Abhay pov

the more I postpone this, the more it will harm Swetha, i have to act quickly i don't want to disappoint her. I look outside the car as i ponder about this, i am going to my scheduled shoot'  - i messaged Swetha it is the next day morning, and i am going to work. while a delicate hand came in contact with my hand stopping me from texting Swetha.

this is my manager Srishti Srivastav, she studied college together with me and Swetha at St. Jonas College in the USA, I remember both me and Srishti were uninterested in our engineering major. on the first day we met, i knew we would become friends and we did....she is my good friend. She is my manager..... actually, recently a year back when my previous manager resigned i recruited Srishti because i liked her work ethic. she is my friend so, i feel comfortable with her.

i raised my head and looked at her with a questioning gaze " We are almost here, don't be late" she said softly. i nodded and threw my phone into my bag. i have a packed schedule today, i planned on going to my parent's house to inform them about my decision regarding me and Swetha and i have to try this new brands clothes, and shoot an ad, i was getting busy and did not see Srishti smiling behind my back.

Srishti pov

men are stupid, there i said it. 

it is true, i come from a fairly mid rich family just like Swetha but my dear Abhay  from a rich family, only dated her ? i mean does it make sense? he never even looked at me in college how much ever i tried.

it is so hard trying to stay in his circle, so i made a plan. with my father's help i made abhay's previous manager resign and i  managed to join taking her place. i made a good impression so that he will gradually like me.

i am obviously better than swetha , i am curvier, prettier and richer... while swetha is just a boring techno girl ...there is no way abhay will not soften In front of me. i have to make abhay notice me he will come to me . "oi Srishti, can you help me pick?" abhay called me from a distance...."yes, select this one" i beside him and selected clothes that suited his personality for the ad...as his manager i don't have to do this but i like it when he depends on me and asks for my opinion. it shows how much he trusts me.

after completing ad shoot we both went to sighs house, to meet abhay's parents.

"hello aunty" i said and abhay bent down to touch his parents feet "hello " she said lifting abhay up. she  looks at her son lovingly and asked the kitchen to prepare more dishes" let's eat dinner" she suggested and we nodded.

we sat down to eat and i notice all the dishes on table were abhay's favorite but abhay did not notice this, he showed a scowl as he was contemplating something and at last he started " ma, i am getting engaged to swetha, we need your blessings".

" what? beta swetha's family is not a match for us, listen to me ..."

"no, please don't interfere! this engagement will happen even if you don't attend "

"nothing like that will happen" his father said in stern voice.

"its okay don't fight, i just thought Singhania's daughter would be more suitable for you son, they also have a production company " his mother sighed and mentioned Singhania's . i looked at the table dumbfounded the Singhania's? every artist wants to be signed in the Singhania's . i bit my lips waiting for abhay's answer, my appetite is gone now.

"i love swetha, not this Singhania's beti, I am thinking of moving forward in our relationship, swetha wants it."

"fine then, you.. thinking of settling is good indeed", his father replied  trying to maintain the atmosphere and his mother nodded, "we can support you but we have some conditions" .

"ma, please"  abhay said, but his mother was serious "you have to live in this house after marriage , i don't want my grandchildren to be raised outside ".

"i am talking about engagement and you are talking about grandchildren?" he said gritting his teeth....hmmm....looks like... he was pampered as a child, his mother  soothed him sitting  beside him " we only want our sons to be in the same house- your sister will be leaving the house anyways, at least you should accompany us ". abhay did not say anything more.

"we will talk to parihar family elders about your rishta then" his father confirmed and abhay nodded ,i got chills ....this easily?  no i have to do something. we got out of the house after dinner and i was dazed for a while, we sat in the car and it was raining outside...mumbai rains!

