18 The party pooper

Dhruv swiftly buttoned up his shirt and ran to get the door. He was dumbstruck seeing Tanya, completely drenched from head to toe.

The black knee length dress stuck to her body revealing a perfectly slender figure. Her pale face was flushed with heavy droopy eyelids indicating she had cried. She looked pathetic yet beautiful in her own way.

"Dhruv, Can I please stay here today?", she asked.

He took the bag from her and gestured her to come in. She was drying her feet on the doormat when Dhruv noticed Riya standing on the way.

Riya was biting her lips not knowing how to react. She was quickly preparing herself for a hug or handshake from Tanya, but she didn't seem to notice Riya while following Dhruv to the room he was taking her.

'Should she go and sit in the bedroom?' Riya questioned herself. Somehow, she felt weird being there. Dhruv came down after helping Tanya with a clean towel and a hair dryer.

"I need to talk to you", he murmured secretly gesturing Riya to follow him.

They entered the dining hall when Dhruv scanned the area to make sure Tanya was out of earshot.

"I've given her the guest room. Let's lock your room for some time. You need to stay with me."

"Oh….", that was when it hit her. They agreed to share a room when someone stayed over. But considering the current situation with all the kissing, Riya wasn't very sure of that idea.

"She's coming. Let's go out."

'God! Why today?', she felt troubled. She didn't regret kissing him, but surely hated the aftermath. She went outside after a while, feeling queasy.

"Huh? Tanya, don't cry", Dhruv was consoling her when Riya entered the living room.

It seemed too personal, but Dhruv signaled her to sit on the couch chair nearby. She was not good at emotions and particularly loathed when someone cried.

"What happened? If you keep crying, I can't help you."

"I.... uh….. my dad kicked me out... I'm sorry", she sobbed heavily now. Riya's expression slowly turned into disgust, but she straightened it out after realizing. The last thing she wanted was Tanya to cry more because of her.

"What? Why would he do that?", Dhruv relaxed a bit, expectantly looking at Riya for support but was only responded with an expressionless blank face.

"I said I don't want to marry Niranjan, and my dad got angry. Things escalated and he told me to get out of the house. I didn't know where to go, don't have anyone else, so came here. I hope I'm not being a hindrance to you…", she blew her nose and turned to Riya with teary eyes.

Riya rose her eyebrows not sure if she had to say something.

She thought these rich brats were so spoiled. There were people in this world who had nothing to eat or no place to sleep and here she was, crying her eyes out over something which wouldn't even count as a real problem. Figures, Riya didn't know what was love, so shouldn't comment.

"I don't get it Tanya…. Did you fight with Niranjan? Why don't you want to marry him?"

"I don't know Dhruv. I'm scared. Now, everything seems foolish. I don't want to go through it.", she declared and cried over once again.

Dhruv couldn't understand anything. He always thought they were pretty much into each other and that was the reason he never confessed. Was she just getting cold feet? There was only one month left for the wedding, so maybe that was the case.

Tanya leaned on Dhruv's shoulder while he wrapped her in a solacing embrace. Riya's eyes narrowed at him. Just a few minutes ago, he was enjoying kissing her and there he went, every time he saw Tanya, all sweet and lovey. Even if he was like that, at least Tanya should know better not to disturb a married man!

'These people are so dramatic', she concluded and started climbing the stairs, leaving the lovebirds alone.

She packed a few clothes from her room and settled in Dhruv's room. She wanted to sleep but a whirlpool of ideas on how to hurt Tanya swirled in her brain, giving rise to a headache.

Dhruv finally convinced Tanya to sleep and made his way to his room. When he entered, Riya was sound asleep. She looked really peaceful and cute. Her long hair was tied in a messy bun with strangles of hair stroking her face gently. Dhruv gently pushed those behind her ears.

All her worries and anxiety were showcased from the bite marks on her plump lips. The silk night dress she wore folded graciously along her curved hips. He longed to touch her.

There was Tanya sleeping in the adjacent room, wanting somebody to be with her, but all he wanted was to cuddle with Riya right now. He wondered when he fell for this cute monster and chuckled softly.

He silently climbed up the bed and adjusted himself. As he hardly turned around and was sensitive while sleeping, he wouldn't cause any distress to Riya. He was taken over by dreams soon after.