Jaane Doh Naa
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Unfaithful
"What are you
doing here?" Nayan asked angrily, roughly pulling Ayesha to a secluded corner.
"I told you not come!"
"I wanted to
surprise you!"
"How many times
do I have to tell you to not come out in public?! Its not safe!"
Ayesha's face
fell as she deciphered the fury etched on his face. "I thought you would be
happy," she said, disheartened.
"Happy?" Nayan
said, giving her an incredulous look. "What the hell is wrong with you?How did
you even think I would be happy when the entire world is
here, just waiting to catch me do something wrong?!"
"Wrong?" she
asked. "What are we doing that's wrong? We are going to be married soon!"
Just as Nayan
was going to retort, his phone began to ring; his face paled as he checked the caller-id.
"Right?" Ayesha
asked fearfully watching his expression.
"I can't have
this conversation right now!" he answered disconnecting the call. "Go home and we
will talk there!"
"But Nayan-"
"Leave!" he said sternly. "Right now!"
Ayesha stared at
Nayan, trying to read his expression. She failed to understand what was it,
that made him so mad in their one year of relationship.
"Why are you
getting so pissed about it?" she finally asked.
Nayan glared at
her. "I told you not to come to this party. And you didn't listen to me!"
"This is the
biggest event of your life," she said slowly . "How could I miss it? After all
that hardwork… the late nights… you are finally getting some recognition, and I
had to support you in it!"
Nayan rolled his
eyes. "You are just putting me in more problems. I told you - Nina doesn't like
my personal life interfering with my work!"
"This is a party," she stressed. "Every single person is
here with their family, except you. What the hell is Nina's problem if I come?
Aren't I your family?"
"Ayesha, stop
being childish-"
"I am tired of seeing you on TV Nayan! I want
to be here, to see you achieve success and stand by
you at every step of the way!"
"You are there
every step of the way!" he said exasperated. "So stop being paranoid, and go
home. Nina can't see you here!"
"Nina, Nina,
Nina!" Ayesha exclaimed. "She made you slog for her company, which by the way
was in losses from the day she created it, for the past one year; isn't that enough? And
now she wants to keep you away from me too?"
"Stop being
dramatic-"
"Seriously," she
continued, cutting him off. "Its because of you that she got that deal from that company, whats its nam-"
"AR Designs."
"Yes, that! She
got that deal which saved her butt from being kicked big time! Can't she be
atleast grateful and let-"
However, the
rest of her words were drowned in the sudden applause that rang through the
hall. It appeared that Nina had taken the stage.
"Shit," Nayan
muttered glancing at the crowd, making sure no one saw the two standing in the corner
at the very back of the hall. "I have to go. Make sure you leave - I don't want
any trouble happening here!"
And with that he
hurried away, leaving a dejected Ayesha behind. Deciding that it was best to
leave, for she never wanted to see the rage on Nayan's face again, she began to
head to the exit, when Nina's voice echoed through the microphone.
"Good evening
ladies and gentlemen," she announced."I have some very important news to share
with you all."
Ayesha stopped in her tracks, her curiosity
getting the better of her. She had put so much effort into getting there, starting
from finding an invitation to earning a dress elegant enough to wear; how could
she just walk away? Abandoning Nayan's clear instructions, she pushed through
the crowd until she could get a better look at what was happening.
Just
for a few minutes, she determindedly told
herself. He won't even have a clue!
"Firstly," Nina
said; dressed in an floor-length dress of pink, she appeared radiant as she confidently
addressed the crowd. "I want to thank Mr. Arnav Singh Raizada for throwing us
such a lavish party. Coming from Pune, I am absolutely over-whelmed by the
welcome we received. Cheers!"
The whole hall
raised their glasses to Nina's toast.
"As you know,"
she continued, once the murmur died down. "It is because of the faith AR Designs placed in us, that we have been able to
produce such beautiful designs over the past year. I hope we always keep this
trust between ourselves and continue working for many years to come!"
Nina once again
held up her glass for another toast.
"Of course," she
said, after taking a sip of the champagne she held. "I can't take credit for
the success all by myself. There is one other person, who helped the company,
and especially me, to design the various clothing that have
been appreciated and praised by critics all over India. Ladies and gentlemen,
please put your hands together for Nayan Dasgupta!"
The hall rang
out in applause as Nina invited Nayan on to the stage with a hug and kiss on
either of his cheeks.
