RAYA SS : She Is My Intern Part 6
Ram leaned closer to the computer screen that buzzed with light before his eyes. With a tired sigh, he switched the whole thing off, content with the amount of work he had been able to get done tonight. Again, it was one of those nights that he had promised himself to stay back until he was done with what was needed to be completed. The only thing that was different about this late night and what probably made him feel a lot more idle was the fact that Priya had gone home about an hour before him.
Ram smiled. She had apologized to him that she couldn’t stay longer; she had felt tired. He had waved her off immediately. The girl worked her fingers to the bone and she was only an intern. He knew she was destined to go far with whatever career path she chose. He was slightly unhappy with Priya not there. She usually came in to him when he worked longer and she would make a smile form upon his lips. Her giggle would make his ears perk up instantly and her voice would keep them talking for hours. He sighed once more and switched off the light with his elbow. He made his way down to the parking lot and slid into the driver’s seat of his car; perks of being son of a millionaire.
Ram rubbed his eyes as he stared at the road ahead of him. He had taken the long way to his house; he had been doing that a lot lately. He guessed it was because longer drives helped him to clear his mind.
As Ram waited for the traffic lights to turn green, he let his eyes wander across his surroundings. There were a couple mini stores on this route home; small treats and general convenience store products. He realized something in that moment. While scanning his surroundings, he realized Priya’s apartment was just past the trees. He strained his eyes and they immediately widened.
Black smoke was wafting into the air from said direction. He couldn’t be certain that it was Priya's building but he was pretty convinced that it was. He stamped on the accelerator and struck other parts of the car and he spun himself around so that he was driving towards Priya’s building. His mind raced and his heart thumped in his chest.
As he drove closer, his fears were confirmed that it was Priya's building. Bright flames blazed against the structure and small floating embers descended into the bitter night air.
As he pulled up and got out of the car, he squinted his eyes in an attempt to locate the adorable girl he had grown so very fond of. It was completely hopeless. There was a big crowd that had gathered outside of the building which he could only assume to be the residence of the building. He bit his lip as he stared at the slowly deteriorating building, stunned. His heart was bouncing all around his rib cage. He was so scared that Priya was inside or she was stuck or-
Ram's thoughts stopped and relief rushed his senses as he spotted a girl. She was staring up at her home with despair written all across her face. Ram sighed and walked closer, “Priya?” He called, concern evident in his tone,
Priya turned quickly to find the source of the voice. Her eyes softened and she gasped, “Ram!” She replied, running over to him. He wrapped his arms around her instantly, without a single thought in the world. He was just so glad that she wasn’t injure.
Priya rubbed her face against his chest. He was warm and he smelled so very sweet; at that particular moment, she knew anything would smell better than the continuous scent of smoke and fire that was filling her nostrils. He pulled her back and stared at her, his expression soft. He didn’t let go of her shoulders as his eyes melded with hers, “Priya... Are you okay?” He asked,
Priya nodded, “I am okay...” She said, quietly, “What are you doing here?”
“I was driving home and I saw the smoke. I was worried that something had happened to you,” He admitted. Priya blushed but smiled nonetheless; her heart swelled at his show of concern for her well being.
“What happened?” Ram queried,
Priya shook her head furiously, “I returned from work and I could smell the horrible stench of smoke. The room beside mine had gone up in flames. Everyone was evacuated and...” She trailed off as she felt herself cracking. She had become so overwhelmed and she felt like she was going to break down crying any second.
Ram sensed this and brought her into his arms again. He stroked her hair. Priya broke then and she cried against his chest. As the tears fell, Ram’s arms tightened around her, “It’s alright, Priya... Everything’s gonna be fine,” He reassured, “I promise,”
Priya inhaled a shaky breath and pulled back from him. Ram patiently smiled down at her. Her makeup had run from her eyes and her nose had become red and ever so; he still thought she looked stunning.
“Did you lose any stuff? Any important stuff?” Ram wondered, eyeing her bag of things,
“Thankfully, no. I was given the majority of my clothing but a lot of my photographs were burned and my electronics overheated except for my laptop...” Priya explained but she sighed and her voice began to tremble again,
Ram gripped her shoulders a little tighter to give her support, “It’ll be okay.” He nodded. Priya gave him a watery smile. She shrugged and sighed as she stared her bag of belongings,
“Thank you for checking that I was the okay, Ram but... I believe I must begin looking for somewhere to stay the night until I am able to move back into my apartment.” Priya explained. She gave him a small smile and began to walking off towards road,
“Priya? Wait...” He instructed, joining her side once again,
“Yes, Ram?” She replied,
“Well... Feel free to say no but... I was wondering if you would... maybe like to stay at my place tonight?”
“Oh... I do not know, Ram. Would that not be considered highly unfair?”
“Not really. We’re friends right? I just want help any way that I can and I’d much prefer a good friend to stay at mine instead of a crappy hotel where you’d have to pay stupid prices.”
Priya giggled,
“So? What’d you say?” Ram requested,
“You are certain that I would not be a burden on you?”
“Priya, you know me... You know I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t want you to.”
Priya smiled, “Then... Yes plz, Ram. I would like to stay with you, very much...” Priya answered, bashfully. Ram grinned and nodded.
“Good! Should we go then? I know you said you were tired and no doubt this whole thing has made you even more tired?” Ram assumed. Priya sleepily nodded and walked by his side back to his car.
“Um... Ram?” She mumbled,
“Yes?”
“Could I perhaps... Use your shower when we get to your home? I smell terribly of smoke...”
“Of course, Priya. You don’t need to ask,”
Priya softly smiled at him. She felt her heart pound. Ram was so very kind. She was really beginning to fall for all of these quality traits of his. She was far from having a mind of a child so she knew these feelings were typically ‘wrong’ but she couldn’t help but feel happy when she thought of him. Surely something that made her so cheery would be considered a good thing?
Ram cruised along the road with Priya just barely staying awake. Ram tried to hurry to get home. Speaking of, Ram had no idea where his invitation for her to stay with him had come from but god was he glad it came out of his mouth. Although he was excited for her to stay with him for a while, he also knew that he was treading on very thin ice. If Isha found out that he was allowing Priya to crash at his, she’d hit the roof. He was going to have to be extra careful about that and he intended to talk to Priya about it also.
