Wherever there is trouble, I always find myself just in the middle. I watched as Jesse sat next to me on my left side and Keith to my right side. While Keith focussed more on his beer, Jesse would constantly chat with me but all the while he would look over me towards Keith and as I looked back at Keith, I would find him clenching the beer glass tight.

I had a feeling which told me, Keith disliked Jesse but he was too good to show it. Thankfully.

I hated dramas and as I sat in the middle, it was getting difficult for me to just look at Jesse all the while when we talked. Keith was quiet most of the time, but he occasionally had some chat with my colleagues. Everyone was older than me and probably older than Keith too. When we arrived, they were already present, because they knew Keith was coming with me. I mean, it was probably the main reason why we met up. To make some connections. And who wouldn't want to be in touch with the Devlin's? I was nothing but played as an opportunity for them.

But Keith seemed anything but interested to even start a conversation. So what's really the point of him tagging along?

He simply said, he was bored and he wanted to have some beer. I got a free ride to the bar, I was happy, internally.

"Nobody really knows about your love story, how did you two meet?" Mrs. Young seemed enthusiastic as she looked between me and Keith. I gulped down a lump in my throat as I wanted to avoid anything related to me and Keith's so-called love story.

But there was a long-prevailing silence and that made me look back at Keith who was already staring at me looking....expectant?

Wait? Does he want me to answer them?

If he doesn't want to tackle such questions then why did he tag along in the first place?

Why do you always make me suffer, Keith?

Now, what do I tell them?

We have been set up?

Think Vienna think! Something suitable, something lovely, something which would make them nod instantly. Don't forget you are sitting with a group of established lawyers and they would catch the lie in just a snap of a finger.

"Vienna?" I heard my voice being called and looked back at Mrs. Young who was patiently waiting for my answer.

"What's wrong? Why are you zoning out? She is asking you a question," Keith seemed to look interested all of a sudden. Perhaps he finds amusement in the most bizarre things. Asshole! 

He wanted to know what kind of story I come up with.

Should I tell them that we met in McDonald's, and I wanted to have the napkin from his table and all of a sudden our eyes connected, and we were instantly driven to each other.

Ew! Who would ever believe that?

How about we met in the amusement park and- wait Keith doesn't even seem like a guy who would be interested to be anywhere but an amusement park, damn it!

Or we met in a Coding seminar.

Impossible! I know nothing about codes.

Oh! I just can't come up with anything at the moment. What do I do?

"We were actually set up as blind dates through mutual friends. We met up at the terrace of our chain companies ongoing construction building," Keith answered nonchalantly and gulped down the rest of his beer at one go while the blood drained from my face.

What in the world?

"What really? But I had read the tabloids and it said you were childhood sweethearts," Mr. Taylor asked looking surprised.

"If anything, never believe those paparazzi posts. It is just made up to gain more viewership," Keith answered and I nodded playing along but inside nervous as hell.

What are you planning to do?

"Are you talking about the KD building near the Silver lane square?" Jesse looked even more engaged in our conversation and suddenly I felt everyone's eyes on us. We were probably a group of fourteen to fifteen people and everyone seemed like dying to know more about me and Keith. Was it a bad decision to come out with colleagues?

"Right," Keith gave out a humble answer but Jesse looked unconvinced.

"That construction started seven months back and is still in the construction phase, are you saying that you two met just in between these seven months, and you already decided on getting married?" Jesse looked anything but convinced but I knew, we were busted. 

Well done Keith!

"Yes! That's right," Keith gave him a curt reply and looked back at me.

"Don't you think it's pretty in a rush, I mean I am no one to judge but you two should take it slow, get to know more about eachothe-"

"I know her through my dad's connection. She is the daughter of my dad's associate. I have heard enough about her way before then we met. But, when we first met, I was standing on my terrace waiting for her arrival when I saw her running behind a woman who looked as if she has stolen her purse. I still remember it, pretty much like yesterday," as Keith said that my head, shot up in his direction. Solemnly astound to the fact he knew about it. Did he seriously see it standing on the terrace?

"Really? Do you chase thieves as well?" Jesse seemed amazed as he looked up at me with an amused smile. 

"No-"

"And she saved the thief from getting hit by a bus. A true movie-like entry," Keith chuckled at the end and that made me elbow him on his side as he winced and pushed me playfully. 

"Oh my god! That's a lot of stuff! Vienna what are you? A cop? A superwoman? A lawyer?" Jesse put his hand on the table and leaned over to me as I gave him a peal of nervous laughter. 

