Story 2

The Gentleman Who Stole My Heart

Chapter 3

As soon as he reached the table he waved at the woman and said something. Then giving the man a hostile stare he held the woman's hand started walking, his hand around her shoulder. She looked terrified

What was happening?

The man sat dumbfounded. Then I noticed tears in the woman's eyes. Things did not make sense to me. Was he the reason why the young woman was crying? She looked uncomfortable. What was he up to?

Deciding to put this curiosity to end I walked up to them. Standing before them, I folded my hands. "What's happening? "

He blinked baffled and stared at me. The young lady looked at me confused. I looked at her, concerned. "Are you okay?" As I said that the scarf slipped down my face. She nodded unsurely, looking at him. I turned my gaze to him. "What are you up to? Why is she crying?"

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

" That's a question. I want an answer! " I said sharply. Something was very fishy.

"Can we go out of here and then I will tell you?" He said softly his voice annoyed.

I blinked. "You are forcing her?" 

He looked at me flabbergasted. "What?"

"Then why did you..?"

"Can we please go out of here. I will explain. " he cut me off.

I stills stood in the way. This man was very unpredictable and behaving fishy right now. He looked at the young woman. 

"Yes please." She said immediately.

I frowned and walked out with them.

Once in the parking of the hotel, we stopped.

He looked at me and I at him. The young woman started thanking him. 

"Thank you. If you wouldn't have come. " her words fell silent.

"Why do you let him abuse you? I saw him slapping you! Why did you not react?" He asked his anger evident.

"I come from a lower middle class family. This man made friends with me a month ago. I met him outside college. He soon started being physical with me. First affection and now this. He blackmailed me that he would bad mouth me and do worse if I told anyone about him. " she ended crying. My heart was beating frantically. This was scary. I gulped.

"Hey. Please don't cry. " I said gently rubbing her shoulder. 

She immediately hugged me crying. I pressed my lips terrified at the sudden contact. I was always confused when people came crying to me. I had never really consoled someone. I kept my sorrows very personal and never really expressed them. I always believed that only one can console oneself. I anyway hugged her. Simply caressing her shoulder. I barely hugged anyone apart from family. I was very reserved that way. I did have a few selected friends but we did not hug. Well girls generally love hugging their girlfriends. Certainly not me. I looked at him. He was looking at me all along. As soon as my eyes met him, he looked away. Shoot! I shouldn't have simply doubted him.

When the young lady pulled away, I asked her to be strong and not fret over such disgusting fellows. He asked me to stay with her and was going back.

"Arjun!" He turned to look at me.

"Where are you going?"

"To make sure he doesn't trouble her again."

"Don't do something that makes her life more terrible." I said in a low voice. He won't be there with her to save her every time. He shouldn't do something that makes her life harder.

"I won't!" He disappeared after that.

I looked at her. "What did he say that the man let you walk away with him?"

She smiled at the question. "He said he was my elder brother and started scolding me for hanging out with a guy." 

I smiled. 

He returned, soon enough. He smiled at the young lady and gave her his number. Arunidhi was her name. She smiled and took out a thread from her bag. It was A Rakhi! Rakshabandhan was last week.

My eyes went wide. He too looked surprised.

" I always tie Rakhi to the idol of lord Ganesha in the temple. I was late this time. Maybe because I was going to meet you. If you don't mind as a gesture of gratitude can I tie this to you?" 

I was shocked. Never had seen something like this in life. My life revolved around my family, a very few people. He smiled extending his wrist. God that smile! Adorable Man! Shoot, no! Don't go on looks! I reminded myself. Hell, anything about him was adorable.

She thanked the two of us and left. Not before listening to his lecture to take care and live fearlessly on her conditions and not to forget him in time of troubles. They exchanged phone numbers. Once she was gone he looked at me. 

Would he call off the wedding that had barely gone to the stage of existing?

"I am sorry." I said quietly looking down. 

"That's okay."

"You did not feel bad?" I asked looking at him suspiciously. If I were him I would have called off the proposal. A person who couldn't trust me couldn't marry me.

"No. It's natural instinct. I understand."

I sighed. 

"How come you here?" He asked diverting the topic.

There was no way I was going tntell him that I followed him. 

"Ahh.. I came to meet a friend ." I lied.

"Ohh, done?"

"Yeah!" I nodded.

"Hmm." He said looking at me.

"Hmm." This was getting awkward. Oh yeah, I had to ask him about the kiss! The one he stole. My first ever kiss!

"Ahh, Can I talk to you?" Damn. It sounded as though I was going to suggest him to open an account at the bank.

"Yeah. " he said interest evident.

"Umm, I..I mean..that day ...I mean yesterday... What happened!"

He nodded baffled.

"I mean..you..me..in the ..room." Darn, this was harder than I thought. I could feel my cheeks warm. I hope they weren't all red . 

His expression, changed. There was amusement in his eyes now. Oh, can I like kill him for having fun while I was embarrassed.

"What?" He asked pretending blank.

Okay let's do it in one breath. Yeah. I took a deep breath. "Why did you kiss me?"

He smiled. Such a contagious smile. Sexy too. 

Too busy noticing, his smile I totally ignored the fact that he came closer. Be alert! This man is capable of anything.

He held my hand. I looked at our hands. God, I liked the feel of my hands in his.

"That was my way of saying a 'yes'. I thought you understood and that's why you..."

My eyes went wide open. He was so close. His voice so husky. He came closer. His lips moving towards mine. 

"You could have said that." I said inching away cutting him off. His and still having a strong grip on mine. 

"I did!"

"No. I mean said a 'yes'. You did not have to steal my first kiss!" The moment I had heard what I said, I was left irked. Why did I have to say that ? 

"I stole your first?" He asked amused. Wow! I just boosted his man-ego. I guess.

"Umm.." I needed an escape from this situation. His dark eyes looking into mine did not help but only  intimated the situation.

"I am gald!" He said smirking. Woah! He is smirking now.  Forget the smirk, did he just say he was glad?

I looked up, down and sideways. The basement was huge. Still no humans, just cars. 

He was inching closer. Something happen please. I mean something so that this scene is called off. My phone rang. I had never felt so much gratitude for my phone. I picked it up immediately. It was my friend Arohi. "Hi, Aaru! Yeah yeah. I am coming. Me? I am at the umm, South extension, Terrace Cafe.  Here? Alright. Five minutes I will be there. " I ended the call hurriedly. 

He was looking at me. There was no way I was telling him that I had to go for the dance class. "Umm, I .. Need to leave. " he nodded.

"I can drop you?"

"No. " I said immediately. "Actually my friend is waiting down the corner. " 

"Oh okay. " he said. Oh seems disappointed. Cute!

"Bye." I smiled and "Sorry!" 

"It's okay. Bye."

I was about to turn and leave , when his voice called out to me. 

"Hmm." I looked at him questioningly.

"You aren't forced into this marriage right? You want this, right?" 

I blinked at him. Was I forced? Not really. I knew if I said no, my parents would make sure this never happened. But I never said No. But, I never said a yes. I was still confused. I looked at him. "No I ain't forced. See you. Have a nice evening!" I said quickly and left. I did not know what made me say that. I could have told him I wasn't sure. But I did not want to. What did I want?

-Anami!