Chaahat

Chapter 5: Interest

"If that's what he thinks of me, then I don't want him."

Riya is pacing her room and her best friend is seated on the bed waiting for an explanation. Muskaan and Aarav exchange a look of utter confusion. It's almost one am and one text from Riya had them driving to the Singhania mansion frantically.

Aarav leans towards his fiancée and whispers in her ear, "She's a mental case, I told you."

His words earn him a glare which are enough to stop his words.

"That's your sister, behave yourself."

The two turn back and focus on the girl pacing the room. Her hair a mess as if she had stuffed it in her pillow, her cushions and plushies all over the floor as if she had throws them there and her bed a complete mess.

Her face is red with anger, she's fuming at the fact she just got rejected.

"I, Riya Singhania, do not get rejected."

Riya huffs and she continues her pacing. She can't help but fume but is unsure if it's over the fact that for the first time in her life she's been rejected or the fact that the man she's been crushing on doesn't want her.

Aarav watches his sister, she's in clear frustration. Her hands clenched in fists and brows furrowed reflecting the storm within, she lets out an exasperated sigh. Aarav can't help but wonder why she's feeling this way. She's never like this, nothing gets to her especially not men.

"Riya."

His words fall on deaf ears as she turns back around. Her eyes unfocused as she lets out another grunt, she misses the bouquet on the floor. With an unexpected twist, she stumbles, arms flailing as she trips over the flowers.

Another grunt leaves her lips as she grabs the flowers, "And who the fuck sent me theses stupid flowers?"

She grabs them and throws them towards the left of her. Aarav pulls Muskaan out of the way as the flower miss the couple on the bed.

"Okay, Riya. Stop it." 

Aarav gets up before guiding Riya to the bed. Muskaan and Aarav are so confused as to why she was so bothered. "What happened?"

The two sit and listen to Riya tell them about everything that happened. Muskaan raises her eyebrow as she listens.

"You are totally crushing on him!"

"That's gross."

"Aarav, shut up for a second."

Riya huffs and throws herself back on her mattress.

"Be honest Riya. Because you called us in the middle of the night to come here uptown tell us about Xavier saying no to marrying you."

"I'll say it again, gross."

Muskaan throws a pillow at her fiancé to get him to keep quiet.

Riya sighs, her hands cover her face as she tries to get her words together.

"Okay, I had a little crush on him, but he is a complete jerk. He ignored me at the airport and then when I went to his room to say hi, he was kinda rude."

Muskaan reaches for Riya's hands.

"And then when bhai went to tell him the proposal, he called me a little girl and said I was too immature for him."

Aarav looks at his sister, he knows she hates being called this. She hates the stereotyping, the way people's attitudes towards her just changes because of who her father and brother is. She hates it. Aarav's eyes harden when he notices the tiny tear trails down her face. "He thinks I'm a spoilt brat like every other man out there. And I hate him for it."

Her voice sharp, biting through the tense air that is carrying the weight of her frustration. "I hate every man out there who has this stupid opinion about me."

Aarav and Muskaan exchange a glance, a silent agreement that the best things to do right now is to agree with her.

"Yeah definitely, what an asshole!"

Meanwhile, Xavier is sitting on his bed as he watches his daughter. Her chest gently raising and rdropping with her breathing. Her mouth slightly open and her cheeks slightly red and her lashes gently touching her cheeks.  Xavier knows Shourya must have spoken to Riya before approaching him, so that means she would have said yes to the proposal.

And now that he has declined, she must be upset. Sitting on his bed, his eyes glued to his daughter as he thinks of ways to let Riya down gently and not break her heart. She's been taken care of like a porcelain doll. He sighs to himself before getting up and walks out. He gets through the hall, practicing his words. He stops, looks at her door and sees the light seeping through the gap.

"It's too late." His whisper echoes through the hallway. Taking in a deep breath he shakes his head and walks towards her room.

"Just knock, say you're sorry and you didn't want to hurt her feelings and leave."

Taking in a deep breathe he walks over and knocks on the door.

Less than a moment later the door is swung open by Riya, her eyes widen at the sight of him and her hand itches to shut the door on his face but she decides not to.

"Xavier, hi."

Her words neutral, but tone harsh. "You should be asleep or something."

Xavier nods his head as he looks at the woman in front of him. The soft light from her room glowing above her like a halo, projecting its glow on her. A clear contrast to the darkness behind him. Her hair undone and messy covering the front of her ankle length beige slip. The flimsy piece of clothing is a snug fit against her figure and the light from behind isn't doing much to hide it.

Xavier can't help but drink in the sight of the beautiful woman in front of him, his thoughts becoming hazy as she crosses her arms in front her, giving him a peek of her chest. Riya feels his eyes scan every inch of her and a few hours ago, she would have drank up the attention and felt good about it, but now after rejecting her, she feels irritated. Irritated at the fact that her body enjoys it, yet her mind hates her body for it. She can't let this guy take control like he had before. Especially not after she's aware of his opinions about her.

"Did you need something?"

Her words catch him off guard, as he forces his eyes away from her chest. "Um, yeah. I just wanted to say I don't want to hurt your feelings and I'm sure your brother spoke to you about us, but I just don't want you to have any hopes."

Riya's gaze hardens at his words, something completely new to Xavier.

"I just don't see you that way."

Here eyes flash with hurt again, as well as anger. This is new to her, she's never had to face this before. It's always her who is rejecting. The feeling of losing control hits her again and she uses the mechanism she always uses to get the control back. And that is. To put up a strong, unaffected front to show the person she's not affected by any of this.

"What made you think I was interested in you?

Something snaps in Xavier as he watches the girl in front of his raise her brow at him.