Vows of contract

Party

As she sat on her bed now, she found herself replaying the event from few hours ago. Avika's cheeks flushed at the memory. She could still feel the warmth of his touch, the softness of his gaze. It was a side of Anirudh she had longed to see, and it filled her with a hope she hadn't dared to entertain before.

A small, involuntary smile tugged at her lips as she remembered the way he had gently held her to comfort her. It was in those rare, tender moments that she saw glimpses of a different Anirudh, one hidden beneath layers of ice and reserve.

She felt the heat rise to her cheeks and shook her head, trying to banish the blush that crept up her neck. As the moon shines more, Avika felt a sense of contentment she hadn't felt in a long time. For the first time, she believed that the man she was to marry could be the partner she had always hoped for-a man who, despite his cold exterior, had a heart full of love just waiting to be discovered.

Avika sat cross-legged on her bed, her phone cradled in her lap as she grinned mischievously. The soft glow from the bedside lamp cast a warm light over her room, contrasting sharply with the cool night outside. She could hear the faint sounds of the city through the slightly open window-a distant siren, the hum of traffic, and somewhere below, the laughter of people enjoying their Friday night.

She dialed his number with practiced ease, her fingers moving swiftly over the screen. Leaning back against her pillows, she pressed the phone to her ear, waiting for him to pick up.

The phone rang once, twice, three times. She nearly hung up, thinking he might be too busy to answer, when his voice finally came through the line, cold and detached.

"Anirudh speaking" came his cold and firm voice.

Avika stifled a giggle and deepened her voice, putting on her best impression of an overly enthusiastic customer service representative. "Good evening, sir! This is Priya from Love Connections, and we have an exciting offer just for you! Are you looking for love in all the wrong places? Well, look no further!-"

"You are telling me that I'm looking for love in wrong places. I didn't knew you were wrong Avika" Anirudh interrupted, his tone shifting from cold to teasing. She couldn't hold back anymore and burst into laughter, clutching her stomach. She suddenly stopped laughing while her eyes widened realisation stricking her. "What- did you just confess ?" She grinned.

There was another pause, a longer one, and when he spoke again, his voice had softened, just a fraction. "What are you doing ?" She giggled while hearing him sigh. "Pata ha..mard sirf apni pasandida aurat ki hi awaaj pheli baar ma pehchaan leta ha" she said mischievously, a grin dancing on her lip.

"Kya kaam ha ?" Anirudh said in done tone ignoring what ever she blabbered. "Kyu apne pyari si golo si nahni si beti sa baat nahi kar sakti mai". Alicia could almost hear him frowning in confusion. "Excuse me? Beti ?" Anirudh said in disbelief tone. "Tum meri beti hi toh ho" Avika said trying hard to suppress her laugh. "Funny" he said in nonchalant tone.

There was a long silence when she spoke again, "Thanks for today" she said softly. She heard him humming a little in response.
"Parso merko pick up karne aa rhe ho tum, ok" she more like commanded. "Then be ready till 5 pm, we will be going in a business party."

__________

Now, alone in her room, Avika's mind swirled with a tempest of emotions. Surprise was the first to hit her, a stark contrast to the monotonous rhythm of their daily interactions. She had grown accustomed to Anirudh's reserved nature, his tendency to keep her at arm's length. This party felt like a sudden gust of wind in a still room, unexpected and almost surreal.