He didn't think anything else and marched towards them. All the four eyes turned towards him when he stood beside Ayesha.
“Mam? Sir is asking for you.”
He addressed Ayesha's mother and she turned towards Tia.
“Come let's meet them.”
With that she and Tia went away talking to each other leaving the three of them behind.
“I've seen you somewhere.”
Rohan quipped trying to remember Abhijay.
“I'm the MD at Khandelwal Industries.”
Abhijay provided and Rohan snapped his fingers.
“Yes! I've heard papa talk a lot about you. Khandelwal sir just can't stop gushing about how efficient and hard working his MD is. Nice to meet you man.”
Rohan shook hands with him and Ayesha felt a surge of pride within her. This was his hard work.
Abhijay smiled and his eyes fell on the drink in her hands. He realised what he came here for and started coughing.
Ayesha looked at him worried but before she could say something he snatched the glass from her hand and gulped it down in a one go. He then cringed the taste as if he wasn't aware of it being alcohol.
“Shit! I thought it was water.”
Rohan laughed and said.
“No buddy! That was Vodka.”
“I think I need actual water now. Excuse me please.”
He didn't want to leave her with that doofus but he had no reason to stay. How he wanted to hold her hand and take her away.
But he had no right to. And she’d said that herself. Ayesha, on the other hand, kept looking at him. She realised what he did was not unintentional. He knew what he was doing.
“Oops! Looks like we need to get you another drink.”
She heard Rohan’s irritating voice and turned to face him with an overly sweet smile.
“Actually! No need for that. I’ll fetch myself a mocktail.”
She didn’t even wait for him to say anything and help her dress a little to support her walk and rushed away, towards Abhijay.
She gave her order and stood facing him, her back against the counter. She smiled and looked at him but he clenched his jaw and kept looking at front.
“Thank you.”
She whispered and saw his jaw tick.
“I don’t have any clue what am I being thanked for.”
She smiled at his pretension of innocence.
“For not letting me having that drink and still not making it awkward.”
He finally looked at her with a smile and she felt relief for a split second before he uttered his next words.
“Ofocurse! I wouldn’t want to make things awkward between you and your fiance now. Mam.”
Her smile fell and she stood straighter to say something in her defence but then gasped and shrunk back against the counter keeping a hand over her chest.
His darted to her and his eyebrow pinched together in worry.
“What’s wrong?”
Gone was the coldness in his voice. It was replaced by the old warmth she was used to.
But right now, she seemed tense. Her worrisome eyes darted to his concerned ones and she slowly whispered.
“My dress…the strings…they-”
Her dress was a complicated work of strings at the upper back which basically held the upper part of her bodice together. Abhijay didn’t ask anymore and held the opened strings in his hand, intertwining them with his finger and then placing his palm on her back in such a way that it didn’t seem weird.
“I have Sir’s room’s keys. Just keep walking. Don’t stop for anyone. Don’t make eye contact with anyone and don’t respond to your name.”
He ushered her forward and she kept her head bowed while speed walking. He followed suit with his hand still plastered to her back.
He hurriedly opened the room door worried that someone might snap them. He didn’t want any unnecessary controversies.
As soon as the door was shut behind them, he carefully left the strings and cleared his throat turning around.
“Take your time.”
He whispered before pulling out his phone to distract himself. Being in such close proximity with her, triggered so many emotions.
Ayesha looked at him for a moment before sighing and looking into the mirror. She tried tying the strings herself, but who was she kidding. It took her beautician 15 minutes to tie. She couldn’t do it herself in any scenario.
She looked at Abhijay through the mirror and bit her lip. His back was still turned to her and he seemed to be doing something on his phone.
But she couldn’t keep standing like this forever. She had to call someone for help.
She cleared her throat and saw him going stiff. Probably knowing what was to come. But he still didn’t turn so she had to speak the words out aloud.
“Umm…wo-I-umm-I needed help.”
Abhijay heard her whisper and closed his eyes.
*************************************
Please do leave your comments.
Also, please vote for the story.😊🙏🏻
Laters!!😘❤️
