Next evening, Virat comes to Manvi's college to pick her up. "Kya huva madam, itna jaldi katam hogaya tumahara charity function."
"The whole thing is such a joke Virat, the collection was completed in thirty minutes, people are just partying like crazy in there. I got super bored."
"Why? what do you have against partying?? It's fun especially when you look like that" he said pointing his hand at her.
"Look like what?" she asked flipping her hair.
"hawt" he replied with his eyes popped out. But, he immediately checked himself and added 'dedfutiya'.
"What the hell is wrong with me?" he thought.
Manvi had worn a nice black dress and was looking extremely sexy.
"I am sure a lot of guys must have hit on you." He said, half asking and half stating.
"Not really, maybe I am intimidating to most guys and it may also partly have to do with the fact that I am married to an ex-college bully"
"Huh? me no bully babe. Kids in there revere me like god."
"ya-ya-ya..anyways..are you done with work? I really want to get back home, my bed is calling me with open arms. She said closing her eyes and yawning.
Virat parked his bike in style and said "I am not done yet. I am going in. So are you." He pulled her inside with him."
"What has gotten into you Virat?" Manvi asked him puzzled.
"Me wants to party" he said walking in a no-nonsense style and gulping a couple of shots. He gave Manvi one.
"I don't want to." She said looking at him in surprise.
"Ohh common, be a sport. All work and no play makes Manvi a dull girl." He said making her guzzle it down.
"Thats more like it, Let's go party tonight" he screamed at the top of his voice.
Everyone hooted back. People really did worship Virat, and why wouldn't they? he had a reputation. He had consistently stood at the top of his batch all four years. He was an excellent sportsman and had won numerous tournaments and competitions for the college. They were excited to shake a leg with the prodigy.
After a couple of hours, looking at Virat, Manvi realized she was back to square one, without a ride home this time. "Virat, bahut hogaya, let's go home." She pulled him.
"No." He said leading her to the dance floor.
Suddenly Manvi found herself dancing with Virat, swaying, so close. His arms were around her waist. He seemed very relaxed and loosened up. The time like stopped still. Forgetting where she was, she looked into his eyes. Maybe he was just drunk or maybe they were deep wells of unstirred desires, but she was being sucked into them, like a feather into a vortex. She moved her arms from his shoulders to around his neck, drawing herself closer to him; he was almost magnetic.
Her large sparkly eyes were telling him something. They looked at him with a passion he had never seen before. He kept staring back into them, trying to uncover what lay underneath. As she put her arms around his neck and came closer to him, he felt an unrecognizable excitement within. He quickly turned away, to walk away from her, while he still could. But he felt her hand, holding his, calling him back. He turned back facing her, trying to process this new surge of emotions inside him. He stepped away backwards a little more, but this time only to pounce onto her, her lips. He kissed her passionately and uninhibitedly, with a sense of urgency and excitement. They both did.
This was a new territory for both of them. They were unmistakably attracted to each other, even though they didnt know what it meant for each of them, they couldn't pull themselves away from that. She withdrew first. Taking in a deep breath, she stood in the same spot looking down at her shoes, resting her forehead on his chest. She was still holding his hand.
"Viraaat" she called him.
"Let's leave" he said, looking down at her. She let go of his hand and followed him out silently.
"Let's call someone, you are drunk" she pointed out without looking at him.
"I am fine." he said.
He couldn't have been more awake and aware of the surroundings. Even without knowing, he noticed the smallest changes in her body language and expressions. He noticed a little bit of guilt in eyes when she let go of his hand, he noticed that she didn't hold him like she always did on the bike while riding back home. He noticed that she maintained a little more distance from him in the elevator. Her walking behind him instead of beside him, the nervous twiddling of her fingers, fumbling her keys, he noticed every single thing.
She wanted to know what he was thinking. Why did he become so silent? She felt like he was watching her and she became extremely conscious. She wanted him to say something, his silence was making her very nervous. "Virat, I am sorry" she said.
"Sorry for what?" he asked looking at her.
She felt his stare burning through her. "It was the drinks and the music and'
"Go and sleep Manvi, you look exhausted" he cut her off. He wasn't ready to talk about it. He saw that her eyes were starting to fill up. "Manvi, pleeease..." he begged.
She went to bed. But how could she sleep? Her mind started racing. One one hand she felt his touch still lingering on her. She touched her lips gently and looked at her hand; her body went numb when she thought about it.She had never felt such intense craving to be so close with someone. On the other hand, she was haunted by all these questions. Why didn't he want her? Why didn't he say anything? Is he still with Maya or someone else? Maybe she crossed a line, she should have let him leave when he wanted to. Tears streamed out of her eyes. She felt rejected.
He heard her sniffs and clenched his fist. He wanted to go to her, hug her, but he was scared he would not be able to control himself. His heart filled with a flood of emotions and he hasn't figured out what he was going to do with them. He never thought he would be attracted to her this way. He knew how badly she wanted him to say something, acknowledge her, but what would he say to her? He didn't want to hurt her. He closed his eyes and he saw her big bright twinkly eyes, her warm touch, her soft lips and he groaned "go away." He put a pillow over his head and banged it on the mattress in frustration.
