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CHAPTER 8

Mritsa struggled obstinately with the handle of the store door. Her hands were full again holding the bundles of marigolds, jasmines, roses and more.

"Would that suffice? Is there need for anything else Ma'am?"

Abhimanyu's gentleness minus the arrogance in his demeanor which she had been accustomed to was somewhat becoming unsettling to her. She sighed, somehow the entire episode from them colliding against each other to the point of rebuying the required items had left her more mentally exhausted than physically.

"No, thank you Sir. I don't need anything else."

"Major"

"I beg your pardon?"

"I am Major Abhimanyu Rajawat."

"...I know that.."

"I would henceforth expect you to call me Major. I prefer that over being called Sir."

He wanted to add 'by girls' but refrained. He had long since developed a disdain for civilian women who could first demurely call men of his ranks as 'sir' and then stealthily create havoc in their lives. No, cut that; he disliked civilian women in general. Sohail had tried several times to change his thinking but when the wounds caused by your own kind run too deep, the scars are hard to fully ignore.

"Excuse me?" she spoke before adding with more emphasis, "Sir"

"I will repeat for you young lady and that is you are to call me-"

"And why do you expect me to obey like one of your juniors?"

He watched Mritsa who was standing with raised eyebrows in front of him now, her luscious pink lips drawn in a straight line. Unlike the night of their first counter, he could see her better under the bright light of the florist's shop now. She had a light wheatish complexion and her diamond shaped face was framed by some gorgeous long black hair. He had to admit her black eyes outlined in kajal gave her other-wise plain appearance an electric element.

"We are getting late. I have work to attend to later this evening."

Abhimanyu stated briskly, turning away from her and her keen, sharp gaze. He heard her scoff as he proceeded to pay.

"How do I repay?" she asked after taking the bill.

"G-pay? or phone pay of course?" Abhimanyu answered with a nonchalant shrug. He would have otherwise waved it off but this little recent tiff with her made him somewhat grumpy.

"I can't" she said softly, looking away, "I have none of those."

"Very well, I suppose you can just--" Abhimanyu began, a little surprised by her admission

"MRITSA"

Both swung their heads around. Mritsa sighed in relief as Tanshia ran into the shop being followed by Sohail, grinning too much.

"Mritsa I got to tell you something amazing! You won't be--"

"Tanshia I will listen to everything later. Could you please g-pay this officer his amount. I will return you the money later."

Tanshia now paused to look between her and Abhimanyu while Sohail raised a questioning eyebrow at his friend who just shook his head.

"Well, well well" Tanshia began dramatically, "I don't think you gentlemen should try to get a lady's number like this"

Abhimanyu and Sohail flustered even though that was an untrue claim while Mritsa pinched the center of her forehead.

"But we are having this huge cultural fest in our college this coming week" Tanshia continued with a twinkle in her eyes, "Why don't you both be gentlemen and turn up and take your money from the ladies from there?"

Sohail's laughter resounded against the identical annoyed groans of Abhimanyu and Mritsa.