“See? Our clothes aren’t even wet.” She looks us over, and we nod, moving further inside. Since the open area is divided into glass chambers, we’re spared unwanted attention. Moments later, the manager approaches and leads us into a private chamber.
We settle into a perpendicular L-shaped seating, Amyra opposite Karan and me on my right side. She picks up the menu to scan through the dishes, but my gaze lingers on her instead. Raindrops cling to her skin like glistening stars, a few strands of her ponytail plastered softly against her face. My eyes drift to her slightly damp hair, then to her red-tinted lips, still kissed by droplets. The urge to touch them clouds my mind. But sensing Karan’s eyes on me, I quickly grab a tissue and hand it to her, gesturing for her to wipe her face.
I seriously need to get a grip on these crazy thoughts.
“Your orders?” she asks, extending the menu toward us.
“Order for me,” I say, only to hear another male voice echo the same words. I glance at Karan, irritation flaring inside my chest.
“Okay,” she murmurs. This guy is clearly in line to snatch her away from me, and I need to untangle the mess I’ve created in my life very soon.
The food arrives shortly, and a brief silence settles over the table as we focus on tasting it.
“So, what are our upcoming plans?” Amyra finally asks, her gaze shifting between us.
“You mean for the project?” I clarify, and she nods.
“Didn’t we already discuss this? We need to focus on brand marketing strategy, finance, and strategic partnerships while using the staff to our advantage.”
“Right. It’s much clearer now compared to the confusion we had at the beginning,” Karan adds, and I remain unfazed.
“Yes, and we should remember we only have a month to wrap everything up.”
Another challenge, courtesy of the Chairperson and CEO of B&T Corp. The deadline weighs heavily on our minds, but we need to keep going.
“We’ll figure something out,” I reply, shoving a bite of food into my mouth.
“By the way, Reyansh, how’s your dating life with Aditi going?” My eyes narrow at Karan’s question. It sounds foreign coming from him.
Since when did he develop an interest in my relationship with Aditi?I glance at Amyra. She looks at me expectantly, silentlyurging me to answer, but I have no intention of entertaining his curiosity about my personal life.
“That’s none of your business, Karan,” I snap back. In my peripheral vision, I catch Amyra rubbing her forehead. That’s also when we finish lunch. Amyra excuses herself to use the washroom, and the moment she’s gone, my attention snaps to Karan, who is already staring at me.
“When did you start taking an interest in my relationship, Mr. Karan Mahajan?”
“Long ago, Mr. Reyansh Thakur, especially after watching your behaviour around Amyra. Be mindful of your relationship status and stay away from her. Don’t you feel it’s wrong to cling to her when you already have a girlfriend?”
Anger surges through my veins. I hate the way he dares to intrude into my personal life, especially by dragging Aditi and Amyra into the same sentence.
“Don’t you dare lecture me on how to behave with my best friend or my girlfriend, Mr. Mahajan. Trust me, I don’t take kindly to people invading my personal space.” My voice drops, dark and dangerous, more warning than words. A crooked smirk curves his lips.
“I’m the same, Mr. Thakur. So stop threatening the bond I’m building with Amyra.”
“Only in your dreams, Karan. You can’t even imagine what I’ve planned for the future,” I shoot back, my jaw clenching hard. Shock flickers across his face, quickly replaced by a sharp glare. He opens his mouth to respond, but Amyra’s voice cuts through the tension.
“Let’s leave, guys.” And just like that, everything clicks.
The reason behind my growing disinterest in Aditi.
The jealousy. The possessiveness.
The constant ache in my chest every time I have to step away from Amyra.
It was never just friendship, no matter how foolishly I convinced myself otherwise for years. The last two weeks have been an eye-opener, forcing me to finally name what I feel for Amyra. And I decided, right then, to stop fighting it.
Yes, I messed up. I forgot a crucial promise and rushed myself into a relationship with the wrong person. But I refuse to imprison myself in regret and ruin our lives for the future. I need to fix this because I can’t stay away from Amyra anymore.
Not when I’m deeply, passionately, unapologetically, and hopelessly in love with her.
