CHAPTER 5

ARYA

“What was that?” Sri demanded that evening. “What was in your notes that he took them? It could not be anything related to the lecture!”

Her tone and jealous look bothered me, and for a moment I didn’t want to share, but if I didn’t share with Sri and Raghu, who else could I share this with? They were my only friends in the whole damn world! So, with a scoff, I showed them my notebook, “These…” I spoke as I opened the last pages, “are my notes.”

They stared at the pages for a moment then laughed in unison as they saw my latest drawing of him in there. “Yeah, it is mighty impressive,” Raghu laughed. “No wonder he took your ‘notes’.”

I rolled my eyes and took back the notebook. I looked at my own handiwork and this time, I had drawn him from a pose that I remembered from our lunch together. He was sitting straight with his eyes twinkling, a wide grin on his lips and the expression of absolute adoration for me. My heart swelled at the memory as I remembered the love with which he had looked at me. As if I was the most important person to him.

“He is staying in the same hotel, you know!” Sri informed me as she caught me staring at his photo.

“And?” I asked seriously, putting away my notebook and the dirty thoughts that were slowly creeping into my head.

“Nothing, just thought of mentioning it,” she shrugged as she took out her evening gown to get dressed for dinner.

For the first time, I felt that I too should have brought something nice and fancy to wear. But alas, all I had were my usual clothes.

We all changed, Raghu and Sri looking dashing and I looking like my usual self, and walked down. It was a buffet dinner and everyone was mingling and talking.

Tomorrow was the test for these students to determine if they would get the certificate or not. It was rumored that Nathan issued certificates only to people who scored perfectly. And the room was abuzz with speculations about what this test would contain.

Nathan was not present at the buffet, and I ate quietly in a corner. A lot of students present were eyeing me slyly, almost everyone had noticed how Nathan’s eyes were flickering in my direction throughout the day and how we had entered together in the afternoon, and not to mention ‘my notes’… but no one approached me. I felt alienated in the middle of this crowd. I used to be invisible, but now it seemed like they all were talking – no gossiping – about me. Feeling suffocated and stressed, I left without finishing my dinner.

Once out in the open, I took a breath of relief. I felt that I was still being watched, but it seemed like a friendly watch, not the stalkerish one! Maybe, I was growing paranoid!

I strolled around, a nice summer breeze was blowing, helping me relax. I decided to visit the rest of the hotel. This was the best hotel in Cape Town and I knew that I would never set foot in it in my life ever again. So, I began my tour.

This was a five-star hotel with a rich aura around it. I started with the small gallery which showcased many priceless artefacts, then moved on to the various conference rooms and alike. There was an elite gym in which a few shirtless men were working out. They ignored me like everyone else in the world did – everyone else, except for Nathan perhaps. I brushed the thought of Nathan from my head and walked to the small library that had a wide collection of books, including a few of my favorite authors. And though I had read almost all of them, I picked a book, signed my name and room number on the register and stepped out. Now all I needed was a quiet place to sit and re-read this masterpiece.

I ventured out to the backyard of the hotel and noticed a swimming pool with a sign saying that its temperature was regulated, indicating that the water was warm enough to swim at any time of the day. Large, oval, shimmering blissfully in lights, and mercifully devoid of any swimmers. Water was my weakness. Growing up in a coastal area, I had developed great fondness for it. Unable to resist myself, I pulled my baggy jeans up to my thighs, sat by the edge, dipping my feet in the warm soothing water and started to read.

Was it my paranoia acting up again or someone was really watching me? I looked up and my heart thudded to a stop. Nathan was at the far end of the pool, fully wet and staring. He was half-submerged in the water. He had his arms on the edge, his torso outside, legs moving swiftly to paddle the water and hair soaking wet. He was looking divine, nothing short of a Greek God. I felt my mouth water with lust.

I hesitated. Was he already in the pool and I missed noticing him? It was impossible, I could never ignore him! He must have come in after I sat down to read.

As he swam in my direction, he was a very graceful swimmer I must admit, I felt my breath hitch. A part of me wanted him to grab my legs and pull me in the water with him, and show me what ‘passionate love’ meant – the kind I have read so often in the romance novels I devoured so frequently. But there was another part of me, the part which was scared. As he drew closer, the scared part won, I quickly closed my book and got out of the pool.

“Don’t go on my account,” he called out, his musical voice echoing in the quiet around.

I gulped as I turned and saw him step out as well. As he strained to pull himself out of the pool, an audible sigh escaped my mouth as I drooled over his bulging arms, perfect abs, and the sexy ‘V’ of his torso that ended at his God-crafted ass.

“Like the view?” he grinned as he walked to me. His comment brought me to my senses; I felt embarrassed but I recovered quickly and composed myself.

