Amour à Paris- a rekindled Romance

Chapter 7

It was almost 5 pm when Shirin finally came back to her room. She was craving for a cigarette. She forgot to take it in the morning. However, after such a nightmarish day she needed nicotine. She felt incredibly tired. She had to send the Interview draft back to Alex and Zain for approval before she could publish it but she didn't feel the urge anymore. What could happen? Would Zain sue her for breaking the rule? Suddenly she remembered his piercing and absolutely scurrilous look from the morning and decided to drop that thought. Her editing is complete, and she is confident about it. She sent it to Alex before leaving for dinner.

What was the river cruise that Alex mentioned? She must try to do that tonight. It would be a nice end to this nightmarish day, she thought. She was quite tempted to visit the Montmartre area again, but she decided against it. She was hungry and also needed some fresh air. So, she went to the Trocadero and grabbed some food from the roadside stalls. Eating while walking, she was truly living her European dream. How does it look from the top of the tower? She had a slot booked for after a couple of days and she was excited about it.

The day was not all that bad as she booked a night cruise with the Bateaux-Mouches. The ride will start at 11 pm and it was just half past Eight. She had plenty of time to just roam around and enjoy. She stood at the riverbank, looking at the flowing water and her mind suddenly went back to the morning Interview. Zain now wears rimless glasses, and his outfit is so sharp. She remembered the Zain she knew. The unkempt hair, the I want it all attitude, the passionate and somewhat crazy Zain, who, despite being a brilliant student of Technology, wanted to be a Fashion Photographer. She was kind of happy that he found his true calling. He sounded like a true visionary during the interview, and she could see the passionate eyes that she once knew. Turbulent youth, maybe their story was just that and nothing else.

She suddenly realized Zain didn't react surprisingly after seeing her this morning! Did he know? How? Shirin had questions but she didn't know where she could get those answers. She lit up a cigarette. Even thinking of Zain is making her crave for nicotine. Shirin was annoyed at herself.

Her phone beeped, it was Alex. "Hi Shirin. You are in luck! A friend of mine has 2 tickets to Moulin Rouge for tomorrow night and luckily, he could give you one as his partner will not be able to attend. So if you are interested let me know. I can leave it at your Hotel reception."

Shirin frantically wrote she was not in the Hotel and sent her location to Alex. She politely requested him, if he could somehow meet her near the Bateaux-Mouches cruise. Alex agreed. Shirin thought Alex would be annoyed so when he agreed, she was pleasantly surprised. Moulin Rouge!!! Yaaayyy! The 14-year-old Shirin was screaming from inside her.

After some time, it was almost time to board the cruise suddenly she saw a familiar figure. Surprisingly, he walked toward her and extended his arm. When Shirin didn't react, Zain raised his eyebrow with a touch of arrogance and Shirin realized he was holding an envelope in his hand. She took it and saw inside that was a ticket to Moulin Rouge.

S:- Thank you, Mr Khurrana. You shouldn't have bothered. I could have collected it somehow from Alex.

Z:- You are getting one of my tickets.

S:- !!!!!!

Z:- I had plans to watch it with my partner, but she had to be somewhere else, so I didn't know what to do with it.

S:- Your partner? Business partner? Sorry, I don't mean to pry.

She wanted to. She couldn't conceal her interest. She really wanted it to be a business partner.

Z:- No. My girlfriend.

S:- !!!!

.

.

.

3 hours ago,

Alex and Zain were enjoying a rare work-free evening. Alex was busy doing something on his mobile when Zain asked about it.

"Shirin said she is interested in watching a cabaret in Moulin Rouge. I am just trying to find out if I can arrange a last-minute ticket for her, before leaving Paris."

"Since when Ms. Roy became Shirin to you?" Zain tried to keep his voice as detached as he could.

"You always encourage calling people by their first names. What is wrong with you today? You know you broke multiple rules set by yourself in less than 24 hours?"

"Hmm... forget it. I have a couple of tickets for Moulin Rouge for tomorrow's 9 pm show because Nina wanted to watch it. Now I don't know what to do with it. Tell Shirin, your friend has one extra ticket that he can give her."

"You have to give it to her yourself. You know I finally have a date tonight. And honestly, I think you can just catch up a bit with Shirin without being so hostile as you were this morning. It was so uncharacteristic of you. What did that poor girl do to you?"

"Poor girl! huh! You don't know Shirin Roy! She is the reason I started Dreamscape Innovation. Zain said somberly."

"How is that a bad thing, again? Sorry, I lost you there, man. Could you please clarify a bit?" Alex chuckled.

"I would need something much stronger than this Wine to tell you that story, Alex. We all do things in our youth that haunt us, you can just say this is one such memory for me. Now just inform her about the ticket."

"I've a strange feeling that one day you are going to tell me the story, but in a happy mood. It should be simple. You either like someone or not" Alex laughed again.

"I don't know".