4. Fake boyfriend!

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Anika

So, the next day, I headed back to my apartment and then off to work.

My task was to organize a 50-year anniversary party for a couple. I got down to business, starting with the planning. I met up with the clients to get their preferences on decorations, the number of guests, the theme, and more.

The whole idea was to surprise the elderly couple with this party, and honestly, it was pretty darn adorable.

After wrapping up my work for the day and getting some things done, I finally got home. I decided to treat myself to a nice, relaxing hot bath.

Once I was all refreshed, I dived into the novel I had left hanging at a cliffhanger. I was halfway through when my phone rang. It was Mom.

"Hey, Mom," I answered.

"Hi, sweetie."

"So, what's up? Why the late-night call?"

"Oh, nothing major. I just wanted to tell you about this guy." I didn't think they'd jump into this topic so quickly.

"Already?"

"What do you mean 'already'? We talked about it just yesterday."

"Yeah, okay. So, tell me about him." I said, rolling my eyes.

"His name is Vinay Kumar. He's quite handsome. Works in his dad's company earns quite well every year."

"Mom, I asked about HIM, not his resume."

"Fine, fine. He's into traveling, golf, and partying, I suppose." Well, that's something to work with.

"Okay when are we going to meet?" I grumbled.

"How about 2 pm tomorrow?" she texted me the remaining details.

"Alright" Tomorrow was a tad open

Now, time for some outfit hunting for tomorrow.

I went through my stuff, on the lookout for something that'd make me look good. After a bit of searching, two things were obvious:

1. I seriously needed more clothes.

2. My closet was a disaster zone.

Exhausted, I crawled into bed after finally picking an outfit for tomorrow.

Next day, I got an early start, tackled some work, and then headed back home. The plan was to call up vendors and get the party plans rolling. No new clients to meet today, thankfully.

Got myself dressed up. Went with the red dress which reached just above my knees. It gave me the summer girl vibe. I paired it up with a bracelet, layered chain, nuce beachy earrings and a few rings.

So, I decided to throw on a bit of makeup. Gotta admit, I was pretty happy with how it turned out today.

I even went for some red lipstick and a touch of blush. Tossed on a denim jacket and white heels to complete the look. And oh yeah, I definitely needed to snap a few pictures today.

Clicked a pic and sent it to Aarav.

Aarav: Damn lady, you are going to be the reason for someone's death today.

Me: *laughing emojis*

Aarav was such a goof. But he always boosted me up, and I secretly loved that about him.

Aarav: What's the occasion?

Me: Meeting a potential hubby candidate.

Aarav: Already?

Me: Yep!

Aarav: Well, that's unfortunate.

Me: Tell me about it! Gotta run, catch you later.

Aarav: Alright, have fun, but not too much fun.

Me: Why don't you go bug someone else?

Leaving the house, I was in a good mood. Managed to reach the place in no time, thank goodness for light traffic today.

I had about 5 minutes to spare when I spotted him walking in. Mom had sent me his pics yesterday.

Handsome dude with a sense of style, no doubt. He rocked cream jeans and a brown tee that screamed "expensive brand." Even his sneakers were on point. He wasn't quite as tall as I expected though, maybe around 5'7" tops.

As he approached the table, I stood up to shake his hand. He accepted it.

"Hey, Anika."

"Hi, Vinay."

"Take a seat," he gestured, and we both settled down across from each other.

"So, tell me a bit about yourself," he asked. Seriously, it felt more like a job interview. This dude didn't even drop a compliment about my appearance. He just went full-on rapid-fire mode with the questions.

"I'm an event planner, working over at Meragi. I'm 24, and I love reading. How about you?"

"I'm 29, doing the family business. Love golf and, well, I'm a bit of a party animal."

Sounded like a bit of a spoiled brat if you ask me.

"So, what are you looking for if we end up getting married?" I cut right to the chase. No need to beat around the bush anymore.

"I want a partner who's got my back, someone who's there through thick and thin," he responded, straightforward.

"And?" I think there's more to it.

"Just the usual stuff. I don't really fancy the idea of a working wife. She should stay at home and manage the household," he said, like he had it all figured out.

"Running a family also includes earning, sharing responsibilities," I pointed out.

"I don't care. I don't want my better half to work," he shrugged.

"Plus, you look like a man magnet even with that skin tone. You should stop wearing such clothes" he threw that comment my way.

"Who the fuck do you think you are?!" I retorted, not letting him get away with it.

Before he could fire back, a familiar voice chimed in, "Hey babe," and out of nowhere, Jai appeared and planted a kiss on my head.

"Hi," was all I could manage to say, still a bit surprised.

"And who's this crashing our date?" Vinay directed the question at Jai.

"First off, this isn't a romantic rendezvous. Secondly, she's here because her mom asked her to be. She's got a boyfriend, so I suggest you run before you disrespect my girl again." Jai locked eyes with Vinay.

Vinay was about to say something but Jai's glare shut him up. I had never seen this side of Jai. He was always calm around me.

Vinay left the place, and my focus shifted from him to the words he had just spat out.

"Let's go, give me a couple of minutes," Jai told me.

He came back within a minute, and we left the place.

"I would have handled him, you know," I admitted.

"And I couldn't stand by while he insulted you," Jai replied.

"Thanks," I said, genuinely grateful.

He just shrugged and nodded.

"Where to now?" I inquired.

"We're going to eat. Seeing an empty plate in front of you tells me you skipped lunch," he remarked, his concern visible.

"Okay, so where are we headed?"

"The nearest restaurant," he responded.

Soon, we arrived to the nearest restaurant and took our seats, him across from me. The place was good and cozy.

He was dressed in a white shirt and black pants, and then it striked.

"Were you in a meeting earlier?" I asked.

"It was almost over" he replied.

"Sorry for dragging you into that."

"I couldn't just stand there listening to someone insult you."

"I-" He was way too sweet.

"So, what's the order of the day?"

"Are you on a diet?" I questioned.

"No, why?"

"Because we're going all in for the cheesiest pasta," I declared.

"Sounds good," he chuckled, and I couldn't help but smile back.

"So, what were you doing with that jerk?" he asked, his tone dripping with annoyance.

"Mom thought arranging a meeting with him would be a 'prospect' for marriage," I scoffed.

He sarcastically laughed at the absurdity of it all.

Our pasta arrived, and we delved into conversations about college days, food, how irritating Aarav could be, and just about everything.

It felt so comfortable.

The food, the ambiance, and especially the company, it all felt just right. I didn't want the evening to end. I'm glad I didn't waste a good outfit on that jerk.

When it came time to pay the bill, I grabbed it and started fishing for my bills, but he was having none of it.

"I'm not letting you pay," he stated, sounding like it was a done deal.

"But you're here because of me, so it's only fair," I argued.

"It doesn't matter. When you're with me, you won't be spending a rupee," he replied, firm in his stance. Yeah, I wasn't going to blindly follow that one.

He ended up paying, and we left the place. When we reached his car, he opened the door for me.

Seriously, I was melting – somebody save me.

We reached my place, enveloped in comfortable silence. Throughout the ride, my thoughts gravitated towards the ugliness of racism.

It stung. It hurt. Especially because I've always endured mockery due to my skin color. The fact that it's the 21st century and people still equate beauty with skin tone is disheartening.

As we arrived home, he said, "Don't dwell on what that guy said. You're beautiful, and don't let anyone convince you otherwise, Ani." It was the first time he used my nickname.

My eyes welled up, and I managed a nod.

Then I hugged him. It just happened in the moment. He seemed a bit surprised, but he embraced me back, his grip firm. I expressed my gratitude and left.

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