Chapter 22:- Let The Games Begin

 Revenge - a sweet reminder of unforgotten love

I tumbled into the darkness, a bottle of whiskey in one hand and the pair of keys fidgeting in the other. Shutting the door, I threw my keys on the dining table and sprung out of my jacket, taking another sip of the bitter liquid in hand.

It still tasted sweeter than her betrayal. 

Dropping my brown leather jacket on the sofa, I sauntered towards the dining hall, taking a right into a corridor that led to my room. My room - the only room that remained  unlocked. I passed by other closed wooden doors, pushing me further into the dark abyss of unwanted solitude. The plain walls echoed my voice, the photo frames that silently hung across the wall taunted me with memories of happiness that no longer existed.

I stumbled into my room, my soul still in an intoxicated daze. From alcohol or from her actions, I couldn’t clearly decipher. Slumping against the door, I kept the half-empty bottle next to me as I croaked, “I miss you Nanaji.”

Naina’s sudden departure wasn’t the only wrong thing that happened to me three years ago. It was the worst, but not the only one. Because Naina hadn’t been the only one to abandon me. My grandfather had left me too.

My Nanaji, my best friend, my confidante, my support system, the person I loved and valued the most in the world. He had my back for when my steps faltered, lent his shoulder each time I wanted to cry my sorrows away. He had faith in me when my parents had given up all hopes. I was an arrogant, cocky, good-for-nothing brat for my mother and step-father. Not for him though. In his eyes, I was spoilt alright, but sincere too. I knew the value of hardwork and of family. I wasn’t hopeless, I had the integrity and the skill that only required harnessing.

For my grandfather, I was his loyal and loving grandson, Sameer. 

My insides had shivered at the thought of losing him. But I had underestimated his presence in my life. Because when his grip on my hand loosened into lifelessness in the hospital ward, my body went numb. I couldn’t breathe when he breathed his last. I couldn’t feel, couldn’t understand. It was as if my world had crashed upon me once again days after I had started to pick up broken pieces.

The tears came two days later. And when they came, they didn’t stop. I didn’t want them to.

I clutched onto every kurta he wore, every picture I had of him, every cassette he hummed to. Hung onto everything and anything that would assure me that he would come back. But he didn’t. This time when my steps faltered, they slipped into an neverending ocean of darkness. Munna and Pandit, my two pillars of strength beckoned to me every moment, supporting me through the tears just as much as they had in my days of laughter. But their words sounded like a hollow echo to my impervious mind. I knew I was drowning, but I realized I didn’t want to survive. It was that hard forcing the next breath out of me. 

On days my grandfather left my mind, thoughts of the girl I loved captured my heart. I used to read Naina’s letter over and over again, trying to read between the lines, agitated when I found nothing. She had taken her revenge, just like that. Abandoned me when I needed her the most, just like that.

Threw away our love as if it never mattered, just like that. 

I brought the bottle to my lips and swung my head back as I swallowed a gulp. Her betrayal had left me heartbroken, intoxicated in sadness. But I wasn’t going to repeat my mistakes again. I wouldn’t mourn the melancholic turn of events. I won’t yearn for her presence again. In fact, I’ll give her what she rewarded me with, time and again. 

Misery.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, my eyes darkened as a plan weaved into clarity in my head. I was going to make her life as miserable as she made mine. What better way than to exhibit her vulnerability in front of her near and dear ones?

Oh, this was going to be fun. 

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I swerved my precious bike in its parking spot, swirling the keys around my index finger as I whistled. For the first time in ages, I felt in a good mood. After all, for the first time, I had a plan. I wouldn’t get toyed around by Naina Agarwal. Not anymore. 

I skipped my way through the bustling halls fluttering with excited college students; after all it was finally the end of the week. I made my way to the lecture room, well aware that Naina would be there too. Probably playing her victim card, looking all helpless and in distress. I rolled my eyes at the facade she was probably so used to making.

As soon as I stepped in, my eyes found her, just as I expected. I let out a humorless chuckle. There she was, sitting at one corner of the last bench, eyes lowered, lips quivering as she stared into her textbooks, her pen constantly rustling against her notebook. She immediately stiffened as if sensing my presence. Her pen stopped writing and her orbs met mine. Her glistening eyes pierced through mine, and even from a distance, and I felt my heart clench. Her orbs reflected regret for the way we ended things and worry for the vengeance brimming within me. I ignored her penetrating gaze and focused on the plan at hand. 

“Sameer!” My supposed girlfriend approached me with excitement as I embraced her, watching Naina seethe in anger from the corner of my eye.

“Sunaina.” I addressed with a smile as she retreated with a twinkle in her eye.

“I can’t wait for next week!” She clapped her hands together in joy.

Next week? What was happening next week? Oh yeah, some celebration about our anniversary.

