Lie and Love

5 : Aditya's Anger

Strong hands caught my shoulder. My chest felt light with relief.
Thank you Kanha! He came. But as quickly as that sense of relief washed over me, I realized something was missing. I didn't feel those butterflies in my stomach like yesterday when he brushed his fingers against mine. There was no electric charge, no intoxicating warmth.

I turned and looked up, expecting to see Aditya's piercing gaze.

But it wasn't him.

Instead, I was facing a tall, muscular stranger, his eyes bright with a friendly smile. He seemed nice enough, but he wasn't Aditya.

"Hey, I haven't seen you here before," the man yelled over the thumping music, a broad smile on his face.

"This is the first time I am here," I replied, forcing a polite smile.

"You're beautiful," he said, leaning closer.

"Thanks," I replied, trying to keep my tone neutral.

He grinned and slid his hand from my shoulder to my waist, his touch overly familiar and unwelcome. The guy was about my age, cute, and tall with a body that looked hard under his shirt. He was attractive in his own way, but not like Aditya. The spark simply wasn't there.
I made some space between us and wiggled out of his grip, hoping he would take the hint.

"Come on, it's just a dance," he persisted, trying to put his hand back on me.

"No.
I like to dance solo," I said firmly, maintaining my distance.

"But I would like to dance with you," he insisted, his persistence quickly turning into an annoyance.

God! What a creep. His demeanor was entirely opposite to his looks. Doesn't he understand the meaning of 'no'?

"Come on, women here die to dance with me. I'm giving you a chance, and you're showing your attitude," he said, his tone shifting to irritation.

I cocked an eyebrow, my tone laced with biting sarcasm. "To think that I'm being offered the rare opportunity to dance with someone as charming as you, it's truly the highlight of my evening," I remarked, my voice dripping with disdain.

He didn't seem to catch the sarcasm or didn't care. His hand reached out again, and I took a step back, my patience wearing thin.

"I said no," I repeated, my voice firmer this time.

The man's face twisted in annoyance. "Why are you being such a bitch? I'm just trying to have some fun."

Before I could respond, "The lady said no," said Jeel, stepping in to help diffuse the situation.

The man shot an annoyed glance at Jeel but didn't back off entirely. "Is she your Girlfriend? No? Then it doesn't concern you," he said dismissively.

Jeel didn't flinch. "It does when my FRIEND is being harassed. She clearly doesn't want to dance with you."

"Listen, you--"
Before the guy could say more I dragged Jeel out of there.
I don't want to cause any problems here.

"You go and dance. That man over there has been giving you a stare for the last ten minutes," I said, pointing at a guy who seemed to be quite interested in Jeel as we stood near the bar area in the club.

"Are you sure?" Jeel asked, glancing warily at the man.

"Yes, by now that creep is probably dancing with someone else," I reassured him. "Go have fun."

It took me five minutes to convince Jeel. He was a good friend and genuinely concerned for my well-being, which made it harder to push him away.

As he finally made his way to the dance floor, I couldn't help but feel a pang of guilt. Jeel was a great friend, and I was growing attached to him. But I had to remind myself of the reality: I was Anika Sharma here, not Chhavi, and Anika had her reasons and her mission. When those reasons were fulfilled, Anika would have to disappear, leaving behind the friendships and bonds she had formed.