Down With Love

Chapter 10

Lin frowns and looks at me.

"What the hell?!"

"Adaline, hon, don't worry about it. She's just upset right now." Elena says.

"Yea but why is she upset? I'm concerned, that's all!" She didn't have to be such a bitch about it.

"I'm sure its cute meet nerves."

I don't think so.

She softly bumps her shoulder with mine "she'll be more reasonable when she's calm."

Lin and I snort in tandem. Rachael is anything but reasonable.

Elena holds my hand to grab my attention.

"Oh, I almost forgot. Navi, Sam's colleague, he is getting married this weekend. The bride lives in Udaipur so we won't be able to attend the fere, but reception will be held in Delhi. You are coming with us." She informs.

"I...I can't? I really haven't packed any of my ethnics, just simple kurtas for church." I tell her.

She grabs hold of my shoulders and turns me towards her. Giving me a slight shake she speaks.

"Oh Adaline, you are talking to a Dalton right now. Clothes are not an issue. I have a few lehengas I've bought but never wore. I'm sure we can find you something."

I shake my head "I can't possibly-"

"Shut your trap Ad. You will do as I say. Will you not listen to me? Me?"

I roll my eyes at her tone and nod my head.

"Excellent. You can come by whenever you are free, just make sure it's before Saturday, we would also need to find you accessories."

Linn gets up then and gathers their stuff while Elena shoots a text to Alex.

We were sitting there in silence when Elena's phone pings with a text.

"We better get going." She tells me and then lowers her tone, "let me know if she gives you a hard time."

I smile softly and give her a nod. They hug me and shuffle out of the door.

I clean up the mess and haul myself to my bedroom.

Later I face time dad and show him the apartment.

"You should cover the balcony with mesh or pigeons will leave a mess." Alessia said.

"No! there are no pigeons here. I haven't seen one pigeon, Al, one pigeon. This is literally my paradise".

"You've been there for one morning Ad." She replied in a gruff tone.

I glare at her and then show them the condiments drawer.

"So much masala. Five days ago you didn't even know what amchur was." Mum says.

"I know what amchur is. Your hindi just threw me off." I huff.

"Alright, take care."

***

I was in my room when Rach peeked in my room.

"Get ready. Sam's coming to pick us up for dinner."

Before I could reply she walked back to her room and banged the door shut.

I glanced at the clock above my head. Such an inconvenient place to hang it but there were no other hooks in the room.

I paired my dark jeans with a long sleeve shrug because Daltons keep the ACs running and it gets chilly.

We shuffle out of the apartment in silence and I lock the door.

"I was going to ask you to come along." She whispers.

"What are you planning to wear?"

And just like that we were back on speaking terms.

We discuss her outfit on the way down.

The weather was slightly cloudy and a slight breeze flew by us as Sam's car came to a stop in front of us.

We got into the car and were buckling in our seats belts when Sam turned to Rachael and said, "what did you do?"

"I sorted it out", she mumbled.

Sam took off but kept talking in a low tone. I took that as a sign to give them some privacy and plugged in my earphones.

________

*FEW YEARS BACK*

"I'm telling you, he is so smitten." Rachel giggled. "She bought him one of those special kind of chocolates, you know," I muffled my laugh "Adaline, Ricky uncle ate it! And then went on cycling for hours because he couldn't get rid of the energy. Luke was speechless when Anne asked him to get he chocolates on one of their date nights. He rushed to a shop to get them and when she asked what took him so long, he said, he has a slight diarrhea. Suffice to say, the chocolates didn't come handy."

"Dude," I choked on my laugh, "I can't imagine him like that."

"He looks at her in this dreamy gaze, and I mean, you know Luke, he doesn't like showing everyone that side but with her, he really couldn't care less. Marianne brings out the lover in him."

"Also, hahahha, also," she goes breathless from gushing "she gave him a cat. Ad, Naina aunty is kind of allergic to cats, and Luke loves his mom very much, but he didn't have it in him to refuse Anne's gift. So now he's holed up in his room, doing everything by himself, cleaning up the crap and feeding him and giving the cat attention."

"Wow. Does your spoiled brother even know how to clean up? Poor cat."
"If he didn't, he did now."
________

I always wondered why they broke up. True, it was never my business, but he seemed like he was doing everything to keep her happy, so where did they go wrong. I would have loved if someone went to lengths for me. And for that stupid reason, he and I-

Sam honked a car in front of us and that pulled me out of my reverie- thoughts. There was nothing pleasant about him.

He pulled up near the parking area where Luke was talking on a call. I am pretty sure, he was high on whatever grumpy hormones he produced because he walked to my door slowly and pulled it open.

I repeat, Luke, the unhinged ape, the grumpy/high dreamboat opened my door, for me.
I scrambled out of the car like seat was hot, but in truth my face was. He has no right to just do random acts of kindness, they make my heart go he-ho.

I tucked my earphones in my pocket and walked towards the main door.
Nothing pleasant about him, absolutely nothing. he was just a hot jerk.
I shook my head and Sam gave me a look before jogging inside.
He was just a jerk.

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Love,

MJ