“Neither can I.” I feigned anticipation, scoffing at how simple her life might have been. Sunaina was busy planning a week filled with celebrations while I was drowning myself in sorrows. She hadn’t been hit with heartbreak, she hadn’t had to worry about planning a revenge.

But I did. And I was sure to bring it to action.

“I know you’ve planned the entire next week for us already, why not we end this week with something too?” I suggested with a smirk as my arm slid around her waist. 

“What do you have in mind?” She asked in a whisper filled with mischief.

I chuckled a little before responding, “How about I add a little fun to this awfully boring lecture?”

She readily agreed as I whispered my plan in her ear. With a raised brow and lopsided smile she walked back to her seat and I stretched my arms to crack my knuckles.

The professor entered soon enough, silencing the entire room. I made my way to my seat, diagonally ahead of hers as I waited for the right moment to execute the first stage of my revenge.

As soon as he organized his desk with his materials and fixed his glasses on the bridge of his nose, I cleared my throat and voiced, “Sir, I had a question.”

A few curious faces turned in my direction at my peculiar behavior. From the corner of my eye, I could see Naina with piqued eyebrows too, probably wondering what everyone else was.

What the professor voiced, “Sameer Maheshwari has a question? That too before class? To what do I owe this pleasure?”

I scoffed in response before asking, “Oh you’ll forever remember this question, Sir.”

“Really? I’m sure this college is grateful for having you as its student, then.”

“My question relates exactly to that, Prof. I didn’t know you took in all kinds of students. I mean, isn’t there an eligibility criteria?”

His brows furrowed in confusion as he asked, “What do you mean?”

“I thought this was an undergraduate course with people our age - not one with married women.” I casted a look behind me to find Naina inhaling sharply.

I ignored the slight tug of heart and focused on the tiny bursts of victory erupting in my head at seeing her terrified.

“Who are you referring to?” The professor’s blunt voice caught my attention, pushing a smirk back onto my face.

“Our very own, Naina Agarwal, Sir. I think proper introductions are yet to be made, because you never told us she was married.” A bunch of gasps elicited in my direction, followed by prying eyes turning towards him.

I watched a silent tear roll down Naina’s cheek, my hand rolling into a fist at the pang of guilt. 

This feeling wasn’t supposed to resurface, instead I should have beamed in joy at my successful attempt at humiliating her. Only, the joy never spread across my face. All that marred was anger and bitterness. At myself or at her, I couldn’t quite tell.

“Sameer Maheshwari, a student’s personal matters has nothing to do with her educational qualifications.” The old professor looked through his golden rimmed glasses, while Naina meekly excused herself. A few sneers passed her way and she hung her head in shame while walking out.

She deserved this, my mind coerced. She deserved this, for  marrying that liar and hurting him time and again. 

The professor continued, yet my gaze fixated on the door that she had just crossed the threshold of, “By humiliating her in front of the whole class, you’ve earned yourself a suspension from this class. Out!” He pointed towards the door, a grim look on his face.

I shrugged nonchalantly, least bothered about college or lectures right now. Swishing my hair back with a flick of my hand, I walked down the aisle. My gaze shifted to Munna and Pandit who sat a row ahead, with disappointment reflecting in their eyes as they shook their heads in despair. I huffed at their reaction, annoyed how they were siding with Naina instead of me.

I wasn’t wrong, she was. Why was I being looked at with accusation?

The doors closed behind me as I stepped into an empty hallway. Colleges weren’t very reputed for sentencing students to suspensions. Probably because they expected students to have matured. 

Well, they hadn’t expected two students, who happened to have been former lovers to have had a relationship, or the lack thereof, as complicated as ours, had they?  

Before I could ponder upon these thoughts, I felt a strong tug by the elbow. I turned on my heel to find a tear-stained yet fury eyed Naina Agarwal glaring at me, “What the hell do you want?!”

I took a dangerous step towards her, hovering over her with equally rigid eyes, “Payback.”

“Haven’t you had enough? After what happened yesterday--”

“Oh this is just the beginning, baby.” I purred coldly, pushing an insolent strand of hair behind her ear. She flinched at my touch, the same touch she had been leaning towards yesterday. 

Yesterday she was in love. Today she was in fear.

I smirked slyly, repeating to myself that this is what she deserved. 

Only her eyes widened soon enough, her hand clasped her lower abdomen and she crouched slightly. Before I could process her reaction, she tore her eyes off me.

Her steps faltered as her eyes squeezed shut in pain. The lines of confusion soon cleared as I realized.

“What happened?” I asked, void of any emotion.

Her brows arched in worry as she looked away.

“Nothing.” With that, she scurried off, leaving me appalled.

I flung my hands in confusion, staring at her retreating figure as I tried to make sense of her behavior.

Naina had indirectly called for me with repetitive tics of her pen against the desk as soon as the teacher dismissed our class. I had beamed in joy at the realization that this was the first time she took the lead. If things went well, I was expecting to win the bet sooner than later.

