Aurous Charms

22| Confused

Published on 6th October 2024.
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♡ Where have you been?
Do you know if you're coming back? ♡

– A K R I T I –

I dashed into the hotel lobby, my bag sliding off my shoulder, my phone buzzing endlessly with notifications I didn’t even bother checking anymore. My eyes darted to the largest clock near the reception. Shit, I was late.

Again.

It was becoming a pattern, and not a good one.

As I practically ran toward the elevator, my mind was racing. Today was a big deal — one of the final meetings for the hotel’s interior, and I knew I couldn't mess this up.

Why didn't I just leave earlier? The thought nagged at me. My shoes clicked against the polished floors as I approached the lift, only to see the doors starting to close. Of course, just my luck. Not today!

"Hold it!" I called out, lunging forward, slamming the button hard enough that I half-expected it to crack under the pressure. My finger lingered, praying it would work in time.

Please open, please open.

A small ding, and the doors slid back open, smooth and silent like some small miracle. I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding, relief washing over me. But my moment of triumph was short-lived because standing inside, of all people, was Shlok.

His eyes locked on mine the second the doors parted, his calm, slightly amused expression barely shifting, as though he was expecting me.

"Akriti?" He said, a mix of confusion and mild amusement in his voice. He blinked as if seeing a ghost, clearly surprised to see me darting into the lift like I was being chased.

My heart was still pounding from the rush, and I could feel the heat crawling up my neck. "Sorry." I muttered, quickly stepping inside to avoid any more awkwardness. I hated being late; it always threw me off my game.

His lips twitched into a smile — just enough to show he found something amusing about my half-breathless state. "You didn’t have to rush like that, you know."

I let out a small, exasperated laugh. "I wasn’t rushing." Of course, I was lying. I had practically sprinted across the lobby to make it on time. It was my own fault for underestimating the commute again.

"Right." He said, letting the word hang in the air between us, clearly not buying my excuse. I shifted my bag on my shoulder, trying to calm my nerves.

Shlok stood there, relaxed, his hands casually resting in his pockets, as if he didn’t have a care in the world, a stark contrast to my frantic energy. Whether in meetings or casual conversations, nothing ever seemed to faze him.

It was both reassuring and frustrating.

The elevator doors slid shut again, enclosing us in a small, quiet space. I stared at the glowing numbers as we ascended, trying to focus. I should be thinking about the meeting, the details, all the last-minute adjustments I’d have to explain. But instead, I was hyper-aware of his presence beside me.

"So." I said after a beat, desperate to break the silence that had suddenly grown heavy. "Are we all set for today? The fittings are mostly done."

He nodded, slipping easily into business mode. "Yeah, most of the major stuff is done. Just a few minor details to finalize."