CONSEQUENCES (a fiction)-updt Chapter 16 (pg 51) - Page 10

"Why do you do that?" She asked as she could feel his eyes burning a hole through her. She could hear him chuckle and against her better judgement she turned to look at him, in all his almost topless glory. The corners of his mouth were turned up into a hint of an arrogant grin and Aarti felt her body tense and grow warm again.

"Do what?" He asked with a playful tone that made the muscles of her abdomen clench and she hastily looked away from him. She swallowed nervously. What was wrong with her seriously? Was she a masochist, did she deep down inside like being humiliated?

"You know very well, staring at me like that!" She snapped giving into her frustration as she got up to straightened her skirt and he laughed again.

"I find it entertaining to see just how nervous you can get by someone looking at you," he mused and Aarti felt her insides twist with shame. GOD! This was all just a game to him, he took nothing seriously.

"Well I am glad to see you're enjoying yourself," she shot bitterly standing and slipping on her shoes. She wanted so bad to tell that man to get out of her house so she could get back to the way things were. Aarti gasped as he grabbed her by the waist and pulled her back down onto the couch. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him till her back was up against his chest.

Aarti bit back a moan that so desperately wanted to escape as he kissed her neck. Her tense body relaxed and a shiver of delight ran through her. Why couldn't she stop reacting that way towards him? She cursed silently, once again finding herself unable to push him away. He had complete and utter control over her right now. "I can't help it if you just look so sexy when you get uncomfortable," he whispered in her ear with amusement dripping from his voice.

She snapped out of the passion filled stupor and grew angry. "Stop it, just stop it Yash! Stop playing these stupid games," Aarti snapped and pushed him away from her.

"Who said I am playing games," he asked, looking serious but she refused to fall for his tricks. Remember who you are Aarti, she told herself. She forced herself to remember the night Prashant dumped her. A painful pain flashed through her chest as she remember the words he told her that night, after six years it still hurt like hell.

"Don't try and deny it," Aarti shot at him and stood up quickly, fuelling her anger with her old memories. Yash looked like he wanted to argue some more but she interrupted him. "It's very late; we have to get going now if we don't want to be more than a few minutes late!" Aarti marched into the bathroom like a soldier going to war with her fists balled up by her side.

She quickly brushed her hair and pulled it back into a tight bun, then stomped back into the living room relieved to see that Yash was neatly dressed with his tie on. "My father hates nothing more than people being late. It's a good thing he's not in the office today or we'd probably be fired," she told him as she slipped her handbag on her shoulder.

"Oh I think I know of something he'd hate more," Yash said with a playful smile as he pulled on his jacket.

"Really, and what would that be?" she asked frowning. He put on his shoes and walked towards her. He wrapped his arms around her again and she attempted to remove his arms around her. GOD, did he not know how to respect personal space, she thought bitterly, trying to fight back the wanton reactions his touch caused in her.

"I think that the fact of how I just spent my lunch hour with his daughter would piss him off much more than my actually being late," he teased and she froze and the all too familiar blush burned across her cheeks.

"Y..yo..you wouldn't tell him'you can't!" She gasped and tried to push him away again but he didn't budge as he laughed at her. So this was his plan, to make fool of her and go running to her father telling him all of it! Her father would be so embarrassed; he'd probably pay Yash anything to keep his mouth shut.

"Of course I won't, in fact I think that'd be the last thing I'd do," Yash told her pulling her body up closer to his. She didn't believe him for one moment, she couldn't. She believe more that he was an alien from another planet before believing the lies he was telling. Aarti realized if she was going to survive she needed to get far, far away from Yash as humanly possible without skipping town.

He forced her to face him and gave her another intense kiss. She was doomed, she thought as she felt her defences against him melt oh so easily. How she was going to get out of this mess? She wondered desperately trying to ignore the voice that was asking in a whisper, did she really want to get out of it?.

Aarti stormed in the office without greeting anyone. She had grown increasingly angry with herself as she drove from her home. She had to figure out how to stop Yash from getting to her so much. She hated that she was defenceless against him and his charms. Aarti also really, really hated to admit it, but she was starting to fall for him and that was very, very bad. Aarti had read enough books and seen enough TV to know that this would end horribly and she wasn't so sure she could take being dumped again.