Ram pulled into the car park just outside his own apartment. Of course, being Ram Kapoor and all, the penthouse belonged to him. He sighed as he switched the engine off.
He glanced over at Priya and he smirked at her sleeping form. She was so cute when she did the smallest things. He noticed how she’d bite her lip while sleeping just like she did when she was concentrating on work.
Ram carefully leaned closer to her and gently shook her by the shoulder, “Priya? Priya?” He whispered, trying to be as tender with her as possible. She stirred slightly before gradually allowing her eyes to quivering. She yawned as she became more aware of her surroundings,
“Ram?” She asked, tiredly,
“We’re at mine,” Ram told her, the soft smile never leaving his face. Priya nodded and unbuckled herself from the seat. As She got out of the passengers side, Ram was already walking around to her. She raised an eyebrow at him,
“Here, I’ll carry your bag for you,” Ram offered,
“No... Thank you,” Priya smiled. So very sweet, indeed.
Ram shrugged and took the bag from her. Together, they traveled in through the main doors and wandered over to the elevator. They waited for a minimum of a minute before the elevator dinged and the doors opened for them.
As the delicate elevator music echoed in the confined space, Priya nudged Ram in the arm, “Your house is so... Fancy!” She laughed,
“Son of Amarnath Kapoor, remember?” Ram joked, giving her a wink. She smirked and rolled her eyes at him. They reached the top floor and Priya giggled,
“Oh I should have guessed you would be the owner of the penthouse.” Priya chirped, smirking,
“I’m hurt that you wouldn’t have guessed,” Ram teased. They both laughed as Ram opened the door to the penthouse. He motioned for Priya to go in before him which she nodded and blushed before doing so. Ram smirked as he heard Priya giggle.
Priya’s eyes widened in amazement. Even calling the place a penthouse seemed like a huge understatement. There was a very impressive color program running throughout the place consisting of red, white and black. There was an huge TV which by the look of it was a projection device. Her eyes fell upon the white ‘all around’ sofa that was situated right in front of the unbelievable TV and she gazed at the kitchen counters which were covered with speckled marble; there was even a dining table in the middle with three high chairs. Priya had personally always wanted something like that; perhaps she would attempt to redecorate once her apartment was rebuilt. She turned around and was once again awestruck as she glanced upwards. There were 2 bedrooms overlooking the downstairs portion. Priya smiled as she stared directly upwards; there were electrolier and spotlights adorning the very high ceiling. She almost forgot to breathe.
Ram chuckled as he set her bag down on the sofa and turned to her, “You like it?” He queried,
“Ram... This is truly where you live?” Priya quizzed, earning a nod from him, “This is practically a mansion. It is so large and impressive...”
She snapped out of it as he clicked the kettle to boil it, “Want some coffee?” Ram offered,
Priya smiled, “Yes, plzz.”
“Wait... Would you like to shower first?”
Priya smelled her clothing and made a look of disgust, “I believe that would be best.”
With that in mind, Priya stood idly for a moment, looking shy. Ram sensed this and smiled, “It’s that door over there. Towels are in the closet. You can throw your clothes in the hamper and they’ll get cleaned,” Ram informed her. Priya nodded and smiled at him softly,
“Thank you again, Ram...” She said, lingering on his name. Their eyes locked for a moment before Priya gave into a blush and slipped into the bathroom.
Ram sighed once she had gone. His brain was all over the place with thoughts. One part of his mind was telling him that he shouldn’t let Priya stay with him. Isha would become so angry even if he was simply being an innocent, helpful friend to Priya; she’d always find something wrong with a good deed when it involved another female.
On the other hand, his mind was also telling him to go with what was happening. Everything happens for a reason, right? Maybe this whole situation had a deeper meaning. As cheesy as he believed it was, he had to admit that he believed ever so slightly in the idea of fate. He sipped his coffee and ran a hand through his hair.
Ram tilted his head to the side to release some of the soreness he had endured for a couple hours now. He always seemed to get pain in his neck or back after a day at work; it had almost become an absolute tradition. He shrugged it off and placed his coffee down for the moment before travelling up to his half floor, with holding his bedroom.
He grabbed a black wife beater and some grey lounge pants. Usually, he would tend to sleep in his underwear but he felt that would be really inappropriate whilst Priya was staying with him. When he came back down, he practically froze on the spot. Priya was definitely done showering.
Ram stared at her form as she look up through her bag of remaining items. Priya's back was facing him and he was fairly sure that he was drooling. She was so hurriedness. The white towel was carefully and tightly pulled around her shape but it came up kind of short against of Priya’s height. The towel stopped above her knee and it dropped slightly on her back, revealing her tanned and glistening skin to him. Her hair was wet and was pulled to the side.
Ram wasn’t really sure how to react. He knew his face was slowly fading into a her and he wanted to stop staring but he simply couldn’t. Her arms and legs were completely on show and she was in nothing but a towel. It didn’t take a genius to work out how a young man’s mind would work with that.
He gulped as Priya turned around and she her expression was soft as she smiled. She blushed too as she realized why he was staring, “Sorry, I” Priya was cut off by a simple smile from Ram,
“Don’t sweat it,” Thank god, I didn’t stutter,
“Um... Would I probably be able to change somewhere, plz?” Priya asked, politely,
“Sure. You see that room up there?” Ram directed, pointing to the room higher up which was directly opposite his own,
Priya nodded,
“You can change there. That’s where you’ll be staying,”
“Oh, I am truly the okay with the couch-”
Ram chuckled, “Priya... I’ve got a spare room and you’re saying you’ll stay on the sofa? Don’t be stupid,”
Priya softly smiled and her blush, “Th..Thank you...” She stumbled over her words as her nerves chewed at her. Ram felt a little pride run through him as he realized he had made her nervous. It was usually the other way around, in his opinion.
Priya grabbed her pyjama bottoms and Ram turned to retrieve his coffee. He heard Priya sigh and mutter something about her shirt.
“Everything okay?” Ram queried, wandering over to her,
Priya rubbed her index and middle fingers against her temple and she gave into another frustrated sigh, “My T shirt...” She paused to show him what she meant, “It is... ruined...”
Ram inspected her T shirt. She was beyond right; the T shirt was a simple but it had blackened and there were burn marks and holes in different parts, not to mention the shredded edges, “That’s definitely burnt, hummmm?” He joked,
“I do not have any other shirts for sleeping...” She paused and thought, “Unless I simply use a work shirt... Hmm...”
