Promised Love

6. This marriage is a sham

Mom asked me to go behind Abhimanyu and Shanaya to diffuse the situation if Abhimanyu is too angry, and that's how I ended up standing in the sidelines of the garden as Abhimanyu and Shanaya yell at eachother.

"Shanaya for once can you think straight, you have no business at this party right now. I told you we will have to cancel the dinner plan, what were you thinking?" Abhimanyu animatedly screams.

A few tears fall onto Shanaya's cheek and she wipes them away,
"I really wanted to see you, Abhi. That...that...bitch you call your wife....I feel like she is trying to steal you away." She says between sobs. My hands clench at my side, and I grit my teeth. What is her problem? Why does she have to drag me into their fight always.

"You never once used to cancel our plans and now you even started doing that...I am just scared." Shanaya says. Abhimanyu sighs and hugs her. She sobs into his chest and he pats her hair lovingly. I feel bad intruding on their private moment, but the curious part of my brain forces me to stay rooted to the spot.  I hear Abhimanyu murmur, "She isn't trying to steal me away from you. I told you nothing is going to change between us."

Shanaya jerks upright with a start and narrows her eyes, "Then tell me where were you? I called you five times in the last half an hour you didn't pick up."

I swallow nervously. We were together in the last half an hour, and he didn't have his phone with him.

And you were going to kiss somebody else's boyfriend. My brain says. No. I wasn't going to kiss him. Keep telling yourself that.

"I was helping mom with food." I am surprised at how easily he lies.  Shanaya seems to buy it and goes into his embrace again,
"I guess you love cooking more than me then" she teases. He smiles and brushes a kiss into her hair but says nothing. For a long moment they stay that way but then Shanaya breaks the silence by asking a childish question.
"I am your first love right?"

Abhimanyu fidgets with his fingers, a nervous habit of his that I came to notice back in our school days itself. So Shanaya isn't his first love?

"Come on, babe, what kind of question is that. Let's get you back home okay." Abhimanyu says, making some distance between them. Shanaya smiles, but I can read the question in her eyes, She doesn't buy his no-answer just like me. If she was his first love then he would've said something like "Ofcourse, babe" right? This no answer makes me suspicious.

Both of them walk to the parking area, going further away from my line of sight with each step. I wrap my hands around myself as the chilly air sends shivers down my spine.

Suddenly I hear the sound of footsteps on the grass echo behind me, until the person stops next to me.

"Yes?" I ask confused. The man clad in an olive green t-shirt, a polo jacket and faded jeans smiles and extends his hand. He looks to be about the same age as me, maybe a year or two older tops.
"Hi. I believe we haven't met properly. Vikrant Mehra."

I shake his hand firmly, "Saanvi Rajput."

"Rajput? Not Malhotra?"

"Saanvi Rajput Malhotra." I say and shrug. He snickers.
"Ofcourse. Anyhow, what is a woman like you doing out here alone?"

"A woman like me?" I narrow my eyes. He shrugs one shoulder, "You know...a woman as gorgeous as you."

I snort at the compliment, a very unladylike thing to do. "Uh-huh. Are you sure it's a good idea to be flirting with the new bride." I tease him. His mouth curves into a crooked grin, "Depends. I won't tell if you won't." He mock whispers making me laugh.

"Ah hell! Even your laugh sounds angelic." He says admiringly.

I roll my eyes, "Now you're just exaggerating."