Page 44 of Reckless Dare

He let out a victorious chuckle. “That’s awesome!” he said. “I’ll pick you up around six. We are heading to the beach. They’ll be fire pits and the ocean water is always warm. So you can dress accordingly.”

“Oh,” she said, taken aback slightly with the plan. The beach was over an hour away, but the party sounded fun.

A flash of memory from the first party she attended by the river played at the back of her mind. It had been fun and exciting too, until things went bad.

No! Stop going over that night over and over again!

She should stop obsessing over what must have happened that night. And also stop obsessing about her tormentor. She shouldn’t be pessimistic, always waiting for something terrible to happen.

Taking a deep breath, she channeled her positive self, the way she had always been.

“See you at six,” she smiled.

She was determined to enjoy herself that night.

CHAPTER 12

Later that evening, Ava was seated next to Neeraj in his open top jeep.

Cool breeze blew over her face while she gazed at the sight of the sun setting over the mountains. The winding roads offered a peek to the blue ocean below.

They were heading to the beach where Neeraj was celebrating his birthday party.

“Almost there.” Neeraj’s words cut through the wind.

Ava dragged her eyes away from the stunning views to look at him. She forced a smile. “The views are stunning,” she said as an excuse for not having spoken much to him during the ride.

He had picked her up around six from her housing and they had taken the cart to a place right outside the campus where all the students parked their personal vehicles. Neeraj’s friends had already left for the beach in other vehicles, so it was just the two of them in the jeep.

“You’ll like the beach,” Neeraj said, keeping his eyes on the road. “The water is not like the San Francisco beaches.”

Ava was surprised. “Have you visited San Francisco?”

He nodded. “My aunt lives there and I’ve been there in the summer and all I remember is the fog and the cold beaches.”

Ava smiled, knowing how cold the Pacific Ocean water was all year around.

“It’s an awesome city,” Neeraj added. “That’s where I might be going after I graduate from Simha.”

Ava was once again surprised. “Oh, are you going there for a Master’s Degree?”

He shook his head. “My uncle wants me to work with him there.”

Neeraj’s family was involved in politics. Neeraj had told her that although his grandfather and father were politicians, he had no interest in politics.

“All the while, I was debating about whether I should accept my uncle’s offer or not.” Neeraj’s tone softened and he turned to look at her. “But now, I’m inclined to accept the offer.”

Ava was shocked.

She had known Neeraj for only two weeks. Although she did like him and spent time with him, she didn’t think there was anything serious brewing between them. “Neeraj, I—”

Neeraj scoffed. “Relax, Ava. I only meant I prefer to be around the hot California girls despite the cold beaches.”

Ava relaxed with a laugh. “I’m glad.”

The conversation during the rest of the drive was lighthearted. Neeraj spoke about his friends and family. Like her, he was very attached to his family and spoke to them regularly.

Ava realized how different and quite opposite Neeraj was compared to her tormentor.

---