Ram shook his head and placed a gentle hand against her upper arm. There was a flinch of electricity that ignited Priya’s senses as his skin touched hers. She remained grounded and tried not to show like it meant a single thing to her,
“Priya, you can use one of my shirts.” He told her,
“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly”
“Priya.” Ram gave her a look, “What’d I tell you about my place while you’re staying here?”
“To... Treat it like my own...” Priya answered. She giggled and pushed some of her hair behind her ear,
“I’ll be right back,” Ram informed her, before running back up the stairs leading to his bedroom. He wondered what type of shirt she’d want so he randomly grabbed a shirt that was a little small on him but he knew it’d be big on Priya.
When he returned to her, Priya was at the kitchen counter, sipping his coffee. He smirked and raised an eyebrow at her,
She giggled, “You did tell me to treat the place as I would my own...” She teased, placing his cup down. Priya playfully poked her stomach and handed her the shirt. She smiled and briefly let her eyes meld with his,
“Thank you...” Priya said in a hushed type of tone, “I shall return momentarily.”
Ram nodded and watched her go. He smiled to himself as he felt the tingle of small butterflies return to his stomach. He sighed in content as he flopped against the sofa and switched the TV on.
20 minutes passed and Priya had begun to grow slightly worried that Priya hadn’t come back out yet. Wishing to act on his concerns, he abandoned the TV and made his way up to the spare room. He lifted a fist to the door with the aim of knocking but he stopped short when he heard small sniffling noises. His expression turned sad for her; he understood that the night had probably taken a huge toll on her.
Ram softly rapped his fist against the door and quietly spoke through the door, “Priya? You okay?”
Not hearing a reply, he hesitantly opened the door and peered inside. Like he had predicted, Priya was sitting on the edge of the bed, hunched over and facing downwards. She sniffled and he could hear the little whining noise she made before releasing more tears.
Priya gulped back a sob as she felt a soft, warm hand gently stroke her back. She slowly turned her head and she felt immediate burning against her cheeks as she gazed at Ram, who was sadly smiling at her,
“I... I am sorry... I am being... Quite foolish and I” Priya hiccuped,
“Priya. Don’t apologies for being upset. You have every right to cry right now,” Ram whispered, brushing some stray tears away with his thumb.
Her lip quivered and she began to break down. She was brought into a close hug by Ram who rested his chin on the top of her head, “It’ll be okay, Priya... I promise,” He vowed,
“I... I feel so very... uneasy and... upset... ” Priya cried, suppress his shirt as she clung to him. Ram suddenly smiled and pulled her back to stare into her magical eyes,
“I know something that might cheer you up,” Ram suggested,
“Wh..What?”
“Well, Miss Sharma... I have 2 tubs of ice-cream in the freezer and I think it just so happens that I have the channel that shows the reality shows you love so much. Any of that interest you?”
Priya shyly giggled and nodded, “But... You hate the reality television shows; I remember that you told me...”
“But you like them, so I’ll gladly watch them; as long as it makes you feel better,”
Priya smiled and embraced him once more. He chuckled and rubbed her back comfortingly. She blushed against his shoulder; he was so lovely and caring.
Standing up, Ram pulled Priya up too. He felt accomplished at how he made her stop crying and how he had succeeded in cheering her up. They made their way downstairs and they participated in exactly what Ram had said. They ate ice-cream and watched episode of a particular khatron ke khiladi reality show that Priya seemed to be captivated by.
Ram was beginning to drift off to sleep when he heard a small snore escape from Priya who was lying beside him. Ram ran a hand over his face, tiredly and looked down at her. He hadn’t even noticed that she’d fallen asleep. She made such adorable noises while she slept which caused Ram to smirk a lot.
With a heavy sigh, he gently shook her awake. She sat up with a start, “Huh? What is...” She trailed off as her sleepy eyes focused on Ram. He smiled patiently at her and watched while she yawned.
Ram gulped. As strange to notice as it was, he couldn’t help but think how beautifully attractive she looked when she was half asleep; her lips perfectly pursed and her eyes clouded. She gently rubbed her eyes and leaned away from him. She tiredly smiled at him, “I'm sorry for falling asleep, Ram. I must be more tired than I thought...” She surmised.
Ram chuckled, “No worries, Priya. Why don’t you go to bed? I can clean up here,” He suggested,
Priya glanced around before staring up at him, “Are you certain? I could stay and..”
“Fall asleep on the trash?” Ram smirked, causing a clear blush to rise upon her cheeks, “It’s fine, Priya. Go get some sleep.”
Priya softly smiled and nodded obediently, “Thank you Ram... Truly...” She whispered,
“You don’t have to keep thanking me for stuff, Priya. You’re my friend and right now you’re a friend in need. I’ll help any way I can. Okay?” Ram explained, briefly touching her arm,
Priya’s eyes shone as she let her orbs blend with his. She nodded and bid him goodnight. Ram watched her go up the stairs and wander into the spare room.
He sighed in simple bliss. He felt really happy that Priya was staying with him for a little while. He couldn’t deny that he had developed feelings for her. Of course, he wasn’t supposed to feel anything for anyone else as he had a girlfriend but he couldn’t help himself. The relationship between him and Isha was practically nonexistent however; there was a spark between him and Priya, as if they just... clicked. It was simple.
A yawn crept upon him and he shrugged off the cleaning duties so he could retire to his big, comfy bed for the night.
At first, the following couple days at work were a little strange. Ram found it odd how he would see Priya in the morning and share breakfast with her and then about an hour later, they had to act like work colleagues and nothing further. They were both good actors though, neither of them acted remotely similar to how they did at Ram’s place.
Probably the strangest type of thing to happen in the mornings was when Ram got into his car and waved goodbye to Priya. She had explained to him that it would seem unprofessional to car pool with him as it would raise questions. Priya also wanted to keep the idea of her living with Ram very quiet. She knew many different situations would arise if anyone found out about where she was staying.
People would immediately think the worst and make deliberate and inaccurate assumptions about the two of them.
Priya would smile a lot throughout the work days after a week of living with Ram. Her feelings for him would grow each day as they worked together but she also enjoyed their general friendly behavior with one another at Ram’s place. Her heart sped up and a smile would immediately be balance on her lips when he entered a room or flashed her a smile or said her name. Her maturity level was clearly slipping; she was acting like a loved up small girl.
