Chapter 60
Kabir's Perspective
The warmth of Aditi's touch lingered on my fingertips as we stepped out of my office and into the brightly lit corridor. She was still blinking the sleep from her eyes, her hair a little tousled, giving her an endearing, just-woken-up look. She was trying to smooth down her hair with one hand, her lips curling into a sheepish smile as she walked beside me.
I glanced at her and chuckled softly. "You're cute when you're sleepy, you know?"
She shot me a playful glare, but the blush creeping up her cheeks betrayed her amusement. "Don't start, Kabir. I didn't mean to fall asleep. It's your office, so comfortable..."
"Yeah, I'll make sure to send a note to the interior designer," I teased. "Sleeping Aditi approved."
She let out a small laugh, shaking her head. "You're impossible."
As we approached the party venue, the sound of music and chatter filled the air, growing louder with each step. We could hear the muffled thrum of a bass-heavy song and the low hum of laughter from just around the corner. The anticipation of introducing Aditi to the rest of my world started to build within me. I wasn't nervous, per se, but there was an excited energy buzzing in my chest, a mix of pride and eagerness.
I glanced at Aditi again, watching her adjust the hem of her dress and smooth out imaginary creases. She didn't need to do any of that—she looked stunning. The dress she'd picked out was a deep blue that brought out the warmth in her skin, and the simple elegance of it suited her perfectly. My heart swelled with a sense of possessiveness—not in a controlling way, but in a way that made me want to proudly introduce her to everyone as mine.
Finally, we turned the corner and entered the main hall where the party was already in full swing. The room was filled with colleagues, friends, and acquaintances, all mingling, drinking, and chatting. The lights were dimmed just enough to give the room a lively, celebratory feel without it being too chaotic. The scent of fresh appetizers and the faint tang of alcohol drifted in the air, adding to the festive atmosphere.
Aditi tightened her grip on my arm slightly as we stepped inside, her eyes scanning the room with a mix of curiosity and slight nervousness. I leaned down to whisper in her ear, "Relax, you've got this."
She looked up at me, her lips curving into a smile that held both gratitude and a touch of vulnerability. "Thanks. I'm just not used to these kinds of events."
I squeezed her hand gently. "Well, now you are. And besides, you've got me. You're going to be the star of the evening."
Before she could respond, a familiar voice cut through the air, and I felt an arm slung casually over my shoulder.
"Aare yaar, yeh lo! Star couple finally pohonch gaye!"
I turned to find Raghav grinning at us, his eyes twinkling with mischief. His smile widened as his gaze shifted from me to Aditi, and I could already see the teasing brewing in his head. Before he could start, Sahil appeared at his side, his arms crossed over his chest, an equally mischievous grin on his face.
"Bhai, tum dono ko aate hue itni der kyu lagi? Party toh kab ki shuru ho gayi!" Sahil teased, winking at Aditi.
I shook my head, already knowing what was coming. "Shuru hone do. I don't have to explain myself to you two."
But Raghav, being the quick-witted joker he was, wasn't about to let me off that easily. He leaned toward Aditi, his voice dropping into a conspiratorial whisper, loud enough for me to hear but low enough to pretend it was meant just for her.
"Aditi, sach batao, tum isko kitni der se busy rakhi thi? Mujhe lagta hai tum iski taang kheench rahi thi. Yeh toh waise bhi pagal ho gaya hai tumhare pyaar mein."
Aditi, now more relaxed, burst out laughing, and I shot Raghav a look of mock annoyance. "Keep going, Raghav, I'll remember this later."
But Raghav wasn't done. "Bhai, hum sab dekh rahe hain. Tumhare chehre pe jo expression hai na, woh ekdum 'ladka gaya kaam se' wala hai." He turned to Sahil, who nodded sagely, adding fuel to the fire. "Waise, Aditi, Kabir ko tameez se samjhati ho ya yeh khud itna sundar ban gaya hai? Ekdum saaf lipstick waale mark ke bina bhi dikh raha hai."
Aditi laughed again, clearly enjoying the teasing more than I'd anticipated. "Oh, I don't have to do much. He's pretty good at keeping himself in check...most of the time," she added, throwing me a playful glance.
Sahil chimed in with his own brand of humor, "Arre, but seriously Kabir, yeh wali toh special hai. Humko batana chahiye tha pehle, hum bhi tayyari kar lete."
I rolled my eyes, but before I could respond, Raghav leaned in again, his eyes sparkling with a mischievous glint. "Aditi, tumhe pata hai na, Kabir kitna lucky hai? Matlab, hum dono yeh soch rahe hain ki agar Kabir ko tumhara attention mil gaya, toh hum dono ka kya hoga? Bas uska dhyaan tum pe hai, aur hamesha tum pe hi rahega."
