So here is the next chapter. Hope you all like it.😆
Simply Irresistible - Chapter 8
Tearful goodbyes were said to Rose, who gave a half-hearted smile and disappeared, but not before whispering "strawberries and whipped cream" to Shlok. He waved, Rose pouted, and the night continued.
"Oh my gosh," whispered Parvati. "Rose is so hardcore."
"Hardcore?" Astha was unfamiliar with the term, which she thought referred to dangerous sports, i.e. Football.
"Yeah, like she is so cool," Radhika said as she took another swig of wine. " 'Cause she's so brave and stuff like she can do things to Shlok that we all like wanna do." Radhika was slurring her words.
Astha shook her head disdainfully and tried to wrestle the cup away from Radhika.
"No more," she said firmly. When Radhika's grip on the glass tightened Astha pulled harder. Not a good idea, she soon found out, as she had ended up sprawled on the ground, wine spilled all down her front. Moaning in frustration, she stood up and with horror noticed her lovely, stretchy white salwar had become, annoyingly enough, see-through.
"Radhika!" she wailed. "Look what you've done!"
"It's cute, Astha," Parvati giggled. "Show it to Shlok. I bet he wants to see."
Shlok was on the other side of the room, engaged in conversation with The Host. Must be flirting with her too, Astha thought darkly, but unfortunately insulting him had lost its appeal. But it brought a whole other appeal. No, must not think that way, Astha reminded herself. Primly she shook her head and told the girls she was going to go upstairs to change.
She headed towards the stairs and on the third step heard a voice calling her. Male voice. Must be Shlok. Eagerly she turned and nearly lost her footing. With a bit of a stumble she gave him a tiny frown.
"What do you want?" she said sternly, her heart pounding.
"Nothing," he replied, looking slightly taken aback. "Just wanted to know where you were off to."
She faked a large sigh. "Radhika and I were, well, I was trying to keep her from exceeding her alcohol limit, and that resulted in a bit of tug-of-war with the drink and it ended up spilling all over me."
He grinned mischievously. "Oh, that. Don't worry, your breasts aren't misshapen or anything."
Her jaw slackened. The pig! How awful of him! Huffing she turned around quickly and this time managed to lose her balance completely on the steep stairs.
"Uh-oh," she whispered as she tumbled backwards. And promptly passed out.
"Hey, hey, Astha, are you okay?" someone was standing over her. Someone with an awful case of halitosis.
"I was," she mumbled. "Can't breath. She struggled to open her eyes, and when she did a very pink mouth was moving.
"Are you okay?" it sounded again. The Host. Note to self, Astha thought, send The Host breath-mints as a thank you present. Extra strong.
"I'm fine," she muttered, and tried to get up.
"Then get off my star" The Host stated firmly with a teasing smile.
Crap, Astha thought frantically. She couldn't even get him anymore because she'd inadvertently squished him! She stood up so fast the blood rushed to her head and she felt dizzy. But as soon as she was fine she glanced down at him, praying she hadn't killed off The Bachelor. Good, he was breathing. Move, she commanded telepathically. Move!
He stirred and Astha exhaled loudly. Suddenly exhausted, she whispered a quick goodnight to the host, wished Shlok good luck in his rising endeavors, and waved to the laughing Parvati and Radhika.
Damn them. Since when had she become so clumsy?
Radhika called after her, "Did you eat too many bagels, Astha? No wonder poor Shlok can't get up!"
Astha slammed the door shut. Hard. The next morning dawned cloudy and rainy. Astha grinned. She enjoyed the occasional stormy day. In fact she was in such a good mood she even attempted to sing in the shower, albeit under her breath. Couldn't have Parvati or Radhika hear her; oh no, that would be hell. Humming gently, she even blow dried her hair, and smiled when it formed into slightly less frizzy curls.
She gave them a genteel pat and hummed all the way down to breakfast. Radhika arrived twenty minutes later, and another thirty after that, Parvati came down, cream colored fluffy towel still wrapped around her head.
"I'm positively starved," she said cheerily.
"What's for breakfast?"
Radhika handed her an apple and a glass of milk.
"Watch your figure," she reminded.
"This is hardly watching," Parvati said, giggling as she polished the apple.
Astha rolled her eyes. "Want to have a bagel?" she asked Parvati, while glaring at Radhika.
Astha was really not beginning to like Radhika. Food policing little twat. The problem was, Radhika was really, really nice in all other areas. It was difficult not to like her. Astha decided to make it a point to learn.
The Host came in some twenty minutes later with a cheery announcement. "Well," she began happily. "It's down to three, eh, girls? Are you all excited?"
"Excited?" Astha mumbled.
"This is the part where we get emotionally attached."
