"What are you thinking about Akira?", Vikram asked as he was puzzled to see her smiling out of the blue .

"Nothing nothing, just remembered something funny which had happened at my workplace", Akira said and dodged his question .

"Sometimes I feel you wander off to some parallel universe", Vikram said and chuckled .

"But what to do, I have to land again and again back to earth because you don't let me wander in peace", Akira snorted .

"Oh so did I unknowingly pull your s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p and made it land on earth?", Vikram asked quizzically .

"Duh . . . Not only did you pull, but you stole away all my fuel as well so that there was no way for me to go to my planet back . How evil and ruthless you are Vikram", Akira said and pouted her lips .

Vikram had a good laugh after hearing her . He treasured moments like this with her . Their random talks might make no sense to others but it meant the world to him . He liked her with all his heart . Her anger, her pranks, her childishness, her headstrong nature, everything about her was dear to him . He had loved her for the way she was . He had loved her in her thicks and her thins . But he wasn't sure how to make her feel the same way . If he could be granted one single wish, then probably he would wish for her to like her back the same way that he did .

When the food arrived, Akira's eyes gleamed with happiness like how a ten-year-old kid lights up after getting a candy . She dug into her food without even wasting a single second .

"Umm . . . . . it tastes like heaven man", Akira said, relis.h.i.+ng her risotto .

"Glad you liked it", Vikram said and started eating his pasta .

"Gosh, how can I ever repay aunty for this favor?", Akira said and continued focussing on her food .

"Would you like to return a favor to me?", Vikram asked out of the blue .

"Umm . . . anything for you Viku . Just say it", Akira said without even thinking for one extra second .

"Well after two weeks I need to attend to a party . It's more like a social event and I need a partner . So would you like to join me for that?", Vikram asked a bit hesitantly .

"What me? Geez Vikram, I can't even handle heels properly . How can I attend a social event altogether? I don't want to embarra.s.s you . You can take any of your project managers, right? What about the one who went last time with you to Australia? What is her name again? Umm . . . Whitney?", Akira asked .

"If you don't want to go with me then tell it up front, don't try to weave a set of reasons", Vikram said a bit annoyed .

"I am not weaving reasons . I really don't want to embarra.s.s you . Your event will be high profile . I don't even know what to talk to people . Forget 'what' I don't even know how to talk", Akira said and lowered her head disappointedly .

Vikram held her chin with his hands and gently lifted her face so that he could have eye contact with her . He had his gaze fixed on hers and then he said,

"I never asked you to be or pretend as someone else . Just come with me and be the way to you are . I want you to come with me to give company to me and not for others . So don't even think about others ok? And you are one of the smartest girls I have known . So there won't be a dearth of topics for you to talk with people ok . And mostly in such events, people talk about general stuff and not like what was the share price today . Got it", Vikram said and then ruffled her hair a bit .

"Mmmm . . . . . ok", Akira said .

"And I won't leave your side, so you don't need to worry about anything . If anytime you feel your heels are way too much to handle, walk barefoot or ask me to carry you", Vikram said and gently squeezed her hand . She could feel his sincerity and nodded .

"Where is the event? And at what time?", Akira asked curiously .

"Leave all that to me to worry about . You just focus on your food . Rest all will be taken care of", Vikram said .

"Stop pampering me like a baby", Akira said and pouted again .

"Oh my G.o.d, just when I thought that you have grown up . Tch Tch . . . ", Vikram said and teased her .

"Don't worry I have two weeks time right, I will walk and talk like a perfect lady who has an air of her own by that time", Akira said and winked at Vikram . All that Vikram could do was to laugh .

"Air of her own? Why you can't breathe on earth normally? Oh, I forgot . You have come from another planet . I see, why you got your own air to breathe as well . Now it makes sense", Vikram said and chuckled .

Akira threw the napkin at him and gave him a fierce look .

"You want to die Vikram?", Akira asked .

"Not right now my lady . Come to the event with me first . Then kill me afterward . At least then I will go down in the pages of history as the guy who came with an alien to the party", Vikram said and handed her the napkin back .

"Take it, in case you want to a.s.sault me again", Vikram said .

"Man now I am regretting saying yes . You will kill all the fun like this right?", Akira asked all irritated .

Vikram looked at her for a while and then said,

"Not at all . Don't worry, that day I will be nice" .

When she said yes, his heart was filled with unknown emotions as everything was going the way he had planned . He wanted to set the stage right and propose her . He wanted to bring her closer to his life, show her his world and make her a part of it . And this was just the beginning . He knew he couldn't delay it more as there were many others ready to pry on her . And he was not ready to let his lifeline to part from him because of someone else . This time he was ready with a plan and was not going to back down .

