Pride vs Prejudice

Chapter 15

"I want to find a hotel to take a bath and change" Ria said

Shiv looked at her for a minute, trying to decide if she had lost her mind because of lack of sleep. It was 10am in the morning and they had just landed in Pedhe.

Ria turned to look at him, for response, when he didn't answer her.

"You want to go to the meeting in smelly clothes without taking a bath?" she asked incredulously, after seeing his expression.

Shiv rubbed his eyes. He had barely had 4 hours of sleep. Bathing and clothes were the last thing on his mind.

"Let it go Ria. What are you really going to find in this place?" he said looking around. Pedhe was what could only be described at remote village. He doubted they would have the Louboutin or Louis Vuitton that Ria was screaming yesterday about "Everything seems closed"

"Let's ask around" Ria said as she started walking around.

Shiv shook his head but followed her. If anyone asked him now, he would say that she had a penchant for trouble and he, apparently, had been assigned the job of cleaning up her mess.

After an hour, they had managed to but something at the only store that was open that day and found their way to the only hotel in the village. They had received a lot of weird glances when they asked around for a hotel. When they reached the place, he could figure out why.

"How long do you need the rooms for?" the person at the reception (if that could be called reception) asked them. His eyes drifting towards Ria

"Just a couple of hours" Ria blurted, lost taking in the state of the hotel instead of the man who was staring at her

"Do you need just one room then?" the man asked her

Shiv gritted his teeth "Two rooms" he shot at the man before Ria had a chance to comment

The man almost shrugged as if trying to convey that he was trying to help them out and save their money.

Shiv snatched the keys from his hands "Lets go" he muttered to Ria, pushing her away from the reception and up the stairs of the hotel which he was sure never had seen better days. It was always meant to be this shabby.

An hour later Shiv was standing by the reception. He had already paid for the two room and was waiting for Ria, after having knocked on her room and informing her where he would be. He had already called Bhalla and he was going to pick them up from the place in short while.

"Okay I am ready" Ria called out from behind Shiv

Shiv turned to look at her. She was dressed different from the way he was used to seeing her. She was dressed in a saree. It was the only thing she had found which wasn't as garish. Not that the saree wasn't garish all by itself. But she made it look really good, Shiv thought. If only the rest of her personality was as soothing.

Shiv shook his head and turned to look at the man in the reception who was now openly gawking at Ria. Shiv clenched his jaw, almost involuntarily as he stared at the man.

Shiv leaned in towards the man "You know what makes me really mad" he said is a cold low voice.

The man turned to look at him a bit surprised to find Shiv close to him

"I hate men who leer at women and treat them like they are meat" Shiv said in the same tone "I feel like scooping their eyes out of the socket with the sharpest thing around" he added, letting his eyes drift towards the paper knife on the table

The man widened his eyes and then shut them quickly.

Shiv smirked. He had expected it. "Coward" he muttered under his breath "Cheap coward"