A Promise Forever

Chapter 7

Ela

She got a TATTOO!

Of course, she did.

A heart Tattoo.

Normal right?

But there was nothing normal about it. It curled and rolled over itself to form a letter that happens to be the first of my Goddamn name.

My teeth hurt from clenching them so hard as the image of her tattoo kept flashing in my head. I agree that from a particular angle the tattoo did look like her name's first letter but I knew her too damn well. Her tale had a secretive script hidden from everyone's view but I am not a fool like the others to believe her.

What was she even thinking while getting it?

What if her parents or Aadhi suspected something?

I knew she was testing and experimenting, and this was just another push to see what I would do. The only problem was I didn't know what I would do if she pushed me any further. I loved her in so many ways, but here she was, trying to get me to love her in an entirely different one that I shouldn't, at least not in this life.

Raking a hand through my hair, I paced around the terrace mindlessly. I was so mad at Mini that I totally failed to sense when Veena joined me on the terrace.

"What was that, Ela?" She probed impatiently the moment she came to a halt behind me.

"What do you mean?" I frowned, truly not understanding what she was talking about.

Inhaling a big breath, she spoke, "You, making decisions for me out there? I thought we had agreed on going to Ooty together to visit my friends.."

I slammed to a stop with spread helpless hands, "I am not making any decision on your behalf, Veena. All I am saying is I have to go with Mini.."

She narrowed her eyes, assessing me in a calm, all-knowing way. "Why, Ela? Why can't she go there alone or much better, with her brother?"

Strangely, I didn't feel like correcting her by saying I was her brother too. "Because Aadhi and Mini are still kids and I can't let them go to a place they are unfamiliar with.."

"And what about me, Ela?" She bit her lips, shaking her head, "Did it never cross your mind that I might need you with me? If you have trouble remembering, I am your fiance but I hardly feel like one, and now to top it all, you say you are going back leaving me here.."

I coughed the squeezing guilt away, "Veena look, I am sorry for making you feel that way. I know I should have discussed this with you first but I didn't think it through. Mini's young and a very vulnerable one of that kind. So, she can't be left on her own and I don't trust Aadhi enough when it comes to Mini. He can be absentminded at times.."

That was true, Aadhi was reckless and he was never as protective of his little sister as he should be. Part of it was my mistake because I never gave him the chance to be that elder brother by always being there was Mini. Whenever she had trouble with something, she always sought after me and not Aadhi.

"Aren't you over-stepping your duties, Ela? She's not even your real sister, for God's sake.." She bit her tongue when she realized what she just blurted out but it was too late already.

Her careless choice of words managed to blind me with fury, "Watch your mouth, Veena. You don't want to say something you would regret later.."

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way.." She shook her head looking absolutely guilty as she should.

Before I could let my anger devour me completely, I took in a long, calming sigh to keep it under check, "You have to understand they are my family and.."

She didn't let me finish as she did the remaining for me, "..and they are important to you more than anything and anyone in this world, even more than me.."

"Yes.." Consider me a heartless bastard for agreeing with her instead of assuring her that she too was important to me but would that be a complete lie if I said so and I didn't want to give her any false hopes.

She smiled at me sadly, "I understand and you are right, Ela. Mini's just a kid and she needs you more than I do.."

Her eyes held mine, sending messages I couldn't fully comprehend but I was glad that she didn't make a fuzz out of it like any other woman in her place would have made. Her calm and mature nature was the reason why I believed she was the right match for me.

Without giving me time to anticipate, she stepped into my personal space, coiled her arms around my waist, and pressed her cheek against my chest, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. It's just that I will miss you too much. I thought we will get to spend this vacation together before I am posted to Dehradun for my next field assignment.."

I tensed, "I am once again really sorry about the, uhmm.." I wanted to relax but to my despair, everything screamed wrong about that touch of hers. I fought the urge to squirm away from her, but that would only hurt her even more, "..you know, the sudden change of plans.."

It was all that for me, a mere change of plans, nothing more. Funny, how it didn't trouble me like the thought of letting Mini go away alone or with anybody else in my place, did.

Veena looked up and met my gaze, "Will you miss me, Ela?"

Will I miss her?

Not really. I didn't know how to tell her that so I decided to lie.

"I-I..will.." As I fumbled with my words, the sounds of soft footsteps approaching us distracted both of us. Before I could pull back from Veena's tight embrace, Mini walked onto the terrace totally unaware of our presence but the moment she saw us, she breathed in a shocked gasp, her eyes widened to their fullest size, "I-I'm sorry, I didn't know you two were here. I will go back.."

She turned her back to leave but my words tumbled out of my lips rapidly as if I had no control over them, "Mini, wait.."

Without giving much thought to it, I peeled Veena's arms from around me to maintain distance between us and ignored to acknowledge how much it bothered her.

"I can come back later, don't worry.." Mini spoke over her shoulder but never turned around to look at us.

For f**k's sake! We weren't even doing anything. I wanted to desperately shake her and tell her to make her stay, but a much wiser part of me stopped me.

"Mini.." My tone inclined more towards a warning. "Get back here.."

Slowly, very slowly she turned around. Her lips were twisted and her cheeks were dotted with urgency to leave the place. Her brown-grey eyes that thankfully she hadn't covered with that awful contacts danced between Veena and me.