There were two possibilities that she saw in this situation. One Yash actually likes her, which she severely doubted. He'd get bored pretty soon because she was about as interesting as a pet rock. Prashant had been very explicit when he told her how boring she was'in every possible way. So Yash would eventually move on to the next woman and she would end up hurt.

The second possibility was he is simply playing games with her for one or more of the many reasons she had already thought up of, blackmail to simple sadistic pleasure in her suffering. Obviously it would leave Aarti hurt, humiliated and she'd probably have to jump off a bridge. Though she wasn't sure Red Bank had a bridge since it didn't have a river for nearly a hundred years. Whichever possibility was true, the result was the same. Aarti would end up hurt and she wanted to avoid that at all cost.

Aarti sat down at her desk, preparing to file some papers as Yash was walking toward his office. He gave her a sexy smile and a wink before entering his own office. Aarti's face turned red and she focused her attention back to her work but she wasn't the only one that saw it. Mansi squealed quietly racing up to her desk.

"Aww...he is absolutely too cute," she whispered dreamily and grinned brightly at Aarti. She rolled her eyes and gave her friend a sour look then turned her face to a sweet expression.

"If you like him that much why don't you go for him," she suggested hopefully. Almost every man Aarti had come across thought Mansi was hot. It would be perfect, he'd leave her alone finally and Mansi could handle a man like him.

Mansi "tsked" at Aarti and shook her head. "No thank you, besides I know he only has eyes for one woman in this office," she replied wagging her eyebrows at Aarti.

"He doesn't have eyes for me; this is all some game of his," Aarti said bitterly and irritated at Mansi. "He should be getting bored here pretty soon!" She insisted picking up the papers and Mansi just gave her a knowing smile.

"And what are you going to do when time passes and he still crazy about you," Mansi asked and Aarti laughed dryly.

"That won't happen, Mansi! This is one of those cases of where the leopard can't change his spots," she stated with confidence and headed toward the storage room before Mansi had a chance to respond in disagreement. If only she could figure out how to stop her body from reacting the way it did whenever he was near her, she would easily be able to stop falling for him and waiting for the unavoidable pain.

It would be the solution to all her problems. She sighed placing her chin on the file cabinet thinking how easy it sounded. Maybe she could just ignore it and it would go away but that sounded too easy and highly unlikely. Yash was many things, but ignorable wasn't one of them. GOD knows she had tried and tried hard. She sighed and left the room once more wishing she could turn back time and change things.

That evening Mansi invited Aarti out for drink but she declined adamantly. There was no way she was getting near alcohol in a long time; it was the partner in crime of this disaster she was in. Instead she went late grocery shopping and holed up in her home during the whole weekend. She was nervous and tense, hoping Yash doesn't show up any minute and convert her into a bubbly hot mess. Thankfully her prayer was answered and it didn't happen, and by time Monday came around, Aarti was starting to feel normal again. That was until she realized that morning; she was going to have to see him again.

To her surprise, the week continued pretty well despite the fact Yash was always giving her that impish grin of his. Luckily the only time she was near him was when he'd ambush her at lunch, which she made sure to eat at the diner so she could avoid the disaster of last Friday. Though it didn't help that even though they were in public he'd seem to find some excuse to stand right next to her and have his body or hands brushing up against her.

It was enough to make her go crazy in mentally and physically. It also only made the patrons of the diner get less discreet with their glances and their whispers had gotten even worse than it was before. Throughout the week Aarti had tried but failed in figuring out how to get out from under Yash's charms. No man had ever made her blush so much; it was really infuriating. Aarti rubbed her shoulders feeling the tensions of the last two weeks really building upon her muscles when Mansi sat on the corner of her desk.

"T-G-I-F Aarti, everyone is going out tonight for drinks," Mansi chirped as she usually did when it was Friday evening.

"Good for you guys," Aarti said flatly looking up from her computer screen.

"You should come along," Mansi told her and Aarti shook her head no. "Come on, Yash is going," Mansi pleaded.

