17: The Date Mishap

The two made dinner talking about work and everything else. Aryaman helped her clean the kitchen while she washed the plates and other utensils.

By the time they finished it was already 10.

"That was amazing" She said plopping onto the sofa tired of eating and washing dishes.

"It was" He joined her on the sofa.

"I'll just change and then we can leave?" She stood up and asked him.

"You want to go ahead with it... This was nothing less than a date" He held her hand and pulled her back on the sofa.

"Don't! Don't count this dinner as a date. Where I want to take you it is going to be even better than our dinner" She said sitting down comfortably.

"Can anything be better than this?" He placed one hand on the sofa headboard and leaned his head onto it. He looked at her lovingly making her feel shy. He didn't blink and simply kept staring at her.

"You'll love it" She placed her hand on his eyes and stood up.

She quickly changed into a baby peach crop hoodie with black skinny jeans. She styled her hair into a sleek ponytail and applied eye kohl, mascara and lip gloss.

"Am ready" She stepped holding her phone. He looked up from his phone to become awestruck.

"You look...beautiful" He said standing up and keeping his phone in his back pocket.

"Thank you, chale?" She asked taking a small, black sling bag.

"Yeah" He opened the door for her and went to take the car keys from the kitchen counter.

"Let it be. We can walk" She said noticing him pick his car keys. He placed them back and walked to her. She gave him space to move out first and then she locked the door behind her.

"Where are we going?" He asked her as she rounded her arm around his.

"You'll know" She smiled happily.

"What was one thing you loved about your university life?" She asked feeling his hand on top of hers.

"The thrill. The thrill of knowing that you'd be caught was just inexplainable" He said with a dreamy expression.

"Why am I feeling that you were hated by all the professors at the university. Loved amongst female community but the rest...quite debatable." She said laughing loudly.

"Trust me when I say they hated me, they actually detested me" He laughed with her.

"I hope you'll like this thrill" She held his hand and pulled him with her as she ran towards a shady street.

"Maitri" He held her hand stopping her as he saw the surroundings and its activities.

"Trust me its safe" She pulled him with her and walked towards a gang.

"Hi people" She said cheerfully as Aryaman looked around, completely sure that he should throw her over her shoulder and walk away from this place.

"Hey May" A buff man stood up properly and hugged her. Aryaman placed his hand around her shoulder not liking the atmosphere of the place.

"Guys guys, meet him, he's Aryaman, my fiance" She introduced him to her friends who pulled him in a hug which he awkwardly returned.

"Are you sure you're supposed to bring your fiance to this place May?" The buff man asked Maitri with a stern expression.

"He knows...He knows I drive Seb" She said making a face.

"Tell me you are here to just watch and not participate" A girl said holding beer cans. She was none other than Seb's girlfriend, Isabelle.

"Of course to participate. Am giving my fiance all the reasons to refuse me" She turned and looked at Aryaman who stared at her silently.

"Fine" Seb threw the car keys at her which she took happily.

"Grab a seat" She asked Aryaman to sit in the passenger seat. They were almost inside the car when someone spanked Maitri's ass. She turned around angrily and slapped the person tightly. Aryaman who was just going to sit stopped and looked around to find everyone staring at Maitri and a man. He immediately walked to her side and pulled her towards him by her waist.

"How dare you touch me?" She asked angrily, ready to claw out the man's eyes. Seb and Isabelle immediately arrived there and stood by them.

"Don't act like you didn't enjoy it" The man said with a smug expression that disgusted Aryaman. Before he could say or do anything Maitri was out of his hold and punched the man in the jaw hard enough to cause a purple patch.

"Ohhh" The audience 'ohh' together before bursting out in a laughter.

"Aye woman" The man held Maitri's jaw tightly as she tried to fight him but his tight grip prevented her. Aryaman couldn't control more and immediately punched and kicked the man until he was on the ground. Before he could do anything else a war started between two gangs.

"Stop" The host of the race walked, stopping them. Maitri, Seb and Isabelle explained the host the whole situation.

"Conclusion is that he is disqualified from the race. We don't accept molestation here" The host announced.

"You can't disqualify him. He's a good racer" One of the teammates said.

"He should have thought that before touching me" Maitri said seething in anger.

"Shut up Maitri!" Aryaman shouted on her asking her to remain silent. She cowered away from him angrily.

