Chapter Eleven
"What do you mean? I like you."
⧠P R E E T â§
"Are you ready?" I heard Deven yell from the dining room and I bit my tongue. I still had to do my makeup; I regretted waking up so late.
"Five minutes," I screamed, quickly applying the foundation. Luckily, I had the perfect shade with high coverage, my favorite one. However, it costs over five thousand rupees.
I need to understand the concept of saving money.
But I'm into some really expensive stuff.
"You've been saying five minutes for the past ten minutes." I heard footsteps and guessed he was coming towards the room. He leaned on the doorframe and folded his arms.
Is this his favorite position?
"What is taking you so long?" he asked. I turned my head, giving him a sheepish smile.
"I have to straighten my hair today, and I woke up late. I'm so sorry." I apologized, then applied concealer and placed dots of contour on my cheekbones and a line on the side of my nose. "You'll be late if you drop me off. Do one thing, I'll go alone today, and we'll do this another time."
"No," he replied. "I'll help you."
"In what?" I asked. He walked over, pressed my shoulders, and made me sit down.
"I'll straighten your hair." I let out a chuckle.
"Thanks for the offer, but do you even know how to use it?" I asked, and he nodded.
"Of course. Lord Deven knows it all." Rolling my eyes, I turned to look at him to see if he was serious.
"Seriously. One of my ex-girlfriends taught me. She was a runway model and an influencer." My mouth formed an 'O'.
He's dated runway models? My God.
"Wow. That's impressive. Okay then, it will be helpful. Thanks." I said, handing him the straightener. "Actually, there's an event with a lot of big directors and producers coming to our university. That's why I'm putting so much effort into getting ready."
I was astonished to see him using the straightener exactly as it should be used. He was good at it. While he was doing that, I wore my silver earrings and continued my makeup, or at least tried to.
It was a while before my phone's ringtone broke my trance. I glanced at the screen, and it was my mom. I indicated for Deven to keep quiet by putting a finger on my lips, and he nodded, giving a thumbs up.
"Hi, Mummy," I said.
"Hello." After some questions about how I was, what I was eating, and how life was going, if I missed her or finally realized that life was easier with parents, she came to the topic she called about.
"There's an NRI guy in Canada, Sheetal Aunty's son. How about you meet him?" She suggested, and my eyebrows twitched.
"For what?"
"Marriage." I made a face.
"You know my answer, it's a no," I replied.
"I'm not asking you to marry him. I'm just asking you to meet him once, be friends, let destiny decide the rest."
"No. I don't want destiny to decide anything, and neither do I want new friends. I already have a wholesome amount of friends here," I said.
"I already told Sheetal Aunty yes. Please, at least meet him. You can turn it down later if you want. I won't say anything for sure." I clicked my tongue in irritation. Why would she even say yes without asking me?
"Why did you do that without asking me, Mummy? I told you I don't want to meet anyone for marriage." I watched Deven's eyes widen through the mirror upon hearing my words.
"Okay, I'm sorry. I won't repeat this, but please meet him once."
"Mummy, yaar," I whined. Her insistence was irritating.
"Please?" I let out a sigh of frustration.
"Okay." Suddenly, an idea clicked in my mind. Time for some matchmaking. "Did you send him my picture?"
I really hoped she said no.
"No. Do you want me to?"
"No, absolutely not. And okay, I'll try to meet him. Just text me the details once decided." She mumbled an "okay," and we hung up.
"What was thatâ" Deven began, but I cut him off.
"Wait."
I immediately called Neava next. She had broken up with Luv a week ago. Long distance wasn't working for them, and they were just bored of each other, as she told me.
I was glad their relationship wasn't long, starting just a few months before we came here, making it easier for them to move on. The longer a relationship lasts, the longer it takes to move on.
Neava was back to normal within a few hours. She had already lost her feelings for him, so it didn't matter much.
"Hello," I said when she picked up the call.
"What?" She asked rudely. I shouldn't have thought about him.