Aditi raised an eyebrow, clearly amused by Raghav's teasing. "Aur tum dono ko kaise sambhaloon phir?"
Raghav grinned. "Waise hum utne difficult nahi hai... bas Kabir ko mat poochna. Tumhare bina woh waise bhi ab humse door ja raha hai."
I swatted Raghav on the back of his head playfully. "Shut up, yaar."
The banter between the four of us continued for a few minutes, filled with light-hearted teasing and laughter. Aditi had fit in so easily, so naturally, that it felt like she'd always been part of our little group. It wasn't surprising, really. She had a way of making everyone feel at ease around her, and I loved that about her.
After a while, Sahil gestured toward the larger group of people at the party. "Chalo bhai, ab Aditi ko sabse milwa do. Tumhara boss bhi aaya hua hai. Aur waise bhi, we all know you just want to show her off to the world."
I didn't even bother denying it. Of course, I wanted to show her off. I wanted everyone to see how amazing she was, how lucky I was to have her by my side. With a grin, I took Aditi's hand in mine and led her toward the main group.
As we made our way through the crowd, I introduced Aditi to some of my colleagues, each of them offering polite greetings and compliments. She handled it all gracefully, her usual charm shining through with every interaction. Every time she smiled or laughed at something one of them said, I couldn't help but feel a surge of pride.
Then came the moment I'd been waiting for. My boss, Mr. Sinha, was standing near the bar, chatting with a few of his senior colleagues. He was a sharp, no-nonsense kind of man, but tonight, even he seemed a little more relaxed than usual. As we approached him, I felt a slight tension build up in my chest. It wasn't that I was worried—Aditi could handle herself—but I just wanted this to go well.
"Mr. Sinha," I said as we reached him. "I'd like you to meet Aditi, my..."
Before I could even finish, he turned to us with a warm smile and extended his hand to Aditi. "Ah, so you're the Aditi I've been hearing so much about," he said with a twinkle in his eye. "Kabir talks about you often."
Aditi blushed slightly, shaking his hand. "I hope it's all good things," she said with a soft laugh.
Mr. Sinha chuckled. "Oh, absolutely. He seems very proud of you."
I smiled, a little embarrassed by the attention, but not minding it in the slightest. Mr. Sinha continued to chat with Aditi for a few minutes, asking her about her work and making polite conversation. She answered every question with the same poise and charm that I'd come to admire in her.
As they talked, I couldn't help but step back a little, just watching her. She looked so comfortable, so at ease, even in this unfamiliar environment. It was like she belonged here, by my side, mingling with the people who mattered to me. There was a grace in the way she carried herself, a quiet confidence that drew people in without her even trying.
I must've been staring for too long because before I knew it, Sahil and Raghav had sidled up beside me, their grins wide and mischievous as ever.
"Oye, lover boy," Raghav said, nudging me in the ribs. "Kya dekh raha hai itna? Uska interview le raha hai kya?"
Sahil joined in, snickering. "Haan, yeh toh bilkul award-winning gaze lag rahi hai. Kabir, bhai, hum toh bas party kar rahe hain, aur tu yahan full hero wali nazar daal raha hai."
I rolled my eyes, though I couldn't help but smile. "You two seriously have nothing better to do, huh?"
Raghav leaned in closer, his voice mock-serious. "Bhai, humko toh bas tumhari khushi dekh ke khushi hoti hai. Waise, Aditi toh impress ho gayi hogi tumhare is 'dheere dheere se nazar na lag jaaye' waale style se."
I groaned, but it was hard to stay annoyed when they were right. I was watching Aditi like she was the most precious thing in the room—because to me, she was.
Sahil chuckled, clapping me on the back. "Bhai, tu bas yeh aankhon se maarne ka kaam chhod de, hum jaake drinks le aate hain. Uske baad tujhe officially hum sabko treat dena padega."
I waved them off, shaking my head as they walked away, still chuckling at my expense. But their teasing didn't bother me. In fact, it only made me more aware of how much I truly adored her.
Turning back to Aditi, I watched her for a moment longer as she finished her conversation with Mr. Sinha and made her way back to me. She caught my eye and smiled, and in that instant, everything around us seemed to fade away. There was no teasing, no noise, no party—just the two of us, standing together in a room full of people, completely absorbed in each other.
And in that moment, I knew that I didn't just want to show her off to the world. I wanted to show her that she was my world.