"Sir, this man touched her inappropriately and hence he doesn't deserve to participate" Aryaman walked to the host and talked politely.

"How is that related to the race?" The man asked grudgingly. The host asked the audience for a view and received mixed views about it.

"Anyone from your side will have to participate in a race against one from theirs. If you win then they can't participate ever and vice versa" The host said making a neutral decision which didn't feel neutral from any angle.

"Agreed" Aryaman shook hands with the host knowing this was the only way to get out of this place in one piece.

"We want a motor bikes race" One person from the audience shouted gathering everyone's attention.

"That's not possible" The host said laughing at the demand.

"Why? Everyone knows here that May always wins" The man said complainingly.

"Aww is the baby scared?" Maitri said but shut up seeing Aryaman glaring at her.

"You are seriously a whiner. Are you fine with motorcycle racing?" The host asked Aryaman who nodded and shook hands. The host presented two sports motorbikes and asked the teams to who'd participate. From Maitri's side Aryaman stood up and from the other side a man named Theo stood.

The host explained the rules to them. Maitri tried to intervene and ask Aryaman to not participate in the racing but his cold demeanor was enough to shut her.

Aryaman chose a red sports bike which at that moment seemed to resemble his mood...anger. Wearing the knee and elbow pads he checked the tightens and rode onto the bike and pushed his upper body ahead to reach the brakes. Maitri quickly snapped a picture of his and sent it to him. Aryaman wore the red helmet that completely protected his head and blocked the sexy face from Maitri's eyes. She stood there awestruck at how his body molded in the right way and in that second she was jealous that she missed his university days and believed in everything he said he used to be. The sexy boyish look looked extremely mind-boggling to her. Seb and Isabelle beside her blew out air from their mouths looking at Aryaman.

"Guys...he's taken" She elbowed both of them offended.

"Can't help it May...He looks like a freaking cheeseburger. He's making me doubt my sexuality" Seb said licking his lips and pulling Isabelle closer to him.

"Am right here Seb" Isabelle said with a pout.

"Like always, right by my side" He hugged her from behind and looked ahead. Maitri crossed her fingers and prayed to god for his safety.

The race began as soon as the flag was lowered. Aryaman bolted at the sign taking rash turns here and there. One moment being behind Theo then overtaking him in the next moment. Maitri's heartbeats were racing in fear seeing him so close to the ground.

Soon they were in the last lap of the track. Maitri turned around such that her back faced the race track. Isabelle and Seb provided her the commentary of what was happening around while she prayed in her heart. Within a few minutes the race was over and Maitri was definetely not in this world. She was whispering God's name that she didn't notice Aryaman standing behind her.

"Maitri" Aryaman called her but she was lost in saying god's name that she didn't hear anything. Seb and Isabelle who were there, laughed seeing her so tensed.

"Kanha please don't let him get hurt, please please please Kanha. I just asked you a few hours ago to make him my destiny and now you are doing this. Atleast let me live a few moments of love with him. I thought that we'll come here and he'd get to experience the feel of speed and he would have enjoyed it and would be happy on feeling it again but what nonsense is. He was supposed to be on the passenger seat not risking his life" A tear slid down her cheek as she genuinely felt guilty about putting Aryaman in a risky situation.

It was the first time Aryaman found happiness in someone's tears, specifically Maitri's.

"You deserve a punishment don't you sutli bomb?" He whispered in her ear before pulling her away from the place to a secluded area. She didn't have words to say and simply followed him. He backed her up against a wall and placed his hands on either side of him.

"Am sorry" She continuously murmured apologies, thoroughly checking him for injuries which weren't there. He let her check him so it would ease her guilt.

"I am really very sorry" She hugged him tightly and sobbed. He ran his hand on her back calming her which worked after a few minutes where only silent tears flowed down her cheek.

"This wasn't how I had thought of our date. I had planned to just make you feel the high speeds so you'd be happy. After just one competition we were to go home where I'd return you your car keys, kiss you and wish you a good night and then dream about when we will meet again" She started blabbering in nervousness. Aryaman looked at her lovingly and tried tocontain his laughter as she kept on talking and talking.

"Sshhh" He placed his finger on her lips causing her to instantly stop.

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First kiss or its too soon?