Dated: 19th December, 2023
Word count: 3k+
Target: 60+ votes and comments

Do follow Ridhit and Urvi on Instagram <3

10 | Elite And Us |

Ridhit:

"Is everything ready?" I turned to the peers behind me, who stood there taking in all my instructions.

"The car is ready sir. Mr. Harper would be there within an hour or so." The other girl with specs answered, quickly scribbling something in her notepad.

I turned towards her and raised my eyebrows. "Did you contact him?"

"No sir. This was the update we received from Miss. Khatri." My shoulders unconsciously relaxed and a breath made its way inside my respiratory tract when I was told that Urvi had been keeping the tab. I trusted nobody with this project, but her. "She'll reach directly to the location."

"Why?" I frowned. I saw her glancing at me and then to the peers around her. "I mean, why hasn't she reported to the office yet?" I quickly rectified.

The girl hesitated, "Sir she said that she had your permission." My mind rolled rolled up to the message I received this morning and me sending a big thumbs up for the same.

Great!

I turned again, before heading towards the lift, "Get your asses to work on Earth Con project. I need the budget and plot alignment by tomorrow." I said and moved ahead without waiting for any sort of comment. The ride kick started and we were off to see the plot.

I bit my inner cheeks before unlocking my phone and quickly sending a message to the required person.

To Alex,

Off to the plot. Get the things ready.

From Alex,

You don't pay me for it, you know that right?

To Alex,

I still have pictures that might not be good for you.

From Alex,

Work is done

I chuckled and threw my phone on the seat. Opening the laptop, I spent next few hours working on the model and doing the last minute touch up required.

I sighed breathlessly looking at the file which held the name Elite. My dream, reason to work day and night.

Only symbol that kept my mom alive. Establishment of this project will immortal her. Forever. The only thing I can do for her. I couldn't help thinking about the person who helped making it possible. I never express but the amount of gratitude I hold towards her, for helping me throughout. Ranging from plot site, budget, ideas that elevated Elite to another level to being with me in this journey constantly. I tilted my head and looked at the sky from my window. Sun was little less shining today. Clouds were happy, spread in the occasion of my mom's existence.

Monsoon.

Her favorite season. My favorite season.

Every rain drop made me realize her absence. Entering house at night and having no one to embrace is the emptiness with which I live. Even with no one else in my side, these two were more than enough for me. Enough for me to find the reason to fight and come through.

Car skidded slowly and eventually halted. I got out of the car and saw her distantly, instructing the little workers there. I somehow calmed myself when her gaze fell on me. I saw her dismissing them and walking towards me. I made a move and covered the distance.

"Everything is under control." She said and I nodded.

"The file?" I asked.

"It's all in the room where we'd be signing the contract." The land wasn't completely barren. It was a 3 acre land with grass here and there.

"We're set." I exhaled, rubbing my palms together. "We are." She replied, whispering.

"But we have a prob.." Before she could complete, we were interrupted by a call.

"Mr. Harper." We stepped forward and greeted him.

"Hello Mr. Merhotra and Miss..? He looked at her, beside me.

"Urvi, Urvi Khatri." She replied before shaking hands. "I hope there were no problems to reach here."

"No, thank you." He politely replied. I felt something weird. Something changed.

"Introduce me to them, Ridhit." A voice behind me stilled me. My breath froze and movements halted

This cannot be true.

I turned behind, and there he was.

"Mr. Merhotra." Urvi whispered, unbelievably. My jaws clenched and fists tightened.

"Mr. Merhotra, of course." Mr. Harper stepped forward and did the honors. "It'd be great. Father and son cracking a record breaking deal together."

Father and son.

It stabbed me numerous-ly.

"Of course, but we could have a look at the plot and discuss before signing it up." My tooth grind against each other. I felt her gaze burning my neck. The hope in me, just a moment ago crashed brutally.

"Ridhit." Her voice reached me ones they pushed away.

"Did you call him?" I asked, turning completely towards her.

Her eyes went blank and face lost its smile. "No." She said. I believed. No rooms for doubt.