"I wanted to talk to you, Ela.." Her voice was small, totally neglecting Veena's presence.

Mini was the most social and friendly person I knew. She was kind and easy to mingle with even for strangers, one of the many characteristics that worried me about her, and for her to behave so distant from Veena meant only one thing. That she hated her and she wasn't very discreet in it.

I spun to my fiance, "Veena, I will be down in a minute.."

It took her a couple of seconds to realize that I was asking her to leave us politely. Disappointment and shock were evident on her face when she nodded hesitantly, "Ohh, yeah sure. Take your time.." She smiled at Mini but it somehow didn't seem very friendly either. So, it was official now, that they hated each other and I was the root of that hatred.

Dramatic right?

I don't know about Veena but Mini was never going to like her. All I wanted was Mini to like my life partner and be a good friend to her but I doubt that is ever going to happen now. Why should I even bother about it? I was going to marry Veena and it didn't matter to me if Mini hated or loved her.

When I made sure Veena was out of sight, I glanced down at Mini. Her mesmerizing pair of dissimilar eyes shone under the moonlight like two bright gemstones. Her lips were pouty, almost sad and despite trying to ignore it, it bothered me to see her like that. Back when we were returning from Navira's house, I had fought so hard with myself to not stop the car in the middle of the road, hug her and ask her to quit crying so much. I hated the wall that she had successfully erected between us after implanting her lips on mine.

She was dressed in skinny jeans with a baby pink T-shirt that brought her irresistible curves out that was a constant reminder that she wasn't the little girl I remembered anymore and that I need to keep my distance from her for both our good.

"What did you want to talk about, Mini?" I kept my tone neutral.

"I don't want you to come with me to Srinagar, Ela.." She didn't beat around the bush as she spoke with wavering determination. "Instead, you should accompany your fiance.."

I could sense venom dripping in the last word she uttered.

I shoved my hands into my pant pockets, "Veena can take care of herself.."

"And you think I cannot?" She crossed her hand over her chest and I forced my eyes to not droop anywhere lower than her eye level.

Narrowing my gaze, I mumbled, "I don't think that.."

"Good.." A tiny triumphant smile made its way on her baby pink but it died as soon as I spoke more.

"I know that.."

Hissing, she stepped up closer to me and I was instantly hit by her familiar scent, "Stop treating me like a baby, Ela.."

Her anger ignited mine ten folds, "Then stop behaving like one, Mini. Srinagar is not always a safe place for a young girl like you and I am not letting you go there alone. You don't have a choice.."

"Yes, I do. I do have a choice.."

"Just like you had a choice when you decided to kiss me.." I c****d my eyebrow at her tantalizingly.

Her moon-kissed face warred with letting me remind her of her mistakes and fighting for forgiveness, " I said I am sorry. A thousand times."

"It is not good enough. You should never have been so f*****g stupid.."

She flinched, tears welling and overflowing in a second. I'd never used such foul language at her until the moment she kissed me.

But she f*****g kissed me and I have been ruined ever since.

"So that proves you are still a silly kid who can't be trusted, Mini.."

"That kiss happened three years ago and I will never do something so stupid again.." She snarled back.

"Oh really?" I took hold of her tattooed wrist and brought it in front of us, "And what the hell is this then?"

She tried to yank it away but I wasn't going to let her go with a bloody confrontation. "What does this mean, Mini?"

"It's nothing, okay?" She shrugged with a worried look in her gaze.

"It's not nothing.." My thumb, despite itself, feathered to trace the raised skin on her delicate wrist.

"It's my initial.." She whispered, raising her chin up in the air, "You have a problem with that?"

I took a closer look at the design and from no angle, it looked like an M to me. "I don't think so.."

"Then what do you think it is?"

"Do you want me to say it out loud?" I pinned her with a stare.

She gulped visibly but she was adamant about not losing the argument, "What is the problem with you, Ela and when did you become such an asshole?"

"You have gotten a f*****g tattoo with my initial on it.." I whispered yelled at her face, "..isn't that a problem? And as for the asshole, you are forcing me to become one.."

Once again, she flinched at my cursing but she remained to stand tall and not guilty, "Can you prove it? That it's your initial in my tattoo?"

I gritted through my teeth. "Unfortunately, no.."

"Then stop accusing me baselessly.."

"Fine because there is nothing I can do about it.." I rasped as if my well-thought-out debate came to an end. "but this will be the last time you do such stupidity. understood?" I asked squeezing her elbow. "Also, if you are going to Srinagar, then I will be the one to take you there. End of discussion.."

"I hate you, Ela. So much.." She spat, her eyeballs throwing daggers my way.

"Great to know!" Shoving her roughly, I walked past her down the staircase.

A/N:

Hello readers!!

Thank you for all the comments and feedback on the previous chapters.

I love you all so much.

These two are crazy, isn't it? They themselves don't know what they want.

Haha anyways, If you like reading this book, please share this book with your friends.

Next update: Monday

Happy weekend,

SwaRam

"Also not good enough.." I snapped, "I am going with you, whether you like it or not.."

Her teary eyes stared back with accusation, "When did you become such an asshole?"

"What can I say, you pushed be to become one.."