Page 54 of Since You Came Along

Raghav frowned. ‘And?’

‘And they expect the faculties to mingle and dance as well.’

He reassured her. ‘You’re a brilliant dancer, Meera. There’s no need to stress.’

She shook her head, her voice dropping to a whisper. ‘But who do I dance with?’

His confidence wavered for a moment. Raghav knew he wasn’t the best dancer. He could suggest Abhay, but the thought of anyone else holding Meera in their arms didn’t sit right with him.

‘Why didn’t you tell me earlier?’ he asked. If she had, perhaps he could have taken a few lessons from her to avoid embarrassing her in front of her colleagues.

A tinge of sadness coloured her smile as she replied, ‘I wanted to ask you, but when you came home today and mentioned you have to leave for Delhi the day after tomorrow, I didn’t.’

Of course, she hadn’t asked. She always put up with his hectic work schedule. But Raghav had learned how to prioritise since Meera entered his life.

‘I’ll move things around,’ he said. ‘Luv’s already in Delhi, so I’ll ask him to attend the morning meeting, and I can take a late flight out.’

Meera blinked, her throat tightening with gratitude. ‘I have two passes,’ she murmured, hesitant. ‘Maybe Abhay can take the other one?’

‘I’m sure he’d love it.’ Raghav continued, ‘You’re not alone, Meera. We’ll always solve everything. Together.’

She squeezed his hand. ‘Thank you, Raghav.’

‘Always.’

‘When do you have to leave today?’ he asked.

‘Around five,’ she replied, glancing at her phone as she continued. ‘The event management company will set everything up by three. The faculty needs to be there an hour early to make sure everything is in place.’

Raghav wanted to ask if Rutvik would be there, but stopped himself when he noticed she was resting.

He shifted gears in the conversation instead. ‘Alright. Where will you get ready? Do you need us to come early with anything you might need?’

‘No, Kashvi will help me get ready at their place. I’ll meet you at the gate. Don’t forget the passes, Raghav!’ she warned with a mock sternness.

‘Yes, boss!’ he replied, saluting her.

That evening, as the doorbell buzzed relentlessly, Raghav groaned. He already knew it was Abhay and could imagine his impatient face on the other side of the door.

‘If he rings that bell one more time…’ Raghav muttered under his breath, stalking toward the door.

As expected, the moment he opened it, Abhay launched into a tirade. ‘How long does it take to get ready, man? We’re going to be late!’

Dressed in a sharp navy-blue suit with black loafers, Abhay looked every bit the suave friend Raghav wished he could ignore right now.

Raghav, on the other hand, had spent the past thirty minutes agonising over what to wear. He had settled on a black blazer over a white shirt and dark jeans.

‘Calm down, Abhay,’ Raghav said, locking the door and handing him the event passes as they stepped into the lift.

On the way, Raghav’s phone rang, and the car’s speakers picked up the call. It was Siya.

‘Hey, Siya,’ Raghav answered.

‘Listen, I only have a minute before my next meeting. I’m sure Meera has told you that Rutvik’s event management company is handling the event tonight. You might meet him there for the first time.’ She paused, then added, ‘Just stick close to Meera, okay?’

Of course, he’d be there for Meera. The memory of her after the last time she met Rutvik last time was still fresh in his mind. Even now, Raghav knew he’d only scratched the surface of the walls she’d built around her heart because of him.

‘Do you think he’ll show up?’ Raghav asked. The thought of Rutvik being anywhere near Meera made his gut twist with anger.

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