Warrior - Chapter Nine

Sure, David Beckham may have had my heart since, like, forever! But baby sis really shouldn't think that just because Arnav Singh Raizada was a tattoo man, meant anything for me. I mean sure, based on the pictures I saw, his tattoos look amazing!

But that still doesn't mean anything.

Still, the little squirt kept trying to get a word out of me. Well, technically she's not a little squirt, Payal being only 5'3" while I'm 5'5". It was just fun calling her that. Despite her annoyance to the pet name, she still tried to get a reaction out of me - but she wouldn't get it.

Amma was still feeling anxiety over the Raizada's. It had been about two weeks since the Raizada's visited, and still, no word. Again, it's not like Amma knew the ball was in my court, gathering dust and shit. But what she doesn't know won't hurt her and what not.

And yet, Payal added on to her anxiety. At dinner, she somehow managed to bring up the Raizada's - specifically Arnav's tattoos - simply because she had managed to get no words out of me these past two weeks. Baby sis was playing dangerously and I have to admit, I'm proud of her. Annoyed, but proud. She boasted over Arnav's tattoos as if they were her own, and my parents agreed with her. See, my family is not like many of the others when it comes this topic. Like with workers, we don't discriminate against those with body art whatsoever - it's a personal choice. Although, my parents only saw what was on his hand and that was impressive enough for them. Who even knows - if Amma saw all of them, I'm sure that would give her the full motivation to call Shalini Singh Raizada in a heartbeat.

Fortunately, that wasn't the case.

"By the way, Khushi, are you going to the gala this Saturday," Babuji asked.

"For Mehta's? Yeah."

"Well, better you than me, that man drives me nuts!"

I couldn't help but to chuckle. Old Mehta loved to gloat about his ancestral home to all the old folks, my father included, despite the fact that he's heard it so many times, he's practically got I memorized.

"I wish I could go," Payal groaned, toying with her food.

"You have midterms this coming week," Amma lightly scolded.

"Yeah, I know.... I better have an epic spring break!"

"Sure baby sis, whatever you say," I smirk.

Payal sticks her tongue out at me, making us laugh.

I truly do love moments like this. Why would I want anything else but my family?

*~*

For the gala, I decided on a strapped, blue satin gown, with an open back and a slit over the left leg.

Hey, just because it's business, doesn't mean I can't have my own fun.

My hair flowed out in nice waves, a diamond choker graced on my neck, and dangling diamond earrings hung on my lobes.

Work hard and ice yourself out.

With my clutch and shawl in tow, I headed downstairs. Amma was with Payal, helping her study, when the two spotted me.

"Daaaayyuuummm Di!!!"

I chuckled as the two made their way to me. Amma looked me up and down, taking my hand in hers as she twirled me around.

"You look gorgeous," she gaped.

"Cinderella is shook," Payal nodded.

"Uh, pretty sure Cinderella wore light blue and glass slippers," I said.

"Oh light blue, royal blue, glass slippers, silver Louboutins - same stuff," she said, waving her hands.

"Right," I grinned.

"My big girl looks so beautiful," Amma squealed. "Those Raizada's are fools to not notice what they're missing."

Oh? Well this is a change of tune. But I won't lie, it's nice, and it'll leave me the hell alone.

Gomez appeared in the hall and nodded, signaling that the chauffeur was ready. Placing kisses on their cheeks, I bid farewell to the ladies and got into the Rolls Royce, and the car pulled off.

Oh yes, we have one, too. Well, three of them, actually.

It wasn't long until we arrived, and I wrapped my shawl around me and grabbed my clutch as I stepped out. There were familiar faces pretty much everywhere, especially when I stepped inside, once I left my shawl at the coat check. Business associates were everywhere, but first thing first was locating Ivy-

"Good evening ma'am," Ivy waved as she made her way over to me.

Perfect. Now let's have fun.

Ivy followed along besides me as we mingled through the night. See, these events, I like going to. It was straight up just business talk with occasional flashing of the dollars made. There were no spiteful aunties anywhere, ready to attack me on my divorce and rapist-of-an-ex-husband.

