I hesitated at the door of the VIP room. I saw Mr Agarwal looking at me. But he did not look surprised. He kept on talking to his daughter. I realised the situation. The manager had said that the guest asked for me. Now I got it...

So I walked in. "Your orders, sir..." I said, taking out the tablet on which the menu was written.

Samaira turned to look at me, and she looked shocked.

"What will you have, Sam?" Mr Agarwal asked Mia.

Mia was just looking at me. It was painful. Kind of humiliating. I wanted to get out of the situation. But I kept my dignity.

"Your order, ma'am," I asked Mia.

She looked hurt and guilty

"We will have the A course dinner set, please...?" Mr Agarwal told me.

"Sure, sir," I noted it down. Mia was looking at me with sharp eyes. It felt as if her laser gaze will penetrate me. "Anything else, sir?"

"And what is the best wine you have?"

I gave him the details of the wines. I had been taught that a few days back only. Mr Agarwal ordered the most expensive wine and I was relieved.

I walked outside, went to the kitchen and gave them the order. And walked out through the back door to the outside. I needed some air.

I pressed myself to the back wall of the restaurant. It was cold outside. There were signs of rain coming. I took out the pendant and chain from my pocket. I had hesitated a lot before buying it. It was the pendant that was shaped like a heart. A simple heart outline with a stone in the middle. It was my gift for Mia. It was not expensive... But it was what I could afford with the money I earned.

I stared at the pendant with pain in my heart. I knew the distance between Mia and my world is so much big. She is so far away...

"Shiva..." I heard someone calling my name. It was Mia. I turned around. I saw her coming out of the back door. "Shiva..." She called again.

I turned to her.

"Mia..."

She saw me and ran to me. She had tears in her eyes. "I am so sorry. I did not know dad was going to do this." She told me, crying. She was panicking... "I am sorry, Shiva... I.... Dad said he wanted to go here, and I did not know you work here. Trust me, I had no idea you worked here... and..." She sobbed, "Dad...he... he is such an asshole for doing this... I am so sorry, Shiva...."

"Hey, hey..." I cupped her cheeks in my hand. "It is okay..."

"It is?" She asked, not believing me.

"Yeah...." I said, "I am fine."

"I am so sorry..." she said through her tears again.

"No, baby... I am fine." I said.

"Promise?"

"Yeah....."

She hugged me. Tight... She was wearing one of the most expensive dresses she owned, and I was in a waiter's outfit. But she did not care. She never cared about things like that... I hugged her back.

And the rain started falling on us.

"Hey..." I whispered in her ear.

"Hm?"

"Happy birthday..." I said.

She looked up at me and chuckled. "Now, go inside your dad will be looking for you. And you will catch a cold." I said.

"I want to stay with you..."

"I'll see you tomorrow," I said.

"Promise?"

"Yes, Mia..."

"Fine..." She walked inside the restaurant through the back door. I took out the pendant once more from my pocket and looked at it. There was no reason for me to hesitate to give this to her, but the heart pendant made it like it was symbolising our relationship. Making it official... And I was scared to take that step. I knew she also felt the same as I do... Or at least something similar. But I was not ready to upset the balance of something so fragile.

The next morning, I developed a fever. I don't catch fever usually. But this one was very severe. I could not get up from the bed. Maushi was worried and she made me stay home. She gave me light food and I took medicine and took some rest.

The next day also the fever did not go down. It reduced but was not over. So I kept sleeping. In my dreams, I kept seeing Mia. In the dream, we were in a cuddle, and we were talking. She laughed, and I moved a finger through her hair. Even in sleep, my heart clenched.

I woke up hearing Mia's voice. I thought I was still dreaming since I saw Mia in the living room with Kashi and Maushi.

"He does not usually get fevers," Maushi was telling.

"He is awake," Kashi said. And all three of them looked at me. But my focus was on Mia. She was standing in my living room. What was she doing there? Then I realised this was no dream and jumped up.

"What are you doing here?" I asked her.

"Nice way to welcome someone." She told me.

"Shiva... That is not the right way to treat a guest who came to your house," Maushi scolded me. But I walked to Mia, caught her hand and pulled her outside of the house into the corridor of the building.

I actually could not believe that she was here. "Why are you here?" I asked her.

"Kashish said you have a fever," She said. And put her hand on my forehead. "God, Shiva... You are burning up." I uttered a sigh and sank back to the wall behind me. "Did you take your medicines?" Mia asked.

I put a hand through her hair. "Did you miss me?" I asked.

