Not Around The Corner

Green With Envy

Jai’s P.O.V:

“And yes, I’ll admit, I am jealous. I’m jealous of every minute you spend with him, of every concerned expression you send his way, of every tear shed, of every glance, every touch, and every thought. I want to rip him to pieces and purge him from your mind and from your heart. But I can’t.” ~ Colleen Houck

We were celebrating Gaurav’s bachelor party tonight. Day after was his engagement ceremony. He was getting married in Singapore in twelve days and we were all excited for him. Some of his colleagues and couple of friends had arrived. The party had already started. Cocktails and beer bottles were being passed around. The guys were having a race to see who could get drunk faster. It was the weekend and everybody was chilled out.

Gaurav was yet to arrive. While searching for him downstairs, I saw Rhea with Akash. They were on the dance floor. Something inside me burned. It was a weird feeling. What did she see in him? I tried to distract myself.

I saw Gaurav just then. I didn’t want Rhea to see him. I took a different route upstairs to the lounge. What are the odds that she would end up in the same club where her brother was having his bachelor party?

It was the usual soiree. The single guys were having a great time. Gaurav was catching up with those who weren’t single. I couldn’t concentrate on anything. I looked down to see Rhea with Akash. I couldn’t keep my mind off her. What was going on with me? She was my best friend’s sister. Why was I being so protective?

Gaurav came from behind and saw me looking at her. He handed me a beer bottle.

“You know Nikhil and I always had a feeling you would end up with her,” he said. He noticed me looking at Rhea.

“Are you drunk?” I asked trying to hide my jealousy.

“No I am not. You don’t have to be so defensive,” he said teasing me.

“I just care because she’s your sister,” I said.

“You mean you care for her as a sister?” Gaurav asked. My sister? No way. Never.

“No,” I said a bit too strongly.

Gaurav laughed a knowing laugh.

“You don’t need to be protective then,” he teased further.

“What made you guys think that?” I asked changing the subject.

“When we were in school, she was the only girl you actually bothered with,” he said matter-of-factly. “You used to fervently tease her,” he continued.

“Really?” I asked.

“You remember Neha Sethi?” he asked.

“That girl who dated Nikhil in 10th grade?” I asked. “She was such a slut,” I continued.

“She had a thing for you before she finally started dating Nikhil,” he said.

“For me?” I asked with a smile.

“But you had no time for her,” he added, “Your sole purpose in life was to make Rhea’s life a living hell,” he said. I laughed. I had a feeling it would always be my sole purpose.

“I still remember this one time when you came to our house and she was out with her parents. You were disappointed because you didn’t have anybody to trouble,” Gaurav said laughing.

“Was I that obsessed with her?” I asked quietly as I saw her sitting on a stool downstairs. She was tired with all the dancing. She was a good dancer. She was laughing at something Akash just said.

“I think you still are,” Gaurav said with a sly smile on his face.

“The first day you met her, after thirteen years, and you trouble her?” he added. “I think that defines obsession.”

I smiled. I guess I was. “I had this rush when I saw the frown on her face. I felt I was 15 all over again. And she was that little girl I troubled,” I said remembering our childhood.

“I see that gleam of joy on your face after you are done pissing her off,” he said laughing.

I laughed too.  “She’s taken,” I said as an afterthought.

“No worries. We’ll find somebody else for you,” he said as he was called away.

Somebody else like her? Will be difficult, I thought. Somebody who got irritated the way she did. The famous scowl she had on her face every time she saw me. The way she slapped my hand when she got irritated with me. The ways she retorted. I would miss it all. Right now, the only thing I wanted to do was take her away from him. I had to respect her though. She liked him very much.

I gave her a last glance and saw them kiss. It hurt somewhere inside and I immediately looked away. She liked him and I was pining for somebody who was somebody else’s. She made her choice and I needed to go on with my life.

I got back into the party. Since my mother’s death, hiding my feelings had become easy. Things had always gone my way. But since my mother’s demise, I lost faith in that belief. I downed some shots and slowly tried forgetting about Rhea.