Unhinged

Chapter 9

Riva knocked on boys' flat's door. Rachit opened it and saw her.

"Aa gayi wapis tum?" He rolled his eyes.

"Tumse matlab?" Riva pushed him and entered "Shashank kaha hai?"

"Riva" She heard Shashank calling her name from his room.

Riva went inside and saw him shirtless. As usual he was smoking a cigarette. Smoke was filled everywhere in room. She coughed a little and opened the window.

"kya karte ho Shashank" Riva sighed

"Tumse pyaar" Shashank replied.

"How cheesy" Riva chuckled.

Shashank exhaled smoke out and firmly held the cigarette between his lips. He pulled Riva close for a dance.

"Maine suna tumne Sharu ko kal raat daru pilayi" Riva kept her hands on his shoulders and said.

Shashank wasn't saying anything as he had cigarette in his lips. He just shrugged his shoulders. Riva pulled the cigarette out of his lips and threw it in ash tray.

"Are" He was annoyed.

"Kyu nashe karne hai tumhe Shashank" Riva said "I don't like cigarette on your lips"

"Fine" Shashank slowly put his lips on her "Riva it is then.. Not cigarette"

Riva giggled and wrapped her arms around his neck. His arms were already around her waist.

"Sharu ne mujhe bataya kal tum mujhse milne aaye the" Riva said.

Shashank had already read Sharanya's text so he knew about this lie.

"Yeah" Shashank said without looking at Riva.

"Toh mujhe phone kar dete.. Main uth jati" Riva said.

"Late ho gaya tha kafi.. Sharanya ne bataya tum bahot pehle so gayi thi toh socha jagana accha nahi rahega" Shashank replied.

Riva understood he was not looking at her. He laid down on bed and Riva laid down over him.

"Idhar dekho meri taraf" Riva grabbed his face and made him look at her "Kya hua hai? Kuch chhupa rahe ho?"

"Nahi. Kuch bhi toh nahi" Shashank said.

"Are you sure?" She asked.

"Yes" He replied.

Riva smiled. She pecked on his lips and placed her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating faster than usual. They stayed silent in same position for some minutes. Riva was lost in her thoughts and Shashank was feeling guilty.

"Shashank" She said whilst making circles on his shoulder.

He hummed.

"Do you think that everything will be okay?" Riva asked.

"Okay as in?" Shashank played with her hair.

"Okay as in perfect.. Like how we want.. Like how we have always dreamed.." Riva said.

"Of course" Shashank said "Everything will be perfect"

Riva felt good she kept listening his heart beat. It was a soothing sound! Shashank on the other hand remembered how he had given same assurance to Sharanya last night!

***

8th August 2007

Shashank and Sharanya were now regular visitors of Society Of Anamalous' meetings. For a whole week they attended meetings without any break. Around midnight the meeting would start and would end till 1:30.