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"I hope I don't sound rude, but who are you again? And why did you take the bill that I am supposed to pay?" I asked out of curiosity, after clearing my throat. My questions made him raise his eyebrows for a moment before an amused smirk took over his lips.
"Sorry for being impolite, I am Aaryan," he raised his hand for me to shake, and when I accepted it, he added, "Aaryan Raivardhan.”
6. CHEY
Assoon as those words reached my ears, my jaw hit the floor. My body stiffened on its own accord. He must be joking. He was kidding, right?
I didn't know what I was doing exactly. But I did know that whatever I was doing wasn't what a normal person would do given the situation. I grabbed the sleeve of the waiter who was walking past us and asked, not so subtly, "Do you know this person?"
I pointed at the Raivardhan claimer causing waiter’s eyes to widen to the size of saucers and look back and forth between me and Aaryan before answering, "T-that’s Mr. Aaryan Raivardhan."
Immediately, he pulled his sleeve away from my grip, like my touch had burnt him before scurrying away as fast as his legs could carried him. I didn't turn to look at Aaryan. I couldn’t… My courage jumped out the wall and jumped to its death. My heartbeat had doubled its pace. I was in a state of shock.
I huffed out the air that had stuck in my lungs, well it felt more like my breath was knocked out.
This was a dream, right? Because, if this would have been a reality, I would die out of embarrassment.
"What are you doing?" His voice sounded concerned, but the amused smirk and the raised eyebrow told me otherwise. I looked down to note that I was pinching myself only to feel a sharp pain at the spot, "Ouch!"
It shouldn't be painful, it was supposed to be a dream! But it was paining, then this wasn't a dream! Reality hit me like a truck on the highway. This was utterly embarrassing... I was only embarrassing myself more and more as I spent my time in his presence.
"I am really sorry Mr. Raivardhan. I didn't mean to- I- what- no- er... I- sorry! I'll pay you back soon! I promise!" I sprang up from my seat to make a run before I worsened my situation. But fate was cruel you see... The sudden weight on my legs due to the precipitate movement pained my sprained ankle, "Oww...! Ow! Ow! Ow!" I hopped a bit in my place before sitting back on the chair. My hair cascaded on the side acting as a screen, hiding my flushed face. Discreetly, I glanced at Aaryan to gauge his reaction.
He looked at me for a second before he burst out laughing. I just gaped at this weird guy who doubled over in laughter. Only rolling on the floor remained. His laugh slowly toned down but as soon as he would see me, he went into fits of laughter again.
A cloud of annoyance had formed over my head as I crossed my arms across my chest and waited for him to stop. But no! I had a gut feeling that he wouldn't be stopping anytime soon!
He held his stomach and wiped the invisible tear from the side of his eye as miraculously his laughter finally ceased.
He looked at me, thoroughly enjoying my downhearted plight. The end of his lips curled up in an irritating smirk making my eyes narrow at him.
He raised his hands in mock surrender, "sorry, but not my fault when my company is unusually entertaining." He wasn't sorry even for a bit.
"Are you really Aaryan Raivardhan or did you just secretly bribe the waiter to collude with you," I retorted, making him smirk wider. He took out his wallet and fished for something in, before producing a solid card before me.
There was a photo of his face beside his name.
Aaryan Raivardhan.
My lips had formed an 'o' as I stared at the card.
"Still have any doubts about my identity, Ms. Detective?" He joked.
"That pic is awful," my eyes widened when I realized what I had confessed out loud. He stared at me like a frozen statue in surprise causing the blood to flush to my face again. Did I seriously have to say that out loud? Couldn't I have shut my big mouth for once? The last time I opened my mouth like that before a higher authority of an internship agency, I was gracefully escorted out of the building and was asked to never come anywhere close to it. In my defense, I just pointed out that his wig was put on his head the wrong way. How would have I known that he had recently undergone hair implantation?
Biting my lower lip, I squeezed my eyes shut, "that's not what I meant! I am so sorry..." I was prepared for him to call the guards to throw me out but what surprised me more was when he went hysteric with laughter again. I slowly opened one of my eyes and peered at him before opening the other. Was this guy truly sane or was I sitting with a nutcase?
I stared at him scrupulously.
"Oh! Don't give me that look! I can't help it when you amuse me," he shook his head to himself.
"What look?"
"That look, where you are contemplating whether to run to the hills or to call a psychiatrist on me." He was creeping me out now.
"H-how did y-you know that?" I was a stuttering mess, no doubt.
It was like I triggered a memory rendering him with a distant look. His face, void of every sentiment, like he was carved out of marble. But his eyes, his eyes held an unfathomable emotion, something that made them very beautiful and vulnerable at the same time. That was the only feature that gave life to the beautiful stone statue, his lips moved as if he was talking to himself rather than me, "when you are forced to grow up before your age, you will learn to read the real face of the people."