"I have a blind date for you," I said, impatiently tapping my foot.
"Who's the guy?" She asked.
"I'll text you the details in a while. Do you want to go on that blind date? Even if you don't like him, you can be friends. It's a win-win." I knew how to persuade her. Neava and new friends go very well together. Her social butterfly starts dancing at the mention of new friends.
"Yeah, okay, I don't mind. But I feel something fishy, or else why would youâ" I interrupted her.
"Yes. You have to pretend that you are Preet Randhawa." There was a moment of silence in which I saw Deven's open mouth in the mirror, chuckling.
"You are such a bitch, Preet," I heard her break the silence.
"Come on, you can do this much for me. I really don't want to meet any new guys. I'm done with the male community at this point. I need no man right now," I explained while Deven's eyes were fixed on me.
"You could have simply declined it then."
"My mother already said yes without asking me. Now, what am I supposed to do? Besides, just wonder if the guy actually turns out to be nice. Think about it." At this point, I wasn't sure if this was considered manipulating.
But I honestly wasn't interested in this right now. I had enough on my plate. If Neava and the guy were interested in each other, she could tell him her real identity later. If not, we were going to turn this down anyway.
I saw no loss in this situation.
"Please, Neava, I'll do anything you ask me to. Just do this for me. Remember the time I saved you from that irritating guy? Consider this a payback." I heard her murmuring some curses.
"Fine. Forward me the details." She said, already sounding annoyed.
"I will. And remember, you are Preet Randhawa for one night."
"Yes, ma'am." And with that, she hung up.
After a few minutes, I heard Deven clap his hands. "I don't know whether to call you a cupid or a fox who cunningly escaped the situation within minutes."
"Anything you wish. I'll take both as a compliment." I shrugged and flipped my hair, which he had straightened. He did a good job, and I appreciated it.
"Neither. I'll call you my wifey instead." I shook my head, ignoring his statement, and stood up from the chair.
"You did a nice job. I'm proud of you." I went towards him and patted his back.
"Thanks, ma'am." He bowed dramatically, and I rushed to finish my makeup. Within ten minutes, we were out of his house and in the car, where I played songs of my choice.
"That cloud looks like a heart," I pointed out.
"Oh, yes, it does," he replied. "That one looks like a duck."
I glanced at the cloud he was showing and nodded in agreement.
"It does. And that one looks like a butterfly, a weird one, but okay."
"No, that looks like an A-double-S." It took me a moment to register his words before I cringed and scrunched my nose.
"Ew," I said. "But now that you've said it, I can't unsee it."
"By the way," I started, and he turned his head towards me for a second, asking me to continue. "You said your ex-girlfriend was an influencer and all. How many girls have you dated?"
"Are you jealous?" He asked back with a teasing smile.
"Curious," I corrected.
"I've dated six girls," he replied after counting them in a barely audible voice. From his lip movements, I could only catch two names: Khusboo and Angel.
"Only six girls in thirty-one years? Impressive."
"Yeah. Four of them were from my teenage years and weren't anything serious. Only one was, but she broke my heart. The remaining two were in my twenties."
"Damn. It must have been serious if you only dated two girls in a decade. You're a heartbroken lover boy or what?" I joked, and he frowned, shaking his head.
"No, actually not. They weren't that serious. And I haven't been in a relationship for years now, so I guess." I bit my tongue and looked at him.
"Years? How many?" Was I being nosy?
"Umm, six."
"You haven't been in a relationship for six years?!" I was shocked. It was normal for some people, but this was Deven. It was hard to believe him.
"Do flings count?" I shook my head. "Yeah, then you're correct."
"You are still in love with someone or what?" I asked, still in shock. He curled his lips and let out a chuckle.
"No, nothing like that," he replied and laughed.
"We need to find a girl for you too. I have some friends who are into people your age. I'll introduce you to them. I'm sure you'll like someone among them. It's super easy to like you, so that won't be a problem." I kept babbling until I noticed him raising his eyebrows and lifting one hand like a student asking a question.
