Page 11 of Shattered

He shakes his head with a smirk. “I’d prefer if you made it up to me in another way.”

In an instant, all my embarrassment evaporates, replaced by a flash of anger. God! He’s one ofthosemen.Pervert.

I narrow my eyes at him and regard him with a questioning gaze, asking sharply, “What do you mean?”

He gives me a crooked smile. “How about this, let me buyyoua coffee, and maybeyoucould join me?I’d really appreciate your company as I hate drinking my coffee alone. My friend was supposed to meet me, but he ditched me at the last minute.”

Damn, now I feel guilty for thinking the worst of him. This man is unwittingly stirring up a whirlwind of emotions in me, all within just a few minutes of meeting him.

“Sure, but I’ll have coffee with you on one condition,” I reply with a smile, ignoring the flutter in my stomach.

“And what’s that?” he asks, curious.

“I will pay for our drinks. And before you argue, this is non-negotiable,” I assert firmly.

“Have it your way,” he concedes, his grin widening.

We walk back to the cashier and place our orders. Grabbing our drinks, he gestures towards one of the empty tables by the window.As we settle in, I feel strangely comfortable with him.

“By the way, I am Reyansh,” he says, extending his hand.

“Kavya,” I reply, taking his hand. The moment our hands touch,a jolt of electricity shoots through me, catching me offguard.What is wrong with me?Abruptly, I pull my hand away, trying to shake off the strange sensation.

“Are you from around here, or just visiting?” he asks.

“I am from here,” I reply, settling into the conversation. “What about you?”

“I live here too,” he says, resting his elbow on the table and leaning in slightly. “It’s a shame we didn’t cross paths earlier.”

I shrug. “I suppose everything happens when it’s meant to be.”

“So, you believe in fate?” he asks, taking a sip of his coffee, his eyes never leaving mine.

“I guess you could say that. Fate sure has a way of surprising us when we least expect it,” I reply, raising my own cup. “What about you? Do you not believe in fate?”

“I didn’t believe in fate, at least not until now,”he says, his gaze locking with mine,a smile playing at the corners of his lips. “But meeting you today has me rethinking that.”

I don’t answer; I just stare at him, unsure of what to make of his reply. Sensing my discomfort, he smoothlysteers the conversation to safer ground. We chitchat about nothing in particular while we drink our coffee. I appreciate that he doesn’t pry for details, allowing me to feel comfortable and enjoy the company. He doesn’t even boast about himself. I am surprised by how effortless and smooth our conversation flows, especially considering we’re strangers. It’s pleasantly easy going and fun.

Glancing at my wristwatch, I realize it’s already four in the evening. Damn, I need to get home and get dressed for dinner.

“I am sorry, but I need to go,” I say, rising to my feet and grabbing my purse withan apologetic smile.

He nods, standing up from his chair.

“It was nice meeting you,” he says, his eyes softening.

With a smile and a quick goodbye, I walk out of the coffee shop. We don’t exchange numbers, as I was not comfortablewith sharing my number with a total stranger, and thankfully,he doesn’t ask for mine either. I guess we both knew it was just a one-time thing, and now it’s come to an end. As I slip into my car, I can’t help but wonder if our paths will ever cross again.

???

“You look lost?” Akash’s voice from the driver’s seat snaps me out of my trance.

Darn it. Seated in the passenger seat beside him, I am trying my best to stay in the moment, but I find it difficult to focus. My mind is still consumed by the encounter with Reyansh. Even after I reached home,I couldn’t stop thinking about him.Aunty noticed my distraction and askedme what was wrong, but I brushed her off,claiming everything was fine. I hurried through a quick shower, got dressed, and spent a few moments with Nisha before Akashcame to pick me up.There’s something magnetic about Reyansh, an allure I can’t quite explain, but I quickly shove the thought aside, reminding myself,‘I can’t afford to get tangled in this mess and complicate my life further.’

“It’s nothing;just feeling a bit jittery about the party,” I admit, which is partly true—I am anxious about it.

“You don’t have to be; I’ll be with you throughout,” Akashreassures me, giving me a quick glance before turning his attention back to the road. “By the way, have I told you how stunning you look tonight?”

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