Page 283 - The World's Best Boyfriend

their dinner that night.
‘So what’s on the menu today?’ asked Aranya, smiling coyly. Raghuvir
instinctively grabbed her by the waist and kissed her lightly on the lips. Even
after a month from their first kiss, Aranya was taken by surprise every time.

Why would Raghuvir kiss her after kissing so many women who were so much
prettier than her?

Off late, things had moved beyond kissing. Three nights out of four, they
would share a bed and sleep next to each other. And on some nights, they would
have sex. She was yet to learn to enjoy it. Most of the times she would be too
conscious, too aware of the mechanics of sex, the stripping of clothes, way too

many limbs, hair, skin, sweat, and the glaring prospect of being disappointing, to
indulge in the pleasure of it. But she would soon enjoy it, she was sure. She was

just behind in the learning curve, that’s all.
‘The guys at the company are really excited at your work,’ said Raghuvir. The
palak paneer was ready and he served it for them. Off late, he had started to

ration what Aranya was eating. She had already lost a couple of kilos.
Aranya smiled weakly, a forced smile, something that signified she wasn’t too
happy with what he had just said. Raghuvir, concerned, held her hand just like

she knew he would. ‘I’m still talking about it with my seniors.’
‘You say the same thing every day, Raghuvir.’
‘It’s just been a month, Aranya. These things take time and you’re just an

intern right now.’
‘I’m not pushing you, Raghuvir. I’m doing what I’m supposed to do. What
you asked me to do. Not let go of my ambition. We are a team now. We have to

work together to get to our dreams. I just expect support. I hope you know I’m
being reasonable.’
‘Of course you are. I wouldn’t expect anything different.’

Aranya ate silently, not satisfied with the answer. For the last two weeks
Aranya had been pushing Raghuvir to talk to his seniors about the possibility of
a college transfer for Aranya.

The deal was simple.
AMTECH would pay the tuition fee for Aranya’s engineering studies in a
foreign university for the next three years. In return, Aranya would sign a ten-

year bond with the company. And to get there, Aranya had been putting in
nineteen-hour workdays. She was quite talked about among the senior
management. But their decision about the college transfer was still pending.