An Arranged Affair

chapter 13 - Simmi

It was almost 9.10am and Simmi still handn't shown up and it was a decent 15 minute walk to the first lecture room.

Where was she? Sure she was forever on Indian time but she was never late for class.

And damn it, Phillip had broken my phone and I still hadn't gotten my laptop back.

I was about to give up when i saw her running in my direction, her wavy hair wildly bouncing behind her and she was dressed in a crop top with short pants and a sleeveless open front coverall.

' oh my god, where the hell were you? We are gonna be so late and the first intro is McGregor, he has a reputation for locking out anyone who is remotely late!"

' Mere Jain!( my love), ' she yelled hugging me tight and I hugged her back. "Sorry yar, but I got caught up in something!"

" Why is your lipstick all smudged? And did your father see you walk out of the house in that outfit? He would have killed you!" I said, noticing her smudged lipstick and that her hair was somewhat more messy than normal.

' oh shit, cheap Chinese stuff from AliExpress, it was supposed to be that kiss proof matt lipstick stuff that everyone is talking about, I was just testing it out.' she said winking at me. " Whose the shadow?"

In my excitement to see her, I had forgotten that Stanford was standing beside me.

We had dropped Phillip off at his office that morning and he had insisted that Stanford accompany me that day. I had tried to protest but he gave me such a look that made me hold back my words.

' Simron Kaur meet Stanford. He's Phillips ummm...serviceman?" butler sounded too rude.

' Ok, that's great and all but lets get going! Or we are going to be late!" and we set off for our first lecture with Stanford following behind.

It was great to be back to university, back to something I was familiar with. Phillips mansion was great and all, but it was incredibly lonely and after a while, incredibly boring.

With Martha and Stanford taking care of all the domestic duties and cooking I had nothing to do. At least back at the hotel there was always something to do and for the first time in my life, I was bored out of my mind.

I had read books, watched some TV in the theatre room, but decided that it was too big and creepy for just me, gone for runs, explored every room in the mansion, annoyed Martha and gone for walks around the massive estate.

I was so bored I was actually happy when Phillip came home!

But now back at uni, even though I had heaps to get my mind around, my mind would drift back to that morning, the morning after I had fallen asleep in his arms, and I found myself doodling in my note book while daydreaming about him.

I remembered waking up the next morning, with sore eyes but refreshed, with his arms wrapped around me. I remember how peaceful he looked while he was sleeping, how handsome. I admired the strong lines of his face, the perfect size of his Adams apple on his throat, the way his hair fell over his face, the fullness of his lips, even the fine lines that had started to from at the corners of his eyes

I remember reaching out to touch his face, wanting the stroke the hair out of his eyes, to touch the lines of his face, but I held back , his man made me feel things, things that I didn't want to feel. It was too soon, it wasn't right, and if I succumbed to them, what would he think of me? Would I seem to easy? And what would happen after the three years was up? I had so much to lose. Would I be casted out of his life like an empty tin can?

Nope. This was just a stupid infatuation. A childish crush.

No. I would resist, I would get on with my life as best as I could.

Simmi elbowed me in my side broke my reverie, pulling me out of my daydream.

' oi, I've been talking to you for the last ten minutes. Where your mind at?" she whispered.

' sorry Hun, there's just a lot going on now." I whispered back, ' lets talk properly at lunch ok?"

'ok, but I've got massive news!"

The morning seemed to drag on and I was starving my the time we made it to the canteen. The food was cheap and palatable, the coffee sucked but it was the place to go for cash strapped students.

' Ok so spill!" I said sitting down and throwing my backpack on an empty seat after getting Stanford to sit a few tables away.

' Firstly, do you like my nose ring?"

"yeah I noticed, how did your dad allow you to get one? He would have freaked!"

" My grandmother is a pretty cool old bird, I was at her village in Inda for like two weeks and there are barely amenities, like Wi-Fi, so she let me get my nose pierced.Anyway, you wanna go first or shall I?"

' You first!"

" Ok, I've met someone. Its pretty hush hush right now coz he's not Indian and my dad would go ballistic if he found out, but my boyfriend, he's been amazing, he's been talking kids and marriage and about wanting to meet my parents. He even gave me this!" holding out her right and showing off a beautiful engagement style ring.

' Its a promise ring, he says he will buy me a proper one soon, when we are ready to meet my parents.' Then she leaned closer to me 'and the sex is amazing!"

I almost choked of my coffee, a bit if it going down the wrong pipe and I was overtaken by coughing. Stanford came up to me concerned but I waved at him to indicate I was ok as I sipped some water.

' So how long is your shadow going to follow you around?"

" I don't know, he was kinda sprung on me today."

Ok your turn. Spill the beans already."

I made sure that Stanford was far away, and told Simmi everything about the past few weeks, about the marriage, about papas heart attack, about the mansion, Martha, my in-laws and my mother in laws meltdown, about the dowry, I told her about the feelings I was starting to have for Phillip, the intense attraction, and my heartbreak I endured for being away from my parents, and how had been unable to talk to them since I got married.

It felt good to finally be able to talk to someone, someone who would listen without judgement. And when I was done I buried my head into my arms and mumbled.

'we kinda sorta slept together!'

' Girl, your life is starting to sound like an indian serial drama, complete with the evil mother in law! And what the hell, did you shag the guy? When did this happen? And why have you been holding out on me??"

' oh shut up you perve! We didn't have sex, he just held me all night and I fell asleep with him"

' ohh girl, is that it? I thought you were going to tell me something juicy! You got it bad for this guy huh?"

But I didn't have time to give me a smart reply because I heard a familiar voice behind me.