"Even more reason not to go!" Aarti replied with insistence. Mansi rolled her eyes. "Besides'" Aarti went on, "I know that everyone can't relax when I go out with you all, especially Ram Dulare. They are terrified that I'll tell my dad about what they do when they are off the clock." Aarti told her friend as she began to shut down her computer. "I guess I can't blame them really," she finished pouting a little once the screen had gone back.

"Ram Dulare is a mouse, whether you're there or not!" Mansi whispered and eyed Aarti seriously. "Come on missy, I won't have you ducking out. Time to go and have some fun, you're looking way to serious lately and its going to give you wrinkles."

"That sounds a little too much like an order to me Ms. Patel," Aarti said with a mocking stern tone.

"That is because it is Ms. Dubey!" Mansi shot back smiling eagerly.

"Well then, yes Drill Sergeant!" Aarti replied with a salute, she could never say no to Mansi when she insisted on something. In fact that was becoming a serious problem of hers, Aarti thought moodily. Lately she couldn't seem to say no to anyone.

"That's much better young lady, now hurry up because everyone is about to leave," Mansi demanded then hopped up from her desk before she could say anything else.

Aarti rolled her eyes and collected the papers she had printed out earlier and placed them in her "out" folder for Monday morning. By time she finished everyone had already left except for her father who always stayed late on Fridays. "I'm going now," She called to him with a wave which he returned with a nod.

Dan's Bar was crowded as Aarti pushed her way through the crowd to the table where Mansi and the others sat. She sat down at the table trying to ignore as much as possible Yash's presence. "Hey Aarti, how ya do'in," Arpita said, nearly beaming at her. Arpita was the company's website designer and managed everything that was done online.

"Hey Arpita," Aarti replied feeling a little surprised at how warmly Arpita greeted her. She sat down and eyed Ram Dulare, who obviously didn't share Arpita's enthusiasm. Ram Dulare was another accountant at her father's company and Aarti thought if anyone was a bigger goody two shoes than her it was without a doubt Ram Dulare.

"What do you want to drink, Aarti? It's on me so get whatever you want." Arpita started waving over a waitress.

"Um'thanks" Aarti said wondering what was the cause of Arpita's new friendly attitude, before they hardly talked.

"Thanks for that awesome display last week," she replied and Aarti smiled weakly. Of course Arpita's suddenly friendliness was because she acted like an ass last week, she thought bitterly.

"My only regret was, that I wasn't able to see your dad's face, though it didn't seem to remove the stick from his ass," Arpita finished and Aarti's smile grew a little stronger.

Ram Dulare, of course, wasn't impressed. "You shouldn't talk about Mr. Dubey like that," he demanded.

Arpita and Mansi both rolled their eyes in unison. "Relax Ram; no one here is exactly going to tell him we called him a pompous ass. GOD, you're such a brown noser," Mansi said with an air of desperation. The waitress came to their table and asked what they wanted.

"I'll have a soda," Aarti told the smiling woman.

"Soda? Come on its Friday! Go for something at least adult," Mansi started desperately and Aarti shook her head with determination.

"Oh no, I think I have had enough alcohol for a while, I don't think I do "drinking" very well," she told her friend then felt the all too familiar blush rise to her cheeks as she suddenly remembered Yash was also at the table. She tried to ignore the irritating but somehow sexy at the same time smile on Yash's face. The waitress nodded and left to get her drink and Aarti prayed that he would keep his mouth shut.

"When have you been drunk? I don't think I have even seen you with a buzz," Arpita asked and Aarti started to feel very uncomfortable while Mansi excused herself from the table.

"I managed to loosen her up a bit when we went to Las Vegas and she actually did get quite drunk," Mansi teased with a mischievous look in her eye before walking away from the table and Aarti began to pray that they find something else to talk about.

"Oh, did you meet any hot guys," Arpita asked rubbing her hands together and Aarti choked on her own saliva. She noticed Yash looking at her with an eyebrow raised expectantly and a full blown smile across his face. Oh GOD, how was she supposed to answer that?

"Oh yeah, we hooked up with some really nice hotties" Mansi said nudging her with her elbow while taking her seat back barely 5 minutes later, and Aarti felt her blush darken. This can't be happening, she thought panicked and missed the days she just sat in the background while everyone else talked about their adventures.

