Soumya was done! She was done sitting around and mopping. She was done enduring people’s sympathetic gaze on her. She was done feeling bad about the good for nothing Inder cheating her. She wanted out and she knew precisely how to get it. The last time she did this was in her first year at college over a very petty reason. She scoffed thinking of her stupidity then. She was stupid then and stupid now. Would she ever be really sensible?
Pulling on old but comfortable jeans and a cotton shirt , she took her car keys and strode out of her room. She decided to use the back door to avoid confronting her family
Or my stupid bodyguard she added to herself
” One vodka shot please” Soumya ordered.
While waiting for her order she glanced at the dance floor thick with dancing couples. How many of them were really faithful to each other? How many were planning to dump their partners? How many of them were planning to spend the night in someone else’s company? blo*dy love! Nothing good came of it!
” You know your mother is right to place a watch on you. Sneaking away at night is bad” a husky male voice sounded in her ears.
” What are you doing here? ” Soumya snapped at the owner of the voice.
” Doing my duty” Rudra replied simply , sitting on the high stool next to her.
” Does your duty involve bugging me at all times of the day? ” Soumya questioned irritation slowly building up in her.
” Does your daily schedule involve sneaking out to pubs at ungodly hours?” Rudra questioned back.
” Bugger off will you? ” Soumya said waspishly.
” Believe me I have no interest in staying at this forsaken place. But my duty” Rudra began.
” Oh yes! Here comes the dutibound, no nonsense , only straight path Rudra Singh Oberoi. Only he is right and the rest of us are all bad. So since I am bad I am going to drink!” Soumya said loudly.
Picking up her glass she drained it. Turning she send a dazzling smile at Rudra. Placing another order she said to him ” I would have asked you to join me but since you are the Saint Rudra and you probably think that drinking is for the evil I am not going to. Also I don’t think you have ever taken alcohol in your life Mr. Goody Two Shoes”
” Who told you I am goody two shoes?” Rudra asked , observing her intently. He understood what Soumya Gujral was trying to do. She was trying to drown het sorrows in alcohol. Though he knew it was a bad idea he didn’t feel like dragging her away from there. She deserved a break. A part of him wondered why he was sympathetic towards the daughter of the woman he wanted to take revenge from?
“Does that need telling? You are always so perfect” as she said this Soumya downed another shot.
Rudra smiled. Soumya praising him , he should probably check the skies to see if snakes were flying.
” So you think I can’t handle a drink?” Rudra continued.
” Nope you can’t” down went another shot.
” Excuse me , a glass of whiskey please” Rudra ordered
” Tell…hick…me…hick…what happened…hick…to the…hick…horse” Soumya managed to ask Rudra between hiccups.
They were both now outside the pub ,swaying under the influence of all the alcohol they drank and walking hand in hand.
Rudra was swaying slightly as he stopped and turned around to look at Soumya. He smiled drunkenly.
” It ran away. Just like you , sneaked out in the night” he slurred.
” Bad horse , bad Soumya ” Soumya slurred to herself.
” Yes bad Soumya. But don’t…hick…worry. I will…hick…take you home…hick…Dami…hick” Rudra said ” Then you will…hick…be…hick…good Soumya”
” No I won’t. I am bad Soumya which is why people don’t love me. They leave me and go . Like Papa , like Inder” Soumya said sadly. She plopped down on the road and gazed glumly ahead
” I won’t leave you Soumya” Rudra said earnestly , sitting down beside ” I am your bodyguard remember”
” Sacchi you won’t?” Soumya asked looking at him unblinkingly.
” Mucchi” Rudra said , flicking her nose.
Soumya smiled and leaned onto his shoulder. She was feeling drowsy and the nearest head rest was the shoulder beside her and it didn’t hurt that it was comfortable either.
” Soumya do you” Rudra turned around to ask her but smiled at her sleeping form instead. In his drunken state he was free to enjoy her innocence and beauty.