"I am God," I told him slowly and that made him lean back on his seat as he threw his head back and laughed hard. Everyone joined him and finally, I could feel the tension easing as I looked back at Keith who all of a sudden put his hand on my shoulder, lazily, but avoiding my gaze.

"Youngblood, I tell you. Back in our days, things like roses and chocolates made us swoon," Mrs. Young sighed and some of them nodded. 

"Do you like Vienna because she is brave?" Jesse asked and that made Keith look back at Jesse with something distinctive in his eyes as he spoke out "She has many more qualities which made me like her. We are engaged. It was like a family thing, but we are currently enjoying our dating period as well. The more I spent time with her, the more we are growing closer. Seven months seems too big now. It feels I have known her for ages," there was sincerity in Keith's voice and I had no idea why but all of a sudden I teared up. 

I could hear people awing at us and I looked into Kieth's eyes. 

"It's the truth actually. The time period doesn't matter sometimes. You just know that yes, that's the person!" Mrs. Young spoke out and everyone cheered. 

Keith told them the truth. But yes, totally avoiding the forcing part. But it's alright! No guilt or worry to lie further. It was done. But then why was my heart fluttering all of a sudden as I felt his arm tightening around my shoulder? 

No Vienna No! Don't repeat the mistake. He has clearly warned you. 

He is doing this just for a show.

I just don't get him. He had no expressions, always had a  poker face. I had just no idea what he was thinking. If he was being serious or just bluffing his emotions. 

"What are you doing?" I whispered yelled at him and all he did was give a smirk in reply.

"You said, we need to do something. Our parent's attention will be on us. What's a good opportunity to be able to share it all out with a bunch of famous lawyers. This conversation will soon prevail and people will question more. Which might force our parents to think about the ways to tackle the situation and rethink about arranged marriage!" Keith's reply made me freeze in my spot. That fluttering that I had in my heart some minutes ago long forgotten as I took in the details. 

So, it was indeed his planning and he deliberately told them everything. And this was why he was so persistent to come up with me. 

And here I am...

But he was right. It was just me. Always a loser who thinks things are always what I think it is. Deep down I knew Keith was much more interested to get out of the relationship than I. And he had already put his plans into action. 

I had no idea why all of a sudden, I was down and upset. Sad.

"Nice bracelet," someone complimented looking at the bracelet that Leila had gifted me earlier. 

"Isn't that yours? I remember you wearing that when we met for the first time back in the year twenty nineteen," Jesse spoke looking at my bracelet, and for the second time, I looked back astonished at Keith and this time, he didn't break eye contact. 

What in the world?

But Leila said, she brought it for me. 

"Oh how cute! Aren't they a perfectly cute couple?" Jenny looked dreamy as she smiled looking at us. 

"I get this feeling, Keith is such a softie and sweetheart to you Vienna. He may look like a serious type of guy but he has his eyes only over you all throughout the dinner. Just look at the way how he looks at you. So in love! Vienna, tell me if I'm wrong, Keith is totally a softie, always gentle, and a sensitive person, right? It would have been a lot easier to befriend him after knowing him right?" 

For an instance, Jenny seemed a little cocky for her personality reading skills as she scanned through Keith, and from my peripheral vision, I knew Keith was interested to know about my answers. 

Softie? I don't know. Maybe? He is totally a softie for his family. No argument to that!

Gentle? Yes, he gets concerned whenever I was crying or upset.

Sensitive? I don't really know. The only time he looked sensitive was at Leila's engagement party. 

"Yeah," I simply nodded to whatever Jenny said not really paying any kind of attention to it. 

"Such a keeper! This type of people do not get jealous easily, give you space, you don't get to suffer those possessive instincts," as Jenny finished, Mrs. Young snorted at Jenny not really agreeing with her. "What? I am telling the truth, look! Even Vienna agrees!" 

Just why do we keep on talking about Keith and only Keith?

I was at a loss of words when everyone stared at me and not knowing what to say, I simply gave them a small smile and looked down at my hand, precisely at the bracelet which still had my mind blown away to the fact that it actually belonged to Keith.

If it really belonged to Keith then why did he use Leila to give it to me? 

Or did he even had any connection to what Leila did?

Or maybe he got bored with the bracelet, they are rich. It wouldn't matter if a piece of bracelet goes missing. The bracelet looked more enticing subject to me.

"Do you really think like that about me?" I heard Keith from my side and looked back at him and simply gave him a shrug, looking uninterested in the topic. He looked anything but pleased with my answer as he nodded in response. "I see," he said more like whispered.

****

I am finally in the second year of my MBA and I don't get time to write! I am trying my best, juggling with my work life, author life, and personal life. So sorry guys. X(