Chapter 5

"Ruhi! Hold on, what's the matter with you?" Dhruv caught Ruhi by the elbow just as she got into the elevator to go down the building.

"Nothing, we had plans to leave after dinner."

"Yeah, but that was because we didn't expect him to ask us to stay back. Getting into that place for NYE needs reservations made months ahead. And the table we sat at, with the bay views and complimentary champagne, they charge over a hundred dollars to reserve that."

"So what, Dhruv? I'm not interested in the bay views or champagne. I want to get out of here." She stepped out of the elevator and exited through the main door.

"Why are you yelling at me? And why are you so bothered by what that asshole said?"

"I think we should break up."

"What? Ruhi, you didn't sip a drop of alcohol and are still talking nonsense."

"I'm being serious. I can't do this anymore."

"Is it because I stared at Alisha? I'm really sorry, Ruhi. It was only for a second, and it wasn't deliberate. I promise it won't happen again. I know you told me last time you were warning me for the last time--"

"It's not because of that. I don't think I can handle all this. I feel like a horrible person."

"Why? For lying to your parents?"

She was struggling to tell him what she wasn't sure about herself. She was wondering if her feelings for Dhruv were genuine. If she truly loved him, she shouldn't feel such a strong attraction toward Rafael. She didn't know if that was normal and needed time to think and ask someone more experienced or wait a little longer... anything but to lie to herself and to Dhruv while leading him on.

But what she was going to get into with Rafael was temporary. What if Dhruv was the real thing and uncontrollable pull for Rafael was going to wear off after the first few meetings? It would be stupid to tell everything to Dhruv and be judged as a floozy woman. No woman can be stupid enough to tell her boyfriend to be on standby while she figures why she has the hots for a different man.

"I need a break from you, to clear my mind," she said, feeling uncertain about what more to say.

"Ruhi, we are in this together. This whole thing was my idea, and I know it's not easy lying to everyone and taking shit from Rafael. He apologized and sounds reasonable enough. Just think about it while you wait for the contract. But don't dump me randomly like this. It's like those crazy women who cut their hair when they are mad at someone. What's the logic, huh?"

She hugged Dhruv and apologized.

"It's okay, baby. Let's go to this hotel. I looked it up before earlier. It has an awesome guest DJ and they are still selling tickets at the door."

"Okay," she wiped her tears and followed him while looking back to see the tall skyscraper where they ate their dinner.

Dhruv followed her gaze.

"It looks fantastic from down here, doesn't it? The party must get crazy good by midnight. Tell me if you changed your mind and I bet Rafael will still get us an entry. We should take advantage of the perks that are coming with this deal."

"Let's not think about him or the deal. This line is moving pretty fast here." She walked to the other hotel's entrance with her ID.

She actually wanted to cancel everything and go to bed. But Dhruv wouldn't allow that. They partied like crazy with his friends in Atlanta last year when she flew there to meet him. She already ruined it for him this year by not staying back at the fancy rooftop party. She didn't have the strength to see Rafael and Alisha kiss at midnight while she was miserable, staring at them.

Once they went into the restaurant area, Ruhi wanted to order food and booze. She had no appetite when Rafael was sitting right across from her. Her stomach growled at the smell of fried onions and pickles now.

"Is it too late to call off this whole thing and run away? What do you say, Dhruv? Will your parents disown you if you do that?" She asked him when she was on her third rum cocktail.

"Probably, but they might disown me for wanting to marry you when you and Rafael split up. They will still consider you divorced and unsuitable, and I will have to put up a fight to convince them. But that's a problem for a different day."

"Why can't things be simple? Why do these parents have to be such villains? We should be allowed to marry whoever we want and whenever we want. I think we should run away and tell Rafael to go to hell."

"That's it, no more drinks for you. You are already slurring and talking nonsense. The night is still young, woman! Get a grip."

Dhruv took away her fourth drink and finished it all in one gulp before she could complain.

"Yuck, Ruhi. This is soo sweet! Disgusting!! And where's the booze in it that you are so high?

"What?" She said absentmindedly, looking at her phone. "Fucking Rafael texted. I'm telling him to fuck off."

Dhruv snatched the phone from her before she could hit send. 

"You literally typed fuck off??" He said, shaking his head and deleting the message. "He's trying to be nice."

I'm really sorry. Please don't call this wedding off.

