Published on 18th June 2021.

__________________________

I hate viva and PPTs!!

– S H R U T I –

I scanned my ID and walked inside the firm, ofcourse after sharing that crazy kiss with Rishabh which messed up my lip colour. I really don't know what has gotten into him these days! Is he possessed by a spirit? I hope not.

As I walked towards my cabin, I saw Parth and Aditi discussing over something. But wait! From when did they start talking like civilised people?

I paced towards them and patted their shoulders to grab their attention. "What's going on?" I asked and Aditi made a grumpy face whereas Parth smiled. It's been a long time I've seen him smiling!

"Truth came out." He said and I raised my eyebrows. "Sahil's truth." He said and I nodded as I knew this from the starting. I know how he was in his University days. Some characters never change!

In favour, Aditi threw some cuss words to Sahil which were way out of my understanding. But I'm happy that she came to know his reality before it was too late. Atleast my friend's life is saved.

"When did it happen?" I asked.

"Yesterday evening." Aditi answered, "I walked to his place to ask him for a movie. Instead, I saw him with a girl in a way too inappropriate condition. At first I thought that he was double timing. But when I saw one more girl there, I knew the case was way too twisted."

"They all were together. I mean, he was with two women at a time?" I asked and she nodded. It's disgusting!

"You know what I did?"

"What did you do?" I asked and Parth chuckled. So, he knew everything before me.

"I smashed the cake, I had carried to his place, on his face. I mean, he should know what it is to mess up with me. And strangely, I felt nothing after what he did. Did I really not love him?"

"I was not love. Just a basic infatuation and that's it!" Parth answered and I nodded.

"Maybe." Aditi shook her head, "And... I'm sorry for my behaviour all this time. I know I'm a little crazy but-"

"Little? You're fully crazy!" Parth and I said in unison and she glared at us with a smile. "We want a big fat treat as a compensation. Menu would be chosen by us." I said.

"Do you want to eat all my income?"

"Yeah, sure." Parth said and I laughed. "The day?"

"Tonight?" Aditi asked and we shook our heads in positive. "Then tonight it is."

✨

"Stop it! You've already ordered most of the expensive items." Aditi kept her palm over the menu we were reading and said.

"I just saw a good item. Let's order that too." I said to Parth, completely ignoring her.

"So, you're not going to listen to me, right?"

"Hmm... Why are you worried about money? Don't you have a millionaire family?"

"They don't give a penny to me. Moreover, they're giving everything in charity. There's no advantage in having millionaire parents." She sighed and closed her eyes.

"Beer?" Parth said and she opened her eyes.

"Order it. A beer won't increase our bill. It's already way too high!" She sighed and he chuckled. We gossiped for some time before the dinner arrived. The food was expensive yet tasty; worth the money spent!

Okay, it's Aditi's money.

I know.

"Cheers to my breakup!" Aditi shouted and we clinked our glasses together. She was the only one for whom we could have breakup drinks. I never experienced what a breakup is like.

"A glass for our everlasting friendship." Parth said and we smiled while having another glass. Our friendship is stronger than anything, and it could not be broken by a mere outsider. It's like wine, which goes better and beautiful with aging.

"A glass for me and Rishabh getting closer!" I said and forwarded my glass to front for the clink but they stayed back. When I heard them laughing, I raised my eyebrows. In return they did nothing but roll on their seats while laughing loudly.

"I guess we're not discussing your personal life now. But yeah, if there are some juicy details, we're in." Parth said and I face-palmed myself while hearing them grinning.

What the hell did I just say?

Blame the alcohol in my system, not me.

But the last time I remember I had a great alcohol tolerance.

It was an year ago, you idiot!

"Stop it. It just slipped off my tongue." I said and they nodded. My phone rang and seeing Rishabh's caller ID, I picked it up immediately. "Hello."

"I'm on my way. Is your dinner done?"

I had already told him and everyone at home about me having a dinner out. As he had some work in office and was going to be late, he offered to directly pick me up from the restaurant.

"Hmm... How much time would it take for you to reach here?" I asked as I couldn't stay with Parth and Aditi anymore. They were hell bent on making fun of me.

"Around five minutes."

"Okay. Bye."

"I'll be there in a few moments. You don't need to say bye." He said and I smiled.

"Then, be fast." I said before keeping the call off.

"Woah!" They hooted and I kept my hands over my ears. "I must say, you blush a lot while talking to your husband." Aditi teased me and I closed my eyes in annoyance.

"Shut up." I whined and they laughed more.

Just a wait of five minutes.

Only five minutes!

Tolerating them for straight five minutes, I got a message from Rishabh that he has arrived and was waiting for me in the parking. Bidding them bye, I ran out of the restaurant and saw Rishabh's car. He's way too punctual!

"I'm here." I greeted him while sitting on the passenger seat. He leaned his head up from his phone and started sniffing.

"Did you drink?" His eyes grew wide as he raised his eyebrows while looking at me.

"No."

"I can smell it. Don't lie."

I'm caught!

There's no benefit in lying.

"Yes, a little." I mumbled and he nodded before starting the car. I closed my eyes because of tiredness while listening to the soft melody of songs all through the ride.