"oh no! how should i go home in so much traffic?" i  sadly glanced at Abhay.

abhay said " just stay at my apartment it is near...we don't know when the rain will stop or how long this traffic will go on"  yes i shouted in my head but " no, i will go "  i said deliberately...he asked me again and i nodded shyly  giving in .

we went to his home and it started raining even heavily outside "good thing we came home" said abhay looking at me... and there was a sudden lightning . i shuddered shaking like a leaf and hugged abhay tightly, he was a little stiff. "calm down.. srishti... its nothing ...shhh" he said in his sweet voice and i lifted my head to look at his eyes while he looked down at me . he wiped of the tears hanging at the corner of my eye and rubbed my back to calm me.

i shivered in his arms...looking at his handsome face, he bent down a little in trance , we both were naturally close.... i kissed his lips,  thinking this is my chance -he did not react for a while but looked  rather shocked ...shit...is this too fast for him?...i panicked and then pretended to faint.

he took me to the bed and lay me down, i acted like i took his hand unknowingly in sleep and kept him beside me. when we woke up it was almost 11 o'clock, "are you ready? i will drop you off" abhay looked at me a little awkwardly, we did not talk about last night. i also acted awkward and said "okay" softly nodding my head .

we went out and he started one of his bike ,its rumbling sound matched my beating heart. i sat on his bike, holding him gently from the back and he dropped me home.

Swetha's pov

It is lunch time, so i took half day leave to go to his apartment and discuss with abhay about our engagement, i was too excited yesterday and we did not talk properly, when do we break this to our parents, what about his parents? abhay actually is very insecure as he is a middle child, his parents love him equally but he is not ready to see that, he thinks he is not worthy of their love,  because they already have a son and he is unplanned so he is extra? he is not a bad kid but just insecure and wounded....one act of negligence by parents became his life long insecurity.... i hoped with this marriage he will get closer to his family, overcome his insecurities and understand them.

i called him and messaged him on his phone but he is not reachable, i frowned and called his other number...still no answer... it is 3 o'clock right now ..Maybe he is shooting? or a sudden schedule? i thought. i reached his apartment to see his one of his bike in the parking lot...is he home?...but his other bike was not there, hmm? maybe he has an appointment.

i waited for a couple of hours in the basement as i didn't have keys to his apartment right now, i brought my book bag because it matched my indo western outfit and his keys were in my regular bag...i facepalmed myself...aur karo fashion. it is almost dawn now...where is he i though...should i meet him tomorrow? i wondered but i was worried for him and was looking around when a car(BMW) stopped right before me.

the car glass rolled down to reveal a familiar face... i almost rolled my eyes....this person i met him just this morning, what is he doing in Juhu? i showed a puzzled expression and stretched my hand out to say hello to him "Hello sir" i said

"hi, are you waiting for someone?" he questioned "yes, my boyfriend but he is not lifting his calls ", i said irritated clearly-otherwise i wouldn't talk this much with my boss.

"did you complete the  required market data, we discussed today?" he asked  innocently and i rolled my eyes. 'main yaha mar rahi hun par isko ab data ki padi hain' i thought inside my head (i am dying here, and he want data/work)

"sir, i am off work now", "i know, but you are wasting your time on road, i thought you had completed your work".  'ek pattar dedo mujhe...bhagwan' (give me a rock..i want to hit his head..oh god) my inner voice protested but i ignored and said politely "no sir, i can go home and send it to you? " i said cursing him inside and giving him a side eye he nodded.

" get in" he chuckled  "Will you ask me about work again sir?" i gritted my teeth and he said," no, taxi nahi milta yaha, it is not safe i will drop you off". true to his word i could not find taxis on the app as it is rush hour, so i got into his car.

"do you live here  sir?" i broke the silence.

"just anand" he said i raised my eyebrows

he explained "we are the same age and we are colleagues , lets not make this awkward swetha"

"okay just anand..."i tried to hold my laugh, teasing him

he looked at me with a poker face and said "my cousin sister lives here, i live in tardeo".

"oh...that is opposite side of my house -we live in Cuffe Parade " ," it just takes another half an hour, i don't mind," he said..."thanks" i did not think he would explain he is not a cold-hearted person...he probably is just an introvert ...i was at loss for words and that awkward atmosphere returned...he dropped me at my house thankfully as we were going in the same direction.

"thank you just anand ji" i said doing a half salute to him and ran off inside. i did not see him smiling ear to ear looking at my back.

i went home to see my parents sitting on the couch ...."hi" i said "what happened?" i asked 

they had serious expression on their faces and showed me a gossip post -about Abhay and his manager Srishti

'deewangi fame abhay singh spotted with his girlfriend Srishti Srivastav at his apartment early this morning' was the title.

i was stunned.