"Aww, wish I could have been there. So were they really hot? Give me some details," Arpita said excitedly.

Well just look to your left and get all the details you want, Aarti thought to herself and felt a smile creep on her face as Mansi went explaining about that night in the club which thankfully she didn't mention that the hot guy was Yash or the fact they had slept together. She couldn't help but gaze at him through her lashed eyes with her head bowed listening to that entire Mansi's account of that night. The waitress returned with Aarti's "soda" and she quickly thanked the woman.

"Sounds like super fun, next time let me tag along too, I would love to get me some of that heat too," Arpita said dreamily as Mansi finished.

"Oh please, and you say men only think about sex," Ram Dulare said grumpily with his arms crossed over his chest. Arpita mussed up his hair.

"You're just jealous you don't have a girl drooling over you like that" she told him and Yash tried to hide a laugh but it wasn't working.

"Oh wait a minute, let's get the record straight! I have never ever drooled over anyone!" Aarti exclaimed desperately and Yash's face turned red as he burst out laughing. Seriously, can this get any worse, she pouted, feeling so embarrassed.

"Well, well, looks like tweedle-dee and tweedle-dum finally found some friends," a snooty voice called out behind them and Aarti cringed. She should've known better than ask how things could get worse, even only in her mind, because as soon as she does, BAM! It gets worse.

She turned slightly to see Nida Khanna walking over swinging her hips exaggeratedly. "Nida, nice to see you," Mansi said icily with a frown on her face. Nida and Aarti were enemies in every way possible since Mansi got the attention of the senior quarter back in her sophomore year that Nida had been two years chasing. Nida hated Mansi with a passion after that. Aarti was guilty by association and the fact she wasn't in Nida's category of important people. Nida flipped her raven hair over her shoulder, glaring at them coldly until she saw Yash.

"You must be new in town," she purred leaning over the table just enough to allow Yash a good view.

"H'hi Nida," Ram Dulare stuttered nervously but Nida ignored Ram and didn't take her eyes off of Yash.

"Yes I'm new, I'm Yash Schindia," he told her only glancing at her over for a second. A second was enough for Aarti to feel a wave of jealousy wash over her. Oh GOD, NO!, Aarti thought feeling her face go pale with horrified realization that she just felt jealous. She couldn't feel jealous; jealousy meant she actually had fallen for him and she couldn't fall for him! Aarti attempted to swallow the evil unwanted emotion and realized Nida was the perfect person to have around, the solution to her all her nasty problems.

Nida Khanna was one of those women who had all the right things in all the right places and she knew how to use it to get what she wanted. So if Nida wanted Yash she would get him and that would make him finally leave her alone! Aarti watched Nida walked over to his side with a strange mixture of jealousy and hope. "It's nice to meet you Yash," Nida said as she walked over slowly exaggerating every movement she made till she was by his side.

Aarti felt pride bubble up inside her as she realized that even when she was drunk, she didn't stoop to such sl**ty tactics to get his attention. With a seductive look on Nida's face she gently leaned against him and Aarti focused her attention on her drink, her pride gone and the battle against feeling jealous lost. Nida whispered something in his ear and Mansi was glaring at her disdainfully.

Yash leaned away from Nida. "Sorry but I'm afraid I've already got a girlfriend," he stated coolly and Aarti's breath froze in her throat. He have a girlfriend? She felt her stomach clench painfully. She felt angry and sick at the same time. Why he did he sleep with her if he already have a girlfriend? She thought angrily. Well she had finally figured a way to get over him. He was a complete douche bag and she was a complete idiot.

"I won't tell if you won't," Nida said leaning over him again and he moved his chair away from her.

"No thanks," he said coldly. Aarti wasn't sure who was more shocked, her or Nida. No one had ever rejected Nida before, especially douche bags like him.

"Well if you change your mind I will be over by the bar," she purred and everyone was smirking and laughing silently as she stalked off in a huff but Aarti wasn't amused. She downed her drink in one gulp and did her best not to appear angry. Noticing her empty glass, Mansi winked at the waitress to refill Aarti's glass.

Mansi gave Yash a hard pat on the back. "You're officially part of the town now that the town b***o has tried to get her claws into you," she teased.

