Sidharth wore a crisp white shirt paired with black pants and a black lapel blazer, all set to pick up his date for the event. He rang the bell, expecting Shehnaaz to open the door in a beautiful dress but found her wearing her usual oversized shirt and shorts while drying her hair with a towel.

"Tu tayyar nahi hui abhi tak!??" He wasn't surprised but annoyed, they were going to be late then.

"Nahane gayi thi." She replied, letting him in.

"Kya zarurat thi nahane ki?" He asked.

"Arey yaar, chip- chip lag raha tha, nahana pada! Abhi turant ready ho jaungi mai. Chill maar!" She rolled her eyes, walking into the kitchen to get some snacks for him.

"Toh kitchen me ready hogi kya?" He shouted from the living room.

"Do minute chain se nahi baith sakta tu! Good-day khayega?" She shouted back from the kitchen.

"Just get ready!" He replied and heard her banging the box of biscuits back into the drawer loudly.

"Yaar, jaldi jayenge phir jaldi wapas bhi aa jayenge. Isliye bol raha hu." He calmly added.

"Ja rahi hu!" She announced, storming into her bedroom with a plate full of good day biscuits. She had a tiresome day, he could have been patient and cooperative instead of whining like that, she thought and shuffled through a couple of dresses, when she heard a knock.

"Kya hai?" She almost shouted.

"Tu sare biscuits andar le gayi?" He asked, trying to make up for her mood, he spoiled.

"Ha!" She replied.

"Mujhe bhi chahiye the." He mentioned, acting as if he began to walk away from her room.

As expected, she opened the door and offered him the plate, "Lele." She stated, stepping out of the room in a white bodycon midi dress.

"You look beautif-" he was going to compliment her.

"I'm not ready yet! Ruk abhi." She interrupted him, running back to do her hair and makeup quickly. He chuckled, having those biscuits as of now and roaming around the balcony to pass the time.

"Sunna Sidharth!!" She called him.

"Ha?" He stood at the doorstep of her room.

"Vaise toh tujhe zyada samajh nahi hogi matching ki, lekin mai confused hu. Bata konsa clutch zyada acha lag raha hai?" She asked him, displaying two white clutches and gesturing to him to come in. One had a golden lining whereas the other one was smaller without any lining on it.

"Kya matlab hai tera?" He asked back, offended.

"Matlab kuch nahi, bata ki iss dress ke sath konsa wala acha lag raha hai?" She replied, biting her tongue inside to hold back her big mouth.

"Dono toh same hi hai, koi sa bhi pakad le." He shrugged, taking a seat on her bed.

"Like I said." She mumbled to herself and chose the smaller one, checked if her toes and freshly painted nails were looking good to wear heels.

"Ye laga dena." She walked towards him with a bracelet, requesting him to tie it around her wrist. While he did as asked, she noticed crumbled biscuits on the corner of his mouth.

"Haaye! Ye dekh tere muh pe lagi hui hai biscuits." She giggled, wiping them off with the pad of her thumb.

"Hana, abhi kha raha tha toh lag gaya. Tera ho gaya toh chale?" He blushed, diverting the topic once he was done tying her bracelet.

"Nahi, abhi kar meri tareef ache se jo reh gayi thi. How am I looking?" She asked, standing up and posing for him.

"Fabulous, you look great. White suits you! Abhi chale?" He replied, hurrying up with the compliments so that they could move.

"Mera makeup?" She asked further, holding him back.

"Flawless! Amazing!" He replied and began to walk when she held his hand again.

"Mere baal!? Maine jaldi jaldi me banaye!" She kept asking further, pouting.

"They're so shiny baby! Bohot ache baal banaye hai! Can we please go now?" He sounded so exhausted as his shoulders slumped, waiting for her to get ready.

"Sachi sachi bol raha hai? Ya tujhe jane ki jaldi hai?" She asked, standing still in her place and crossing her arms against her chest.

"Kabhi jhoot bola hai tere se?" He questioned sharply and she shook her head in response.

"Bas phir!" He sighed, they walked out all set to make it to the party. His driver opened the backseat door for them, bowing shortly and greeting Shehnaaz in the sequence. It was a business party and hence the driver, otherwise Sidharth never asked him to take them around.

Once they reached the venue, they made a few greetings and exchanged pleasantries. She had to keep a smiling face out of courtesy, she didn't have to talk to people and that was the good part since she didn't know them.

"You wanna have something?" He asked her.

"Not yet, these cocktails are good." She replied, standing next to him.

"Sidharth." Just then, a gorgeously fair woman walked up and tapped on his shoulder.

"Krithika." He replied, hugging her.

"I was expecting you here. You never miss Rehman's invitations, do you?" She asked.

"Obviously, cannot miss the Godfather's call. Can you?" He replied and chuckled on their business innuendo. Rehman was one of the biggest businessmen all over the country and investors to many as well, his events were a must to attend.

