Love Rivals: The Day I Saw Your Tears

109. A Guy Knows What Looks Best on His Girl

I examined the tie in her hand. It was perfect. We walked over to the counter, and while I was paying, she casually said, “It’s really nice to hear that you're providing free services to people who need it the most.”

I caught a glimpse of her eyes, the way they softened for a moment. I could tell she admired the idea of helping those in need, and something in her gaze told me she wished she could be part of that. There was this unspoken longing there, and I felt a pang of guilt, unsure how to offer her comfort.

Without thinking too much, I said, “You can come with me... if you want.”

Her expression shifted, and she raised an eyebrow, half amused, half serious. “To declare war against Nitya? We’d be like oil and water. We can’t be in the same boat.”

I chuckled, knowing she wasn’t entirely wrong. “Yeah, I get it. If Nitya’s fire, you’re magnesium. The sparks would be impossible to control.”

She smiled, but there was something distant in it.

The next morning, I stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the ink-black tie Sarah had chosen for me. As I finished, I stepped out of the room. Sarah glanced at me, her eyes scanning my outfit. "Wow, the tie really complements the shirt," she said with a small smile.

I returned the smile, my gaze drifting to her outfit. She was wearing the grey hoodie I had picked out for her. "It suits you perfectly," I said, unable to hide my satisfaction. The color and the fit were spot on.

She glanced down at her dress, running her fingers over the fabric. "Yeah, the size is just right. But how did you know it would fit me so well?" Her tone was casual, but there was a trace of curiosity in her voice.

I hesitated for a moment, biting my lip. She was waiting, her eyes locked on me, clearly expecting an answer. How could I explain that without making it awkward?

Thinking quickly, I smirked and said, "Well, you were right... a guy always knows what looks best on his girl." I gestured toward her shrug. "And I was right—it looks amazing on you."

Sarah gave me a playful look, raising an eyebrow. "Is that so?" She stood in front of the mirror, adjusting the grey shrug slightly, turning from side to side as she inspected the fit. Her fingers grazed the edges of the fabric while her eyes focused on the reflection, clearly satisfied with how it looked on her. "Not bad," she muttered, smiling faintly.

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The early morning chill still lingered as I grabbed my luggage, trying to be as quiet as possible so as not to wake Sarah. She was bundled under the blankets, her soft breathing the only sound in the room. I tiptoed out and made my way downstairs, thinking I was the only one up at this hour. But to my surprise, mom was already waiting for me in the kitchen, her face lighting up when she saw me.

"Are you already ready?" she asked, her voice soft but proud. "Your dad would appreciate your dedication to work."

She handed me a small packet wrapped neatly in brown paper. "Here," she said, pushing it toward me.

I looked at it, slightly puzzled. "What’s this for? What will I do with it?" I asked, inspecting the packet. It was unusually light.

Mom smiled knowingly. "I don’t know, beta. Sarah asked me to give this to you. She said you’d need it there."

I raised an eyebrow, still unsure what Sarah was thinking, but I didn’t have time to dwell on it. I was running late, and Nitya would be arriving any moment to pick me up. I grabbed the packet, stuffing it into my bag without much thought.

A few minutes later, Nitya’s car pulled up in front of the house, and I settled into the passenger seat. As we pulled away, I glanced back at the house, wondering why Sarah had thought candies would come in handy.

We left our cars behind as per the guide's advice. "It’ll be tricky to navigate the mountain paths in cars," he had explained. The destination was deep in the mountain region, and the roads leading to the village were rough, not ideal for regular vehicles. Plus, the mobile network was bound to be poor up there.

All the staff, including Nitya and I, boarded a single bus. The bus was basic, nothing fancy. I leaned back in my seat as the engine rumbled to life, thinking about the journey ahead. The atmosphere inside the bus was filled with a mix of excitement and nervousness as everyone prepared for the long day.

Nitya sat beside me, flipping through her phone one last time before we lost signal. I glanced out of the window as the bus started moving.