Chương 20: Chapter 20- One hell of a beating

The man slowly turns his head to face her, looking at her the same way she did. Archie's heart nearly explodes to confetti and fireworks onto her hands.

Who was this beauty of a man?

…

Her manners had left faster than how she had left the mansion, staring the man up and down, unable to breath in case it distracts her from observing his breathtaking ( 😉 ) features.

"How may I help you?"

His manliness could be felt through his voice. Archie craved to hear more but no words came out of her mouth.

"Uh…"

A few awkward moments later

*Crickets crying in embarrassment*

"I'll be back." Archie manages to say before walking to the bathroom.

The bathroom was a pig sty, girls crying, some sitting in a corner, some doing their makeup and others taking selfies. An absolute mess on the floor. Archie had never witnessed such uncleanliness before as Raj had cleaners in the mansion at all times, making the place spotless. But what was this? She wondered disgustingly before entering a stall.

Now her mind wandered back to the face of that man. What was she feeling? She needed someone with her as she was starting to suspect if it was something she drank which was making her emotions go all over the place, but at this point she had almost completely sobered. She didn't know the man at all but he seemed to be in his late 20s. What was it about him? She wanted to be in his presence. See him. Feel him.

Meanwhile Augustin was feeling up around the ladies, too drunk to remember his gender, when he noticed Archie walking into the bathrooms, looking mesmerized. Wanting to know the reason, he dances his way behind her, forgetting that the washroom was for females.

It was true that Augustin saw Archie walking into the bathroom but he didn't see her exiting a few minutes later, bumping into her too… still not caring enough to see who it was.

"Oops, sorry. I was looking for a friend." He murmurs, continuing to dance his way into the restrooms.

"Aug-…"

It was too late. He was already in and there was nothing Archie could do about it than pray that he makes it out alive.

Finding her way back to where she sat before, she notices that the man was still there. If it wasn't for her specifically looking for him, she would never have noticed him as he was dressed in almost all black. A long, black leather jacket that reached to his shin and covered most of his arms, except for the silk blue shirt he wore underneath, completely different to how people would normally dress to the club.

She slowly takes a seat beside him.

"Sorry about earlier, I don't know what happened."

The man looks back at her, his beautiful green eyes almost piercing through her soul. He wore a type of white head cloth which Archie had never seen before. But it was just a distraction from his God sculpted face itself. She could've stared at him for as long as she lived but she wanted more than just that. Something she didn't know how to describe.

"It's okay. But I must say, it's the first time I've seen that expression." He says, forcing a nervous laughter. "I almost thought you were going to pass out."

He had a strong accent from elsewhere. But yet again, she had no idea from where it was.

"Haha… Yeah." Archie murmurs before looking to the other direction. She couldn't help looking away as the more she met his eyes, the more she got lost in them… almost like a trap.

She wanted to talk more, engage in a never ending conversation. But she was socially awkward with not much experience. What should she say? How should she act? Where should she look? His eyes? His ears? His head? She never wondered of these things when talking to Augustin. It never seemed important. It just naturally occurred. But now?

As she was looking to her right, thinking of how to continue the conversation, her eyes set on a familiar face. A face which was clearly beaten up. A face which had hand marks on both sides. A face which was laying on the floor, stupidly… near the female washrooms.

Augustin…?

Gulping and annoyed that she had to leave the man again, she gets up from the chair and walks to Augustin.

"Augustin… What are you doing here on the floor?"

He slowly looks up at her pathetically.

"Look at me!" He yells as he shows Archie places on his body which were bruised.

"Here, look here. Here and here! Oh... God" He says before laying back down on the floor.

"Take me home. Home.." He repeats.

Archie didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Although unable to decide, a giggle escapes from her mouth. She drags him through the floor and positions him onto the sitting area where others were relaxing and drinking. 'He'll be fine there.' She thinks while making her way back. She knew it would have been better to bring him back to the hotel but she was convinced that the moment she leaves the bar, that would be the last she would see of that man.

Taking back her seat, she looks down at her reflection on the counter top. She couldn't bring words out her mouth in fears of making a fool out of herself and decides that it would be better to leave quietly rather than looking stupid but just as she gets ready to leave, the man says.

"Who was that man you were helping just then? Your boyfriend?"

Archie was relieved that her chance of talking to him again hadn't ended.

"Oh, no. Of course not! Just a friend."

"Okay… I'm Afsah Ahmad."

Archie thought of his name for a while. It clicked but how?

"Nice name, I'm Architha Krishna."

"Hindu?"

"Yes."

"From South India?"

"Yeah… How do you know?"

"Figured from the name."

"Are you?"

"Yes. I'm also from South India."

"What!"

The two talked for a while and realised that they were from neighbouring districts and speak the same language but Archie couldn't get a hold of how his name held such resemblance. Then she remembered. He had the same last name as her mother. It was a Muslim name she understood and it wasn't rare, hence why it doesn't mean they maybe related but the fact that it was the same as her mother's disturbed her quite a bit, but she paid no attention.