"And," she
continued, cutting through the reverberating noise. "As you are all family now,
I want to share something very personal. Nayan and I have spent quite a lot of
time together this past one year. He is one of the few people who has stood by
me through thick and thin. Afterall its not easy to not lose patience with me at 3 o'clock in the
morning, when I am the opposite of pleasant!"
Nina laughed,
joined in by a few spectators, and looked at Nayan with admiration.
"But as they
say," she continued. " the one who sticks with you in your worst times, is the
one who deserves you at your best. And I guess, the found that one. And so, with
utmost pleasure ladies and gentlemen, I want to announce that me and Nayan will
be getting engaged in a month's time!"
The audience
went wild with the sudden news. Reporters flocked the room, trying to capture
the information, while esteemed industrialists saw it as move of caution.
Models clapped in appreciation, while designers yelled in protest. But admist
the chaos, no one noticed the frozen figure of Ayesha watching Nayan hug Nina
once again in disbelief. It didn't slip her notice that this time he didn't let
go.
And all of a
sudden, Ayesha's still mind began to fill with images as she understood what
was staring at her face all this time…out-of-town trips…overnights at the office… meetings with foreign delegates… every single thing screamed betrayal from the
man she vowed to wed.
Tears began to
cloud her vision, as she watched the couple on stage, beaming at their audience
and posing for the press. When the commotion finally settled somewhat, Nina
took the mike once again.
"And one last
thing for the evening," she said. "As a token of our appreciation for all your acceptance and love Delhi, I want to present to you one of our designs
for the upcoming show next week."
The lights
suddenly dimmed, and a spotlight followed a model walking onto stage, adorning
a blue gown of down, with a plunging neckline. As the crowd clapped, admiring
the glittering design, Ayesha watched in horror as she saw not the dress, but
her own sketch etched on the girl.
Her mind failed
to see reason, as she desperately tried to hang on to hope. But it was no use;
she knew how the dress got there, or rather who brought it.
People began to
disperse as the couple stepped down from the podium, accepting both
congratulations and well wishes for the future. Nayan, whose hand was firmly wrapped
around Nina, was conversing with some very well known faces, when he caught
sight of the pale-faced Ayesha, standing rooted in the center of the room.
Eyes widening a
little, he quickly excused himself and rushed to her. "Its not what-"
"Lies," Ayesha
whispered, the lump in her throat constricting her voice. "Everything you said…
they are all lies."
"Sonu, it's not
like that. I didn't know Nina would announce such a thing! It's a
misunderstanding!"
"Really?" she
asked, no longer being able to contain her tears. "Because it didn't look like
you were surprised with her announcement. Tell me, how long has this been going
on?"
"Sonu, I swear,
I never meant-"
But she shook
her head, not wanting to listen. "How long Nayan?!"
"It was a
mistake! I was going to tell-"
"When? Before or
after you slept with me?"
Nayan stared at
Ayesha, his expression unreadable. But his silence held his answer. Shaking her
head in grief, her eyes were suddenly drawn to the model, posing for the
cameras.
"And the dress?"
she asked, wiping the tears away, only to be replaced by new ones. "How could
you do that to me?"
"I was just
trying-"
"You could have
asked me," she interrupted, with a sniff. "And I would have given it to you
with my eyes closed, like how I have been giving everything else untill now. What
was the need to do it behind my back?"
"You don't
understand, I did for us Sonu. Us!"
"Just once," she
repeated. "You could have asked me once, and I wouldn't think twice about it.
Because I would have believed it to be my fortune, to help you… but I was
wrong."
"Don't say that
Sonu!"
Ayesha didn't
listen. She just shook her head in dismay and turned around to leave, for every
passing moment made it harder for her to breathe.
However, Nayan
wasn't the one to step down either. He grabbed her hand and said in a sudden
aggravated voice, "Let me finish!"
That was the
breaking point, for what followed after was something neither of them expected.
Raising her other hand high in the air, Ayesha brought it down with all the
force she could muster and smacked it against his unsuspecting cheek. The sharp
sound of it carried through the room, hushing the spectators along its way.
Nayan watched in shock, as his hand instinctively
went to his stinging cheek. He knew it must have turned a bright shade of red by
now.
"It is finished," Ayesha said, her voice ringing
through the silent room. And with that she turned around and left the party,
oblivious to the numerous cameras clicking away, the various people pointing
fingers at her and most important of all, the strange silence of her heart.
