The next day, everybody at San's restaurant was acting weird. Sanvika was working like crazy. She appeared extra cheerful and talked to the customers more. But Tariq and Astrid could see that the smiles did not reach her eyes.

But at the same time, Tariq and Astrid were themselves being so strange and were not looking into each other's eyes.

Shardul came in and he watched Sanvika for a while and he could sense something is wrong. But he knew better than to go directly talk to her.

"What happened?" Shardul slid into the bar counter to speak to Tariq.

"Huh? What? Nothing... Nothing happened?" Said Tariq who was so distracted himself.

"Clearly something happened? She is so happy."

"Huh? She is..." He turned around to look at Astrid who was making pasta. "I don't think so." Astrid was clearly in a bad mood since the morning.

"I was talking about San."

"Oh! That we don't know. Last night we left her with Vivaan. Because his flight got cancelled and he needed a place to stay. This morning, surely Vivaan is not here and San is like that."

Shardul looked back at Sanvika. "Clearly something happened between them."

"Huh?" Tariq asked. "Like..."

Shardul turned back. "Like a fight."

"Oh! Fight... I thought you meant..."

Shardul understood what he meant. "What? No... I mean..." The side that is in love with Sanvika did not want to think of her with Vivaan in any intimate way. "I don't think... I mean..."

"I know you like her." Tariq said, "But you can clearly see that San is in love with Vivaan, right?"

Shardul tapped the counter with his knuckles, not meeting Tariq's eyes.

"And in my opinion, San abandoning all her money and inheritance and doing all these hardships here does not make any sense to me. She should go back and marry Vivaan. He is such a nice kid."

Shardul did not say anything. He just kept looking down, acting as if this was somebody else's business. Then he sighed as Tariq continued to polish some wine glasses.

Shardul looked up and saw Astrid looking at Tariq with sharp eyes. "What's up with her?" Tariq followed Shardul's eyes. He recoiled and turned away when his eyes met with Astrid. Shardul raised his eyebrow.

Tariq was appearing under-confident and really hesitant for once in his life. "Eh... Something happened."

"What?"

"Shardul Bhai..." He was being extra careful now. "Have you...had.... You know... have you... done it with a woman?"

"Done what?"

"You know..." Shardul was not getting it, so Tariq had to hiss it out in a whisper, "make love."

Shardul gasped. "You two.... You and Astrid..."

Tariq looked embarrassed and distressed. "It sort of happened."

Shardul's mouth fell open.

"I know..." Tariq said.

"But you hate each other..." Shardul said.

"Now she hates me more." Tariq sighed.

"Why?"

He hesitated again, "Because I messed up..."

"Huh?'

"Eh... I... sort of panicked. After it... Coz we did it without...protection." He moved closer, "I can't afford to have a child now."

"Then you should not have done it." Astrid was suddenly behind them. She looked ready enough to fling the plate of pasta on Tariq's head.

"As if I did it alone. You were the one who seduced me..." He yelled at her.

"I?"

"Yes... You took me home. You asked first if we should... do it."

"I asked it because you already wanted it." Astrid snapped in English. "You were undressing me with your eyes. And who was the one who was too ready and frantic to have his first-ever intercourse in his life?"

"Don't speak so fast in English."

Astrid swore in French.

"Did you just curse at me?"

Hearing the commotion, Sanvika came to the counter. "What is happening?"

Shardul turned to her. "These two had sex last night."

"What?" Sanvika's eyes almost popped out. Her problem of last night was instantly wiped out of her mind.

Sanvika was busy for the next couple of weeks as there were constant outbreaks of arguments and loud voices in the kitchen and bar counter. There was a lot of cursing in French and Tariq frequently walked out of the restaurant to go sit at the beach until he calms down.

Sanvika did not know who's side she should take. Apparently having sex was a mutual decision. They were alone, in a small room... They both were slightly wet from the rain. And it had been ages since Astrid had sex, and Tariq was still a virgin. It happened. Then Tariq messed up. He hurt Astrid by freaking out about a possible pregnancy.

One afternoon when Tariq walked out after an argument, he had tears in his eyes. Sanvika saw it and followed him outside. Tariq sat alone looking at the sea. Sanvika sat with him.

"Sorry, San... I'll come back in just a moment." He said, wiping his tears.

"Can I ask something?" Sanvika asked.

"Hm..."

"Do you like her? I mean are you in love with her?"

Tariq looked away.

"You know that she is this pissed off because she expected better treatment from you, right? Maybe she wanted affection and cuddles and sweet good mornings. Not maybe. She definitely wanted that. Most girls want that. Most; not all. I just wanted to run away after I had sex with my ex-boyfriends. But Astrid wanted an affectionate approach because she wanted a further development, a future possibility with you."

"Nah... Who will want me? I am an ex-convict. No education. No background. And Astrid is a foreigner and so much – foreigner."

"No. I am pretty sure I am right about this. If you can't trust my words, go ask Astrid. But apologise before you do."

"Do you think Astrid likes me?"

"Yup."

"Doesn't make sense."

"It often does not. And we end up hurting people we love." Her mind travelled back to Vivaan. She had not heard anything of him in past few weeks. She was way too curious to know how he was doing, but... she had literally cut him off from her life.

"I will apologise to Astrid on one condition," Tariq said, reading Sanvika's expression. Sanvika looked up. "This whole thing happened because I wanted to leave you alone with Vivaan. But you mess that up. So you will go see Vivaan once, and I will apologise to Astrid."

San looked unsure and uneasy. Tariq put his hands on her shoulder. "I will go face my true feelings now. So you do too, San. Be true to your feelings."

And he got up and walked off to the restaurant. Sanvika sat where she is... and she was thinking back to that night when Vivaan's lips were on her and his hands held her. It would be a lie to say that she did not want that again. In fact, she wanted it desperately. Her whole body craved for Vivaan.

"Just once...." She told herself.

And next week she went to Mumbai.