"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 spaceship 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, relishing 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 embarrass 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 embarrass 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 God, 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 assault 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.