"I loved it. It's the best birthday gift this year." She let out a genuine smile. "I totally forgot that it's my birthday today." she sighed.
"What can I expect from a ducky. Now let's go inside and cut that cake of yours. It's not polite to keep others waiting for too long" saying this, Rudra dragged her inside the hall.
"I'm sorry to keep you all waiting and thanks a lot for attending today's event. But as you can see it's also Dr. Anaya's birthday today. So it calls for a double celebration. Cheers to all and please enjoy the evening to the fullest except for the doctors on duty tonight. I'm sorry you can't drink as you have to resume your duties afterward. But I hope you'll have a nice evening." Rudra made a short speech garnering everyone's attention once he entered the hall.
Following the speech he and Anaya cut the cake together and received evryone's wishes. After that they began to attain the guests together.
By then, Dheer had calmed down and came back to the venue. He frowned when he saw this. 'Wasn't her birthday tomorrow? Why's he saying that it's today? He had even planned a little surprise for her, with his friends.'
"Isn't her birthday tomorrow?" Elisa voiced out his thoughts as Rudra came their way to greet them.
"Ah! I didn't know you knew my ducky already. And as for your question, the answer is Yes and No" Rudra replied. " She was born on fifteenth but back then her father couldn't get her birth certificate on the same day. Later when he went to get it the person in charge misheard it as sixteenth and since then her birthdate got registered as sixteenth. As it was only a day difference so her parents let it be. So her actual birthday is today, on the fifteenth of October but many people don't know about it." Rudra explained. "But how do you know my ducky?"
Just then Anaya arrived by his side. She had heard his question and answered before anyone else could say a word "They are Dheer's friends but how do you know each other?" Anaya questioned back.
Rudra then told Anaya about the incident at the hospital to which Anaya let out a chuckle "That's something that Elisa could do."
"So you are Dheer's friends" Rudra scorned turning towards Rehan and Elisa. He was wondering why was Dheer accompanying them the whole time. He was angry at his friends too for collaborating with Dheer in this whole contract thing.
The whole situation became a little awkward.
To dissolve this awkwardness, Anaya introduced Dheer and the other two to Rudra formally. Then it was Rudra's turn "Guys, this is Rudra, one of the most important people in my life and my best friend since high school. We even attended the same college" There was an unconcealed twinkle in her eyes when she introduced Rudra. It was clear she was very happy with his appearance.
Dheer was extremely jealous just seeing that twinkle... He wanted her to talk about him with the same sparkle too.
"So you are Mr. Dheer, my ducky's ex-husband" Rudra said holding out a hand for a handshake.
Dheer could feel a slight disdain in his voice but chose to ignore it. He took his hand shook it making eye contact with him. None wanted to lose out to the other.
Anaya took a sigh of relief when she saw them doing a friendly handshake and that Rudra didn't snap at Dheer. Unknown to her, both Rudra and Dheer were displaying their brute strength to the other by squeezing each other's hands showing their dislike towards each other. Both were a little startled by the opponent's strength.
After exchanging a few more words, Rudra excused himself and dragged Anaya to introduce him to other colleagues who attended the camp with her and had yet to meet.
Dheer's eyes never left the two of them the entire time. He didn't know what he was feeling anymore. Along with jealousy, there was also a feeling of loss. He couldn't help but admonish himself for this situation.
How he wanted to be the one holding Anaya's hands and greeting everyone and bantering with each other. How he wished to replace his spot with Rudra. But he had no right to do so, yet. He knew he had to earn that spot just like how Rudra must have earned his by constantly being by her side whenever she needed. Just like him and Sandy, he too wanted to take a place in her heart where she would keep him above them even by just a hairsbreadth distance. He wanted to be a safe haven for her, her home.
"Stop staring Dheer. You're gonna bore a hole on her face" Elisa growled.
"I can't... She's looking too beautiful today and attracting all that unwanted attention from unwanted people" Dheer frowned.
"It's her friend Dheer, and they are just having a chat there"
"How can she smile that way towards other men. It's unacceptable. She's never shown that smile towards me except for those in my dreams" Dheer grumbled.
"Yes, and those dreams are your future and you know it. You just have to win her heart for that future to happen"
"You bet. I'll make sure that each and every one of my dreams about us being together will come true. I'll change the flow of time and make sure that my first dream will never come true" he was determined to never lose her.