In the morning, Riya was getting ready to leave when she realized her laptop case was still in Dhruv's room. She forgot to bring it while shifting yesterday.
Sighing, she turned her wrist to notice the time on her watch. 'I'm already late' she grumbled to herself and knocked on his door quickly, before unlocking it, "Dhruv, I'm coming in!"
She gaped at what her eyes registered.
Dhruv was standing near the glass wall with only a towel draped around his lower body. He was drying his wet hair absentmindedly admiring the view outside. His fit narrow torso was now glistening with small drops of water like pearls. Sun's rays shone on his lightly tanned skin giving it a subtle touch of glow.
He was now piercing her with his grey eyes making her insides quiver.
"Do you have something to say?", he asked casually continuing to dry his hair.
She shook her head violently giving him the advantage of doubt.
He only raised his eyebrows in question.
"I...", she averted her eyes and scanned every corner of the room, forgetting what she came for. "I…. Something….. I want….", she glanced at him again when he was silently observing her reaction.
'I wish I can run my tongue on that body!', she mused lusciously to herself. She shook her head again in disbelief of what she thought. 'Why am I getting these thoughts? Was he always this hot?', she felt embarrassed.
He walked over to her, but she moved back in reflex making him more surprised by her action. Her back hit the door.
He took this opportunity to imprison her with his hands and slanted himself. Squinting his eyes playfully, he bent closer to whisper in her ears, "Do I make you nervous, darling?"
The sweet smell of his perfume was so overwhelming. The great body which she was ogling just a while ago was exactly opposite to her eyes tempting her to touch.
Yesterday she was on the verge of losing control when he wished good night. It took immense efforts to sleep alone. And now there was another test which only made her resolve wear thin.
She gulped hard almost letting herself touch him.
Biting her lips, she said, "You wish!", but it sounded more like whining than sarcasm.
Dhruv only meant it as a joke to tease her, but seemed like he was right and she was actually nervous. Now, it was his chance to gulp hard and stare.
Before he could bring his hands to stroke her cheeks, she cleared her throat and brought herself back, "Don't get so cocky! I can do whatever I want…."
She whacked his hand making him chuckle before releasing her.
He went ahead and wrapped himself in a neatly pressed shirt and started buttoning it observing her eyes trailing his movements.
Riya suddenly realized and came out of her daze.
"I wanted my laptop case", she rapidly moved to the wardrobe and left as hastily as possibly before he could do or say anything else.
She stood outside his room taking deep breaths before starting to office. 'Never lose it again… This is not a game' she warned herself mentally and left.
It bothered Riya of how much she had changed. The strength she always felt in her was diminishing every day with Dhruv's presence and she couldn't comprehend if it was for the better or worse. She phoned Sam to meet her at the office as it had been a while since they caught up.
A white multistoried building stood at the center of a busy street surrounded by many other complexes and a big mall. Riya swiftly got out of her car and entered inside its black and white interiors. She was greeted by Kamu on the way who was reciting her schedule for the day and grunted while informing that Sam was already waiting.
Kamu always considered Sam as a distraction and because of her visit, he had to change Riya's schedule twice or thrice every time.
As soon as she entered the office, Riya noted the fair skinned slender woman with short hair, wearing a bright red dress and screaming ornaments.
"Hey…", she greeted Sam.
"Riya…. What happened? You didn't sound good on the phone. Plus, you never call me but today you called me first…. Is anything wrong?", Sam almost jumped on her bombarding with all the questions.
"That's not true! I called you when you had chicken pox", Riya protested.
"Yeah, that's the only time you did. Leave that now, tell me what happened? Is your leg fine?"
In between all that happened, Riya completely forgot the sprain she had some days before. It was miraculously cured now.
"Yes. That's all fine….. Sam….. I need your help with something else", she told.
Sam crossed her legs on the couch with her face supported on palm, keenly listening to what Riya had to say.
Riya nonchalantly narrated the whole story starting from the event, her first kiss, tanya's arrival, Riya's kidnap and the second kiss, with Sam's eyes getting wider with every detail she described.
"So much has happened just in three days? What the hell, Riya? Why didn't you call me sooner?", she worried more, and her voice turned helium with each sentence.
Riya really hoped discussing about her current problem with Sam, but she seemed to be in her own world and didn't let Riya explain.
"It's fine… Not a big deal… Listen…"
"No, it's not…He tried to kill you?? How can you be so calm? And you kissed Dhruv? Oh my god! Did you freak out? Why didn't you tell me, Riya?"
"Because you're not letting me. Will you listen once?", Riya said frustrated with her over curious friend.
"What? There's more? Oh, Riya!", she exclaimed dramatically letting Riya groan with irritation.
"There's not more. I remembered my past after the incident. I don't want to talk about it….", "It's worst and daunting. And as I said, I kissed Dhruv…..", until now it wasn't real, but talking about it made it so much real. "I want to talk with you about that."
"Oh….I see…. Were you fine doing it?"
"I was fine because he was very quiet and didn't touch me back. But what if he does? I don't know if I'll react the same way then… That's my current problem. And I want your help."
"What help can I do?", Sam asked concerned.
"How do I....." Riya looked everywhere awkwardly, "How do I, you know…..", she raised her eyebrows hoping Sam to understand on her own.
"Wow! I've never seen you this nervous or unsure…. You are like someone else right now!", she remarked with a smile.
Riya flashed an icy glare at her.
"Okay… I got you… Do you like Dhruv?", Sam asked out of the blue.
Riya looked confused, "I.... do….", she gulped looking guiltily at her fisted hands. These feelings were so foreign to her making her uncomfortable.
"You should go ahead then… Don't think a lot, Riya… Just trust your instincts….", "And another thing...… I don't know about your past but the best way to move on from anything is to accept it and let it go. I've also been through some pretty shitty things, but every time I just accepted and moved on. Ignoring or trying to forget won't help. Maybe in this case, that's your only way out!", Sam said.
She knew that. Riya heard a lot of similar words from her psychiatrist and father, but she just couldn't move on. It wasn't easy. Either her mind or body always remembered the wounds making everything so hard.
Their conversation was cut by Kamu.
"Mam! Mr. Rohan is here to meet you. Should I let him in?", Kamu requested politely.
"Sure… We're almost done anyways…", Riya accepted, immediately turning herself back to the cold and professional self.
"Sam, if you have some time, I want you to accompany me while meeting my psychiatrist. I want to drive this phobia away so badly now", Riya suggested dragging a hand through her hair, frustrated.
"I'll come. Call me anytime… Think you have someone waiting now? So, I'll leave then. Bye!"
Sam was about to leave when Riya's office door opened.
A fair skinned handsome man entered in his business formals carrying a small briefcase with him. His humble smile was so charismatic and kind. His jet-black eyes and neatly combed hair added more value to his lean body.
As soon as he entered inside, Sam's heart skipped a beat. She gaped with a complicated expression on her face.
"Riya…?", she called hoarsely.
"Hmm?", Riya turned from the man to see Sam's confused face. "What happened?", she asked puzzled.
"What is my ex doing in your office?", she asked.