Once the two indulged themselves in some business affair, Shehnaaz couldn't understand a thing but she could definitely see Krithika not letting go of his hand and that he didn't have any objections against the gesture, he was rather focused on their conversation.

"She's hot ha?" Shehnaaz asked once the lady left.

"You think so?" He asked her back.

"Mhm. Chal kuch kha lete hai, phir nikalenge." She nodded.

"Chal." He nodded, observing how she was shifting her weight from one leg to another while she stood next to him. Maybe that's why she wanted to leave early, he thought.

"Are you comfortable in those heels?" He asked.

"Yeah, it's just that I wore them after a long time." She replied, accepting that they weren't very comfortable.

"Then you shouldn't have worn them." She heard him and it somewhat didn't settle properly with her.

Was she not looking good in those heels? Surely, she looked nothing as compared to Krithika, the way the woman wore the sequin dress in pencil heels was commendable. She had legs for miles and was slim in a good way. There was no way for Shehnaaz to look gorgeous. Not that she craved those looks, she was comfortable in her own skin, it was just that Krithika had a few qualities she didn't and there was definitely no competition but she couldn't stop pointing out what she lacked. Soon they were done with their dinner, Sidharth needed water so he went towards the buffet section to grab a small water bottle.

"Hey Shukla! Do you mind if I ask you something?" Anuj, one of his acquaintances, met him again.

"Bolna?" Sidharth replied.

"That friend of yours is beautiful, man. I didn't get her name." Anuj mentioned.

"Yeah that she is,  Shehnaaz." Sidharth replied, turning back to find her missing on the table and thinking she could be in the washroom.

"Is she single?" Anuj asked, being as straightforward as businessmen have always been.

"She is, but I'm afraid she's not really into dating anymore." Sidharth honestly replied, discarding the thought that he could also lie that she was his girlfriend so that his acquaintance would back off immediately.

"Okay." Anuj nodded. He had been keen on getting the opportunity to seek the attention of the girl.

Sidharth studied his face before excusing himself and making his way back to his table. He wouldn't deny on the fact that Shehnaaz gained a lot attention from the people around, from the opposite sex to be precise. She was beautiful, she was attractive, if dressed stylishly she could be a head turner as well but that was the thing he liked the most about her. She didn't dress up purposefully to gain that kind of attention, she dressed up for herself. It was something rare, the kind of personality she had, anybody would fall for her but the guy she would choose was going to be the luckiest of all the men out there.

"Really?" She asked once he took his seat.

"Huh?" He bent a little to hear her clearly.

"I'm not really into dating anymore?" She asked, with those big eyes of hers she looked pissed. Uh-oh, she heard him. She heard everything! Run!

"H-he wasn't your type." He tried to explain himself, looking away.

"Acha? And who are you to decide that?" She asked and he snapped his back towards her.

"Sorry?" He was confused.

"Tune kyu bola aisa?" She asked again.

"Bataya na, tere type ka banda nahi tha!" He repeated himself.

"Ye mai dekh leti na! Tu kitna janta hai mera type?" She spat, getting angry at his calm composure.

"Aisa hai toh ja, baat karle usse!" He replied, knowing that was never gonna happen.

"And that's your suggestion?" She retorted.

"What's wrong? What's up with this mood of yours? Chid kyu rahi hai? He was a random guy you would have never liked, baba!" He replied, justifying himself.

"Sidharth, baat ye hai ki that should have been my decision." She said, standing still on her point.

Maybe she was right, maybe it should have been her part about not dating the guy but Sidharth couldn't understand if he was interfering. He just had a notion that Anuj and Shehnaaz would never vibe like a couple and just like that he did what felt like. Was it too much that made her so pissed? Did he overstep her boundaries? He didn't know?

"Okay, I get it. Do you want me to go and talk to him again?" He asked her and she looked at him dumbfounded.

"Nooo!" She shook her head.

"Kuch nahi yaar, I just overreacted. Jane de. Ghar kab jayenge." She replied, taking their conversation in a completely different direction.

"Chalte hai." He nodded, letting her be.

Shehnaaz felt like she made a fool of herself in front of him, she would have anyway not dated the guy but she didn't like the way Sidharth didn't approve of him. Neither he was interested in her, nor he was letting any other man take interest in her. His expectations and aspirations of a woman were skyrocketing and she knew she wouldn't be able to make it.

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Humble apologise people.. mere unit tests chal rahe the.. pass hona tha isliye padhna pada.. I'm back and I'll be strictly regular from now on.. pinky promise..

So how about Shehnaaz thinking limitlessly against herself.. insecurities ha? Tell you what.. even I get intimidated when I see someone more attractive and bold than me.. when my friends make other friends.. it's common and needs to be treated with trust.. don't you think?

And about Sidharth? You guys tell me what you think about his part? Well, Shehnaaz's reaction surely confused him!