Although Priya’s feelings for Ram had increased significantly, she was angry too. She was angry at the fact that nothing could happen between them even if they both wanted it. Isha and AK were the holes in her ideas. Isha was still Ram’s girlfriend and Priya wanted him to simply break up with her and move on... preferably to her. As for AK; he got in the way because she would be fired instantly if he found out anything romantic had evolved between the two of them.
Priya sighed in content as she kicked off her shoes when she got into Ram’s place. Ram stretched his arms above his head as he kicked the front door shut, “Ugh... Today was stressful.” Ram complained, falling onto the sofa and leaning his head back. Priya matched his groans and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder,
“Indeed. Today was very busy with calls and reports?” Priya agreed, squeezing his shoulder while he nodded.
“Mm... Do that again, Priya.”
“What? This?” Priya asked, squeezing his shoulder again,
“Mm...” Ram moaned, enjoying the hindrance of a massage.
“If you would like, I could give you the shoulder massage? I once took a class on becoming a masseuse.” Priya offered,
Ram didn’t hesitate on removing his jacket, tie and shirt. Priya felt a strong flutter within her stomach at the sight of him shirtless. He skin was pale but that simply made her notice his perfect form more. His abdomen looked strong and muscular. His arms weren’t overly big but they were enough to make Priya admire him. She blushed furiously as her hand took up placement against his now bare shoulder.
“This... doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable or anything, right?” Ram asked, unsure of his actions,
“No! Uh... No of course not, Ram.” Priya laughed, nervously. She darted around the side of the sofa so she could sit on her knees, behind him. She allowed her fingers to dance across his spine and his toned back as she rubbed and squeezed particular parts of his back with care.
Ram had become drowsy before Priya completely stopped. Ram cleared his throat and turned to her with a calm smile, “Oh!” He murmured in ecstasy, “Where did you learn to do that?”
Priya shrugged and giggled, “Spa. I used to work on the spa on my vacation and at the time... I was very unsure of what I wished to do in life.” She explained,
“Well, I’d definitely say you pass with flying colors.” Ram praised. Priya giggled and although neither of them had planned in shifting, they had become slightly closer together.
There was a sudden silence as they stared at each other. It wasn’t awkward but there was intensity in the air that neither could figure out. Their eyes would blink to each other’s lips but look away just as quickly.
Both of them began to sub consciously lean forward. Ram’s mind raced. We’re gonna kiss! Ram thought.
However, fate had other ideas. Just as Ram was ready to speed his pace up, there was a knocks on the front door.
Both moved away from each other with a charge of energy that they didn’t realize they had. Priya suddenly stood up and brushed some of her hair behind her ear.
Ram was quick to get up so that he could look out the small hole in the door. He almost completely froze over. Isha
Isha was literally standing on the other side of the door with her arms folded, patiently waiting for her boyfriend to open the door. Ram gulped and frantically turned to Priya who had a concerned expression fixed to her face,
“It’s Isha!” Ram told her in a quiet tone so that Isha wouldn’t hear him. Priya’s eyes widened and she straightened up,
“What must I do?” Priya replied, evening the low voices,
“Hide... Uh... Upstairs!” Ram instructed. Priya nodded and immediately ran up the stairs and sat against the door of the spare room. She didn’t exactly want to go inside of the room; she wanted to hear what they were talking about; as bad as it was for her to do so.
Ram inhaled a deep breath and opened the door, “Hey Isha,” He greeted,
Isha turned and her eyes brighten up with passion, “Hello shirtless.” She laughed, “What’re you doing?”
“I... I was about to get changed.... That’s why I took so long... I was upstairs.” Ram lied,
“I did wonder,” She smiled,
“Did.... Did you wanna come in?”
“Mm... I shouldn’t. I came to tell you that I’m not gonna be in Mumbai I'm going to attend family function.
Interesting “Oh? Why not?”
I'm going to Malaysia to attend my cousin brother's wedding.
“Oh...”
“Wow, try not to sound too distraught,” Isha deadpanned,
“No... I’m just shocked... You’re going to Malaysia...”
Isha smiled and made an affectionate noise, “Aw, I know you’ll miss me lots but don’t worry. I’ll get back as soon as I can.”
Ram faked the loving response, “Good.” He forced a smile,
“Well, I guess I’ll see you after I'm come back then,” Isha said, wrapping her arms around his neck. Ram automatically placed his hands on her waist.
“Are you leaving today...?”
“Early tomorrow so I gotta pack tonight.” Isha shrugged. Ram nodded.
“Now... Give me a kiss so I won’t forget about you,” She winked. Ram faked a chuckle and allowed her to press her lips to his. Isha wasn’t shy about exploring his mouth with her tongue. Ram counted the seconds in his head and wondered how long he would have to endure it. He wanted to break up with her but he didn’t think it would be the greatest time to do it then and there. No, he’d wait until her return.
Isha pulled away and her lips were rosy, “Bye, Ram,” She mumbled, stepping away from him and opening the door. Ram walked over to the door and waved to her as she left.
After she was out of sight, Ram closed the door and leaned his back against it with his eyes closed. When he opened them, his heart pounded.
Priya leaned against the sofa and looked up at him with a calm smile, “The trip should be nice for Isha,” She commented, a blink of something untraceable in her beautiful eyes,
“Yes... Wait, were you listening?” Ram asked, smirking,
“No! Ok... I had not planned to but... my hearing is apparently better than I thought,” Priya giggled, nervously,
“Priya.” Ram chuckled. She poked her tongue out playfully and giggled,
“Ram, would you like some of the coffee?” Priya queried,
“You know me so well,” Ram chuckled, walking with her towards the kitchen,
“It would seem so,” Priya breathed, grabbing two cups.
As Priya began making the coffee, Ram couldn’t help but stare at her form. In his eyes, she was so very perfect. He knew he shouldn’t think of her in such away but it was difficult not to. She and Ram just got along from day one and he knew he could trust her and so, the bond between them was very strong. It was those types of feelings where, when he would close his eyes, Priya would come to his thoughts straight away. It wasn’t just physical attraction that made him think of Priya so very often. She was smart, sweet, caring and genuinely adorable. His morals were slowly cracking and at that particular moment, he was desperate to kiss her although, he did well to resist as she handed him a cup of coffee. Ram attempted to shake the thoughts away as they wandered over to the sofa to watch TV. He sat and gulped as he realized just how deep his feelings for Priya ran...
