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"What?", I asked like I have not heard what he said. He looked straight into my eyes and questioned" You said you were ok to consider this an alliance.Right?","Hmm.Yeah", I said waiting for him to proceed. " Do you need an answer right away?",  he asked skeptical of my reply. What does he mean right away? I don't even know if he is considering this. Does it mean he is interested? I wondered staring at his face. " What?", he asked looking at me.

I moved my head left to right ," Oh! So you are ok with taking it forward?", I asked, surprise apparent in my tone. He frowned and gave me a look that said,'What made you think I won't?'. "No,I mean you had not taken it up after that day so I wondered-", I trailed off not forming my next thought." Hey, I was really busy.I told you.Didn't I? I am sorry for that",he said."No! that is okay",I replied.

"The reason I ask you is, I think we should take some more time in knowing each other. We might not be  ready to embark that journey", he said,answering my unasked question. He had a valid point. What if he had some kind of a split personality disorder. One that spoke to me so well and the other that ignored me? No matter how much I like him, I can't risk my life." What do you say?",he asked concentrating on the road ahead. "Yeah. You are right. We should get to know each other better". Relief spread over his face as soon as I said that. " Thank God! I thought you would want me to decide right away", he smiled. "Let us start it afresh then" , he  added  and looked into the center mirror and set his hair. I did not understand what he meant by that. I simply stared at him as he went on to sip water from the water bottle.

He took a deep breath and said, " Hi, I am Viren Jain. I am the Head of the Technical division at United Health Corporation. I am 28 years old", it then stuck me what he was doing and I chuckled. " Hi I am Payal Sarda. I work as Team Lead at Maxsol Soft Tech. I don't like specifying my age", I said grinning, playing along. " Oh! M.S.T. Do you know our company has been working in association with MST lately? One dynamic and enthusiastic lady is handling that team", he said with a mischievous smile. I blushed at the compliments he directed at me and I also noted he could flirt well. How many did he flirt with before? I let that question pass for the time being. "Oh ! You must be misguided Mr.Viren, I don't know anyone who is that talented in my office", I fake wondered with arched up eyebrows." Is it?You should meet her. She is a great source of inspiration", he said like he meant every word. "Stop it now!", I laughed nervously not able to stand his praises.He laughed along,like a soothing summer breeze as we got closer to my home.

He halted the car and got down, " Can I drop you till the door?", he asked with a voice that was so sweet , that I hoped some day will be my favorite desert. This gesture was something I had not expected and I only nodded as words betrayed me. We walked the little distance between the gate and my front door.Those few seconds felt perfect.The stars in the sky, the night queens in my garden, the cool breeze and most importantly him.  I wished the walk was longer and my house far far away. We were silent ,not uttering a word but it was not uncomfortable.He strolled with his hands in his pockets as he observed the lawn and the flowers.The only thing I was observing was HIM.

The moment I was at the front door, reality stuck me.My parents. Shit! Mom looked like she was unhappy with him in the morning, what if she lashes out at him? Before I knocked on the door, I moved and stood in front of him "Thank You Viren. For the evening", I said hoping he will take the clue and leave. "Pleasure is all mine", he said continuing to stand there and gazing into my eyes. I realized in my attempt to block the door ,I stood too close to him. My heart started to flutter but I had other things to handle. " Why don't you go back? It is already late!", I smiled nervously looking at my watch." No problem.Once you go in,I will leave", he said, reaching forward to the door bell.

The minute my mom opened the door," MomthisisVirenhecamehometodropme",I said in one go and heaved lightly for breath. Out of all that I said my mother's super intelligent brain could easily pick up the word Viren.Besides she knew I was out with him so, she imagined the rest. Her reaction was nothing like I feared.There was a split second where her expressions hovered between something like surprise and shock but soon she regained with a huge smile on her face."Please Come in", she offered to which he surprisingly heeded walking in. "Hello Aunty! How are you?", he asked politely while I moved around one room to another in nervousness." Good son.How are you? How is mummy?", she asked like she was asking a ten year old. After chatting for few more minutes, he decided to finally leave. "Its bad I couldn't meet uncle.May be next time", he said putting on his shoes.I could tell from my mom's face that she already started to imagine him as her son-in-law." Bye Payal", he said giving me a smile and walking away.

