get changed."

"Do I have you on a leash? Why are you telling me?"

He slowly moved upto her and grabbed her right hand with his, slowly placing them on his cheek. "As a matter of fact, you have."

A flustered Raina shook her hand off his and pretended to dress the caeser's salad. He chuckled to himself and went to his walk in closet and picked out a shirt that was similar in tone to that of what Raina was wearing. Sage Green, she loved wearing that colour, and from the way the colour would shine on her, it was like she was loved by it as well. She was like a winter morning in Himachal, wrapped in green and white, cold to the touch yet serene and quiet. 

While Aryan was busy admiring her, Raina's gears were turning. Around twenty people would be coming to their party, there would be alcohol and music, if she were to sneak out this would be the perfect time for her. It was simple, she would make up some excuse to go out the door and before that she would have to sneak her things outside somewhere  and then when Aryan would be just a little too tipsy and a lot more out of his mind, she would sneak out. This was the best shot she had. This night had to be it.

It was about nine when everybody they were expecting had already arrived and his living room was filled with people chatting away in unison. Raina had noticed Aryan intentionally wearing a sage green floral shirt, this man always had to do something to annoy the living crap out of her. She was about to refill her glass with some juice when somebody tapped on her shoulder. Raina knew her to be Abhishek's fiancé, Maitreye. She offered her a sardonic smile. 

"It's a great party, you did well."

"Thank you, Maitreye."

"Oh you remember me?"

"Yeah, I'm great with names and faces."

"So, you and Aryan, man that guy is crazy about you. These days, every time he was over at our house we would have to listen to him chanting your name. Raina is so smart, Raina's voice is that of a cuckoo, Raina cooks so well, Raina has the cutest angry face. It would be non-stop Raina and Raina.", Maitreye noticed Raina getting uneasy as she kept talking about how Aryan worshipped her. From what Aryan had portrayed, she thought they were head over heels for each other but now as she was peering into the eyes of Raina, she knew something was off. She also noticed how Aryan was keeping an eye on her, every time she would be out of his vision even in the slightest degree, he would have a frantic look on his face. Every time Aryan would grab her hand, rest his head on her shoulder or hold her waist, she would flinch, the flinch was not rather subtle but every body was too preoccupied to notice uncomfortable and restrained Raina looked with Aryan. About an hour later Aryan was drunk, to think of it, drunk would be an understatement, he was out of his mind. Breaking out into random songs and dances much to relief of Raina. She saw him messing around with his mates when she took the chance, she had already hid her essentials somewhere outside. She was about to step out of the apartment when a slurry voice called out to her, "Bu-bubbles wh-where are you go-oing?"

Raina felt her hands go cold as Aryan, with carefully placed steps, approached her. He was about to grab her forearm to pull her back inside when Maitreye came in between them, "She's coming with me to see me off, I have to leave."

"But Abhishek?"

"I'lll text him when i get home, he's not in the state to comprehend and I have to leave."

Aryan had a crease formed between his brows but he had no reason to not trust Maitreye, Raina and her hadn't carried a conversation beyond pleasantries before. 

"Okay then, drive safe."

Raina was confused, she gave him a quizzical look but very nonchalantly grabbed her hand and said, "You coming?"

Raina coughed out her anxiety and answered with a firm yes. Raina grabbed her things from her hiding spot and entered into the elevator with Maitreye.

"Why are you helping me?"

"What?"

"You covered for me, you didn't have to leave the party but you did, why are you helping me?"

"Because I'm a girl's girl, I have to help a girl out when i see her eyes crying out for help."

"You could tell?"

"Wouldn't you be able to tell if Abhishek tailed me like a dog or if I flinched every time he tried touching me?"

Raina stayed silent but a small smile spread across her lips. She had an ally, and only God knows knows how desperately she needed one beside her.