Ram smiled. She had apologized to him that she couldn’t stay longer; she had felt tired. He had waved her off immediately. The girl worked her fingers to the bone and she was only an intern. He knew she was destined to go far with whatever career path she chose. He was slightly unhappy with Priya not there. She usually came in to him when he worked longer and she would make a smile form upon his lips. Her giggle would make his ears perk up instantly and her voice would keep them talking for hours. He sighed once more and switched off the light with his elbow. He made his way down to the parking lot and slid into the driver’s seat of his car; perks of being son of a millionaire.
Ram rubbed his eyes as he stared at the road ahead of him. He had taken the long way to his house; he had been doing that a lot lately. He guessed it was because longer drives helped him to clear his mind.
As Ram waited for the traffic lights to turn green, he let his eyes wander across his surroundings. There were a couple mini stores on this route home; small treats and general convenience store products. He realized something in that moment. While scanning his surroundings, he realized Priya’s apartment was just past the trees. He strained his eyes and they immediately widened.
Black smoke was wafting into the air from said direction. He couldn’t be certain that it was Priya's building but he was pretty convinced that it was. He stamped on the accelerator and struck other parts of the car and he spun himself around so that he was driving towards Priya’s building. His mind raced and his heart thumped in his chest.
As he drove closer, his fears were confirmed that it was Priya's building. Bright flames blazed against the structure and small floating embers descended into the bitter night air.
As he pulled up and got out of the car, he squinted his eyes in an attempt to locate the adorable girl he had grown so very fond of. It was completely hopeless. There was a big crowd that had gathered outside of the building which he could only assume to be the residence of the building. He bit his lip as he stared at the slowly deteriorating building, stunned. His heart was bouncing all around his rib cage. He was so scared that Priya was inside or she was stuck or-
Ram's thoughts stopped and relief rushed his senses as he spotted a girl. She was staring up at her home with despair written all across her face. Ram sighed and walked closer, “Priya?” He called, concern evident in his tone,
Priya turned quickly to find the source of the voice. Her eyes softened and she gasped, “Ram!” She replied, running over to him. He wrapped his arms around her instantly, without a single thought in the world. He was just so glad that she wasn’t injure.
Priya rubbed her face against his chest. He was warm and he smelled so very sweet; at that particular moment, she knew anything would smell better than the continuous scent of smoke and fire that was filling her nostrils. He pulled her back and stared at her, his expression soft. He didn’t let go of her shoulders as his eyes melded with hers, “Priya... Are you okay?” He asked,
Priya nodded, “I am okay...” She said, quietly, “What are you doing here?”
“I was driving home and I saw the smoke. I was worried that something had happened to you,” He admitted. Priya blushed but smiled nonetheless; her heart swelled at his show of concern for her well being.
“What happened?” Ram queried,
Priya shook her head furiously, “I returned from work and I could smell the horrible stench of smoke. The room beside mine had gone up in flames. Everyone was evacuated and...” She trailed off as she felt herself cracking. She had become so overwhelmed and she felt like she was going to break down crying any second.
Ram sensed this and brought her into his arms again. He stroked her hair. Priya broke then and she cried against his chest. As the tears fell, Ram’s arms tightened around her, “It’s alright, Priya... Everything’s gonna be fine,” He reassured, “I promise,”
Priya inhaled a shaky breath and pulled back from him. Ram patiently smiled down at her. Her makeup had run from her eyes and her nose had become red and ever so; he still thought she looked stunning.
“Did you lose any stuff? Any important stuff?” Ram wondered, eyeing her bag of things,
“Thankfully, no. I was given the majority of my clothing but a lot of my photographs were burned and my electronics overheated except for my laptop...” Priya explained but she sighed and her voice began to tremble again,
Ram gripped her shoulders a little tighter to give her support, “It’ll be okay.” He nodded. Priya gave him a watery smile. She shrugged and sighed as she stared her bag of belongings,
“Thank you for checking that I was the okay, Ram but... I believe I must begin looking for somewhere to stay the night until I am able to move back into my apartment.” Priya explained. She gave him a small smile and began to walking off towards road,
“Priya? Wait...” He instructed, joining her side once again,
“Yes, Ram?” She replied,
“Well... Feel free to say no but... I was wondering if you would... maybe like to stay at my place tonight?”
“Oh... I do not know, Ram. Would that not be considered highly unfair?”
“Not really. We’re friends right? I just want help any way that I can and I’d much prefer a good friend to stay at mine instead of a crappy hotel where you’d have to pay stupid prices.”
Priya giggled,
“So? What’d you say?” Ram requested,
“You are certain that I would not be a burden on you?”
“Priya, you know me... You know I wouldn’t offer if I didn’t want you to.”
Priya smiled, “Then... Yes plz, Ram. I would like to stay with you, very much...” Priya answered, bashfully. Ram grinned and nodded.
“Good! Should we go then? I know you said you were tired and no doubt this whole thing has made you even more tired?” Ram assumed. Priya sleepily nodded and walked by his side back to his car.
“Um... Ram?” She mumbled,
“Yes?”
“Could I perhaps... Use your shower when we get to your home? I smell terribly of smoke...”
“Of course, Priya. You don’t need to ask,”
Priya softly smiled at him. She felt her heart pound. Ram was so very kind. She was really beginning to fall for all of these quality traits of his. She was far from having a mind of a child so she knew these feelings were typically ‘wrong’ but she couldn’t help but feel happy when she thought of him. Surely something that made her so cheery would be considered a good thing?
Ram cruised along the road with Priya just barely staying awake. Ram tried to hurry to get home. Speaking of, Ram had no idea where his invitation for her to stay with him had come from but god was he glad it came out of his mouth. Although he was excited for her to stay with him for a while, he also knew that he was treading on very thin ice. If Isha found out that he was allowing Priya to crash at his, she’d hit the roof. He was going to have to be extra careful about that and he intended to talk to Priya about it also.
Ram pulled into the car park just outside his own apartment. Of course, being Ram Kapoor and all, the penthouse belonged to him. He sighed as he switched the engine off.
He glanced over at Priya and he smirked at her sleeping form. She was so cute when she did the smallest things. He noticed how she’d bite her lip while sleeping just like she did when she was concentrating on work.