Yes, at these events, I was truly free. Too bad mom doesn't like these; then for once we'd be at an event together where I don't make myself the center of attention in a bad way.

"Ma'am, I'm going to head to the restroom," Ivy says to me.

"Sure. Meet me at the bar, I need a drink. Cosmo for you?"

Ivy nods at the selection of her favorite drink and I nod in return, then she heads off. I head to the bar, passing a few familiar faces and exchange greetings with them as I make my way. Once I reach the bar and wave a bartender down, I order a cosmo for Ivy and an appletini for myself. The man heads off to make the drinks and I glance around the room as I wait. There's familiar faces everywhere, from old to young. When Babuji used to come to these things and I was just a kid, I used to come along with him. I always had a liking for this stuff, which helped introduce me to the senior businessmen. Not only that but it helped me make a connection from earlier on cause they knew to take me seriously, having seen me be a part of it since I was young. Heck, some of these guys don't even take other people my age seriously, only me, and I quite like that.

As I continue to glance around the room, looking to the left, my eyes land on someone I didn't expect to be here. See, like I said, I've been coming to these things for years. Maybe not every year, but still for a lot of them. And in those years, never have I ever seen a Raizada here.

Most certainly not Arnav Singh Raizada.

He stood several yards away from me, talking to two men, and I have to admit - the man looked handsome. His suit did justice to his muscular arms, hugging them just right to make it not too tight, his crisp white shirt covering those toned abs of his. A skinny black tie grace around his neck, unlike the other men here, who mostly wore the regular, fat ones.

Then again, most of the guys here were at least double his age.

The two men Arnav Singh Raizada was speaking to left him, and a group of other men went up to him.

Surely not only did I notice, but other people must have noticed that the CEO of AR Group of Industries was here tonight as well.

Behind me, the bartender placed my drinks down and I tipped him. Picking up my appletini, I took a sip, feeling the cool liquid rush down my throat, along with the taste of apples and alcohol. I picked off one of the small three slices of green apple that was wedged on my drink and took a bite of it as I watched the group of men mingle with Arnav Singh Raizada. By the looks of things, it seemed that Arnav knew these people really well.

"I'm back," I hear Ivy's voice say.

But I don't look at her, still spectating on Raizada and his crew. Ivy must've noticed because I hear her gasp beside me.

"Ma'am, isn't that Arnav Singh Raizada? He never comes to this event."

See, even Ivy knows because she's been coming to this thing for three years, this being her fourth. 

The two of us watch for a moment, sipping on our drinks.

"Ma'am, why don't we try talking to him?"

Come again?

I look at her as I take a sip of my drink.

"I mean since we're trying to start up a fashion blog and enter that world, why not try to get some contact with the biggest brand there is? After all, they constantly have new lines for every season. If we could get a first hand exclusive, just imagine the number of views we'd get! And the number of potential ads we can run!"

And this is why I hired Ivy all those years ago, not giving a damn that she came in wearing a dull beige salwar kameez and big glasses covering her petite face. Her brain was what got me and on her own, she decided to transform herself and enter high fashion.

"And- wait, where'd he go?"

I look back and Arnav Singh Raizada was no longer standing in the space he was in before. I looked to the right, noticing the group of men that were just talking to him. However, Arnav was not with that group.

A small squeal nearly escapes Ivy's lips, but she quickly stops herself. I furrow my brows at her, but she quickly points behind me and looks down at her drink.

She may have upped her game since I first met her, but she still could be a mouse whenever she wanted to be.

Looking over my left shoulder, I find Arnav Singh Raizada farther down the curved bar. He was talking to the bartender and the man nodded and stepped away. Just as he does, Arnav starts to glance around, and almost immediately, his eyes land on me. I don't flinch away, keeping my eyes on him. The bartender returns, placing a tumbler down with a large, perfect ball of ice in it, then pours whiskey into it. Arnav hands him his tip and the bartender gives him a nod of gratitude before going off. As soon as he's gone, Arnav turns his eyes back to me. He lifts up the tumbler and gives it a little wave, as if to cheers. I wave my drink back as well, then take a sip, turning away.

"Wait, you know him," Ivy asks.

Oh honey, if you only knew.