"Exactly. There's a lot at stake, my girls, namely, your poor, breakable hearts."
Forget breath-mints. Astha wasn't sending her anything.
"Well, I guess I'll tell you the itinerary now," The Host said to the empty silence. All three girls looked very upset.
"Do go on," Radhika said coldly. "Before our poor, breakable hearts break."
There she was again. Astha foundt harder and harder to dislike the creature. Instead of thinking about Radhika, Astha focused on host's notes. She was eager to see what would happen next.
"It's time for the Dream Dates," The Host began mysteriously. "How many of you know what that is?"
"Oh, please," Astha snapped. "This isn't class; just tell us already. I'm sure we're all eager to find out."
The Host frowned. "Well, Shlok picked out three beautiful places he really enjoyed; dubbed Dream Dates. He's going to go with each of you to one of these places. It's random which one you will get. They're overnight dates, too. At the end of the week we'll have our rose ceremony."
Parvati, Radhika, and Astha all exchanged glances. Things had just gotten very, very serious. And very, very romantic.
"What kind of places?" Parvati asked nervously.
"Vacation spots, of course!" The Hostsaid, her smile suddenly back.
"Well, what are the three spots?" Radhika asked.
"You'll find out," The Hostsaid with a wink, and disappeared. A
few minutes later, a letter arrived.
"Oh, Parvati, oh Parvati, this one is for you!"
Parvati nearly rocketed out of her chair to reach the letter. Record time, Astha noticed.
"Where are you going?" she asked, at the same time as Radhika.
"The beaches of Normandy!" Parvati said excitedly. "I haven't been to Normandy since, since ever! Oh, gosh, I love France!"
"When are you leaving?" Radhika demanded.
"Oh, gosh, in like three hours! How am I going to get ready?" she wailed. "Girls, please help me! Please. I'll help you on your dates, I promise."
Reluctantly Radhika and Astha agreed to help Parvati, effectively spending their afternoon stuffing fancy lingerie and revealing bathing suits into her bags. Finally Parvati was ready to depart, and blowing the girls kisses, she left happily, wearing a cute sundress.
Radhika turned to Astha. "You're jealous, aren't you?"
"Well, aren't you?" Astha retaliated.
Radhika nodded glumly. "I hate that. I love Normandy."
"You'll probably end up going someplace better," Astha consoled. "Plus, he likes you." She hadn't meant to say that. It had unfortunately happened to slip out.
"How do you know?" Radhika said suspiciously. "Seriously, how do you know?"
Astha hated being put on the spot. Turning furiously red, she shook her head. "Know what?" she asked with a teeny hysterical hiccup.
"Don't play dumb," Radhika warned. "I know you know!"
"I know you know that I know," Astha said merrily, trying her best to change the topic.
"Stop trying to change the subject," Radhika growled. "Tell me."
"Didn't know you were so ferocious," Astha began, but being at the receiving end of one of Radhika's dirty looks, she stumbled and admitted to the whole thing.
"So, you see," she finally finished up. "Shlok's been asking me for advice and all. That's why I'm on the show."
"He planted you here from the very beginning? Is that why you even applied?" Radhika asked incredulously.
"No, no, no!" Astha corrected hastily. "I didn't know it was going to be Shlok, but we kind of struck a deal at the beginning. I don't know why I agreed to help him, but we're kind of friends now."
It was awfully awkward telling Radhika, but Astha was not prepared for the girl's next statement.
"So you're not competition, then!" Radhika bellowed gaily. "And here I was worried that there was a bit of a chance he might pick you! I should've known; he wouldn't pick you of course. Now all I need to worry about is Parvati!"
Astha couldn't help the tears that pricked at her eyes. Even these girls, who didn't care about social class or previous rivalries or friends that would be really upset if she married Shlok didn't think that she had a chance with him. Suddenly feeling very rejected she stood up and walked shakily to her room, ignoring Radhika's, "What's wrong?".
Ordinarily she would have taken offense at Radhika's statement, but the fact that it was true was really depressing. And Radhika had just been blunt about it. Made Astha see the truth. Her conversation with Radhika was limited for the next day and half, until Parvati returned, her smile wide.
"It was so beautiful," she said. "I wish it never ended. It was like a honeymoon."
"Did you get physicl with him?" Radhika asked.
"He didn't want to," Parvati said, looking puzzled. "We messed around a bit but then he said he didn't want to go any further. He's so noble!"
Astha suspected something else entirely but kept her mouth shut. The next day, a letter arrived for Radhika.
"Vienna," she said happily. "I've never been to Austria."
As promised, Parvati helped her pack and Astha joined in. Radhika departed with a grin, a "wish me luck!" and a "hope Astha told him good things about me!"