Ram carefully leaned closer to her and gently shook her by the shoulder, “Priya? Priya?” He whispered, trying to be as tender with her as possible. She stirred slightly before gradually allowing her eyes to quivering. She yawned as she became more aware of her surroundings,
“Ram?” She asked, tiredly,
“We’re at mine,” Ram told her, the soft smile never leaving his face. Priya nodded and unbuckled herself from the seat. As She got out of the passengers side, Ram was already walking around to her. She raised an eyebrow at him,
“Here, I’ll carry your bag for you,” Ram offered,
“No... Thank you,” Priya smiled. So very sweet, indeed.
Ram shrugged and took the bag from her. Together, they traveled in through the main doors and wandered over to the elevator. They waited for a minimum of a minute before the elevator dinged and the doors opened for them.
As the delicate elevator music echoed in the confined space, Priya nudged Ram in the arm, “Your house is so... Fancy!” She laughed,
“Son of Amarnath Kapoor, remember?” Ram joked, giving her a wink. She smirked and rolled her eyes at him. They reached the top floor and Priya giggled,
“Oh I should have guessed you would be the owner of the penthouse.” Priya chirped, smirking,
“I’m hurt that you wouldn’t have guessed,” Ram teased. They both laughed as Ram opened the door to the penthouse. He motioned for Priya to go in before him which she nodded and blushed before doing so. Ram smirked as he heard Priya giggle.
Priya’s eyes widened in amazement. Even calling the place a penthouse seemed like a huge understatement. There was a very impressive color program running throughout the place consisting of red, white and black. There was an huge TV which by the look of it was a projection device. Her eyes fell upon the white ‘all around’ sofa that was situated right in front of the unbelievable TV and she gazed at the kitchen counters which were covered with speckled marble; there was even a dining table in the middle with three high chairs. Priya had personally always wanted something like that; perhaps she would attempt to redecorate once her apartment was rebuilt. She turned around and was once again awestruck as she glanced upwards. There were 2 bedrooms overlooking the downstairs portion. Priya smiled as she stared directly upwards; there were electrolier and spotlights adorning the very high ceiling. She almost forgot to breathe.
Ram chuckled as he set her bag down on the sofa and turned to her, “You like it?” He queried,
“Ram... This is truly where you live?” Priya quizzed, earning a nod from him, “This is practically a mansion. It is so large and impressive...”
She snapped out of it as he clicked the kettle to boil it, “Want some coffee?” Ram offered,
Priya smiled, “Yes, plzz.”
“Wait... Would you like to shower first?”
Priya smelled her clothing and made a look of disgust, “I believe that would be best.”
With that in mind, Priya stood idly for a moment, looking shy. Ram sensed this and smiled, “It’s that door over there. Towels are in the closet. You can throw your clothes in the hamper and they’ll get cleaned,” Ram informed her. Priya nodded and smiled at him softly,
“Thank you again, Ram...” She said, lingering on his name. Their eyes locked for a moment before Priya gave into a blush and slipped into the bathroom.
Ram sighed once she had gone. His brain was all over the place with thoughts. One part of his mind was telling him that he shouldn’t let Priya stay with him. Isha would become so angry even if he was simply being an innocent, helpful friend to Priya; she’d always find something wrong with a good deed when it involved another female.
On the other hand, his mind was also telling him to go with what was happening. Everything happens for a reason, right? Maybe this whole situation had a deeper meaning. As cheesy as he believed it was, he had to admit that he believed ever so slightly in the idea of fate. He sipped his coffee and ran a hand through his hair.
Ram tilted his head to the side to release some of the soreness he had endured for a couple hours now. He always seemed to get pain in his neck or back after a day at work; it had almost become an absolute tradition. He shrugged it off and placed his coffee down for the moment before travelling up to his half floor, with holding his bedroom.
He grabbed a black wife beater and some grey lounge pants. Usually, he would tend to sleep in his underwear but he felt that would be really inappropriate whilst Priya was staying with him. When he came back down, he practically froze on the spot. Priya was definitely done showering.
Ram stared at her form as she look up through her bag of remaining items. Priya's back was facing him and he was fairly sure that he was drooling. She was so hurriedness. The white towel was carefully and tightly pulled around her shape but it came up kind of short against of Priya’s height. The towel stopped above her knee and it dropped slightly on her back, revealing her tanned and glistening skin to him. Her hair was wet and was pulled to the side.
Ram wasn’t really sure how to react. He knew his face was slowly fading into a her and he wanted to stop staring but he simply couldn’t. Her arms and legs were completely on show and she was in nothing but a towel. It didn’t take a genius to work out how a young man’s mind would work with that.
He gulped as Priya turned around and she her expression was soft as she smiled. She blushed too as she realized why he was staring, “Sorry, I” Priya was cut off by a simple smile from Ram,
“Don’t sweat it,” Thank god, I didn’t stutter,
“Um... Would I probably be able to change somewhere, plz?” Priya asked, politely,
“Sure. You see that room up there?” Ram directed, pointing to the room higher up which was directly opposite his own,
Priya nodded,
“You can change there. That’s where you’ll be staying,”
“Oh, I am truly the okay with the couch-”
Ram chuckled, “Priya... I’ve got a spare room and you’re saying you’ll stay on the sofa? Don’t be stupid,”
Priya softly smiled and her blush, “Th..Thank you...” She stumbled over her words as her nerves chewed at her. Ram felt a little pride run through him as he realized he had made her nervous. It was usually the other way around, in his opinion.
Priya grabbed her pyjama bottoms and Ram turned to retrieve his coffee. He heard Priya sigh and mutter something about her shirt.
“Everything okay?” Ram queried, wandering over to her,
Priya rubbed her index and middle fingers against her temple and she gave into another frustrated sigh, “My T shirt...” She paused to show him what she meant, “It is... ruined...”
Ram inspected her T shirt. She was beyond right; the T shirt was a simple but it had blackened and there were burn marks and holes in different parts, not to mention the shredded edges, “That’s definitely burnt, hummmm?” He joked,
“I do not have any other shirts for sleeping...” She paused and thought, “Unless I simply use a work shirt... Hmm...”
