𝐀𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐲𝐚
I'd sworn off of love and men after the fiasco that was my last relationship. Until I spent one steamy and passionate night with a dark haired stranger. A man that I thought I'd never see again. Until I found out that he was my new boss...
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This was crazy. Like, really crazy. I was flying back to my home country with my boss and the man I was sleeping with - after having an epic meltdown just two weeks prior.
"Passengers flying first class on flight EK229 flying from Seattle to Mumbai, please proceed to the boarding gate." The speaker crackled with the announcer's voice.
"That's us, I guess." Huffing, I stood up, feeling it to be all too real as Neil and I made our way to the boarding gate. The woman there greeted us with a smile as she checked our boarding passes.
"Right this way." She said, gesturing a hand towards the aerobridge.
I sent her a nervous smile as Neil grasped onto my hand.
"Neil!" I admonished, trying to wrestle my wrist out of his grip. "What are you doing?"
"Relax, Aaliya." He calmly replied. "There's no one here that knows us. We're not in the office anymore." Something akin to hurt flashed across his face before he covered it with a smile. "I don't have to be your dirty secret here."
"Neil, it's not -"
My words were halted as we stood behind a man in line, waiting to board the aircraft.
"I get it." He said quietly, holding onto my hand a little tighter. "This thing between us? It shouldn't really be happening. So I get your hesitancy."
"It's not just that..." I trailed off, wondering if I should trust him with another important piece of my life. Fuck that. "I'm just used to constantly being judged and it's kind of hard to shake off that habit. Old habits die hard, you know?" I chuckled, as I wiped my sweaty palms on my leggings that I'd chosen to wear since it was going to be a long flight. "I've been taught that something like this is illicit and I should feel ashamed of myself. It's hitting me harder than it normally would because of the impending journey."
"Jesus, Aaliya...I wish I'd known this before. I'm sorry somebody made you believe that."
"It's not just that." I continued, knowing I was on a roll now and not caring if the man ahead of us was also listening in even though we were talking in low voices and were a safe distance away. "It's this fear, this feeling, of being threatened and being watched just to make sure I don't step out of line. So I don't act out and that I'm still the perfect cultured, Indian daughter."
"That's messed up." He replied as he pulled me closer so that my head was resting on his chest, making us look like a married couple. Which we were not. And it definitely wasn't making me feel all warm and fuzzy inside because someone had finally validated my feelings after years.
"Tell me about it." I pasted a smile on my face as we approached the front and the flight attendant greeted us and directed us to our seats.
I'd originally booked a business class ticket for myself despite this being peak season to be flying to India which meant that tickets were expensive - but luxury was luxury. Besides, I earned enough to treat myself to that. But once Neil had said that he was coming, I'd decided to upgrade it to first class - he was coming for me, after all. He'd obviously fought me on it and tried to pay his way through it but I'd held my ground. I was nothing but stubborn - a fact that my mother hated because she wanted me to be a submissive little doll, stating that I would never find a husband if I never learned to bend to his will and make sacrifices. As if that was the only goal in life. Find a suitable groom, get married, settle down with kids and then waste your life away in a loveless, arranged marriage. No thank you. I was good being single and stress free.