She had subtly slowed her movements, packing her bag with utmost care as she waited for the class to empty. The grin refused to wear off my face as she surreptitiously peeked at me from the corner of my eye.

I waited patiently for the classroom to empty, only to have Naina dash out the room minutes after we exchanged shy pleasantries. I tried to catch up to her, only to find a retreating figure in a turquoise pinafore, her braided pigtails flailing about as she took the turn towards the washrooms.

“What happened?” I turned to an equally curious Swati.

Ever since Naina and I had become friends, her best friend had warmed up to me too. She was Naina’s close confidante, so I knew Naina had gushed all about our ‘special friendship’ to her best friend.

I sighed, “I don’t know. She wanted to talk to me. But she soon stopped, her eyes widened in fear, she clutched her stomach and crouched over as if in pain and then she ran.” 

My jaw dropped open as realization dawned upon me. I looked towards Swati to find her eyes as big as saucers in fear as her fingers clenched together, possibly thinking of a convincing excuse for Naina’s sudden disappearance.

Before she could, I glanced back at the now empty corridor and back towards Swati. “She got her period.”

Just when I thought her eyes couldn’t have bulged out anymore, she blurted in shock, “You know?!”

I rolled my eyes as my shoulders relaxed, “Of course I know. I haven’t been living under a rock, Swati.”

“How do you know?” She shrieked incredulously.

I sighed before walking back inside, “Don’t you watch TV? Listen to the radio?”

She followed me in toe, shrugging sheepishly, “Yeah but I thought you didn’t pay attention, or didn’t understand or something. Men don’t seem to bother.”

I leaned back on my chair and shrugged, “Yeah, we try to act indifferent so it doesn’t hurt our male ego.”

“What?!”

I chuckled before resting my elbows on the desk, “The truth is that many of us don’t actually know what to do in such a situation. So it’s just easier to play dumb.”

“Wow.” She exhaled in wonderment as my brows furrowed in worry, “Is she okay?”

Swati passed a weak smile, “Some of us have it harder than others. Naina’s is a lot more painful than all of us.”

I sagged in my chair in helplessness, “What can I do to help?”

Her lips curved into a knowing smile as she replied, “Do not sympathize. We don’t need that.”

I chortled at her admission and nodded, “Noted.”

“Oh yes, she likes a strong cup of ‘masala chai’ at regular intervals at this time of the month. It helps calm down her frazzled nerves.”

“On my way.” I walked towards the classroom door, eager to get Naina her version of a tranquilizer from the school cafeteria.

I returned in five minutes, only to have a nervous looking Naina waiting for me. She stood up from her seat instantly, “I thought you left.”

She eyed the paper cup in my hand as I handed it to her, “Masala chai. The way you like it.”

Her cheeks reddened as she stuttered, “W-what?”

I motioned her towards her seat and sat down on the wooden chair across her, “I know, Naina.”

Her eyes widened as she repeated, “W-what?” 

I chuckled a little before handing her the cup, “It wasn’t that hard to figure out.”

“Figure what out?” She asked in nervousness, the cup sitting idle on the desk.

“That you got your period, Naina.”

Her breath hitched as her tone wavered, “You know?”

“Of course I do.” I tilted my head and leaned back. 

“Now before you start your interrogation, please drink this.”

She passed a small smile as her fingers wrapped around the paper cup and she sipped.

Her sigh in relief made my heart flurry in joy.

“Thank you so much.” She closed her eyes in happiness.

“Is it really that painful?” I asked in dread.

Her eyes fluttered open as she sipped again, “This certainly helps.”

“Well, I’m glad I could help.”

Her tone softened, “How did you know?” 

“Just because we play dumb doesn’t mean we are dumb.”

“But...I thought…”

I shook my head, “Oh c’mon Naina, it's 1991…

...Not 1891.” I shook my head as her eyes widened at the memory.

“I said I’m fine.” She gritted through her teeth.

“Three years and still the same old, Naina Agarwal.” I grabbed her arm and started walking.

“Let go.” Naina hissed, trying to free herself. 

My grasp on her tightened as I opened the door to Red Rose cafeteria.

“Sameer!” She flung her hand away from mine in anger, instantly contorting in pain the next second.

Rolling my eyes, I motioned her towards a table and sat across her. “One Masala chai.” I placed my order.

Her eyes scrunched in scrutiny as I sighed, “Some things just never change.” 

“I don’t understand.” Naina looked away and I grunted in annoyance.

“Oh for God’s sake, stop with the coyness!”

The waiter chose that moment to break the tension between us as he placed the cup of steaming hot tea.

Her glare softened at the sight of her savior as she took small sips.

Placing the cup on the table, she crossed her arms in front of her and tilted her head, “What do you really want, Sameer?” 

I rested my elbows on the table and played a sly smirk on my lips. Her brows furrowed in response, as if trying to discover my ulterior motive. Oh how she would never know.

My smirk widened as I decided to reveal the next step of my plan.

Let the games begin.