INTRICATE

CHAPTER 06

V E D A N   S H E K H A W A T

Taking help was not one of Vedan's strong suits. He didn't know why, but he had grown to accept it the older he got. There would always be things that he couldn't control, so he had classified it as one of those things and moved on. From the way he was struggling now though, that was not the best course of action he could have taken.

He paced in his living room with his phone in his hands, distraught. His first week at his father's company was beyond hectic and he had a lot to learn. If it wasn't obvious already, soccer was in no way related to management, so that made things way more difficult than they should have been. He was beyond exhausted, but he needed to deal with something first. It would drive him crazy if he didn't. Vedan never liked to be in debt to someone and that situation was no different.

He looked down at his phone, contemplating his decision. Before he could overthink it, he pressed the button and held his phone to his ear. Samaira had given him a lift and she had driven his car back the very next afternoon. Dinner should work as a token of gratitude, right?

She answered on the seventh ring, just when he was about to back out of his plan altogether. "Hey. This is a surprise. What's up?"

Vedan looked out at the skyline. The city always looked beautiful, but at night, it looked otherworldly. It served its purpose as a distraction pretty well. He leaned against the railing, finding comfort in the chill that it had conducted. Why was he randomly so aware of everything? "I was wondering if you would join me for dinner tomorrow."

When there was no response from her side, he realized exactly how he must have sounded. Internally cursing at himself, he hurried to clarify. "Not as a date, Yadav. God no. I don't like being in debt to people, so it's my way of saying thank you for your help."

He heard a sigh of relief from her end before she spoke. "Thank goodness. I was worried if your hand was the only thing injured."

Vedan rolled his eyes. If anything, it was good to know that his slip-up hadn't caused their dynamic to change. He had gone through enough changes to last him a lifetime. He didn't need one more. "Yeah, yeah, mock me, but give me a reply first. Up for it?"

She knew exactly what she wanted. Samaira always did, so making him wait was just to make his discomfort stretch. It would be ingenious if she wasn't as insufferable as she was. "Sure. Where though?"

He thought about it. "Like Italian?"

She hummed, writing something down simultaneously. It wouldn't have been obvious if her horrible handwriting didn't sound like toenails scratching against paper. He checked the time. She was still working? 

"Does Divino sound good?"

The incessant scratching paused. "Isn't that a Michelin-starred restaurant? What's wrong with you, Shekhawat? Want to spend a fortune on your nemesis of all people?"

He looked down at the busy road. "I hate you, but I'm not ungrateful, Yadav. I know how much I need to owe and to whom. It's my call to make, so meet me there at eight. Don't be late."

"Hey! I've always been punctual. It's you who used to run into class a second before the bell rang in the morning. Don't self-project."

A smirk pulled at his lips. "We'll see tomorrow."

"Yeah, we will." she asserted with a confidence that he didn't trust in the least, hanging up a second later. Her profession required her to work extra hours. It would be amusing to see her get there on time. He smiled as he pocketed his phone. Her competitiveness hadn't diminished in the least. His own hadn't either, so they were in for a ride.