Soulmates

Tender Touch

Partially Mature
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The wine tasted unusually bitter. His tastebuds savored some exquisite grapes usually, the change seemed quite unsettling. He put his glass down on the bar's table and turned around. What was he even doing here today? This wasn't the kind of nightlife he fancied. Sigh. Things he does for his friends. It was Riya's birthday and he'd booked the whole club for her. It was her surprise party and he was the host, well at least the main one. He left the intricate details to the rest of the gang. Shivaay was the awkward puzzle piece of this group, so different and yet he perfectly fitted into this circle. If there's anything he valued greatest after his family, it was these guys. He could see Riya dancing in the distance. Smiling and grooving, typical her. He ordered himself another cocktail and was just about to take another sip when a girl almost tripped over him. She was facing the other side. Screaming at someone and pushing away the man's hands who had in fact saved her. "How did you even think I would tolerate this? I don't want to talk to you. Get the hell out of here!" She shrieked and the man pushed her away and left. Shivaay was just in time to catch her from banging her head in the highchair next to him.

"Are you okay?" "Yep, thanks." She stroked her hair till they fell back and not in front her face. "Shivaay..." he said waiting for her reply. "Annika". She took a seat, turned around to face the bartender and ordered herself a margarita. Shivaay went back to enjoying his drink and staring at all the people dancing. Annika kept running her fingers through her hair, as if trying to get herself around what had just happened. Riya's eyes met Shivaay's and he knew what was coming next. She stomped all the way to him, put her hands around his neck. "Shivaay it's my birthday, you know you can dance for a change..." She turned to Annika while talking to him, "Hey Annika, you okay man? I just saw Daksh leave? All okay?" Annika turned towards her and set her drink on the table. "I caught him...". "What are you serious? With whom?" "Ragini." "God that bitch...I knew it...she's such a..." Annika reached out to her and hugged her. "It's honestly okay Riya. At least I found out. It's all over now. I'm done with him." "You know what you're right! Leave him. None of us gives a damn about him if he doesn't care about you and so shouldn't you. Come on get up. Let's dance the night away and wash away that bitter taste in the mouth with a drink." Riya reached out for both Annika and Shivaay's hands and pulled them down and towards the dance floor. "Annika Shivaay didn't have a dance partner and now you don't either so you both have to obey this birthday girl's orders and enjoy the party man." Riya winked at both and left.

Shivaay turned towards Annika and put his hand out. Though reluctantly, but Annika laid her hand in his. Shivaay didn't like dancing but he somehow wanted to help this girl get over her breakup. Why did he even care to think so much for her? Even he doesn't know. But he smirked and so did she as she placed her hand on his shoulder and he placed his around her waist. They were truly something else. Waltz to an upbeat song, truly only these two could come up with this. He didn't say a word and neither did he but strangely these two who had just met found this silence and slow dance much more comfortable then everything else going around. He kept staring into her eyes and she stared back, as if all they had to say was being communicated through their eyes and yet nothing was really being said, at all. Her teary eyes gradually dried up and he took that as an opportunity he shouldn't give up. His stomach wasn't going to forgive him if he stayed there any longer. "Want to grab a bite? Kind of unusually hungry today." She nodded and he clasped her hand and pulled her out through the crowd.

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Three drinks down and a half eaten plate of pasta. Annika was more high than she was probably hungry. Shivaay managed to pay the bill before Annika's rowdy drunk behavior got them anymore attention. "Maybe helping a girl deal with a breakup isn't that easy after all", he whispered to himself. He did want to stop her from downing all those glasses but he barely knew her and she was upset, could he really instruct her to behave a certain way. Annika leaned on him as he dragged her out and carefully helped her sit up straight. "I think I should drop you to your house now." House how did he know where she lived. Well in that entire conversation they had over their meal Annika had practically told Shivaay everything, mostly about her cheater boyfriend. But she had introduced herself as "Annika, Annika Harshvardan Trivedi." For a man like Shivaay Singh Oberoi, the name was enough to find out the rest.