“Nothing I haven’t seen before,” I spoke with an attitude and he twisted his lower lip and nodded slyly.

“All ready for the test tomorrow?” he asked, grabbing his towel. As he wiped his wet face and hair, something throbbed in me.

“Good night,” I muttered, turned and started to go.

“What do you plan on doing tomorrow during the test?” he asked suddenly, in a clear attempt to make me stay longer.

I just shrugged as I was finding it really hard to stay in his almost naked company. No matter how hard I tried, my eyes kept flickering down… to his chest, stomach, wet boxers that were hugging his – Oh God help me!

“You draw really well, you know,” he complimented.

This time I smiled with a shrug, keeping my eyes strictly away from his body.

“Why aren’t you speaking?” he demanded, a little angrily.

Exhaling heavily through my mouth, I looked at his naked torso again and wondered how to form some, well, any kind of coherent words.

“Are you okay?” he asked with a partial smile.

This was just a tad bit too much for me. Seriously unable to control myself, I blabbered, “I have to leave, have a good night, Mr. Anderson,” and I practically ran away.

*

NATHAN

I watched her run away with baffled expressions. What kind of weirdo was she? At one moment, it seemed like she wanted nothing but grab hold of me and eat me raw, but in another, she was the least interested.

Mr. Anderson, I repeated her voice in my head. It sounded so delicious when she uttered my name.

“Everything alright?” Someone called from a distance, it was Daniel. “Ms. Nathan causing some troubles in your mind?”

I looked at him sharply and muttered, “Leave me alone!”

“I personally find the connection between your first and her last name exceptionally funny, don’t you?” Daniel mused.

“Or, it is something else,” I spoke thoughtfully.

“Honestly Sir, I won’t read this as anything more than mere coincidence. Where she hails from, ‘Nathan’ is quite a common last name,” Daniel huffed.

“Don’t tell me you ran a check on her too,” I was partially annoyed, partially intrigued.

“I won’t be doing my job if I didn’t run a check on someone who has caught your interest and attention so rapidly,” Daniel shrugged.

“Fine, lay it on me,” I sighed as I wrapped a towel around my waist and dropped my wet boxers. I was not planning to swim tonight, but when I saw her sitting by the pool, engrossed in a classic romance book, I couldn’t help it. I was hoping that she would join me, but instead, she had run away.

“She is a nobody,” Daniel informed simply.

I made myself comfortable on the lounger placed in the swimming area and gaped at Daniel, who continued, “She came from India for her graduation. She has no record, official or otherwise. She lives a very down-to-earth life as if trying and succeeding in staying visible. And has no relationships whatsoever.”

My interest was piqued at the last words. As if reading my expressions, Daniel added, “Not in South Africa, not in India.”

Something tingled in me as I realized what Arya was. A total nerd!

“I—” Daniel started a bit loudly again, “I think you should lay off her, Sire.”

When I stared accusingly at him, Daniel added, “Sir, she is an inexperienced girl. And virginity is a big deal in the culture she comes from. I don’t think she has it in her to resist your charms.”

“Daniel,” I spoke with an edge in my voice, “I respect you a lot. You are like a father figure to me.”

“I feel the same, sir. You are like my own son,” Daniel reciprocated.

“So, please don’t mind me when I say, butt out!” I scathed.

“What has gotten into you?” Daniel looked shocked.

“I—I don’t know,” I muttered as I jumped out of my seat. “I don’t care if she is a virgin or inexperienced, okay. I don’t care if she has had a hundred sex partners, okay? I am not that shallow or that big a dick, okay!”

“Okay,” Daniel spoke thoughtfully. “What is it, sir?”

“I don’t know,” I rubbed my forehead and as I closed my eyes, Arya’s face flashed in front of me. Her long black curls, her mesmerizing blue eyes with gold streaks, her uneven jaw… I shook my head to compose myself.

When I opened my eyes, I found Daniel staring at me with grave concern. “I don’t know Daniel,” I repeated. “She is different, she is new.”

“New?” Daniel looked alarmed. “I don’t recall you having any olds.”

“I mean, she is different. She feels different, like a breath of fresh air. She tries to be invisible, but I see her. I see how she smiles when lost in some thoughts, how her fingers move when she draws, how—” I trailed off.

Daniel was dumbfounded at my words, so I added quickly, “I will leave now. I have an early start tomorrow,” and without a backward glance, I picked up my clothes and went away.

I knew why Daniel looked so thunderstruck. Girls always drooled over me. Girls always wanted to charm me. Girls noticed me. I, The Nathan Anderson, the owner, founder of the biggest finance corporation of the Africa region never did. I never pined over any girl. This was new. Yes, she was new!