Page 1 of Always? Forever.
Chapter 1
Samaira
30 October
At exactly 9:32 a.m., I realized I was not the main character—I was the chaos goblin in someone else’s story. Specifically, this gorgeous man in front of whom I had landed straight on my ass. I’ll explain— I hadn’t realised that my contacts had expired which resulted in me wearing my glasses. But God took it as a challenge when I screamed, “HOW COULD IT POSSIBLY GET WORSE?”, when my coffee machine died in my apartment, and he decided to make it rain. I do not like the rainy season, I don’t know how much I can stress that. The rain made it impossible for me to see, so I had to take my glasses off, making me blind. If that wasn’t enough, there was an endless line at Starbucks, and they ran out of my favourite drink. So yeah, to sum it up, I was already annoyed when this 5’9 man tookme by surprise and made mefall on my ass when I was already late for work. To make matters worse, he was way too conceited, and nothing is worse than an overconfident man. And it didn’t help that he was gorgeous. It took me a while to stop checking him out, and by the way he was giving me an amused grin it wasn’t hard to figure out that he noticed me checking him out.
Getting late to my dream workplace in the first week of my internship wouldn’t reflect well. I had to pick up a few books for an upcoming project. I had discovered this very cozy bookstore three blocks away from my office and just a block away from my studio apartment. It was perfect. I had a job that I adored, a bookstore was just a block away from where I lived. I walked 4 blocks everyday because New York is expensive and I need the money to start my own company and this way I get my daily steps in.
I worked at this company called ‘The Daily Ghup’ owned by Adhira Kapadia. It was founded by her mother, Taani. Taani is an inspiration for me, she started a journalism office for women back in India in the 60’s before she got married to Yug Kapadia. They then moved to New York in the 90’s. And now the company is small here but very reputable. My dad wasn’t convinced to send me here alone, my mom convinced him. I had about three months to find a job before he would call me back, and I got the job within a month. My luck was running great, I still had two months to prove to my dad that I could do this, and earn and invest in my own company so he wouldn’t stress on getting me married off. My parents, although walking with the world, are still a bit old school. They had a love marriage butthe way my love life looks right now…as dry as the Sahara Desert, probably more dry… arrange marriage might be the only option for me. I don’t actually mind getting married early, but I would rather not. Not before I am 25. So I still have 2 years before my dad grabs anyone he can find for me and emotionally blackmails me. He might not but you never know with fathers. They are insane.
I had two years to have my career in motion and maybe probably find a guy. As I said, my luck was running great…until it wasn’t.
Kartik
They say love hits you like a kick in the crotch. I thought mine had arrived 2 years ago, but I was wrong—it was a 5 '3 brunette with doe eyes who took my breath away. Let me start at the beginning, it all started 2 months ago…
15 October
After a long tiring day, I finally enter my apartment, my empty apartment. Sighing I look around my home, it looks dull. I could definitely use some pop of colours in all rooms. I have been in New York for 4 years now. I shifted after my then-girlfriend got engaged to my cousin brother. Turns out, my girlfriend was also seeing my piece of shit brother all the time while dating me. If you think I’m gonna say ‘Oh, she broke my heart’ or ‘Oh, I won’t be able to love again’ that’s crap and we all know it. I’lldefinitely find someone for me, that’s not an issue, I mean I might not be a guy written by women in novels but I’d like to think I’m quite decent. Moreover, I’m old school, I like romance, and I like wooing girls. But I’ll never admit it to anyone. It’s better that way or else everyone will start setting me up and I do not want that. There must be someone I could find for myself if only my grandmother hadn’t done something obnoxious and questionable. You see, I come from a rich family and I will get an inheritance but there’s a condition that I’ve to be married by the age of 26. I’m 25, turning 26 in 40 days. If I don’t have a wife by then I won’t be getting my inheritance. It will all go to my brother, the brother who is a backstabbing son of a bitch. I just have to find a girl now and make her fall in love with me.
As I open the takeout I bought from a restaurant near my apartment, some burgers, fries, and pasta, I put on How I Met Your Mother, my favourite show that I binge watch most of the days. I can totally relate to Ted, and sometimes Marshall. When it comes to relating to Barney, my best friend, Aarush is Barney Stinson in his real form. The guy wears suits every day in the show whereas His Highness, Aarush Mehra wears casual to everything, he is the least dressed person in every room.
Buzz
It’s 9 p.m., and there is only one person who would be at my door at this time, shaking my head at the thought of my best friend. I don’t move from the couch knowing he has a key and can open the door on his own.
Annnnda second later I hear the lock turning and the door opens, his highness enters my apartment. ‘Kartik Kapadia’
‘Hello Aarush Mehra’
I say smiling, I know why he was here to drag me to some bar to have fun, live my life, and the rest I tune out.
“Bro we are 25”
”Exactly. We are 25.”
I say sternly. After a certain age, you just want to sit in the comfort of your home and chill, not try and nail some chick whose name you probably won’t remember due to the alcohol.
He pouts. He freaking pouts. Christ.
He stands at the door but doesn’t come in.
“If you aren’t coming inside please close the door while you leave’ I say as I unpause my episode 2 of season 4. The best burger in New York. Damn right. He looks annoyed but gets in the house and closes the door.
“Why am I even friends with you?! You don’t go out, you don’t enjoy your youth!” Aarush grumbles
“Youth! We are 25, I turn 26 in a little over a month. It’s time to slow it down. I, hell you can’t handle alcohol well nowadays.” I reason
Aarush makes a disgruntled noise which I tune out and focus on eating and watching the episode.
“Where’s my Robin?” He says quietly
I ponder a little before I reply, “Probably looking for me, her Ted.”
Snickering at the way his head snaps at me in an amused irritated expression, I think about how that’s the story of most of my Saturday nights.
Aarush knows about the conditions put forth for the inheritance. He doesn’t like the fact that I’ll marry someone and he’ll lose his wingman. I wonder when will he fall in love with someone who makes him question everything he’s ever known. I wonder when will I fall in love with such a person. But right now, we tune out the world and watch TV.
