Party And Prejudice

25. Riya Speaks

Riya's POV :

The shameless girl, no iota of guilt or regret...that's what everyone's thinking of me at the moment, right? In most people's eyes I am always the bitch.

It was like that in school, home..everywhere. And even here about thousand kilometres away from Mumbai, it was indeed very much like that. And you know what, I've become used to it.

Because, what fault of mine is it, if Sanam planted cocaine in my purse? Sanam and Ameesha seemed like my type of girls - reckless and fun. I trusted the wrong people and I'm hurting too. But no. I'm the naughty girl who went and got caught with bad company. I can finally understand what Reyansh must've gone through.

Now, my normally sweet father has issued an ultimatum. That I should go back to Mumbai with them. How could I tell him, how good I felt being here and how much fun I was having here? And if I went back to Mumbai, I would probably never see Laksh again. I know everyone's thinking we're just messing around but that's not true. I never dated in eighteen years and this was the first time, I'd felt drawn to a guy. Laksh was really special. But Mishti madam was keeping an eye on me like a hawk.

By the way, isn't this Mishti's story? Isn't she the narrator? So why are Zoya and I taking turns and shoving our butts in?

The thing is, Mishti loves acting magnanimous. Even in school after she finished her projects first, she would hand over a certain share of it to me and Zoya and say, "Riya you submit this and Zo you submit this". I think the same generosity stuck onto this too.

I also know that Mishti doesn't like most of things that I do. But Mishti really feels so sceptical about me, how come she had been hanging out with me for half a decade?

And what's with her I didn't want to tell someone this..I didn't want to tell someone that...So she knows and understands everything and everyone but keeps her observations to herself? Or does she just not want to make people feel bad? I know that's not true. Zoya is the only kind hearted one among us. Mishti loves to make people feel dumb. And me? I'm a whole different league.

I know the answer to this. She is super intelligent and all that by nature and loves coming first but deep down she is just a normal kid who wants friends and company.

Still, I have to say, I love her to bits. Because at the end of the day, the girl lives a pretty righteous life. Without her, my moral compass would've gone to the dogs by now. She has her brilliant-kid attitude but she never does anything illicit and more importantly she never does anything that she does not believe in. In addition, she tries her best to make other people do the right thing too. If Captain America was a woman, it would be her.

Mishti can be secretive too. She has this fear of coming across as vulnerable.

Because my dear Mishti, you've gone into so much depth about my crush on Lakshan and Zoya's relationship with Rahul, so what about your own social life? Why is there so little mention of your escapades with Reyansh?

You've gone into minute details about the night that Zoya ran out to declare her love for Rahul and all that. But how come you haven't mentioned that it was on the same night that you also lost your virginity?

I remember your mother telling you once, that no boys should come within ten miles of you till you get married. Poor aunty. She doesn't know that the sacred hole has already been breached. By the way, you're the first among the three of us, in this department too. So congratulations.

I'm sorry that I wasted most of the time you gave me, ranting about you Mish. But there's just one last thing I would like to say. You can resume your Gitopadesh type storytelling after that. 

Remember I said in the beginning that in most people's eyes I'm the bitch? Well, if most people insist on making me the bitch in their stories, then so be it. But in my own story, I'll be the heroine. A heroine who lived on her own terms.