Parvati looked puzzled but Astha was in no mood to explain to her as well. Let her be in the dark. All while Radhika was gone, Astha thought about what she was doing. Was she sightseeing with him? Was she "messing around" with him? Did he do it with her? Feeling immature, Astha sighed.
She had to stop this. She hated obsessing over him; it made her feel extremely vulnerable and it was making her very upset. Poor Parvati got the brunt of her bad mood; Astha was constantly snappish and irritable. At dinner one night Parvati casually mentioned Shlok. Well, not so casually, considering the giggle and pant that went with the name. Customary.
"I'm scared," she admitted. "I don't think he's going to pick me."
"The cameras will pick this up," Astha hissed. "Do you want to look like a wuss in front of everyone that is watching this spectacle of a show? Sadly it is the highest rated show on the Broadcasting Network!"
"Anyway," Parvati continued. "I don't care about the cameras. I'm saying that I don't think he's going to pick me and I'm hoping he picks you."
Surprised, Astha blinked. Parvati continued as the words gushed out of her mouth.
"I mean it; I think you both make the cutest couple. After all there's a thin line between love and hate, right?"
Astha blinked again.
"I really, really hope he picks you. You know I'm rooting for you Astha." With that Parvati left the table and retired to her room.
Astha stared after her friend. She suddenly felt horrible. How could she ever call such a nice person silly? Parvati was definitely an amazing, wonderful friend. Astha suddenly felt that squishy, warm, mushy feeling inside that she had always scorned against. Damn. She was such a hypocrite.
Radhika returned, looking pleased. Astha bit back the first question that rose to her mind and hugged her.
"Did you have a good time?"
"Yeah, absolutely," Radhika responded vibrantly.
"We get along beautifully. I think, I think I might be in love with him," she finally stumbled out.
Astha's heart contracted but her smile stayed just as bright.
"That's wonderful," she said warmly.
The next day, Astha's own letter, in silver and white, arrived. She tore it open and read the salutation, which bade her to come to Switzerland. With a whoop, Astha raced back to the other girls.
"I get to go to Switzerland!" she said excitedly. "It's supposed to be absolutely breathtaking there."
To her surprise both Radhika and Parvati made slight faces.
"Astha," they said, trying to be pacifying, "it's really cold there. Like really, really cold."
Astha shrugged. "I love cold weather," she informed them. "Anyway, helping me pack?"
The girls ended up packing warm winter wear and tight cashmere sweaters, and even lacy black lingerie. "Make sure you're inside when you wear this," Parvati said with a squeeze.
"We don't want you to die in the name of fashion!"
The three laughed and Astha was off.
Astha was picked up by Shlok himself and he gave her a grin.
"Well, you ready to fly? I want to end up in the same place as you, oddly enough."
"Oh, shut it," she said, swatting at his arm.
"Ready?" Few hours later, Astha found herself in an elegant hotel, Shlok by her side.
"Well, what do you think? I picked it out."
"It's marvelous," she breathed. "What are we going to do today?"
"Well," he began. "I thought we'd take the train to Geneva, we're in Zurich right now. the train that goes up to the mountains. It's, well, I think it's magnificent."
"Oh," she began. "I'm sure it is. I've heard Switzerland is absolutely gorgeous."
"It's my favorite place out of the three. In fact, it's my favorite spot anywhere. I love the cold weather over any beach weather. Love the silver mists," he said.
His voice sounded far-off and Astha suddenly felt like a puddle with his words. He wasn't even being romantic and she felt this way? Hardening her emotions, she gave him a smile. Not a loving, sappy smile, mind you, but a, well-I-think-so-too sort of smile.
"Me too," she said.
They boarded the train, each carrying a pair of sunglasses, because the snow was so bright it was blinding. Huddling in front of the window, they watched as the train climbed higher, the trees suddenly became pines, and soon the beautiful vision of the snow started. It was as gorgeous as imagined, and Shlok and Astha watched it, entranced by nature.
"I love this," Astha said. "Thanks for picking Switzerland."
"You know," he responded. "Somehow I think you were the right girl for Switzerland. Parvati and Radhika just wouldn't have appreciated the beauty as much."
They stepped out of the train and were immediately hit by blasts of cold air. Unconsciously Astha snuggled close to Shlok and was amazed when he held her so close. Like a couple. She felt tingly and weird. She wanted the moment to end, but she didn't want it to end. Gooey and romantic; the two things she'd promised herself she'd never be.
"So, Omelet/" he began. "How's life?"
"Oh, you!" she cried. "I hate that nickname!"
"I think it's cute," he said. "After all, you're just as round as an omelet!"
In her anger, Astha reached gingerly into the snow and having packed it tightly, threw it straight at him. "I am not round!" she screeched.