"He knows to beg when he needs to. He's not all too bad, Ruhi. I expected him to be a much bigger jerk."

"Whatever, let's go dance."

Everything was a blur for Ruhi after that, except the point where she got too emotional and cried. Dhruv had to stop her from calling Rafael and yelling at him. She kept apologizing to Dhruv without explaining why. Dhruv was also drunk by then to understand what was going on in her mind.

They took a cab back to his apartment around 2 AM after turning into two senseless drunkards who forgot what their address was. Three cab drivers threw them out when they saw an Atlanta address as their destination. 

Ruhi was the first one to wake up with a massive hangover the next afternoon.

"Aahh, Dhruv! I'm getting old." She said, holding her head in both her hands.

"WHAT??" She sprang out of bed when she saw the locked screen of her phone filled with Rafael's texts and calls besides friends' and family's new year wishes.

"Fucking sleep, Ruhi. We have no plans today." Dhruv grabbed her pillow as well and pushed it under his head.

She snagged the pillow from him and smacked him on the ass with it. "You texted Rafael on my behalf last night?"

"I refined your fuck off and told him to text when the contract is ready," he mumbled.

"You idiot! He said his lawyer asked him to meet at 11 AM to sign the papers. He asked us to show up at some nearby coffee shop today. You texted back 'okay' and never told me."

"I must have told you. You were drunk. Big deal, go get ready now."

"It's 1 PM now, and he called five times. There's a pissed off text from him about our wild night and wasting his and his lawyer's time."

She went into the kitchen and made some coffee while trying to call Rafael, but it got disconnected after two rings. 

"Is he pissed or busy? Get up, you idiot! My 'fuck off' would have done far less damage than what happened now. He will want to meet tomorrow when it's your first day at work. So I will be apologizing and taking crap from him all by myself. I'll probably kill him before he dares to insult me about anything."

"Jeez! You with your empty threats. Just stop talking. I have a headache too." He fell asleep in two minutes and didn't wake up even after an hour passed. 

There was nothing to cook with at home and most home delivery options were closed or had a long wait time.

"There's a mall nearby that closes by 5 P< today. I'll go eat at the food court and bring something for you. Do you want anything specific?" She poked at Dhruv to ask.

"Yes, I want silence."

"Rude!"

She wore the furriest and fluffiest pink sweater she packed with her and paired it with deep magenta pants. With no Dhruv to object to her 'atrocious style,' she stepped out of his apartment, looking like a walking bougainvillea. 

Within two minutes of buying food at the food court, her phone went off.

"I was in a meeting earlier, sorry. Are you free now?" Rafael said from the other end.

"Yes, I'm just at the nearby mall."

"Great. Send me your location. My lawyer is still in his office. I will pick you up and we can sign the papers."

"What? No, I mean... I meant I was free to talk on the phone, not to meet you."

"Why would I want to talk to you on the phone? Text me your location." He hung up.

"Asshole!" Ruhi muttered and rushed to the restroom at the mall to apply makeup and set her hair right.

She took full twenty minutes, and Rafael was already close by when he texted her.

Two minutes away, come out. Please don't waste my time anymore.

"What's up with that patronizing attitude?"

"Excuse me?" The girl standing at the adjacent mirror looked confused.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Just some stupid guy who won't let me eat my lunch in peace." She decided to eat in the car while they were on the way to the lawyer's office.

He drove right past her and couldn't find her.

"Where the hell are you?" He called and asked impatiently.

"Right by the east entrance, like I told you. Can't you follow simple instructions? I already have a headache, don't turn it into a migraine."

"Shut the fuck up. I drove right by the east entrance and didn't see you. Do you have hands? Can you use them to wave?"

"I can use them to wave and to strangle you!" She waved into the air, looking pissed.

"Jesus! What's that horrendous thing you're wearing? I thought it was some paid store clown. You know, the one they hire to draw attention to their ongoing sales and--"

"Shut up!" She cut the call when he pulled over by the curb.

The moment she set her food and handbag in the passenger seat before getting into the car, he rolled his window down, grabbed the brown bag with junk food, and threw it into the trash can.

"What the hell do--"

"This is a 170,000 dollar Maserati. Not some 2001 used piece of crap you drive to ruin it with your fries and stink."

She stepped out of the car and shut the door with her foot as loud as she could.

"To hell with you, Rafael Fucking Carvalho! I'm not signing the papers. This wedding is OFF!!"