"Let's go." I started towards them, with Urvi following me silently. A part of me knew that this question bothered something between us. But my consciousness was too busy to realize it.

Mr. Harper showing up suddenly is something I can handle. But my soul is burning in the fire that the man behind my every misery is becoming a part of my most important project.

"Your wife, Mr. Harper?" My father asked, as we went through the plot.

"She has no interest to know about the minute details of the project." He joked and my father faked a laugh. I exhaled a breath and passed a look to Urvi. "She'll join when resort is ready."

"Thats great, you know we can give you VIP pass." Urvi's head snapped in his direction, and so did mine. He had no rights to claim anything to anyone at this particular moment. He probably realized our gazes but chose to ignore it. My hold on my fists tightened just when a hand slipped into it and loosened it up. My gaze fell upon her, who stood there beside me, holding my hand. Calming every sense of my nerve down. She entwined our fingers and my tarsals immediately embraced her touch. She slowly looked at me and blinked slowly.

"We'd get through this." It spoke.

"I know." I reciprocated, but never worded out.

"So are we ready to get going?" Mr. Harper asks.

I release a genuine smile. "After you."

I have one person beside me, that is enough for me to fight with my demons.

End:

Urvi:

Creases arranges themelseves on my forehead every time I saw him clenching his shoulders at his father's constant remarks. He's controlling himself so bad. I've never seen him suppressing his need to react. He's the king of his own wishes. This project for his mom is what stopping him to react brutally and mess everything up.

"I hope the plan and budget has been explained to you." Mr. Merhotra asked Christian, who nodded affirmatively.

"Yes sir, and a very elaborate plan. Hardworking duo I must say." He said, and a small smile took its place on my lips.

Mr. Merhotra mocked a laugh and nodded. "Surely Ridhit is." He patted his back, to which Ridhit shifted away swiftly. "Though I'm not very sure about Urvi, you know since she's new to everything." I looked up at him, when his comments went through me. I glanced Ridhit, who looked equally pissed.

"She's my best employee for two years. Questioning her capabilities is as stupid as believing that this project doesn't matter to me." He spoke, while I stood there looking at him. Why do you do this? One moment you act that way and other moment, it's surreal. "Now if you may permit." His words were stern that managed to shut Mr. Merhotra for next few hours.

He instructed me and I obliged without even a word. I could feel his questioning gaze every time I obliged without any cross question. This project is his life, but at times, just a mere question has power to break strongest of relations. I know that question he asked was in a flow, and he was not in a very good state of mind. But my heart couldn't help but wander at that same question. It revealed around those eyes which held doubt for me.

It feels as if expecting something from someone is always leading me to downfall, but yet I do the same.

"I'm beyond impress, I must say." Mr. Harper's distinct voice reached out us. We, along with Mr. Merhotra were standing away from Mr. Harper, providing him and his team the needed space to explore.

"You say a word, and I'll make sure your tongue isn't left for another." Ridhit's dead panned tone reached Mr. Merhotra, who just nodded in disbelief.

"I'm still the owner of Formonix Ridhit. Don't forget that." He argued back and my gaze traveled up to Mr. Harper who were approaching us.

"Sir. Ridhit." I spoke slowly gesturing them the direction. They immediately distanced and Ridhit passed a look to Mr. Merhotra which did not good well with him.

God, this is so messed up.

"So?" He prompted slowly, gesturing towards our deal.

"Shall we sign the deal?" A wave of happiness flashed across Ridhit's face which automatically brought a smile on mine.

Finally, it was happening.

"Urvi." He called me out and I immediately nodded. I surfed through the file I was carrying and we all moved towards the room where we decided to sign the deal. My heart was racing against my ribcage. Signing of this is a benchmark for the journey we've been through.

My eyes automatically landed on him, as the thought of journey arose in my consciousness. His eyes reflected everything what is face failed to. I could see him stuck between the urge to smile or to behave. I looked down and chuckled. I then passed the file to Ridhit, who read it ones and then passed it on to Mr. Harper. I found him going through the point thoroughly and then nodding in affirmation. I fisted my hands when his hands rose with a pen to those papers. I moved against the paper and we achieved what we dreamt of.

