Chapter 5 [ CLAIMED ]

Ivanna

"Sorry. I didn't get you", Christian says in a confused tone.

   "Chris!", I grab his shoulder. "Should we leave now?"

   "Yeah. But we…"

   "Please, don't take more time. I'm feeling sleepy", I tell him, trying to ignore Adavan as much as I can.

   "Ok. I need to take your leave", Christian tells Adavan.

   "Sure. See you soon", Adavan shakes his hand with Christian then turn to me. "Sleep well, Ivanna"

I look at him for the last time and walk away with Christian. I walk faster to leave that place as soon as possible. I don't wanna see his creepy face ever in my life again. We walk to the car and Christian opens the door for me. I hurriedly get inside and fasten the seatbelt.

    "What happened? You look pissed off", he asks me while fastening his seatbelt.

    "I'm tired", I look outside the window.

    "And I'm Christian", he mutters.

    "What?"

    "I'm Christian, the person who knows you more than a decade. You can't lie to me", he giggles while driving away. 

    "I'm not… I mean.. It was stupid", I mumble.

    "At least give it a try. Tell me what happened suddenly. Did you have any problem there?", he asks me. I'm not in a very good mood and also I'm mad at him for leaving me with that creepy man. 

    "Why did you let him dance with me? How can you consider a guy to dance with your girlfriend?", I ask him rudely, my eyes pass a strong glare to him.

    "Ivanna.. Calm down", he nervously looks at me and again focuses on the road. "You know I'm not the kind of person who is insecure about his girlfriend. You'll meet a lot of people Ivanna. After building up a career you'll have to be formally close to people otherwise, they won't accept you. It was just a dance", he explains. Other times, I felt lucky to have a guy with such a broad mentality, however, this time I wanted him to be a little insecure. And he doesn't know that it wasn't a formal dance either.

The way Adavan stared at me from the first moment till my exit, forced me to change my attire, ordered me to wear the dress he wanted me to, behaved ill with me during the dance, touched me inappropriately, that's too much for a meeting of one hour. I wonder how people around him tolerate everything the whole day. Fuck! I remembered that I haven't changed my clothes. I forgot my clothes there and left without returning this one. 

    "Are you listening? I am saying you something", Christian snaps as I come out of my thoughts.

    "Yeah", I lower my eyes.

    "Just because I'm not insecure that doesn't mean I don't love you", he stares me for a while and then looks at the road again. "I admit I was a little jealous", he smiles like a stupid as I look at him in disbelief.

    "You were jealous?", my jaw drops.

    "Almost. You never danced with anyone else so…", he mumbles. 

    "Christian", I exclaim, pulling his cheek. "Why are you so cute all the time?" 

    "I'm not cute", he makes a dirty face. He doesn't like to be called cute. Since school days, I used to tease him by the word. But he's actually cute, I mean it. 

    "You are", I chuckle.

    "I can't stop you", he throws a blank look.

    "Haha. But trust me you'll be my lifetime dance partner", I rest my head on his shoulder and we both smile enjoying each other's company.

He drops me at my place and walks with me to the door. 

    "I wanna say you something", I utter.

    "Yeah. Say"

    "I forgot my clothes there. Those clothes cost more than my other clothes. I want it"

    "Don't worry. I'll get them", he touches my cheek. 

    "Thank you. But this dress…", I look at myself. "I'll change it. Wait"

    "Relax. You don't need to hurry. Keep it. I'll fetch it next weekend when we will meet"

    "No! I can't keep this dress for a minute. Just return it to that man", I grumble.

    "Ivanna, are you okay?", he holds my shoulders and glances at me. "Why are you being so annoyed by him?" 

    "Because he is ridiculous", I shrug.

    "Baby, you shouldn't judge a person just by meeting him for once, no? Yes, Adavan is an arrogant, dominating person. But he is good at heart. He has helped a lot of aspiring musicians who aren't able to get good guidance due to financial crises. He was very young when his parents passed away. It made him like this. Loneliness kills a person", he explains.

    "Why do every arrogant man gets sympathy for his cruel past? It doesn't justify his deed. You parents also passed away when you were just 5! Do you behave like him? It's upon a person how he wants to be like", I vent my frustration. I don't like people getting sympathy for their bad past. I feel sorry for him but it doesn't justify his behaviour towards others. 

    "Ok. Ok. Fine", Christian accepts his defeat. He never wins in a verbal argument with me. "But please keep it today. I'm getting late. I'll have to complete my assignment"

    "Ok. Take care. And don't work overnight", I touch his cheek, placing a gentle kiss on his lips. Taking the advantage of no one being around, we kiss passionately, his warm tongue works inside my mouth, tracing every corner. His hands slide down to my waist as he wraps me with his arms. Our chests meet, reducing the gap between us. His one hand runs into my hairs, I kiss him back with all my heart and soul. 

Adavan

Ivanna… Ivanna… Ivanna…

I can't forget this name, either the beautiful face. I've never seen such a beautiful girl ever in my life. The way she looked me with those deep daring eyes, talked to me with her melodious voice, drove me away while making me crazier; everything is unforgettable for me. I recall the first time I saw her. She had closed her eyes, enjoying the piano tunes, a tiny smile completing her look. She looked like a goddess. I can worship her my whole life. 

I open my eyes and leave the rocking chair. I realise how Ivanna has taken over my mind completely. I can't distract myself from her thoughts. I walk out of my practice room and stroll through the corridor when my eyes move to the door of the dressing room next to me. She must have changed here. I enter inside and roll my eyes around the room. Those clothes she had been wearing were laying on the bed. My hands tremble to touch them. As soon as I hold her top, I feel the same way I had been feeling when she was in my grip. 

    "She left her clothes here, master", Martha, the caretaker of my firm says from behind.

    "Hmm.. You may leave", I tell her.

As soon as Martha leaves the room, I clutch her clothes into my grip tightly. Bringing them near to my face, I close my eyes and smell her dress. She smells so fucking good. I remember the moment when she was so close to me, I could smell her more strongly. Aahh! She is something else. I lose myself into her fragrance completely. Now all I know is I want her. I badly want her. She is mine, only mine and I'll own every bit of her.

I ring a bell from the side table as Robert, one of my staff comes inside.

   "Yes, master", he bows.

   "Do you remember the girl in the red dress?", I ask him, still looking at her clothes intensely.

   "Christian's girlfriend?", he utters, I immediately turn to him as a strong gaze of mine meets him. He nervously looks down. "Sorry, master"

   "She is not anyone's", I shrug. "Go and find out who she is, where she lives, where she goes every day, what's happening in her life, who is close to her. Everything. I want to know every detail of her life. Got it?"

   "Yes, master. I'll be gathering all the information for you", he bows again as I signal him to leave.