'No-fun police.'

Kunal

2020

"Good, that's good." I heard Aagnay's father mutter to his son. "It's your job to keep her on the line and see to it specifically that nothing falls out."

"You don't worry," Aagnay told him reassuringly, and I leaned back against the wall. So that was the deal with them. Son of a bitch had gone too far this time and I knew. I knew Bhasin's pretty lies, and I had to make sure I had him by his throat. "We just need to focus on her."

I was all ears as his father said, "She's already been taken care of." I was fucking psyched to have known the kind of power I was about to establish with Bhasin shortly. I had hit a fucking fortune of a lifetime. "I spoke with her parents tonight. They understand."

I closed my eyes and breathed steadily for my well-being; they couldn't have known I was right 'round the corner. These people were so screwed up in their heads—I wasn't the only one in misery. There was a lot more to the story than I had initially imagined. This smug fucker was about to receive the shock of his goddamned life.

I leaned away from the wall and began to saunter back to the bar to grab drinks. "Oh, there you are," Miara smiled at me after I ordered my drink. "I've been looking for you."

My gaze was drawn to her full, glossy lips. That was one smokin' hot mouth. "Why were you looking for me?"

She pulled her lip ring in between her teeth and fuck—I was getting high on her fragrance. "I was wondering if you'd like to dance with me." Hell no. I wanted to say that, but I couldn't because Miara was a good friend. But I also wanted to get naked with her, and that was the dilemma I seriously avoided getting into. "Don't be a buzzkill now, come on."

I ignored her dark gaze on me before I could do something stupid like kiss her and drank my whisky instead. "It's a community dinner, not a fucking club night," I told her, and she made a tsking noise. My gaze was back on her full lips. "There's no EDM."

"Are you the new no-fun police in the town?" Her hazel eyes were dancing on me and those lips were curved to a smirk. She knew exactly what she was doing.

"I don't hold anything against fun." I was rather pissed at the Bhasins and occupied by the erratic thoughts that were starting to make me flustered. "Where's Vaanya?"

"Why are you looking for Vaanya?"

Because being closer to Vaanya was tempting. My restraint was futile, and I could barely wait to claim her mine. That tough little act she displayed was all part of the chase. "Just curious," I muttered and drank from the glass. I heard my brother call after me and my jaw steeled. That bastard always pissed me off. "See you around, Maira."

I strode to the dinner table and Arijit smiled at me—all fucking robotic at the edges, and I scoffed. "That's my little brother," he said evenly, introducing me to someone I couldn't care any less about. He then went on about how much he loved me and how excellent my life was. A smooth move for selling my life history for publicity.

I smiled and talked just enough to indulge and slipped out of the conversations, the moment it stopped concerning me. My gaze swept from across the room and my lips curved to a smirk. It was time for some fun.

I took my seat beside Aagnay silently, and he didn't bother to look in my direction or acknowledge my presence. I didn't mind because he was oblivious to the bomb that was about to drop. I slid my fingers against my scruff and contemplated my options silently.

"Is there a reason you're here?" Aagnay asked me, and I stilled, averting my gaze to him. "Ranveer isn't around, in case you came looking for him." It didn't take me long to put two and two together. So Vaanya chose to leave with him instead.

I decided to deal with Ranveer later and focus on the fucker in front of me. "That's not why I'm here," I told him lowly, but he was occupied with his phone, barely paying any heed. And that was exactly what I despised about his galls. There was not enough room to fit his pride in. Some sick fucker he was.

"Ah, whatever," he muttered lowly and swiped on the screen. "I wouldn't care if you're lost anyway." Oh, but he was about to. I wanted to say that, but I decided on a different route.

"So I was wondering perhaps you'd like to help me out in a couple of snags in college this week," I began to say, and his glass stilled near his mouth as he stared at his phone. Now I had his attention.

"Why would I like to do anything for you?" He drank from his glass and set it back on the table. I watched his movements carefully and looked at his ridiculously smug face.

