That evening my girls sat me down along with Jay and Niya's insufferable boyfriend. He was so annoying.
All five of us had sat down with a pizza sitting in the center of the table that seemed the most interesting to that one idiot, Prem(Niya's boyfriend).
The meeting was important.
"I don't get why you need to think so much about it." He asks with his mouthful. Niya didn't even look at him. She was so done yet he kept bothering her.
That day they hadn't broken up. He didn't let her.
Mira looked at me with narrowed eyes. "Please tell me you're not thinking of actually doing it." She says.
I shrug. I didn't know...to be honest. There were pros and cons to it.
"Okay let's see why you are giving it a second thought." Jay suggests.
"I'll ask you some questions. Just answer in yes or no." He says.
I nod. Better that way.
They all are staring at me and it's making me nervous. Jay clears his throat.
"Do you understand you are just Twenty-one?"
"Yes."
"Legally eligible for marriage."
"Yes."
"So no one can stop you."
"Yes."
"I say if you like him try dating first." He says.
"I don't like him. Like that." I say.
"Then don't cross your fingers as you speak." Niya says untangling my index and middle finger.
I did that? But I did not like him.
"As your best friend let me speak for you." Niya says. "You might not know it but you do have a crush on him. For the past one year it's always Mr. Oberoi this Mr.Oberoi that."
"I don't-"
"You do." Mira sides with her. Traitor.
"You talk about him daily. But I didn't think it was that serious." Mira shrugs.
My friends had lost it. I might have admired him but I don't like him. And why were they revealing this now?
Fine I might have been drawn to him a tiny bit. But that didn't mean I'd marry him or even date or even makeou-
"No."
Niya should not have put the idea of making out in my head. I couldn't take it out now.
All the times when he almost kissed me...his plush lips, I gulped.
"You guys are messing with my head. I told you I'm never falling in love." I tell him. "I don't love."
Ring ring.
My phone rang and all the eyes were set on it. Before I could pick it Jay snatched it away from the table.
"On speaker." Mira yells.
"Hello?" The voice says calmly. A shiver ran through me at that sound.
Jay gestures me to answer the call as he brings the phone closer to me but still out of reach. Mira holds both my hands just in case. I sigh at my group. Idiots.
"Hello." I answer in rather scratchy voice.
"Let's meet. I have something to discuss with you." He says.
I gulp.
I dress up quite well, wearing my knee length floral dress with hair open and only a clip to hold two strands on the left side.
I walk into the cafe trying not to fall in the unnecessary heels that Mira insisted on. It wasn't that they wanted me to marry him. But they did want to know where this story was going.
Mr. Oberoi stands up when he sees me. Okay a gentleman. Good. Nice. Weird.
He pulls out a chair for me.
I sit down after slipping a little but nothing worse. Embarrassment was a part of my daily life.
I was awkward. He was not. He stared at me straight like I was intriguing. He would be disappointed when he gets to know I was an empty shell.
"You dressed up." He notices. I knew it. My friends made me go overboard with the date. No it was not a date. It was a meeting. I shifted in my seat.
"Don't worry. You still look beautiful. You always do." He says with a small smile. He was so pretty with his smile.
"Thank you." I say simply. I'd heard that comment many times. But this was the first time I felt it was real.
I look at him. He is still in his everyday suit, looking like the perfect person he was.
"Why don't you want to marry me?" He asks in a low voice. There was a bit of pain in it. Not shame just a bit hurt. And it made me feel bad. Stupid me and my stupid attraction to my boss.
"There are many reasons." I say the truth. How long was I going to drag this? Let's end it.
"Tell me then. I'm sure I'll find ways." He was adamant. I didn't know if that was infuriating or a good thing. In the back of my mind I wanted to agree with him. Of course marriage was a big decision that could not be taken so fast. But even admitting that I got attracted to someone was a big thing for me.
"You are my boss. I can't date my boss." I left out the marriage part. But he didn't bother pointing it out.
"Your contract will end in two weeks. Of course this is why I waited for months to ask you." He says.
"How long have you..." I don't continue. Did he like me or did he just w-
"I've wanted you since the moment I saw you." His gaze is sharp and it made me feel things. I wondered what would happen if we didn't have an audience. Would he take me right there? Stupid me and my thoughts. I can't believe I had such thoughts for someone who ran away from love and bullshit.
He wanted me. I note that. He didn't like me. He wanted me.
"Let's say I give it a thought. What about your son?" I ask out of curiosity.
"Does that mean you are agreeing?" He asks.
I was? Wait.
"I just had this thought. If I was going to live like this anyway then why don't I live with you. I don't intend to fall in love and spend a sweet life." I tell him. "If you can accept me being like this after watching me over a year then I'm fine with it. I'll marry you."
"What?" He was suprised. Even I was. Why did I make a decision so fast? Shit no. My mom would kill me.
"I'll marry you."