The Accidental Fiancée by Zeenat Mahal Page A

Khayyam, ‘What were you
thinking, KK? Why did you agree to this?’
    ‘I have no idea what you’re talking
about.’
    He scoffed.
    ‘You expect me to believe that you don’t
have an ulterior motive? You agreed to marry me , the most,
what was it again, ‘morally bankrupt man with pedestrian creative
instincts’ you’d ever seen? You agreed because you have an agenda
and I want to know what it is. Or have you changed from the
rebellious firebrand you were, to a commonplace girl who just wants
to snag a husband?’
    She looked angry but almost as if she didn’t
want to be. She said quickly, ‘Okay look. I know what this looks
like but we have to go through with it for now…and I’ll…’
    ‘Why’s that?’
    ‘Why is what?’
    ‘Why do I have to go through with this? I
have the perfect opportunity to embarrass you. Why would I not take
it KK?’
    ‘Because you can’t embarrass our families
like this and you want to get even with me, not them. Or are you
still the arrogant, selfish, spoilt kid that you were in
college?’
    ‘Ah, the nostalgia of youth,’ he mocked. Her
words still stung.
    The little …
    ‘Look Akbar, if you go through with
this…farce, just think of the satisfaction you get out of it. You
get to show people that you won in the end. I was no better than
all those girls in college who drooled over you.’
    Khayyam gave Akbar quick look and was
relieved to see that he was interested in this new angle. He was
frowning but there was a speculative gleam in his dark eyes
now.
    ‘Keep talking, KK.’ He watched as Khayyam
took a deep calming breath as if to control her anger, which he
secretly thought was completely uncalled for.
    She said with a half-smirk, ‘You’ll be the
hero. I’ll be the weak-minded girl who falls for brawn and not
brains…’
    ‘You’re doing it again, KK.’
    ‘ Fine …I’ll be the girl who falls for you .’
    He smiled and nodded.
    ‘Now you’re talking, KK. I like that angle.
And I can see you really want this. I’ll find out why eventually,
so why not tell me yourself?’
    She didn’t reply.
    That had to be a first, he thought
surprised, as he looked at her sideways yet again. Her face looked
stricken and it was apparent she was trying to control her
emotions.
    ‘Are you planning on defending your beloved
local ruins with my name attached to yours? Because unlike you, I
have been building landmarks and making a name for myself, so
obviously my name counts and yours…not so much,’ he taunted.
    She rolled her eyes. Then shrugged and said
casually—too casually, ‘It’s just that my…parents want this
and…’
    Akbar looked at her squarely now, and while
there was a flash of panic that showed for an instant in her eyes,
she stared back at him steadily. There was a strange expression on
her face. Almost as if she were… oh, wow …pleading? Akbar
sniggered.
    The moron knew. Khayyam could tell. He was
grinning at her with that same devilish look he had used on all the
girls in college. His eyes were dancing with joy.
    He whispered, ‘If I do this, you owe me big
time and I will collect the debt.’
    She had no option. Wearing the same plastic
smile, she nodded with relief. Too eagerly perhaps, because at once
he said, ‘What a come down, you’ve had KK. You actually seem
visibly relieved to be getting engaged. At your age I can
understand the desperation.’
    ‘I’m the same age as you…’
    He interrupted smoothly, and with obvious
relish, ‘But for a man to be twenty-eight and unmarried is nothing
out of the ordinary, but a woman to be all of twenty-eight
and unmarried. Tsk, tsk, probably desperate, and sexually
frustrated.’
    ‘Shut up you sick juvenile…’
    ‘You want me to put a ring on your
finger?’
    Khayyam fumed in silence for a full three
seconds. But she desisted from another attack.
    Akbar watched in smug satisfaction. ‘This is
going to be so much fun, KK.’
    Thankfully, Khayyam’s parents got involved
after that and Akbar