Priya's POV:

(Next week, Saturday Night)

Priya, it's just dinner. Why are you becoming tense? Relax.

I tried to remain calm but my clammy hands and pounding heart just wouldn't stop unnerving me. I couldn't figure out why I was nervous. All I needed to do was have dinner with him and he'd never bother me again.

'But is he actually bothering you? Aren't you having fun?' my brain mocked me.

'Of course not, it is so irritating!'

Yes, I was talking to myself. I tend to do this when I'm nervous. This was my first time going out on a date.

Wait a minute, did I just say a date?

"No, Priya, it's not a date. It's just dinner," I mentally chastised myself. A few days back, we had decided that Saturday would be the most convenient day for both of us for dinner, and he told me to be ready at eight o'clock. And now I was panicking. Why did I agree in the first place?

My cell phone rang abruptly. I saw my ecstatic best friend's name, Kashi, who was face timing me.

"Priya! Are you ready? What are you wearing? Where are you going to go for dinner?" She bombarded me with questions one after the other.

"Calm down, girl. First, take a deep breath. I think you're more excited about the whole dinner than I am. If you want, you can go in place of me, darling. I won't mind," I chuckled. "And I am ready. He's supposed to pick me up by eight o'clock, and I have no idea where we're going. He said it was a surprise." I added.

"All right... but what are you wearing?" She remained adamant.

"Uh, the usual thing?" I asked more than said. God, why couldn't she just let it go?

"Show me," she commanded. I sighed and positioned myself in front of my full-length mirror, then switched to the rear camera.

"What the hell are you wearing?!" she yelled angrily.

"What's wrong with this outfit?" I asked, bewildered. I was confused. What was wrong with a formal black shirt and white pants? I had worn my hair in a ponytail and had decided to go for a makeup-free look, using only a thin eyeliner and lip gloss.

"You're going on a date, dammit! And you look like you're going for an investigation!" she yelled.

"This isn't a date, Kashi. I'm not even sure where he's taking me so..." I trailed off when I realised that there was no reason for me to win this argument. As long as I knew that this wasn't a date, who cared what everyone else thought?

"So you put on this formal outfit? What if he takes you to an awesome, posh place? I'm sure he won't take you to a place where you will shine in this outfit, so go and change it quickly," Kashi grumbled angrily from the other side.

I muttered an irritated 'fine' and hung up. I went to my closet and chose a sheer black jumpsuit with black heels after debating what to wear and pulled my hair out of the ponytail.

I made my way to the living room, satisfied with my appearance, to kill time by watching television.

The doorbell rang and I glanced at the clock in the living room; it was exactly eight o'clock.

Mmm, this man was punctual.

I went to open the door and was completely unprepared for what I found. He looked dapper in his grey plaid suit, with his curly hair styled perfectly. He had a ruggedly handsome five o'clock shadow. His brown eyes were enticing and hypnotic, and they were perfectly framed by some bristly brows.

"If you're done checking me out, let's go," he said cheerfully. There was a twinkle in his eyes. He had caught me staring at him.

What is wrong with me? Ugh!

He took me to a fantastic Italian restaurant. The laid-back atmosphere was enhanced by high-beamed ceilings and eclectic decor. The interior space appeared to be welcoming and warm.

As a true gentleman, he led me to a table and drew a chair for me. We ordered white pasta with sautéed mushrooms and red wine after we settled in. I was skeptical at first, but he convinced me by saying he had previously tried it. The food's flavor combinations were flawless, almost divine.

We surprisingly discussed a wide range of topics, including politics and space science. He was intelligent and well-educated. He told me about his childhood in an orphanage, where he grew up, and how he received the scholarship to study business in London. There he met his mentor, Mr. Brown, who assisted him and showed him the path to his current success. In a nutshell, his story was uplifting.

He inquired about me but when I paused and expressed my apprehension, he changed the subject. The only thing I could say about myself was that my parents and sister died in a car accident four years ago. An unwelcome, depressing feeling swirled in the pit of my stomach and I didn't feel like eating anymore. I didn't share any additional information because I wanted to forget as much as possible about it. He inquired about my hobbies. I told him about my interest in reading and drawing. I also expressed that due to my current workload, I am unable to carry them out.

To be honest, I was surprised by how much I admired his demeanor and wisdom throughout the night. Another thing I noticed was that all the ladies in the restaurant were staring at him seductively, but he didn't even look at them. His gaze was fixed on me. Did he seriously like me that much?

Neil dropped me back home around midnight.

"Dinner was fantastic. Thank you very much," I said with a genuine smile.

"Oh my God! Did you smile at me? I was hoping you'd say something like, 'Listen, Mr. Singhania, now that this dinner thing is over, you'll leave me alone.'..." he imitated my voice so well that when we looked at each other, we burst out laughing. His face glistened in the moonlight and it was stunning.

"That sounded exactly like me," I remarked between giggles. Giggles? Oh god, I was giggling.

"I've heard these lines so many times that I'm now able to perfectly imitate them," he said humorously but I noticed a foreign emotion in the deep recess of his eyes. Sad? Pain?

I gave him a sheepish smile. I felt embarrassed.

"I was only joking. I hope you'll not shoo me away tomorrow," he said, chuckling.

"No, no. I won't. I really enjoyed your company but let's be friends, Neil. I'm not prepared for anything else right now."

"Sure, maybe you are the best friend I need in life but I will always like you. I can't help it," he said, smiling at me. Could he be any more charming?

"Then good night, Neil," I said with a smile.

"Good night, Priya," he said as he pecked my cheeks.

I stood there all red and watched him drive away with a smile. Once his car was out of sight, I began looking for my house keys in my bag, completely unaware that someone was waiting for me. Suddenly someone cleared their throat.

"How was your day? Did you have a wonderful time?" he asked with a prominent scowl on his face.

"Arjun, what are you doing here?" I ignored his inquiry. I was feeling like my good evening is about to get ruined.

"What do you think?" he snapped. "I am not jobless like him. He is free to wander around and flirt with people all the time. By the way, I have to say, his taste in women sucks. What did he see in you?"

"So you've come here to talk about his taste in women?" I retaliated.

"I called you, but you didn't answer," he said, exasperated. "Why? Were you too distracted in having fun with him?"

Immediately, I checked my phone and saw that there had been six calls; four from him and two from Kashi. Shit! The phone was in silent mode.

"I am sorry for not noticing them," I said, guiltily.

"Yeah, you were whoring around," he said, his jaw clenched. Did he just...?

"Stop it, Arjun. Enough. It's none of your business what I do with my free time, and think before you blurt out insults. Oh wait, you can't! You need a fucking brain to think and you don't have one," I snarled. "Just go, Arjun," I added.

Who the hell was he to pass such a judgment on me? Trust me when I say that this man never failed to bring out the worst in me. He ruined my mood.

"If you have nothing important to say, we can continue this cheerful chit-chat in the office tomorrow." I turned around to go inside.

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Third person's POV:

I stood behind a tree, a little away from her house in the dark, and saw them arguing. I was wearing my mask. I always wore my mask. My life had become a mask itself. All because of her. I realised she was about to turn around and leave but he said something that made her come to a halt. I couldn't hear what they were saying.

"What exactly did he say?" I muttered curiously to myself.

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