AbihGya SS ~ Frozen

Chapter 6: Distance Makes the Heart Grow Fonder

We were again attending one of our fancy UNESCO summit dinners. Sometimes these elaborate arrangements made me jittery, I know the cause is great and so is the organization, and in these few years I have worked hard enough to earn my place among these people here - I probably didn't look out of place here, but I definitely felt that way. Gliding along in dressy formals with a glass of champagne in my hand, I felt too scared to face the mirror, lest a different person looked back at me. But as we all know, it really was unavoidable - not attending them wasn't even an option.

So here we were at Goa Taj Vivanta - for the summit dinner and I was talking to this old gentlemen from communications about work, when he introduced me to this man who was the architect with the contract of renovating our Mumbai office. I saw him and took two steps back unconsciously. He however smiled at me in greeting.

"Hello Ms. Arora, it's been quite some time now isn't it?"

"H..Hi Viren, how are you?"

Judging by my uncomfortable facial expression, the gentlemen left us to each other's company in a short while. I was looking down at my feet most of the time while the men were talking, but now when we were left to ourselves, I finally decided to look up at him. He was looking at me with a gentle, understanding smile - I both hated and loved that smile - I hated it because it made me guilty for never really reciprocating to his feelings and loved it cause, somewhere it gave me assurance, that someone was there who understood me, would take care of me, someone I can fall back on. He made me feel like he was family, only if I could be his lover too.

"It's okay Pragya, trust me. Calm down now." And another reassuring smile that relaxed my terse muscles already. He seemed to notice the change, then he asked me in the same old humorous way, the same thing he had asked me in numerous other occasions.

"Champagne again? Look, no one's noticing, swap glasses. Mine is empty now"

I couldn't help but smile in the same silly giggly way all over again.

"Maybe we should go behind that pillar? Just to play safe you know"

"Good idea, follow me."

Once we swapped glasses, I nodded a thank-you to him and smiled at him more casually than I did so far. He smiled back, and while we were walking away from the pillar, I bumped into Abhi.

"Woho chashmish, watch out! Oh, how would you, where are your glasses?" he grinned cheekily. And was smirking and checking me out with a soft whistle.

"Lens" I replied in irritation with gritted teeth.

"Clearly not your thing, clearly your obnoxious glasses suit you better" he whispered softly, still checking me out.

"I agree with you about the glasses suiting her more, but not at all are they obnoxious Pragya" came Viren's swift reply from behind me, as I felt his arms around my shoulder.

Abhi didn't respond. He looked at Viren once and then he looked into my eyes - I could feel the blankness of my own eyes in his - and then his vision settled on my shoulder where rested Viren's arm.

"Hello Abhi, I am Viren. If I may say so, I am a big fan of yours"

Abhi ignored his extended hand and stared at me for a second more, then he looked at Viren's pleasantly confused face and nodded with a slight smile and left us.

"Weird guy, that one. I thought after years of handling fans, he'd be less shy"

"He's not shy ---"

But before I could finish, a waiter came with a refill of my champagne and without thinking much, I took it.

"Pragya, slow down okay, else you will get me drunk before dinner" grinned Viren.