"Gee great," Yash mused sourly and Aarti felt the corner of her lips turn upward at his sour tone.

"She isn't a b***o," Ram snapped frowning at Mansi, "just because you don't like her doesn't make her a b***o!"

"No, but the fact that she slept with pretty much every single man in town and even a few that aren't, makes her a b***o. You being hot for her doesn't make her a saint," Arpita stepped in, then slung her arm around him and gave him a little hug. "You're too good for her," she told him reassuringly.

"I agree you're not so bad in a geeky sort of way," Mansi added and Aarti tried to give him a reassuring smile. She really felt sorry for the guy; it must really suck to be crazy about someone who won't even give you the time of day. Ram shrugged not looking any happier.

"Come dance with me Ram, maybe that will get that grouchy look off your face," Arpita told him grabbing his hand and pulling him towards the small dance area ignoring his protests. Aarti gulped her drink once again and couldn't help but laugh watching his attempt to escape Arpita, but that obviously wasn't going to happen.

"Well my glass is empty," Mansi said getting up moving to the bar winking at Aarti and raising her eyebrow looking at Aarti's empty glass. What? She's leaving her alone with Yash, which was exactly what she didn't want to be. Aarti frowned as she turned her attention down to her empty glass, which is now being replaced with a full one by the smiling waitress.

Yash got up from his chair and sat down in the one next to Aarti. He leaned in close to her and Aarti thought about elbowing him in the face to satisfy her anger and jealousy but she reminded herself she wasn't a violent person yet, again even if it would make her feel a whole lot better. "I hope you don't mind that I called you my girlfriend, I know we haven't really been officially dating," he started quietly and she looked at him shocked. What the hell was he talking about?

"W..wh..what do you mean?" Aarti asked chokingly with a confused expression. "You were referring to me when you told Nida you had a girlfriend?" She asked him as she eyed him suspiciously and he started laughing, much to her irritation.

"Of course I was referring to you. Who else," he replied once he stopped laughing and she tried to ignore the butterflies in her stomach.

"I don't know how many women are awaiting anxiously for your calls Mister," she said acidly turning her attention back to her drink and he started laughing again and threw his arm over her shoulders.

"Aww, are you jealous?" Yash teased with an evil glint in his eye and she pushed his arm off of her.

"I am most certainly not jealous; I just don't want to be a part these silly games of yours. I'm seriously sick and tired of it," she said crossing her arms and raising her chin up high. He replaced his arm on her shoulder and cupped her face forcing her to look towards him.

"Aarti, despite what you may have convinced yourself, I am not playing any games with you. Yes, I enjoy making you uncomfortable but it's just so I can see that sexy blush of yours," he said with a serious tone looking straight into her eyes. She felt herself blush and he smiled. "That's the one," he teased and her cheeks burned brighter red.

"Aarti, will you be my mine officially," he told her whispering in her ear and she felt herself shiver but eyed him suspiciously not sure what to think. She wasn't sure if he was telling the truth or this was just part of his game. She eyed him looking for some sort of sign of honesty, gnawing at her bottom lip with uncertainty; she didn't see anything that could convince her if he was serious or just playing games. "Oh GOD, you're killing me Aarti, say something," he pleaded.

"I don't know if I can trust you," she said simply shrugging off his arm once more and looking away from him.

"Ouch," he said, holding a hand over his heart pretending to be hurt. "You can be cruel sometimes Aarti." He returned his arm over her shoulders. "I don't believe I have given you reasons to doubt me." Aarti laughed but it was a bitter harsh laugh.

"Oh I think you have given me every reason to doubt you. You have been doing nothing but toying with me and embarrassing me every chance you get by reminding me of what a fool I made of myself in Las Vegas," she said moodily propping her head upon her fist.

He gave her shoulders a gentle squeeze. "I don't think you made a fool of yourself," he started then leaned in closer. "I thought you were right down sexy. No woman has ever done to me what you did in just a few short hours," he whispered seductively in her ear and she felt her stomach do flips and heat scorched through her. This conversation wasn't doing her resistance any good. "Now I admit when the first day I came, I wanted revenge on you, so I tried my hardest to make you sweat," he admitted.

"Revenge!'what I ever did to you?" she asked, glaring at him, glad to feel her old self returning.

