Coloured Me Grey (Book Two)

Chapter 19

I ended up texting both the girls that I was headed to Divya's place. Surprisingly, over the last few days I found out that Nisha texted a lot back and forth once we had opened up a channel of conversation.

Zara's mother would not let me come until I gave her Divya's mother's contact in case of emergencies. Of course I didn't tell her about the booze, she was worried out of her mind anyway.

I was almost regretting my decision as I sat there at Nisha's side, half-drunk from all the liquor.

I wish someone had stopped me from coming.

Punk music played in the background while the rest of the group chatted on and on and laughed at all their inside jokes. I looked like participating only in the drinking part, not the bonding part. Plus, seeing them having fun, was really fucking with my brain now. I wanted to have fun like that.

"Why do people drink alcohol? This tastes like acidic piss." I mumbled to myself, hoping to be inaudible. I still planned on finishing another bottle of the Magic Moments vodka. It certainly tasted better than the weird Old Monk rum, but it was nothing amazing.

Apparently Nisha and Tuhina had heard me. "Why are you drinking then, Riyaaz?"

"I don't know, I just wanted to get drunk and see how it feels."

"Well, it feels like shit and some just love getting shitfaced when they are already feeling shitty as fuck, like our dearest Tuhina here." Nisha rested her head on my shoulder and I wasn't even surprised anymore. She seemed to be getting cozy with passing time. Tuhina was chugging down her second bottle of the evening and giving me one of her death glares. I could take her hint with no problem at all. She was daring me to act out of the line, giving her an excuse to end my existence right here right now.

Divya and Rakesh had finished their first bottles and Manish was a slow drinker, like me. Afzal had stopped at four sips. He found it repulsive and pushed the bottle towards Tuhina, making a face at her eager face.

"How can you drink this? Yuck, Riyaaz is right."

"Watch me," Tuhina smirked and finished the rest of it two big gulps. I don't think if anyone had a drinker role-model, but I for one would definitely name Tuhina for the position. Boy, that girl could drink. And she drank neat, straight from the bottle.

I had been mixing two parts of my liquor with three parts water until now but when I saw her, I wanted to try some neat too. My movements made Nisha sit up. "Careful, Riyaaz, you don't wanna throw up just yet."

"I have nothing to lose, Nisha. Nothing to lose," I sighed dramatically, earning a spell of laughter and dared a clean sip straight from the bottle.

The vodka burned my throat and everything onwards as it rode down my digestive canal, until the pit of my stomach. "Gah," I grunted, setting the bottle down for a moment.

"Don't you fucking dare throw up on me, first-timer," Tuhina said, looking at me in disgust. "My brother and his boyfriend are not here to save your sorry ass from me this time."

Divya flung her arms around Tuhina. "Stop being salty. He's nice. He taught me cute craft things."

"Which is why I didn't try to kill him the very moment he set foot in this house."

I miss Ishan. I miss Yash. Hell, I even miss Tuhin. How on earth is it possible that the twins swap personalities when it came to me?

"You kids should just shut up and let the music take your mind off things." Rakesh had his eyes closed and leaned back against the headboard of the bed we were all sitting on. "Just relax. Try to unravel."