Love that Hurts

MEETING AGAIN

PRESENT

Raina was fretting about her peach bridesmaid dress. She was trying out her bridesmaid dress for her friend Julie's wedding, she liked the sweetheart neckline and the body hugging attire but something in her just kept saying she would look awful in it, would not fit in, irrespective of how hard she tried. It was at times like these that Aryan's words hurt her the most, pinched every area of her skin. It had been almost a year and a half that he had divorced her and refused to see her face but his words still came back to him. She had left India after her divorce and settled in New York, made friends and even more, but her sour experience with Aryan always held her back from attempting to be involved in something remotely romantic. But Joey, her friend from work, was different from anyone she had met, he adored every part of hers and never left, he never did. They were never in a relationship, Joey knew her problems and her trauma, he never forced a romantic involvement on her. He just waited, waited for when she would be ready.

Raina was analysing every inch of her body in the shop, before the full length mirror when Joey snapped her out of her trance.

"You look beautiful Ray.", Raina smiled more at the nickname than at the compliment. He had resorted to calling her Ray when they had first met.

"One thing's missing though.", Joey said as he scrunched his eyebrows.

"What?"

"This!", Joey pulled a beautiful flower and carefully tucked it in hair which was pulled up by a clutcher.

"There you go."

"Thanks, Joe."

"Hey, you wanna grab a coffee and come back?"

"In this? I'll have to change."

"No worries, I know the manager. Let's go!"

Raina laughed at his enthusiasm and nodded in excitement. He took her hand, lead her out of the shop towards the nearby coffee shop. Just as they were about to enter the shop, Joey's phone started to ring and he gestured Raina to go inside. She went up to the counter and ordered two Macchiatos. She was almost done with specifying the details of her order when Joey swiftly strode towards her right and asked her,"Are you done?"

"Yes-"

"Just go back to the shop now! Please."

"Is it something about the dress?"

"Yes."

"Joey! I told you!"

"What's done is done! Now go back.", Joey said as he held her shoulders tightly as if signalling someone to look away from her. Raina noticed Joey was glaring at somebody, she tried to look towards that direction but Joey's large frame deliberately blocked her sight.

"Ray! Please go back fast!", Joey said as they headed out the store.

"Kay, Joe. But get my coffee fast. Okay?"

"Okay! Now go!", Raina found him to be very anxious and his mannerisms to be very suspicious but she went on ahead to the garment shop.

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

Aryan was sitting in a peaceful coffee shop fiddling with his cup as Abhishek said,"You are ruining your vacation thinking about her."

"But I was told Raina is in NYC."

"It's a big city with millions of residents walking on the sidewalks every day. Do you really think we would he able to find a 5'3" girl so easily in such tall crowds?", Abhishek tried making a joke to lighten the mode.

"I'm really not in the mood to joke."

"Why are you so determined to find her anyways? Don't have Sana now, all for yourself, none in between like you always wanted? Forget the girl."

"Thats the thing, I can't forget about her. Ever since she left-", Abhishek interrupted.

"You made her leave."

"Ever since I made her leave, I feel empty like something I loved and adored has been missing. I just can't be at peace anymore."

Just then the bell connected to the glass doors rang and someone in a peach bodycon dress got in. Her face was not visible from where they were sitting. Abhishek eyed up her up and down,"Perhaps you are bored of Sana, there are many pretty girls here. Like the one there."

Aryan rolled his eyes and went back to drinking his latte. They were getting up from their seats when the girl turned and Aryan was fixated at his spot. It was Raina! The woman who used to be his wife, the woman he swore he hated with all his life, the woman who slowly crept in his heart and he never realised, the woman he truly wanted beside him now. He finally found her. Joey saw all this from outside, before Aryan could approach Raina, he stepped up and chased Raina out of the shop but not before he had glared at a fuming Aryan. He wouldn't let her past haunt Raina anymore, she was so much more than a nobody that her ex-husband claimed her to be. She deserved better than this narcissist.

"Wasn't that Raina?", Abhishek asked with his eyebrows raised.

"Yes, but the guy."

"Her boyfriend, ofcourse."

"Not for long."

"What the fuck do you mean?"

"I'm getting her back."

"Do you really feel for her? If not, don't mess her up yet again."

Aryan glared at Abhishek,"You are friend, so I'll let this one slide. And yes, I do feel for her and I know she does too."

"What if she doesn't anymore?"

"Well then, I'll make her."

"Okay but how  will you find her?"

"Don't worry I have some connections in Connecticut.".

"The fuck! You have connections in Connecticut but not NYC?"

Aryan just ignored his question and headed out the shop, a new man with a new love. A new desire to win the woman, he had despised, back.

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Hey! So this is my new story, hope you liked the first chapter! Do vote and comment.

K, Bye.