✨

Feeling a great pressure in my abdomen, I decided to wake up. Slowly opening my eyes, I rubbed them lightly and leaned my back on the headboard of the bed. When did we come to home?

I remember getting a quick nap in the car last night.

Why am I on the bed?

I looked out and saw bright sunlight barging our room. Sunshine was enough for me to know that it's morning and I had been sleeping all this time.

"You're up?" I heard Rishabh's voice and turned my face to find him sitting on the couch with his laptop. By the look on his face, it was confirmed that I did something terrible last night.

"Hmm... Did I cause any problem last night?" I asked and he took his time before shaking his head in a nod. He closed his laptop and sighed before talking face to face with me.

"Ma doesn't like alcohol. Hate would be the perfect word."

Wait!

Don't tell me that she saw me in drunk state and hates me for that.

It's just a month to our wedding and I'm successful in offending my mother-in-law!

Shit!

"It's good that everyone was asleep by the time we returned home. Or else, situation would've been different now."

"So... ma doesn't know that I... I was drunk last night?" I asked and thankfully, he nodded in positive before engaging himself into his work. Thank God! Here I was worrying for nothing!

While leaving the bed, my gaze went towards my clothes which were totally different from what I wore to office. What happened to my clothes and who changed it?

Rishabh?

Did we do something last night that I don't remember?

"My clothes?" I mumbled and he looked straight into my eyes.

"You puked all over our clothes. I had to change them." He said. Wait, what?! I puked over him? What a perfect impression I'm leaving on my husband! What would he even think of me?

A drunkard?

No. It's the first time I drank after one long year.

"I need to use the bathroom." I said and ran inside the bathroom. After using the toilet and brushing my teeth, I stripped my clothes off and stepped in the warm shower.

He changed my clothes last night! Although he's my husband, it's awkward. I mean, I'm well aware of the fact that we can kiss each other without any shame and have seen each other's naked-upper body, it's still awkward.

Why does it feel so strange?

Wearing my clothes, I walked out and bumped onto a wall, sorry, Rishabh. He's no less than a wall!

"Slow." He kept his hands on my shoulders and made me sit on the bed. He bent down to my level and kneeled on his right knee. "Do you want a hangover drink or something?"

Why is he so caring?

I feel like I'm falling for him, again and again.

"No." I said and he nodded.

"I'll go and have a shower then." He sighed and I nodded. As he left for the bathroom, I stood up from the bed and walked out to check ma's mood.

Ma, as usual, was in the kitchen. When she was busy in cooking, I walked towards her and greeted her good morning. She smiled in return and wished me the same. So, she wasn't aware of what happened last night.

Our breakfast went by with peace and we took the drive to our workplaces. While Rishabh was busy driving, I took a deep breath and opened my mouth to ask him what problems I caused last night.

"I told you. You vomited."

"Anything else?" I asked and he denied. "So, if ma hates alcohol, you never have it too? Am I right?"

"No, you're wrong. I mean, I rarely drink. Occasionally, with friends. And, I sneak inside the house before ma finds out."

"You mean to say that ma doesn't know that you drink?"

"She knows, but it's rare I come home drunk. In most of those times, I'm successful in not appearing in front of her."

"You want to say that it's all luck?"

"Maybe. She hates drunkards, and I'm not one of them. So, she never holds any grudge against me. As for you, I'm not sure." He said and I leaned back on my seat.

If she saw me like that last night, would she be holding grudges against me too?

Maybe yes.

Wait!

Did Rishabh just call me a drunkard?!

"Are you saying that I'm a drunkard?" I asked and he shook his head in negative.

"No."

"But you meant that."

"I didn't."

"Liar!"

"I'm not a liar. It's you who cheated in the exams." He said and I widened my eyes. Did he just call me a cheater when I was never one?

"I cheated? Do you even know how well my exams went? Cheating was the last option as I always had great memorising skills."

"Really?" He put a brake on the car and asked. "I clearly remember I saw you with these two eyes of mine, discussing the answers of a test with your partner. Am I wrong?"

Wait!

He's not wrong.

I once discussed the answers of our grammar test with Parth.

But it's not cheating!

"I never cheated in any type of tests. But you....." I shut my mouth off as I had no accusation to make. "You snatched the opportunity of torch-bearing from the sports minister. You took his right!"

"I what? I was a better player than him and it was me who was going to be the sports minister. It's just that I had no time for the cabinet duties, so I denied."

"But this doesn't mean that you'll snatch that poor boy's right! He had some dreams too."

"You know what, I think you're still drunk! Need some lemon water?" He asked and I widened my eyes in annoyance. So, he thinks that I'm always drowning in alcohol?

I AM NOT A DRUNKARD!

"And you know what, I think you're going mad! Need some treatment?" I faked a tight-lipped smile and he narrowed his eyes before driving towards my firm.

When we reached, he stopped the car with a sudden brake. Without wasting a second in arguing more, I stepped out and walked inside the building.

I know I like him.

But this doesn't mean that I'll tolerate everything he says!

〰️⭕⚫⭕〰️

YOURS, WITH LOVE

While reading a book, I came through this term.

And now I can tell you that Wattpad is successful in corrupting our minds. 😂

Thank you for reading.

Hope you liked the chapter.

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