Akira couldn't understand what just happened, but somehow she was grateful. He seemed like a nice guy. Had it been any other guy she would have definitely considered him as a creep. There was something different about him. She couldn't figure out what but she found his presence very comforting.

"Thanks. I was actually a bit cold". She said and smiled a bit.

"It's fine. Sleep well". Raymond said and took out his blanket and covered himself. He closed his eyes off and pretended to sleep while his mind was busy re-processing what had happened a couple of minutes back. His heart was racing and his ears were burning up. His mind was wandering off and he couldn't wipe off her image from his head. He let out a gasp of air and tried to calm himself.

Akira slipped into the warm embrace of the blanket. She wasn't able to understand how a stranger could be so caring and comforting but the one person upon whom she showered all her love and attention, stabbed her in the back so mercilessly. The bitter memories started lingering inside her mind again.

She had planned to surprise Anthony on his birthday. She had taken up an internship at Singapore in the same company as him so that she can be with him for the whole six months. Her internship letter was supposed to be his gift. Just the thought of being with him brought so much joy to her. He had told her that he was going out of town for 2 days for some office work and that he will be back on the day of his birthday. She was so disappointed to hear it. But then she thought perhaps she can surprise him in the morning once he was back.

She knew his best-friend Philip from college who was also his workmate and with his help, she got a duplicate key to his apartment. She had arrived a day before his birthday in Singapore. She met Philip and took his apartment keys and went there. She started sorting out his messed up house and even did his laundry. She changed the sheets and improved the home decor. Although she knew that she couldn't wish him at 00.00 hours, she was still glad and was eagerly waiting for the morning to come. She looked again at the couple t-shirt she had brought and smiled sheepishly.

She took a bath and changed into her night clothes. She had put on the pajamas that he had gifted her. She had got a lot of candles, confetti, light strings to decorate his room. She had also ordered a cake which had arrived. She placed the cake in the fridge and started decorating the room. She placed the light strings in the shape of a heart. Then she placed the candles near his side table, around the bathtub, and in the balcony. She filled balloons with confetti and filled the floor of the house with them. She did a quick survey of the house again and was pretty happy with the outcome.

Then she tied her hair in a messy bun, ordered a pizza and started reading a novel. It was around 22:30 and she was already feeling a bit drowsy coz of the jet lag. She kept her book down and started staring at her watch. Few more hours to go. She was in all smiles. She was waiting to call him and wish him at midnight. Just then she heard some footsteps across the door. Her stomach was already grumbling and she rushed to get door assuming it would be the pizza delivery guy.

She opened the door, but the next moment she felt she was frozen. A shiver ran down her spine. She felt she was being crushed to dust. All her dreams and hopes were shattered. She saw her man, embracing another girl and kissing her like he wanted to take her breath away.

A tear rolled down her cheek.