"Come on man," I chuckled and clapped on his shoulder. He watched that move and glared at me. I backed away and laughed. "It's not a lot. All you have to do is speak with the dean and take care of a few of my extensions. I hate calculus, you see."

"Hard pass," he said icily, and I nearly rolled my eyes. "Do I look like someone who would be interested in your petty tricks?" he asked without meeting my eyes, and I leaned closer to him.

I tried it the civil way, didn't I? "Thought you would after knowing that I know about your little scene," I muttered lowly, and he tensed. His gaze wandered across the room, and I didn't care what or who he was looking for. He knew then, I fucking owned him.

"I'm not sure what you're talking about," he said anyway after shifting in his seat, and I smirked.

"Don't be a chump, bro," I snickered, and his fist clenched. "Doesn't suit your style." I averted my gaze to him and propped my elbow against the edge of the table. "You know exactly what I'm talking about. Should I go speak with Ella instead?" He was seemingly bent out of shape, but it wasn't enough to pacify me. Nothing was, I'd figured.

"Consider it done," he told me, and I leaned back to my seat with a grin. Hell, it was fun. The kind of power I had over him was extensive that'd have given me a free pass anywhere I went, and I wasn't going to give that up.

"Ah, pleasure doing business with you," I told him and got to my feet. "We'll stay in touch."

Maira

I was screwed.

Hell, I wasn't supposed to be nursing a crush on this dude. He was a filthy bastard, but he was also so good. I followed him to the lobby tipsily, and he stilled in his tracks. "Are you leaving already?" Kunal pivoted to face me and I stopped.

I was drunk and vulnerable, which is a weird combination to deal with. My head was muddled. "Are you?" I shot back and he chuckled.

"I don't think that's any of your business," he told me as he stepped closer, and I rolled my eyes. "You should go back to the dinner. Someone must be looking for you."

"And where do you think you're going?"

He smirked. "The night's over for me," he shrugged and backed away. "I got what I wanted, and I no longer have to be here." His words stopped making sense to me.

"Except you have to," I said, and he stilled again. "Be here for me. It's a load to be here with the oldies." I shrugged and he grinned.

He walked back to me and I smiled. "Thought you had your friends to keep you company."

"Friend, singular," I retorted sharply. "I don't know where the hell Vaanya is and Ella is too busy with her boyfriend and I need a buddy to drown this night in."

He searched my face for a beat and nodded. "Alright then, let's raid the bar together."

And we did. We drank and talked, and I slipped into my comfort zone. Kunal was the good guy, he was funny and smart, and he loved football. I was having one hell of an evening, even after his brother's fiasco with Aagnay.

"Your brother seems interesting," I remarked as I popped the green olive, and he glanced at me.

"If by interesting you mean an ass who likes to put himself on a pedestal every single time, then you're right, he's more than interesting." We both laughed, and I punched his upper arm playfully.

"Does he often act that way?" I dug in curiously. I'd admit the hum of alcohol opened me up more than I had the courage to. He arched his brow questioningly, and I went on, "Like a total jackass? I mean, there has to be a reason he is so full of himself."

"Aren't we all?" he muttered and drank from his glass. I didn't know what to say to that. The air around him shifted, and the silence was awkwardly tormenting. I waited for him to say something—to explain why he went from so playful to pensive in a hot second, but he remained awfully silent.

I thought he took it the other way and that, I had crossed a line. "Look, I didn't mean to offend your brother. I was—"

"My brother is the last person I care about," he interrupted, and I gawked at him. He scoffed and looked away. "You can put him down all you want, but keep me out of it, yeah?" It was then I realized I'd touched a nerve or two. There was more to the story than anyone knew.  

~~~~

Hello Darlings! 

Kunal is finally here! :D 

I was pretty nervous and excited about this one. Please tell me what you think about this. I would love to read your thoughts about him. 

Please don't forget to vote, comment and share. I'll catch up with you guys next time. 

Take care! <3