"What are you thinking about Akira?", Vikram asked as he was puzzled to see her smiling out of the blue

.

"Nothing nothing, just remembered something funny which had happened at my workplace", Akira said and dodged his question

.

"Sometimes I feel you wander off to some parallel universe", Vikram said and chuckled

.

"But what to do, I have to land again and again back to earth because you don't let me wander in peace", Akira snorted

.

"Oh so did I unknowingly pull your s.p.a.ces.h.i.+p and made it land on earth?", Vikram asked quizzically

.

"Duh . Not only did you pull, but you stole away all my fuel as well so that there was no way for me to go to my planet back . How evil and ruthless you are Vikram", Akira said and pouted her lips

.

Vikram had a good laugh after hearing her . He treasured moments like this with her . Their random talks might make no sense to others but it meant the world to him . He liked her with all his heart . Her anger, her pranks, her childishness, her headstrong nature, everything about her was dear to him . He had loved her for the way she was . He had loved her in her thicks and her thins . But he wasn't sure how to make her feel the same way . If he could be granted one single wish, then probably he would wish for her to like her back the same way that he did

.

.

When the food arrived, Akira's eyes gleamed with happiness like how a ten-year-old kid lights up after getting a candy . She dug into her food without even wasting a single second

.

"Umm . it tastes like heaven man", Akira said, relis.h.i.+ng her risotto

.

"Glad you liked it", Vikram said and started eating his pasta

.

"Gosh, how can I ever repay aunty for this favor?", Akira said and continued focussing on her food

.

"Would you like to return a favor to me?", Vikram asked out of the blue

.

"Umm . anything for you Viku . Just say it", Akira said without even thinking for one extra second

.

"Well after two weeks I need to attend to a party . It's more like a social event and I need a partner . So would you like to join me for that?", Vikram asked a bit hesitantly

.

"What me? Geez Vikram, I can't even handle heels properly . How can I attend a social event altogether? I don't want to embarra.s.s you . You can take any of your project managers, right? What about the one who went last time with you to Australia? What is her name again? Umm . Whitney?", Akira asked

.

"If you don't want to go with me then tell it up front, don't try to weave a set of reasons", Vikram said a bit annoyed

.

"I am not weaving reasons . I really don't want to embarra.s.s you . Your event will be high profile . I don't even know what to talk to people . Forget 'what' I don't even know how to talk", Akira said and lowered her head disappointedly

.

Vikram held her chin with his hands and gently lifted her face so that he could have eye contact with her . He had his gaze fixed on hers and then he said, .

.

"I never asked you to be or pretend as someone else . Just come with me and be the way to you are . I want you to come with me to give company to me and not for others . So don't even think about others ok? And you are one of the smartest girls I have known . So there won't be a dearth of topics for you to talk with people ok . And mostly in such events, people talk about general stuff and not like what was the share price today . Got it", Vikram said and then ruffled her hair a bit

.

"Mmmm . ok", Akira said

.

.

"And I won't leave your side, so you don't need to worry about anything . If anytime you feel your heels are way too much to handle, walk barefoot or ask me to carry you", Vikram said and gently squeezed her hand . She could feel his sincerity and nodded

.

"Where is the event? And at what time?", Akira asked curiously

.

"Leave all that to me to worry about . You just focus on your food . Rest all will be taken care of", Vikram said

.

"Stop pampering me like a baby", Akira said and pouted again

.

"Oh my G.o.d, just when I thought that you have grown up . Tch Tch . ", Vikram said and teased her

.

"Don't worry I have two weeks time right, I will walk and talk like a perfect lady who has an air of her own by that time", Akira said and winked at Vikram . All that Vikram could do was to laugh

.

"Air of her own? Why you can't breathe on earth normally? Oh, I forgot . You have come from another planet . I see, why you got your own air to breathe as well . Now it makes sense", Vikram said and chuckled

.

Akira threw the napkin at him and gave him a fierce look

.

"You want to die Vikram?", Akira asked

.

"Not right now my lady . Come to the event with me first . Then kill me afterward . At least then I will go down in the pages of history as the guy who came with an alien to the party", Vikram said and handed her the napkin back

.

"Take it, in case you want to a.s.sault me again", Vikram said

.

"Man now I am regretting saying yes . You will kill all the fun like this right?", Akira asked all irritated

.

Vikram looked at her for a while and then said, .

.

"Not at all . Don't worry, that day I will be nice"

.

.

When she said yes, his heart was filled with unknown emotions as everything was going the way he had planned . He wanted to set the stage right and propose her . He wanted to bring her closer to his life, show her his world and make her a part of it . And this was just the beginning . He knew he couldn't delay it more as there were many others ready to pry on her . And he was not ready to let his lifeline to part from him because of someone else . This time he was ready with a plan and was not going to back down