Ram shook his head and placed a gentle hand against her upper arm. There was a flinch of electricity that ignited Priya’s senses as his skin touched hers. She remained grounded and tried not to show like it meant a single thing to her,
“Priya, you can use one of my shirts.” He told her,
“Oh, no, I couldn’t possibly”
“Priya.” Ram gave her a look, “What’d I tell you about my place while you’re staying here?”
“To... Treat it like my own...” Priya answered. She giggled and pushed some of her hair behind her ear,
“I’ll be right back,” Ram informed her, before running back up the stairs leading to his bedroom. He wondered what type of shirt she’d want so he randomly grabbed a shirt that was a little small on him but he knew it’d be big on Priya.
When he returned to her, Priya was at the kitchen counter, sipping his coffee. He smirked and raised an eyebrow at her,
She giggled, “You did tell me to treat the place as I would my own...” She teased, placing his cup down. Priya playfully poked her stomach and handed her the shirt. She smiled and briefly let her eyes meld with his,
“Thank you...” Priya said in a hushed type of tone, “I shall return momentarily.”
Ram nodded and watched her go. He smiled to himself as he felt the tingle of small butterflies return to his stomach. He sighed in content as he flopped against the sofa and switched the TV on.
20 minutes passed and Priya had begun to grow slightly worried that Priya hadn’t come back out yet. Wishing to act on his concerns, he abandoned the TV and made his way up to the spare room. He lifted a fist to the door with the aim of knocking but he stopped short when he heard small sniffling noises. His expression turned sad for her; he understood that the night had probably taken a huge toll on her.
Ram softly rapped his fist against the door and quietly spoke through the door, “Priya? You okay?”
Not hearing a reply, he hesitantly opened the door and peered inside. Like he had predicted, Priya was sitting on the edge of the bed, hunched over and facing downwards. She sniffled and he could hear the little whining noise she made before releasing more tears.
Priya gulped back a sob as she felt a soft, warm hand gently stroke her back. She slowly turned her head and she felt immediate burning against her cheeks as she gazed at Ram, who was sadly smiling at her,
“I... I am sorry... I am being... Quite foolish and I” Priya hiccuped,
“Priya. Don’t apologies for being upset. You have every right to cry right now,” Ram whispered, brushing some stray tears away with his thumb.
Her lip quivered and she began to break down. She was brought into a close hug by Ram who rested his chin on the top of her head, “It’ll be okay, Priya... I promise,” He vowed,
“I... I feel so very... uneasy and... upset... ” Priya cried, suppress his shirt as she clung to him. Ram suddenly smiled and pulled her back to stare into her magical eyes,
“I know something that might cheer you up,” Ram suggested,
“Wh..What?”
“Well, Miss Sharma... I have 2 tubs of ice-cream in the freezer and I think it just so happens that I have the channel that shows the reality shows you love so much. Any of that interest you?”
Priya shyly giggled and nodded, “But... You hate the reality television shows; I remember that you told me...”
“But you like them, so I’ll gladly watch them; as long as it makes you feel better,”
Priya smiled and embraced him once more. He chuckled and rubbed her back comfortingly. She blushed against his shoulder; he was so lovely and caring.
Standing up, Ram pulled Priya up too. He felt accomplished at how he made her stop crying and how he had succeeded in cheering her up. They made their way downstairs and they participated in exactly what Ram had said. They ate ice-cream and watched episode of a particular khatron ke khiladi reality show that Priya seemed to be captivated by.
Ram was beginning to drift off to sleep when he heard a small snore escape from Priya who was lying beside him. Ram ran a hand over his face, tiredly and looked down at her. He hadn’t even noticed that she’d fallen asleep. She made such adorable noises while she slept which caused Ram to smirk a lot.
With a heavy sigh, he gently shook her awake. She sat up with a start, “Huh? What is...” She trailed off as her sleepy eyes focused on Ram. He smiled patiently at her and watched while she yawned.
Ram gulped. As strange to notice as it was, he couldn’t help but think how beautifully attractive she looked when she was half asleep; her lips perfectly pursed and her eyes clouded. She gently rubbed her eyes and leaned away from him. She tiredly smiled at him, “I'm sorry for falling asleep, Ram. I must be more tired than I thought...” She surmised.
Ram chuckled, “No worries, Priya. Why don’t you go to bed? I can clean up here,” He suggested,
Priya glanced around before staring up at him, “Are you certain? I could stay and..”
“Fall asleep on the trash?” Ram smirked, causing a clear blush to rise upon her cheeks, “It’s fine, Priya. Go get some sleep.”
Priya softly smiled and nodded obediently, “Thank you Ram... Truly...” She whispered,
“You don’t have to keep thanking me for stuff, Priya. You’re my friend and right now you’re a friend in need. I’ll help any way I can. Okay?” Ram explained, briefly touching her arm,
Priya’s eyes shone as she let her orbs blend with his. She nodded and bid him goodnight. Ram watched her go up the stairs and wander into the spare room.
He sighed in simple bliss. He felt really happy that Priya was staying with him for a little while. He couldn’t deny that he had developed feelings for her. Of course, he wasn’t supposed to feel anything for anyone else as he had a girlfriend but he couldn’t help himself. The relationship between him and Isha was practically nonexistent however; there was a spark between him and Priya, as if they just... clicked. It was simple.
A yawn crept upon him and he shrugged off the cleaning duties so he could retire to his big, comfy bed for the night.
At first, the following couple days at work were a little strange. Ram found it odd how he would see Priya in the morning and share breakfast with her and then about an hour later, they had to act like work colleagues and nothing further. They were both good actors though, neither of them acted remotely similar to how they did at Ram’s place.
Probably the strangest type of thing to happen in the mornings was when Ram got into his car and waved goodbye to Priya. She had explained to him that it would seem unprofessional to car pool with him as it would raise questions. Priya also wanted to keep the idea of her living with Ram very quiet. She knew many different situations would arise if anyone found out about where she was staying.
People would immediately think the worst and make deliberate and inaccurate assumptions about the two of them.
Priya would smile a lot throughout the work days after a week of living with Ram. Her feelings for him would grow each day as they worked together but she also enjoyed their general friendly behavior with one another at Ram’s place. Her heart sped up and a smile would immediately be balance on her lips when he entered a room or flashed her a smile or said her name. Her maturity level was clearly slipping; she was acting like a loved up small girl.