Ridhit's gaze fell upon mine and mine were always at him. Something sparked in between and my eyes slowly went teary. For the first time, I wasn't of pain, but of the moment we are in. His eyes were wet but covered enough to hide it from the world. My hands itched to run to him and hug but something stopped me. I couldn't explain what that was. A mere deal between us was an abrupt to every emotions we were going through. When my brain screams that everything needs to be fake, heart's mere whisper goes so loud in my head saying that this is not what fake does.

Eventually we bid adieu to Mr. Harper and remaining staff dismissed leaving three of us alone. My gaze fell upon a spot near the tree, where leaves traversed in the rhythm of air.

"Congratulations Ridhit." I heard Mr. Merhotra, who came forward to hug him but stopped mid way due to Ridhit's interruption.

"I think that's enough deception for the day." His rough voice managed to snatch the smile from Mr. Merhotra's face. "Please leave."

"Ridh.."

"Do not force me to call security." One sentence and it did not take more than a minute for him to exit. I witnessed his shoulders relaxing and him turning towards me. I couldn't match his gaze and immediately lowered it.

It welled. It shouldn't. Still it did. I turned to move away but he chose to speak, "Urvi." He tried calling.

"I'm tired Ridhit." I sighed tiredly and looked up to the same tree. I dragged my legs towards it and say there, a deep breath escaped my lips.

I felt him sitting beside me, the coat hanging on his shoulders. My breath hitched at our closeness but nevertheless scooted away.

"You'll move in tomorrow?" He asked, looking at the view that glowed in the illumination of the moon. It was bliss. But somehow, the heaviness in me was much more evident that the beauty in the front.

"Hmm." No efforts made.

His gaze burnt my side neck. I still chose not to look at him. I know I'd break down and I cannot afford that.

"Kuch bologi nahi?" He asked me slowly and my mind went blank, having no idea of what to answer. "Is it about the question I asked." I looked at him. Is he always this right about judging the situation. I blinked away the little welling and looked away. "You know I dint.."

{You won't say anything?}

"You dint. People never mean what they say but it's not the same for the person who listens it. You don't mean what you say but people don't hear based on your meaning, right?" I looked at him at end and asked. His eyes never left mine and this time I did not make a move avert my gaze.

"You know what this project is to me. And I've trusted you with all of me for this." He said and I chuckled slowly.

"Then why was there a room for that question? It might sound silly, I know. But it's not-"

He interrupted me. "It's not silly." I stopped to look at him. His eyes went down and then at front. "Anything you think about me is not silly for me."

I couldn't stop. "Why?"

"If there's someone who has seen everything of me and my project in these few years, then it's you. It's not silly to me. Anymore." He mumbled last word to himself but was audible enough. He's again giving me expectations.

And the fear in me questions everything he's saying. I picked my things, got up and turned to leave. A tug on wrist stopped my movements. I stayed still, fighting with my tears. The reason was not him anymore. But something else I couldn't name.

"Matt jao." He whispered, I fell weak. My throat felt heavy and tears threatened to betray me.

{Don't go.}

I titled my face towards him and just then my loyal tears betrayed me in front of him. My voice choked. "Ridhit. Please."

He got up and stepped towards me. I shrunk as his wet eyes looked upon mine. "This day happened is result of your work, Luna." He said and I still chose not to look up. "I'm sorry?" I gasped weakly and snapped up at him.

"You-?"

He pulled me closer and touched his forehead with mine. Fingers entwined with mine and other one caressed my teary cheeks. "I'm sorry." I sobbed and he pulled me to chest. I clutched his shirt near chest and my tears dint stop. He pressed his chin against my temple and placed a chaste kiss on my head.

"It's not just you. I'm tired." I whispered between my hiccups.

"I know, which is the reason I'm asking you to move in." He whispered back. My eyes fluttered open and looked up at him. "It's the solution to both of our problems." It was. Just the difference layed was that the problems he mentioned was us, or him and me.

And my gut said, this is wrong.

So wrong.

Yet I'm choosing it.

End: