Stubborn Love

Fault In Our Stars

'Wait!' Sia cried out behind the striding senior in the restaurant's elegant hallway.

Raghav halted and turned around with an impatient air. 'What?'

The biting curtness in his tone unsettled her. Yet she continued, albeit with her dwindling confidence, 'What you called me in there was - was very rude.'

'I don't remember looking at you. Leave alone speaking to you.' he coolly dismissed.

'But you were referring to me when you said 'meaningless distractions', weren't you?'

'A word to the wise is sufficient.' He appreciated, mockingly.

Incensed at the wrapped insult, Sia resorted to her tried and tested technique to rile him. 'You had no right to scare off my date!'

Raghav clenched his jaw so hard that his poor teeth almost cried out for help. 'Your date.' he repeated with ominous restraint.

She should have been elated by the small triumph. But suddenly Sia found it impossible to hold his gaze. Like she had somehow lost the power or the right to annoy him. More than his nonchalant remark or his intimidating demeanor, the unintentional question in his eyes threw her off. As if he was silently demanding an explanation for the evening they had spent together.

Looking sideways, she spoke adamently, 'Don't overestimate my friendly attitude towards you. I was only being nice. You mean nothing to me. And I know about your bet.' Facing him with fresh ire, she challenged, 'Just know this. You won't win even if hell froze over.'

That said, Sia strode to the staircase on the right, internally deciding against sticking around for the elevator. The wait would kill the impact of her statement. She had put forth her point and she was proud of herself.

She had hardly reached the top of the stairs, when Raghav swiftly blocked her way. She looked up at him, prepared to face his fiery aggression. But the coldness in his gaze, made her step back in uncertainity.

'I don't give a f*** about what imaginary bet you have construed in that empty head of yours. But thank heavens for showing me your true color in time.' he said with a genuinity that shook Sia to her core.

He continued in sarcastic amazement, 'What a lovely act you put up that evening. With your shy and coy smiles. I can't believe I almost fell for that crap. Mind you, our Drama club is missing out on a brilliant actress.'

Unable to form a single logical counter argument, Sia answered back with a glare. But even that proved to be difficult in the face of the derision in his eyes. She scooted sideways and climbed down the stairs without turning back.

***********************

Disgust. He was looking at her in disgust! An emotion she had never seen before. Especially for her. And it made her insides curl up in various knots.

Maybe she was too prompt and presumptuous about him... He appeared genuinely uninformed about the bet. She could have given him a chance to explain his side before blasting.

Maybe Akshay exaggerated about the bet... Maybe she was too blunt to him... Maybe she came across as impudent and thoughtless...

Maybe he hated her now...

Sia almost tripped on a rock by the roadside. Jerked into reality, she looked around, perplexed. She had mindlessly walked a long way from the restaurant. And the bus stop was in the opposite direction, she realized in dismay.

Sia frowned at her surroundings. The locality was uncharacteristically isolated. The local market was completely shutdown in this part of the town. All big and small shops seemed closed. How long had she been wandering around... What was this place?