Ragini's POV:

I gulped to wet my dry throat nervously. As I felt him tie the strings into a tight knot. Our eyes met each other's via the mirror and I shifted my gaze elsewhere. Suddenly his fingers brushed my back and I jumped a little...

He quickly muttered a 'sorry' and I looked up to meet his eyes again via the mirror...but I noticed not once he looked at my back while he tied the strings. His eyes were straight up looking at my face.
He is a gentleman. He always was...
Maybe this is the quality that pulls me into him like he's fire and I'm alcohol!!!

'Why are you here?' I asked softly still looking at him...
'Ummmm I had this meeting with my new investors so I st'

I took a step front...I felt the strings still in his hands...there was a pull I felt on my back but I had a swirl in my chest!!! I was getting annoyed and irritated!!! I didn't want him near me!

I breathed angrily and asked firmly...
'Why are you in this room!!!'
He looked elsewhere and said...
'I was taking the stairs to reach the backdoor staircase...door was open..I ....I...saw you struggling tying the knots so I thought you ....you need help'

'Did I ask your help?' I asked at once...

'What do you mean?' he asked getting irritated...

I turned around and looked at his face and said at once...
'I mean why do you think only you can help me huhh? I have danced in these untangled strings and survived it.  There's no hurry that you my saviour must tie these...and.... Shalini is here...she can help...why are you here?'

He looked sharp into my face and removed his glasses and rubbed his eyelids and folded his glasses and kept it inside his coat pocket. Slightly rubbing his temples he said...

'Some waiters from the caterers team were drooling while you were dancing!!! I saw everything from the glass window of my room!!!  I saw them and stopped them and asked them to leave!!! You must be careful next time...if you are not comfortable with these lacy dresses you must not wear them' he said pointing a finger to me and I was already breathing fire!!!

'And who are you to tell me what I must wear and I must not!!!' I asked folding my hands onto my chest.

I could see he was clearly annoyed. He was fisting his hands and blinking... looking here and there...his jaws clenched tighter!!!

'Look Ragini ..I am no one to comment on what you must wear or not!!! It's totally your choice...all I'm saying is...just be careful...you are not a kid anymore...not everyone thinks straight...wear anything just be careful so there is no malfunction!' he said and I passed him a glare...

He was about to leave while I voiced out saying...
'So you saw me dancing? Why?' I asked and i saw colours draining off his face.

'It wasn't intentional' he shot back...

'But still you saw!!! Why?' I asked taking a step closer to him.

'Ragini...I said it wasn't intentional' he retorted...

'And now..being here in this room...tying the strings of my knot? What's that intentional... unintentional???' I asked angrily...

'Ragini...you were struggling to tie them and I just wanted to help' he said..

'Help??? You want to help me??? Then just stay away from me!!! Don't come closer to me...I don't want you near me...it bothers me...it reminds me what a fool I was to think that you might feel the same way like how I felt for you...
Look Siddhesh...I'm trying to fight it off okay...trying to not have those feelings for you ..trying to stay sane...trying to get rid of it...so please... don't come near me...stay away from me...please!!!' I said that please in a broken voice...

I was already in tears and I didn't want sympathy from him. His eyes were already showing those emotions and it made me feel worse...

'Dont look at me like that Siddhu..I'm fine!!! I don't need your sympathy!!! I'm good...so please.... LEAVE!!!' I said at once and he looked at me with a painful emotion and left from there...

I heard the washroom door knob click and I saw Shalini standing there...she probably heard us. She came to me and hugged me warm. Thankfully she didn't ask more questions. I was happy with this silence.

We went downstairs and the ladies function ended in sometime. There was a dinner party organized for a cake cutting and photo session in gown organised by Mukund Bhavaji...it was more of a fun event. Mostly all elders left and now only cousins and friends were busy in clicking pictures... while my cousins Amitash, Suraj and Amrutha joined us. I never gelled with them because they were always mean to Siddhesh. But today I just preferred to be with anything and everything against Siddhesh. So I joined them.

Amitash always made me uncomfortable, I somehow maintained a distance from him. But like always be was trying to get too close to me. I didn't like his proximity with me. He wasn't like this before but since he met me at my cousin's wedding 6 months back he tries to get too touchy and I didn't like it. Along with him was his friend and my batch mate Prasad. I studied in a all girls school and pre university but it also had a seperate boys college. Prasad and Amrutha were the head of cultural club and I used to meet Prasad during cultural club meetings. He was another kind of a creepy dude. He would keep staring at me and I would feel extremely uncomfortable.