I tried to put a straight face, not blushing or smiling but I was failing miserably. I didn't want my mom to notice the effect he had on me. " I will change and come", I told her leaving her in the dining area. I looked at myself in the mirror and grinned like a child who got one toffee more than he expected. I have always believed I was too old for all this swooning over someone, not finding words when he is around, blushing etc. But apparently I was doing all that. I needed to control myself before I am so deep into it that I won't be able to climb out , later."Good you are happy and smiling. But if you want to keep smiling stop falling for him so madly", I said aloud. "Leave space for rejection.It is not over yet", I smirked at myself in the mirror.

I went to my mom to give her some company until Dad got back from work. Surprisingly she did not dig too much into what happened in the evening and I was glad and suspicious both at a time. We both were good at gossiping and we could go on forever. It was only when my dad came that I retired to my room. I lay down on my bed not able to fall asleep. I stared at the ceiling recollecting everything that happened today. I felt it was courtesy to thank Viren once again for the evening. But deep inside I knew it was just a reason to text him.

Thanks for taking me along to the exhibition and I am very happy you found your love :)

I grinned wide remembering Gopal's episode.

I should thank you for coming along. Btw what do you mean, 'my love'? 

He texted back with a confused emoticon.

Gopal   I replied with a wink.

I will make you pay for this. I laughed at his threat

Let's see. I texted and drifted off with a smile even before he replied.

*
Next day

" Priya!" , I exclaimed as she walked into my cabin. Her face was glowing and she had henna applied in an intricate design on both of her hands. She had a beautiful ring adorning her left. " Hello madam. How are you?", she asked. " Great. How did the ceremony go?", I inquired. "I will tell you, first have these sweets ", she said pushing a huge box towards me. I have a sweet tooth that I cannot resist and I started to feast on them as she told me the happenings of the engagement ceremony.

" So you are now would-be Mrs. Kailash, huh!", I exclaimed once she finished describing. She blushed slightly at that, " So what did I miss in the last few days?", she asked. " In the office?", I asked her innocently like I didn't know what she wanted to hear. "Nothing much. Just a party with those new clients", I said. She snapped my hand as I was trying to pick one more sweet from the box, " Don't act too smart. You know what I am asking. Did that guy call?", she asked making me rub my hand to soothe it. I told her all that happened while she was away. The party, yesterday's meeting, my mother's ultimatum, his gesture and also Mr.Gopal. We had a hearty laugh at that.

"Cool!", she exclaimed " Let's see how it turns out to be", she said. One thing I like about her is the no hype attitude of hers, if I had told this to any of my other friends they would have started to imagine our honeymoon. Priya was matured enough to take things as they are and that was why I was comfortable discussing anything with her. " What is his name again?", she asked. " Viren", I replied already getting back to my work. " Oh!" , she said her voice dropping an octave. I looked at her, " Why?What happened?", I questioned. " Nothing. I remembered something. I have to get back to work", she said,  back to normal and dashing out. Of course leaving the whole box of sweets with me.

I went home that evening to find mom seriously looking into her phone. "Hi mom!Wat's up?", I asked. " Payal! I need your help. Come here", she almost pleaded. " What help?", I walked into the kitchen to wash my lunch box. " I am not finding something on my phone. I have been trying to look", I laughed knowing how much she struggled to get used to her new device. " Okay! Don't torture it. Relax! Tell me what is it that you are looking for?", I asked taking the phone from her hand. " Your grandpa mailed me the picture and details of the guy he was talking about. I have been trying to find the mail", she said. What?

"Mom what about Viren?", I asked my voice shaking. " What about him? Like we discussed, let's inform them we are not interested".

No no no!

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I hope you are enjoying reading this story as much i am enjoying writing it.

What do you think? Does he like her or not?

Comment and Vote like you always do :)