"Only kidding!" he surrendered as two more snowballs hit him, one quite dangerously close to his reproductive region. In this manner they spent the day, and finally returned to the nice hotel.
Tiredly they trudged up the stairs to their hotel room, which was lovely but had only one magnificently large bed. Astha was immediately worried. To the other girls this was normal, but to her, after all, there was nothing between them, at least from his part.
Worriedly she sat down on the bed as he went to remove the bulky layers of clothing. In a few moments he emerged, wearing a sweater and pants.
"That's better," he declared. "Maybe you won't look so round anymore once you take off the fourteen layers you're wearing."
Huffily she stood. "It's only six," she called back, and went to the bathroom to peel off the multiples of clothing. She came out wearing just the elegant shirt that Parvati had packed with a pair of jeans.
"Isn't it a bit cold for that?" he teased.
She wondered if his response would have been different if she had been Radhika or Parvati. Would he have said, "hey, you look stunning in that?". Would he have reacted differently? Ignoring her thoughts she sat down next to him.
"It's warm in the hotel room," she reminded.
A silence grew between them; not an awkward silence but a comfortable silence. Finally he spoke again.
"Hey, Astha," he began.
She turned to look at him.
"Thanks," he said. "Thanks for being so cooperative. I couldn't have gone through the show without you. Hell I would've bolted by the second date!"
She laughed but inwardly tried to figure out what he meant. But before she could she noticed that there were barely two inches between his face and hers. Since when had he gotten so close? He moved in closer and before Astha could decipher what was happening he had kissed her on the corner of her mouth and pulled away.
"What was that for?" she breathed.
He didn't respond, only kissed her again, this time quite properly, Astha discovered. For a moment she let herself be kissed, even kissed back a bit, until she remembered everything and hastily pushed him away.
He looked surprise but scooted away from her.
"Don't do this, Shlok!" she said with finality in her tone. "I know you kiss every girl on the show, mess around with them and mess around with their heads. I can't have that. I can't leave the show dejected because you've come onto me and then decided I'm only worth one go and pick someone else!"
"It's not like that," he said, his tone narrowing as well. "But if you think so, then fine! Be a prude!"
"I'm not a prude!" she yelled, fighting back her tears. "I'm not, I'm not! I just don't rush headlong into everything. I like to think a little less! I want to analyze and understand."
She was cut off by soft lips, again. In her ferocious temper, she kissed him back, hard, letting it all go by ways of a kiss. Their tongues battled, not in soft appreciation but in anger and some odd form of attraction. When air was required they pulled away and stared at each other, breathing heavily.
"Good night," he finally said,
He made his way to the small sofa and Astha stared at him for a second, before getting dressed and sliding into the warmth of her larger bed.
The next morning, they got dressed hurriedly and spoke normally, neither daring to mention the activity of last night.
"Come on, Omelet," he teased. "I don't care if you have mascara on or not!"
"I'm not putting make up on for you/" she said coldly. "It's so others can appreciate my beauty."
Finally they were ready and they went out and shopped a bit. But time seemed to slip by like water and soon their little stay in Switzerland was over.
Astha arrived at the mansion with only thirty minutes left until the rose ceremony.
Parvati and Radhika fawned over her in happiness, asking her questions.
"We didn't do anything physical," she told them, and finally they backed off.
"I wonder if he's capable of having sex," Parvati said finally. "He hasn't slept with anyone yet!"
"I'm sure he has," Radhika replied, "but it's weird that he didn't on the show."
They got ready and traipsed down to the room in which the rose ceremony began.
Shlok was there, and when he saw Astha he gave her a hard glare.
"Well with three of you left, it's become increasingly difficult," he said. "I really like all of you. Not romantically, but I really like all of you."
He pulled out the first rose and exhaled loudly. "Radhika."
Radhika seemed to have been expecting it. She got up, hugged him tightly and accepted the rose.
Shlok pulled out the next rose and looked from Parvati's face to Astha's.
"This is so difficult," he said again. "Astha."
Astha was shocked. After the date she hadn't been expecting a rose at all; she'd expected him to move on to a girl that appreciated his romantic endeavors in a different way. But nevertheless she walked up to the rose and took it, wondering if she should accept it or not.
"Accept it," he said.
She did.
Giving her a small squeeze he moved to say goodbye to Parvati.
Astha remembered what Parvati had said earlier and moved to say goodbye to her friend as well.
Giving Parvati a hug she whispered, "Thanks so much for your vote. It meant a lot to me."
With a smile Parvati turned back to her. "I'm counting on you being the one to get in his pants," she said, effectively lightening the mood. "Good luck!"
With a giggle, Astha stared after her, wondering if Parvati's wish would come true.
To be cont..
Bade Achhe Lagte Hain
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