But today I was still ok to be with this gang rather being with Siddhesh. I saw him with Mukund Bhavaji and some elderly folks. While Amrutha giggled saying... 'Thats your oil factory cousin na...your late Mamu's son... gosh look at the way he is yaar...you guys are so rich...you folks have a walking oil mill at home' she cracked a tasteless joke and I wanted to stuff her thick jardosi dupatta in her mouth!!!

While Amitash got a paneer Tikka and asked me to taste it. He was feeding me and I wasn't feeling comfortable. Suddenly he held my hand and was trying to force feed me...I was pushing him...

But next second I heard a thick voice...
'Leave her....NOWWW!!!' and I turned around to see Siddhesh standing there and clenching his jaws.

'Or what?' Amitash asked in a challenging tone while Siddhesh took a step closer to both me and Amitash and glared into his eyes. Siddhesh is a tall bulky man. He was 6.1 where as Amitash was 5.6..lean and tiny. Looking at a intimidatingly strong Siddhesh Amitash took a step back...
'Next time I wouldn't warn...don't touch her' he roared.

But I was pissed....Who is he to stop Amitash...trying to give Siddhesh a taste of his own medicine I said...
'And who are you to decide if I'm comfortable with Amitash or not' I looked sharp into his eyes and he looked at me in disbelief. I smirked and turned around...
'Amit...come on...where are you...come on feed me dear...and oh ya...I don't like spicy food ..I love sweets...feed me some of those chocolate dipped strawberries...you know it's soooo good when you feed me with love' I said at once while I saw Siddhesh's jaws clenching tightly and I could see from my peripheral vision that his chest was heaving. But I was least bothered...

Amitash looked scared but I entangled my hands in his hands and asked him to feed me. Amitash fed me the chocolate dipped strawberry. While Prasad stepped closer to me saying...
'Hey Ragz...looks like a drop of chocolate sauce is on your chin...' and he offered me tissue paper. I could see Siddhesh shooting daggers at me while I felt an internal satisfaction. I took a step closer to Prasad saying...
'Wipe it Please' and Prasad's jaws were wide open!!!

Siddhesh closed his eyes and left from there. Prasad came to wipe the chocolate sauce while I pushed him away. I don't know why I was doing this but ..it made feel good. Siddhesh was annoyed. His anger calmed me down.

He left the party and didnt return. I didn't want to stay longer too but it was my sister's baby shower so I stayed back.

Next day morning I met Siddhesh at the breakfast table while he announced...
'Sumanth uncle... Sushma Aunty...ummm...I'm planning to go back to London tomorrow'

I choked upon my coffee and looked at him.
'What nonsense....you just came a week ago...I am not letting you go...you are staying...' said my mom.

'Yes.... and Siddhu... Mukund and I have bought a new apartment here in Mangalore... Mukund has took a transfer to the Mangalore branch of hospital. They needed a cardiologist and Mukund thought it's the best for our child's upbringing as it will get love from both grandparents. My parents as well as Mukund's. The house warming is next weekend and you are staying...no arguments...' Shalini announced...

'But I have an important business deal with the Taylors...Its extremely important for my future projects. You know Shalini I want to start a news channel of my own...' he said while I continued playing with food in my plate. He leaving to London again caused a shooting pain in my chest.

I didn't want him to go...

Just then the calling bell rings and my mom opens the door only to hear a squealing noise...

'Auntyyyyyyyy' and we almost deafen at once!!!

Soon I see a girl in blue red striped t-shirt, cotton shorts come running towards Shalini and Mukund Bhavaji and hug them tightly...

'Oh my god...you finally reached' Mukund Bhavaji says and she huffs saying...

'Sorry Bhai...you know na our family drama ...my parents are still bound by the intercaste marriage family drama part of it... reason...they were skeptical to send me...but I told them..it's Shalini's baby shower I am going... come on .. she was my classmate and you are my first cousin...sorry I couldn't reach last night...but see finally I'm here and I'll stay till Shalini vaini's (vaini in Marathi is sister in law) delivery. ' she said and turned to pass me a smile.

While I heard Siddhesh...
'Ummm...Shalini...if I'm not really wrong... isn't that Malini?...Malini Khandelwal?' he asks with a pleasant smile...

While I see her narrow her eyes and then she was grinning...

'Siddhesh??? Siddhesh Pai...oh my god...look at you' saying she took a step closer and pulled him into a hug.

I felt like someone squeezed off all the oxygen from this planet earth!!!

'Ahhhhhhemmmmm' I heard my father clearing his throat. I was sure my dad didn't like it. He had certain rules for boys and girls which I always hated.

But today for the first time...
I thought...he wasn't so wrong after all!!!
Why should a boy and a girl stick to each other like chewing gums?

What is the necessity!!!
I wanted to pour the kettle full of hot coffee on Siddhesh's head and poke the fork into this Malini's eyes...I never liked her but now I hate her!!!