Playing With Fire

Chapter 17 - Let the games begin

Before she went home she stopped by the shops to grab something for their dinner tonight, a set of dishes, since she was such a slacker she still hadn't fully stocked her kitchen, and a few utensils. Since they would be spending their time painting, she went easy and grabbed supplies and a lot of chilli.

Kajol still couldn't believe her good luck. Not too long ago things seemed hopeless, and now here she was in a new apartment, with a new job, and a new friend who in a short time meant so much to her.

A couple of hundred rupees later, with a little something extra to celebrate, she was back in her car, racing home. Hopefully Shahru would be there already so she could share her good news with him. Kajol parked, grabbed her three grocery bags from the backseat and walked into her apartment, her heels clicking on the concrete the entire way.
Once she hit the landing all her previous excitement deflated from her body like an open balloon let go into the air. This was even worse than yesterday. Today, dressed to the nines in his expensive black suit, Amir stood in front of her door, his eyes narrowed.
"Charming place you have here, Kajol ." Sarcasm oozed from his words.

Before answering, she took a minute to compose herself by bending to grab the
grocery bags she'd dropped. Kajol tilted her head back up and locked eyes with him.
"Thank you, Amir. It needs a little work but I'm happy here. Happier than I've ever been in fact."

A veil of annoyance dropped over his face before he hid it. "Why don't we go inside? I'd like to talk with you privately, if you don't mind."

She fumbled with her purse, trying to get her keys free without dropping her bags
again. Amir, the jerk, just stood there watching her without offering to help. What had she ever seen in a man like him? After strategically plucking her keychain from her purse, she unlocked the door for them both. Surprisingly he stepped back so she could enter the apartment first. "Like I said it needs a little work. I'm painting this afternoon. Hopefully I'll get my furniture after that." It bugged her that she felt the need to defend herself or her apartment to him, but she did.

"You're painting yourself? You should hire someone to do that for you."

Kajol set her bags on the counter and started to put her groceries away. "I want to paint my own apartment. I've never done something like that before. It will be fun."

He looked at her, skepticism cutting through her. "Whatever you say."

"Listen, did you come over for a reason? I'm really busy today, Amir."

He sauntered over to her as if he owned the place, his overconfidence practically
smothering her. "I came here to talk some sense into you, Kajol You've made your point. You have both my and your parents' attention now. I want you to go back home, and I want the wedding back on. We belong together."

She stepped back. "If we belonged together, you wouldn't have slept with your secretary!"

"It was a mistake. Cold feet. I got it out of my system as you have."

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm not getting anything out of my system."

"Don't lie, Kajol. It doesn't suit you. Did you think your mum wouldn't tell me about your little boyfriend? Honestly, if you expect me to think you weren't entertaining him while we were together, you're crazy. It's a little too convenient that you'd meet him this quickly after we split. It's ridiculous for you to hold something against me that you did as well."

His hand brushed across her cheek. The slime ball thought he could insult her and
bulldozer his way back into her life at the same time. She pushed his hand away, her
stomach sickened. "I don't cheat or lie. That's you, Amir."