Page 20 of Mrs. Pandey
"Leave it," I said over my shoulder. "I gotta be going now."
I stepped into the crowded hall and froze. There they were, Prashant and Avni, standing way too close, laughing like old friends. My eyes widened as I blinked, trying to make sense of what I was seeing. Was I hallucinating? What the hell was Prashant doing with Avni? They looked like two lovers reunited after years.
And then, without hesitation, Prashant leaned in and hugged her.
I glanced around, expecting someone, anyone, to react. But no one batted an eye. Apparently, an unmarried man hugging a married woman was no big deal here. If I were one of those nosy gossip aunties, I would have clapped my hands, gathered the whole crowd, and publicly shamed them for hugging like that for no damn reason.
Pain shot through my palm. I looked down and realized I was clutching my phone so tightly it was digging into my skin.
I hated Avni Rathore at that moment. That stupid, sweet-faced girl. How dare she talk to Prashant like he meant something to her?
What really burned was watching Prashant, the way he smiled at her, that dimple he only flashed when he was genuinely happy, and the way he tossed a casual, funny remark like he had no worries in the world. Why couldn't he be like that with me? Why was I always the enemy in his story?
He never showed this side of himself to the world. But I had seen it, because he had let me. I knew what was crumbling beneath his uniform, the way he was quietly falling apart inside. The world didn't notice. But I did.
"Prashant Pandey," Aryan's voice cut through the tension as he approached them. Both of them turned at once.
"Good evening, sir," Prashant replied formally, his tone changing instantly.
"You two know each other?" I asked, my voice sharp despite how hard I tried to sound neutral.
"He's my childhood bestie," Avni beamed, all innocence and charm. God, I wanted to scratch that look off her face, especially when Prashant glanced at her like she was the best part of his past. "We used to go to school together."
"That was the best time of my life," Prashant added, grinning even wider.
My jaw clenched as I looked away, pretending not to hear the throbbing of my anger in my ears.
"That's great," Aryan said, surprisingly cheerful. "I'm glad Avni found someone she knows. At least she'll feel more comfortable now."
Aryan, please punch him for touching your wife, I begged him silently, but the words stayed locked behind my teeth.
"Did you bring the file, Captain?" I asked Prashant tightly, forcing the professional tone through my gritted teeth.
"See you around, Avni," Prashant said as he turned away from her and walked toward me. I glanced one last time at Aryan and Avni before following him, my boots echoing behind him.
He got into the vehicle, his expression softer now, clearly lost in the haze of sweet nostalgia.
Avni already had Aryan, and now she was setting her sights on Prashant? All this time, I thought boys were crazy about me. It turns out I was wrong.
_____
Chapter 10
IRA
It was the day we were going on tour with my colleagues. Aryan had casually offered me a spot to join him and his wife for the trip. Normally, I would've refused because spending two days with Aryan and his overenthusiastic social circle sounded like voluntary torture. But I had two days off, and the idea of being painfully lonely in my empty quarter was somehow worse. So, I said yes. The group was a strange mix: me, Aryan, his wife Avni, Prashant, Saurav, Kavya, Rhea, and Karan. I knew most of them already. Aryan, Prashant, Saurav, and Karan were my colleagues, officers I had worked with closely. As for the others, let's just say I wasn't thrilled.
Avni and her annoying best friend Kavya were glued together like matching handbags. They were loud, glossy, and impossible to ignore. Then there was Rhea, Aryan's sweet little sister who, for reasons only known to her, hated my guts. She looked like a cupcake and behaved like a mean girl in disguise.
I picked out a blue strappy dress for the trip, pairing it with my favorite heels. Just because I spent most of my days in stiff uniforms didn't mean I didn't care about fashion. I kept buying new dresses every week and waited for the right time to wear them, to feel like myself again, even if only for a few hours.
Flinging my bag over my shoulder, I stepped out onto the road where they were going to pick me up. The heels clicked confidently against the pavement until one caught on a rock. Istumbled forward, heart in my throat but before I could fall, an arm caught me, and pulled me back to my place.
I gasped, my body pressed against Prashant's rock-solid chest.
"Watch out, Warrior," he grinned, steadying me. Then, without missing a beat, he picked up my bag from the ground. "Otherwise you'll end up breaking your pretty little nose."
I shoved him lightly, crossing my arms over my chest and glaring at him. "Why do you always search for excuses to touch me?"
