"I am really sorry. I thought I'll be able to pass the yellow light before it gets red. But… we almost bumped into another car. But I saved us. Right? I am sorry. I am really sorry."
Hearing that Nora frowned deeply. She straight away wanted to punch that face. Taking out some cash from her bag she passed it to him.
"Do not drive rashly. You do not care about your life, but others do." Saying that she stepped out of the car.
She took the side footpath and was about to take another cab when suddenly a car stopped right in front of her.
Nora felt her head aching badly. Why does every car aim at her? Her day has already not gone messy? Why do people keep on adding into it?
She was about to ignore it considering it's not her business. But just then she heard someone calling her name. That surprised her. In the city, countless people know her. Then who would call her?
With a swift move she turned and faced the person who called her name. But she could not remember that face. The man does not look much older than her but the way he called her sounded friendly. Why?
"Nora it's you. Right?" Ryan with uncertainty looked at her face. The bewilderment was quite visible on his face. He couldn't believe his eyes. The girl is actually in front of him. Finally the day came.
"..." Nora was quiet. She stayed quiet for a few seconds and tried to remember that face. But still couldn't figure it out.
Ryan saw through her difficulty. Smiling understandably, he helped her. "It's me Ryan. Ryan Gill. Remember?"
"... Ahh." Nora's mouth gaped with realisation. "Of course I remember. It's just… you look very different." She replied.
He looked so different from the last time she saw him. 'Puberty always hits hard on boys'. She could easily see that in him. The boy actually turned into a full grown man.
Ryan embarrassedly smiled and shrugged his shoulders with no comments on that. "Didn't you have your meeting with my dad this afternoon? Why are you here?"
"Yeah meeting..." Nora nodded in affirmation. "Had one. Just came back."
She avoided the question in the best way she could. Even if she has to explain the meeting, the road is not the right place for such a conversation.
"End so early?"
"..." She felt a little guilty remembering how her conversation ended with his father just now. With an awkward smile she started looking away from him.
Ryan's eyes squinted with confusion. However, not wanting to make things more awkward for her he didn't probe into that.
"You had your lunch?" He asked.
"Huh?"
"Had lunch?" He repeated.
"No." Nora mindlessly answered while looking around for the cab.
"Great. I know a good restaurant here."
"Huh?"
"Let's go out for lunch. I haven't eaten yet either."
Nora's lips twitched a little bit. Where did that come from? They have met after so many years, they should feel awkward, shouldn't they? Why is he so casual with her already?
She wanted to run away but now got stuck with nowhere to go. Meeting Karan and Ryan on the same day is getting very exhausting for her.
Meeting Karan was harder. She needed some time to calm herself, but now Ryan also came to add more. However meeting Ryan isn't that much emotional to her and how she felt for him wasn't that close.
They might have their past, but now she has forgotten that feeling of having him around her. People from the past, which you want to forget, are tiresome.
But even if she wanted to run away from him, she didn't want to embarrass him. Moreover he hasn't eaten, she didn't want to disrespect him either. With a light nod, she affirmed.
Ryan gave a warm smile and showed her the way towards his car.
***
Going to the nearby restaurant they ordered their small lunch.
"I heard about your results in high school. Must say you did very well in every grade."
"Thank you."
"How is Krish doing? Now he must have grown a lot."
"Hmm. 9 years old now."
Ron's brows raised with awe. "Wow. Can't believe that kid is not a kid anymore."
Thinking about her brother, Nora unknowingly had a genuine smile on her face. Nodded slightly she agreed. "... Hmm. He is."
Ryan couldn't help but stare at her smile for a few seconds. Smiling brightly, he served her more dishes from the table.
"So how did the meeting go?" He asked as he tried to continue their conversation.
"...It's still going." Nora replied.
"Huh?" Ryan looked at her in puzzlement.
Nora took her bite before taking a sip from her juice glass. "We are still away from agreement."
"You have got in disagreement with my father?"
"Yes." She straightforwardly affirmed.
He couldn't help but be amazed by her answer. He has always carried his passive character in front of his father. Karan's aura never allowed him to casually speak his mind, let alone deny his decisions.
No matter what he said he agreed to it as a respect or either because he got no choice in that. But the only person he had seen rejecting him a number of times was Nora. And everytime it astounds him.
He gave a low chuckle and spoke. "Please go easy on my father then."
Nora looked up with an innocent look. 'Isn't everyone forcing her instead? Why is no one going easy on me?' With that thought she had a small pout on her lips.
Her innocent look with that pout affected Ryan right away. Coughing it once he looked away from her. After finishing their lunch they both went out of the restaurant.
"Come. I'll drop you off."
"No it's okay. I'll call the cab." Nora denied instantly.
"No you don't. Let me drop you. It's been a long time since I last visited Steave mansion too. I would really love to have a look at it now." Ryan said.
Nora's polite smile instantly got stiff. 'Steave manson...' Giving a deep sigh she shook her head in denial. "I am not staying there."
"Huh?"
"I am staying at your hotel."
The place she is staying for the next few days is actually owned by Karan Gill. She didn't want to, but Karan made all those arrangements.
With an awkward face he looked at her. "I am not getting what you are saying."
"There's nothing to understand." Nora right away said. She doesn't find it necessary for others to understand what she meant or what her reasons were anyway. "I'll take my leave first." She said and moved.
"Stop there."