FROM DARE TO LOVE (Editing)✔

CHAPTER 36

I noticed Urooj's expression change from a happy to a sad one, her smile disappeared and color from her face drained out turning her pale.

'Ms. Siddiqui, leave' Riad says in a stern tone, I simply nod and left without any backward glance. I know Riad will manage Urooj and control the situation.

'Dude, what took you so long to get water' Ruchi drawled as she lay on the bed fidgeting with her mobile, ear phones stuck to her ears.

I lied to her that I had lost my way first to the kitchen and back again, for some reason I didn't want to narrate the true incident. Urooj's sad face swimming in front of my eyes, the way the smile dropped from her face and the sadness that overtook it, it was painful transition to watch. Once again, I am reminded of that fateful night and felt quezy in the bottom of my stomach.

Fifteen minutes, later a butler knocks our door and asks us to come for dinner. We nod and quickly follow the butler downstairs. I feel nervous now as I will have to face Urooj once again, and I don't know if I will able to meet her eyes, at first she didn't recognize me but not that she does I am feeling ashamed. Ruchi notices that I am disturbed and enquires about the same, and I lie again that its work stress. Tomorrow is Haldi function in the afternoon, it will be really hectic.

As we climb down stairs I see Hanan and Atif sitting at the dining table. I gulp when I see Urooj standing next to the table and talking to a butler, who stands there with his head lowered and hands folded and resting on his thigh.

'Hi!' Atif happily waves at us, Ruchi waves back equally excited but I simply smile awkwardly. My gaze lowered, I don't have it in me to face Urooj. But as we walk to the table from corner of my eyes I see Urooj is talking something to the butler again, perhaps giving him instructions. I am glad she isn't looking at me.

Hanan gestures me to sit on the seat next to hers, I wanted to refuse but then I have to be cordial and so flashing my fake smile I take my seat to her left. With my eyes, I gesture Ruchi to sit to Hanan's right so that Riad doesn't sit there. Ruchi nods but God knows where her head is, she sits beside me. I glare at her and she bites her tongue. I shake my head when she gives me an I-forgot-look.

Liqa comes with her parents, Hanan stands up as gesture of respect. I kept glaring at Ruchi while she is looking down at her plate. Liqa's father sat at the "head of the house" chair. Liqa to his left and her mother to his right.

'Where is Riad?' Liqa's father asked

'He must be up stairs' Urooj says, as she is about to leave Hanan stands up from her seat and happily suggested that she will go get Riad. I wound my fingers tightly around the fork and held it so tightly, my knuckle turned white. I kept glaring at Hanan wishing I could burn a hole through her back with my eyes.

The two butlers come and begin to arrange dinner, I felt out of place here as everyone chit chats. Ruchi isn't bothered she is just eyeing the food hungrily. I look away and find Hanan and Riad coming downstairs, they are talking something. I ignored Hanan and stared at Riad, he is dressed in Blue and black Tee with black track pants. I look at him and my cheeks burn as I recollect the incident from before. I smile, now I can imagine very well how he looks underneath the clothes.

Haye!

'She always sticks with Riad like a leach' Ruchi whispers, it is then I realized again that Hanan is beside him. I frown and look down at my plate. Unfortunately, Urooj sits just opposite me and I get conscious. Throughout dinner I kept my head low and my eyes glued to my plate. After dinner, I ignored Ruchi and fell sleep, that night I had Fantasized Riad again.