She frowned. "Take your medicines and get well soon." She said. She was about to walk inside when I caught her hand. She stopped she stayed. I tilted my head to her shoulder. She closed her eyes. I did not see it, but I could feel it. Her hand went to my hair as her fingers moved through it. It was the most amazing sensation I knew.

There was no need for words... But I knew we belonged with each other.

"Shiva..." Maushi stepped out of the house. Mia stepped away from me at once. Maushi came to us, "Eat something before you go, beta..." Maushi told Mia. "Please... We don't treat guests like this. Guests have to eat something before they go." She said.

I was not sure Mia would like our house's simple food. She is used to five-star hotel food. But she went along with Maushi. She ate lunch with us. As we ate, my eyes were constantly on Mia. She was talking with Maushi.

"So how do you find our Shiva?" Maushi asked her at a point.

"Maushi..." I tried to stop her.

"Arey... We have the right to know." Maushi said. She looked at Mia with very hopeful eyes.

"He is nice," Mia said, playing with the food on her plate. Kind of shy.

She stayed back after lunch too. Ajji was all the time watching her. "Tell me one thing," Ajji finally said to Mia, "Don't you get cold if you wear such short clothes?"

Mia looked like she did not know what to say.

"It's fashion, Ajji..." I told Ajji.

"What fashion? She will freeze to death..." Ajji said.

"Ajji... people should wear what they like," I said.

"Yeah, yeah... You defend your lover girl. Power of love." She said. Mia and I both blushed. And refused to look at each other.

"You know what?" Kashi said standing beside me, looking at Mia who was eating the snacks Maushi made and drinking tea. "She is not that bad."

I looked at Kashi. "I mean," she continued, "She is eating our food and being one of us. I did not think she could."

I smiled. I knew she could.... Mia turned to look at me as Ajji was again asking her how she manages to walk in high heels. I laughed with her. Mia laughed as well.

I walked her out that night. I was holding her hand. "Did you come in your car?" I asked her.

"No. I booked an Uber..." She said taking out her mobile to book one to go home. I noticed that it was not her old mobile. It was the latest, more expensive model.

"New mobile?" I asked.

"Yeah. Dad gifted me on my birthday..." She said.

I realised I still had her gift with me. I hesitated. I need to give her the gift but... She went away when the uber came.

I walked into the college in thoughts. And went to the canteen. Mia was with Harsh. Talking...

I got my tea and sat down at a nearby table.

"Shiva..." Dhwani of my class saw me and came to me. "Hey... did not see you for a few days." Dhwani was wearing a white salwar kameez.

"Yeah... I had some work and then caught a fever." I told her.

"Oh... is it okay now?" She asked, coming close, and touching my hand. I saw Mia looking up from her table at Dhwani's hand on my hand. I withdrew my hand... "Yeah, I am okay." I said.

"Oh, great..." Dhwani said. "Do you need notes? I can share with you..."

"Eh... It's okay. I can get it from Kashish." I said.

"Oh, yeah... right..." Dhwani said. "But I don't mind sharing notes with you..." She rolled her hair in her fingers. Mia's eyes were sharp on us.

"Yeah. Thanks... I will ask you if I need any notes." I told Dhwani to be polite.

"Okay..." She turned around and walked. I saw Mia get up from her seat with her cup of coffee. She walked on, and walked straight into Dhwani, poring all the coffee on Dhwani's white salvar.

"Ah..." Dhwani jumped back.

"Oops! Sorry, Dhwani... did not see you there." Mia said.

I got up. Mia did that intentionally... I could see it in her eyes. Anybody could see it. This girl....!!

Mia shrugged and walked to me.

"What the hell was that?" I asked Mia when she was near me.

She shrugged and scrunched the paper cup in her hand and threw it into the waste bin. She stood leaning toward the table with an attitude. She was looking at Dhwani who was desperately trying to wipe off the coffee stain. Dhwani turned to Mia in anger, but Mia had no expression change. She just smirked. Dhwani stomped away in anger.

"Why did you?" I turned to Mia, though internally I knew.

"How dare she flirt with my man," Mia said, not taking her eyes off Dhwani who was walking away. "Serves her right."

'My Man'???

I knew this was not the right moment to be happy over this, but I was feeling so elated and thrilled. I felt nice.

Mia crossed her hands.

"Hm... You just said..." I began to say.

"I know what I said." She said, without looking at me.

"Hm?" I nodded.

She looked embarrassed now. "I'll see you later." She said and walked off. I wanted to call her, but I did not. We were surrounded by too many people.