"Yes?"
"It's super easy to like me?" he questioned with a smirk, and I nodded.
"Yeah, it is. You are charming, good-looking, and a pro at flirting. Plus, a man you'd feel safe around." I genuinely meant every word. Living under the same roof for a week and a half had made me get to know him better.
"Why don't you like me then?" he asked, and I was taken aback for a second.
"What do you mean? I like you." A soft smile formed on his lips as he lightly shook his head. I couldn't understand the meaning behind his smile, but I could tell it wasn't a happy one.
"Leave that. Let's get back to the topic. See, I have a friend named Ruchika. She's very niceâ" He cut me off.
"I don't want your friends, Preet." I raised my eyebrows in confusion. "I want you."
There was a moment of silence, the air around us growing heavier and tenser.
"Oh, stop with the flirting. I was serious about finding you a girl, and here you are casually flirting with me," I said, waving my hand dismissively.
He let out a deep breath. "Forget that. How many people have you dated?"
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"It's definitely him. The guy who flirted with me, I'm sure it's him," Deven whispered in my ear as soon as he noticed Connor talking to a male actor.
"Are you a hundred percent sure?" I asked.
"Five hundred percent sure. It's him." It was hard to believe, but I had no other option left.
Connor noticed me, then his eyes fell on Deven. Narrowing them, he walked towards us.
"What are you going to introduce me as? Husband or love?" Deven asked, and I turned towards him, giving him a sarcastic smile.
"Friend." He wiped his under-eye with his finger, pretending to wipe off tears. "Also, he doesn't know me well, so no need for an explanation."
"Oh, okay. So I'll take my leave then. Sorry to break your poor little heart, but it's definitely him. Your crush is gay." He grinned.
"You don't look sorry at all." I rolled my eyes and watched his grin widen.
"I'll get going now. Go nail your work and make your husband proud." I nodded.
"Sure. By the way, thank you for dropping me off." He smiled genuinely and blinked once. I watched him get into the car. I turned around and started walking around the campus. Later, when I was at a distance, I turned around and noticed Deven's car starting.
What was he even doing all this while?
Never mind. His business.
I felt someone's gaze on me, and when I turned, it was Connor. He was walking towards me.
"You're Preet, right?" he asked, and I nodded with a smile.
His accent. How can anyone not like himâ
He's potentially gay.
"I'm Connor Benjamin." He extended his hand for a handshake, and I gladly accepted it.
"The person who dropped you off, was he your boyfriend?" he asked, and I licked my lips, wondering how to reply.
"No, he was just a friend." He nodded thoughtfully. I further asked, "Why?"
"I have one question. You might find it weird, but I'm just being straightforward," I hummed, waiting for him to ask.
"Is he straight?" he asked, and I could hear my heart shattering into a million pieces.
Deven wasn't lying.
"Yeah, he is," I mumbled awkwardly.
"My bad then. I'm so sorry for making this awkward. Actually, I went to a restaurant the other day, and he caught my attention. And now today, I saw him with you, so I thought to be clear and ask it out. You know, try my luck once." My mouth was left open, and I was at a loss for words.
My crush has a crush on my fake husband.
The irony.
"You're g-gay?" I stuttered.
"Yeah, the whole school knows it." I covered up my reaction with a smile.
"Oh, I didn't. I'm sorry if that made you uncomfortable or anything." This was getting so awkward.
"You didn't. Chill," he replied, brushing his hand through his hair. Our eyes turned towards a person running and calling his name. He was one of the students here; I've seen him around.
"Connor, Lyla's getting on my nerves now. She thinks I'm cheating on her and is acting so insecure." Connor slid his arm around the guy's shoulder and started walking away.
"This is why I don't do bitches." I stood there with a cringed face after hearing this.
"Bye, Preet. See you around." He shouted after turning back, and I waved at him.
I don't think I like him anymore.
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Sabne Deven ko jhoota samajha tha na, bade dusht ho sab ð