WORTH IT

Chapter 3

Lavanya

I arrived at the porch, I suspected someone was following me. I grab inside my purse for the pepper spray, just in case. I'm not stupid enough to go to a party for the first time in a different country without considering my safety.

I had already persuaded Em that she didn't need to babysit me at the party and could have fun. I know she needs time alone with Jacob, and I don't want to sabotage that. She objected initially but finally gave up since I was persuasive.

Being a burden to others is the last thing I desire.

I scoured the entire porch. Except for a few couples making out, no one else was present. I wonder if they were couples. Nevertheless. It is fairly normal here. Even in India, now. Am I a prude? God, I was born into the wrong era. It is not them, but me.

Someone grabbed my arm with a hard grasp, and I gasped. When I realized he was a male, I swiftly spun around to face him. At that point, I recovered consciousness and reached into my purse for the pepper spray with my free hand, just as I was about to spray it on his face. His familiar perfume made me halt in my tracks. I knew who he was.

"Woah—fiery Lava."

"Lavanya!!! What are you doing out here, Theo? And why the heck are you following me?" He stood motionless.

I continued. "You never struck me as the stalker kind. Are you a disguised serial killer now?"

"You are the one with pepper spray in your hand!" He gestured his index finger to the pepper spray I was still holding in my hand.

"It was for safety purposes, from people like you. What am I supposed to do if you attack me like that?" I huffed.

I realized his expression fell, and the sting of guilt sank my heart. I shouldn't be too harsh on him. It's not his fault, I'm wasted. His vibrant and playful greenish-blue eyes darkened, filled with hurt and grief.

Despair.

"Sorry. I did not mean to yell at you. You didn't deserve it." I apologized and softened my gaze. I was unfair to him. "In my defense, I am in a bad mood right now, and you scared me. If you want to fight me, now is not the best time." I respond with a brief regretful smile.

"Why are you always assuming the worst about me? Why would I fight with you? Why can't we be like normal people?" His eyes were filled with fire, but it soon switched to something else—desire? "Like friends?" Okay, I'm probably hallucinating. I am so not going to drink again. He cannot possibly say that. He would like to be my friend? Why? Where has this come from? Is it a part of his wicked scheme or something? But his eyes say otherwise, revealing his benevolence.

You know how they say,' The eyes, Chico, they never lie'?

He resumed. "As much as I would like to, I'm not here to bug you, Lava. I am here to look after and protect you."

What the hell? To protect me? 

"Oh, I can protect myself alright. I'm not a baby." I scowled. I was being childish. Booze effect. Yep, I am going to blame alcohol for whatever I do today. I've never needed a man to protect me. "You believe that since I am a woman,—" Woman? Eh. I shook my head and began. "—girl, since I am a girl, I am incapable of taking care of myself. Huh? Our whole majesty, Alpha? Aren't you, now?" I haven't lost my senses just because I'm inebriated. Though the noises in my head were contradictory. I prefer to ignore them right now. "I know martial arts and can kick anyone's ass, you know? Want me to show you a free trailer?" I fluttered my lashes in slow motion. Perhaps everything looked in slow motion to me because I was tipsy.

He gazed for a little too long before he threw his head back and burst out into a laugh. Like a real laugh. As if I just told him the best joke ever. I had a terrible sense of humor. Was he mocking me? It only infuriated me further, but looking at his dimples, I found myself smiling back at him. God. What was wrong with me? Stupid vodka.