"You left, Aarti. I expected to wake up next to you that morning, have breakfast with you and learn everything I could about you but you just left. Didn't leave your name, number, or hell even a note saying you had left," he said and she could hear bitterness in his voice but she still doubt to whether it was authentic or not. He couldn't really be serious, could he?

"I..I really didn't expect you to care, after all we were really drunk that night. I thought it was best to save us both the trouble of an awkward morning, besides I had a plane to catch," she explained with a flat tone and then emptied her glass once again, feeling embarrassed.

"Of course you were! I saw you drinking," she told him feeling her anger rise.

"Yes you saw me drink but that doesn't make me drunk. I had two drinks and nothing more. You may have been drunk but I wasn't, I was hell bent sober," he replied. That couldn't be true; a man like him would never have acted like that around her if he wasn't.

"But you still haven't answered my question," Yash told her once the kiss had ended giving her an intense look and she looked at him confused.

"What question?" Aarti asked, honestly confused to what he was talking about.

"Will you or will you not be mine officially?" He asked raising his eyebrows. She eyed him questionably chewing on her lip. Maybe he really was telling the truth.

"I guess I could give it a try," she said slowly continuing to eye him suspiciously and much to her irritation he burst out laughing. "What is so funny?" Aarti demanded heatedly.

"Mansi was right, you really do over think things. GOD, I dread the day I decide to ask you to marry me," he said continuing to laugh and her jaw dropped open. OH MY GOD! He didn't just say that, Aarti thought horrified.

She snapped her mouth closed and stood up glaring at him. "You know what, forget it," she barked furiously getting up from her chair and stomping...wait, she's swaying, out of the bar. All he ever did was laugh at her. Even if he was telling the truth there was no way she could ever be with a guy like that.

"Aarti, I was just joking! Aarti!," he called after her and followed her out of the bar.

"Ha, ha, ha very funny, I just love how people make fun of me!" Aarti said sourly with her hand over her head in a most weird way while swaying backwards trying to reach her car. Yash was horrified. He quickly grabbed her by the hand and pulled her against him, despite her protest to let her go.

"I'm sorry Aarti; I didn't mean to offend you but GOD, you're drunk," he said wrapping his arms around her. She tried to push him away from her but he refused to move. "I was just having a little fun, I didn't mean to make you feel bad, I promise! Now wait...I thought you were on soda, why do you look drunk?. Geez..you don't need to take things so seriously Jalebi," he told her. "Please forgive me," Yash asked and Aarti shook her head, pushing him away from her. "Aww come on Aarti, I swear I won't tease you any more if it makes you feel that bad," he pleaded pulling her even closer to him.

"No, I don't believe you Yash," she snapped, pushing at him again. "Now let me go," she demanded.

"Not until you forgive me. If I have to get down on my knees and beg in front of everyone, I'll do it," he told her and Aarti narrowed her drunken eyes at him. He wouldn't do something so humiliating and stupid would he? Yash started to kneel when she remained silent. Aarti was horrified and clasped both her palms to her mouth.

"Don't do that, everyone will see you!" She almost screamed, pulling him to stand up.

"Do you forgive me," he asked with a sly smile and she glared at him silently, so he continued to kneel.

"Okay, okay, I forgive you now get up already before someone sees you," Aarti snapped and Yash shot up to his feet with an evil smile. Aarti gave him another glare as she turned to walk towards her car, when suddenly she stumbled and fell flat on her face. She could feel her stomach churning in a most odd way and before she could fathom the sensation, she puked. She felt Yash's strong arms on her shoulder.

"Arthi, you're going to come home with me," he told her with a stern tone and a naughty smile on his face. Aarti looked at him surprised. Was this man really for real? Before she could protest, he carried her in his arms walking towards his car. She tried to walk away once he placed her on the ground next to his car's passenger door, but he was too quick for her, he pressed her against him "Do I have to get on my knees again," he whispered in a most husky tone as Aarti studied him and knew he would do just that before she passed out on him. Yash held her in his arms with a warm smile growing on his lips. He knew for sure at that instant, that he'd finally met his soul mate...his Aarti! Yash knew he was not going to regret on his decision, ever...