Although Priya’s feelings for Ram had increased significantly, she was angry too. She was angry at the fact that nothing could happen between them even if they both wanted it. Isha and AK were the holes in her ideas. Isha was still Ram’s girlfriend and Priya wanted him to simply break up with her and move on... preferably to her. As for AK; he got in the way because she would be fired instantly if he found out anything romantic had evolved between the two of them.
Priya sighed in content as she kicked off her shoes when she got into Ram’s place. Ram stretched his arms above his head as he kicked the front door shut, “Ugh... Today was stressful.” Ram complained, falling onto the sofa and leaning his head back. Priya matched his groans and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder,
“Indeed. Today was very busy with calls and reports?” Priya agreed, squeezing his shoulder while he nodded.
“Mm... Do that again, Priya.”
“What? This?” Priya asked, squeezing his shoulder again,
“Mm...” Ram moaned, enjoying the hindrance of a massage.
“If you would like, I could give you the shoulder massage? I once took a class on becoming a masseuse.” Priya offered,
Ram didn’t hesitate on removing his jacket, tie and shirt. Priya felt a strong flutter within her stomach at the sight of him shirtless. He skin was pale but that simply made her notice his perfect form more. His abdomen looked strong and muscular. His arms weren’t overly big but they were enough to make Priya admire him. She blushed furiously as her hand took up placement against his now bare shoulder.
“This... doesn’t make you feel uncomfortable or anything, right?” Ram asked, unsure of his actions,
“No! Uh... No of course not, Ram.” Priya laughed, nervously. She darted around the side of the sofa so she could sit on her knees, behind him. She allowed her fingers to dance across his spine and his toned back as she rubbed and squeezed particular parts of his back with care.
Ram had become drowsy before Priya completely stopped. Ram cleared his throat and turned to her with a calm smile, “Oh!” He murmured in ecstasy, “Where did you learn to do that?”
Priya shrugged and giggled, “Spa. I used to work on the spa on my vacation and at the time... I was very unsure of what I wished to do in life.” She explained,
“Well, I’d definitely say you pass with flying colors.” Ram praised. Priya giggled and although neither of them had planned in shifting, they had become slightly closer together.
There was a sudden silence as they stared at each other. It wasn’t awkward but there was intensity in the air that neither could figure out. Their eyes would blink to each other’s lips but look away just as quickly.
Both of them began to sub consciously lean forward. Ram’s mind raced. We’re gonna kiss! Ram thought.
However, fate had other ideas. Just as Ram was ready to speed his pace up, there was a knocks on the front door.
Both moved away from each other with a charge of energy that they didn’t realize they had. Priya suddenly stood up and brushed some of her hair behind her ear.
Ram was quick to get up so that he could look out the small hole in the door. He almost completely froze over. Isha
Isha was literally standing on the other side of the door with her arms folded, patiently waiting for her boyfriend to open the door. Ram gulped and frantically turned to Priya who had a concerned expression fixed to her face,
“It’s Isha!” Ram told her in a quiet tone so that Isha wouldn’t hear him. Priya’s eyes widened and she straightened up,
“What must I do?” Priya replied, evening the low voices,
“Hide... Uh... Upstairs!” Ram instructed. Priya nodded and immediately ran up the stairs and sat against the door of the spare room. She didn’t exactly want to go inside of the room; she wanted to hear what they were talking about; as bad as it was for her to do so.
Ram inhaled a deep breath and opened the door, “Hey Isha,” He greeted,
Isha turned and her eyes brighten up with passion, “Hello shirtless.” She laughed, “What’re you doing?”
“I... I was about to get changed.... That’s why I took so long... I was upstairs.” Ram lied,
“I did wonder,” She smiled,
“Did.... Did you wanna come in?”
“Mm... I shouldn’t. I came to tell you that I’m not gonna be in Mumbai I'm going to attend family function.
Interesting “Oh? Why not?”
I'm going to Malaysia to attend my cousin brother's wedding.
“Oh...”
“Wow, try not to sound too distraught,” Isha deadpanned,
“No... I’m just shocked... You’re going to Malaysia...”
Isha smiled and made an affectionate noise, “Aw, I know you’ll miss me lots but don’t worry. I’ll get back as soon as I can.”
Ram faked the loving response, “Good.” He forced a smile,
“Well, I guess I’ll see you after I'm come back then,” Isha said, wrapping her arms around his neck. Ram automatically placed his hands on her waist.
“Are you leaving today...?”
“Early tomorrow so I gotta pack tonight.” Isha shrugged. Ram nodded.
“Now... Give me a kiss so I won’t forget about you,” She winked. Ram faked a chuckle and allowed her to press her lips to his. Isha wasn’t shy about exploring his mouth with her tongue. Ram counted the seconds in his head and wondered how long he would have to endure it. He wanted to break up with her but he didn’t think it would be the greatest time to do it then and there. No, he’d wait until her return.
Isha pulled away and her lips were rosy, “Bye, Ram,” She mumbled, stepping away from him and opening the door. Ram walked over to the door and waved to her as she left.
After she was out of sight, Ram closed the door and leaned his back against it with his eyes closed. When he opened them, his heart pounded.
Priya leaned against the sofa and looked up at him with a calm smile, “The trip should be nice for Isha,” She commented, a blink of something untraceable in her beautiful eyes,
“Yes... Wait, were you listening?” Ram asked, smirking,
“No! Ok... I had not planned to but... my hearing is apparently better than I thought,” Priya giggled, nervously,
“Priya.” Ram chuckled. She poked her tongue out playfully and giggled,
“Ram, would you like some of the coffee?” Priya queried,
“You know me so well,” Ram chuckled, walking with her towards the kitchen,
“It would seem so,” Priya breathed, grabbing two cups.
As Priya began making the coffee, Ram couldn’t help but stare at her form. In his eyes, she was so very perfect. He knew he shouldn’t think of her in such away but it was difficult not to. She and Ram just got along from day one and he knew he could trust her and so, the bond between them was very strong. It was those types of feelings where, when he would close his eyes, Priya would come to his thoughts straight away. It wasn’t just physical attraction that made him think of Priya so very often. She was smart, sweet, caring and genuinely adorable. His morals were slowly cracking and at that particular moment, he was desperate to kiss her although, he did well to resist as she handed him a cup of coffee. Ram attempted to shake the thoughts away as they wandered over to the sofa to watch TV. He sat and gulped as he realized just how deep his feelings for Priya ran...
%20(1).png)
Post a Comment