Ayesha
closed her eyes, trying to erase the sharp memory of that night, still pinching
her after two long years. She gulped down the vodka in the shot glass she held,
shuddering as she felt the bitter liquid makes its way down her throat, burning
everything it touched. And within no time, she felt the familiar warmth of the
alcohol in her stomach and she welcomed the giddy relaxation that followed,
even though it failed to drive away her pain.
"One
more," she told the bar tender, the two words slurring in her mouth. She could
feel the darkness in the shadows of her mind, waiting to suck her into an
endless pit. Just a few more, and she wouldn't have to think anymore.
Her
arms trembled as she picked up the next glass, but before she could drain it
like the numerous ones before, a warm hand fell on her shoulder.
"Enough
Ayesh," Khushi said, her tone solemn. "Lets go home."
Ayesha
ignored her and gulped down the clear liquid with pleasure. "You know," she said, her voice hinting at
sedation. "You f…f…freak out too much… relaaax."
Khushi
surveyed her best-friend with pitying eyes.
"The look…" Ayesha said, pointing to Khushi's
eyes. "Khushi's famous look. What
happened? Feeling sooorrryyy for me?"
Khushi
didn't answer.
"Don't
pity me babes…" she continued after ordering another drink. "I am fine! And why
shouldn't I be fine?"
She
raised her eyebrows questioningly, however, when Khushi remained silent, she
said, "I mean my ex just tried to force himself on me… but that's normal isn't
it?"
Ayesha
then picked up the shot glass, re-filled obeditently by the bar-tender, and
watched the mass of people crowding the dance floor. "Of course, what's normal
and what's not is decided by all these people, who think ripped clothes are
fashion… high heels are a necessity… and skeletons are pretty… oh, and ofcourse
how can I forget?! Money, and I mean money,
is the basic foundation of life."
She
turned to Khushi and asked, "How many of the women here do you think is a
virgin?"
But
she decided to answer anyway. "None of them," she said, a look of disgust
crossing her eyes. "But they act like they are the most purest...most innocent people ever. And people like us… we
are the biggest s**ts of the world."
She
paused to gulp down another shot of alcohol. "and guess what?" she said, wiping
the trickle of liquid that escaped her mouth. "I am exactly that! They are all a hundred percent right… I am the most
characterless… hideous… and appalling
woman ever!"
"No,"
Khushi objected. "No Ayesh… you are-"
"The
worst woman in the history of womankind," she finished. She then raised her
glass for a toast and yelled, "to me – the worst woman to ever be born!
Cheers!"
Khushi's
heart ached to see her best friend in such a state of mind. Never in two years
of their frienship, did she imagine she would see the proud and confident
Ayesha, drunk until the point of senselessness.
"Where
is she?" Ayesha said suddenly. She shakily slid down from the stool on which
she was sitting and tried to stand on her feet. "Call her… call her now!"
But
it was no use; she couldn't stand still without dropping down to the floor.
Khushi hastily held her hands, trying to support her almost limp body.
"NINA!!"
Ayesha yelled, though her voice was drowned in the music booming through the
room.
"Lets
go home," Khushi repeated, unable to tolerate Ayesha's condition anymore. "We
are done here."
However,
her decision was met with protest. "NO!!" Ayesha exclaimed, trying to step away
from Khushi, only her attempts were too pathetic to count. "I am not going anywhere!
I WANT TO TALK TO NINA!!"
Khushi
paid her no heed and began to tug her to the exit, but it was a futile effort.
Ayesha was too drunk to listen and was objecting so violently that many stopped
to stare.
"Let
me help," came Arnav's voice. Khushi turned to see him walk out of the shadows
- from where he seemed to have been watching them - and easily picked Ayesha up
in his arms, who was stunned into a momentary silence.
"Put
me down!!" she shouted when Arnav began walking to the exit, Khushi in tow. "I
said - Put. Me. Down!"
He
ignored her and swifty carried her out into the night, where his driver was
waiting with the car. Khushi watched in
worry as Ayesha looked out into the empty streets they drove through, all sound
snubbed from her wilted form.
____________________________________________________________________
If you are still confused about what exactly happened between Ayesha, Nayan and Nina, then don't worry - this part was meant to be vague, as most of it was Ayesha's memory. All of this will be cleared up by in the next part.😉
And I know, there is no ArHi in this, but they are in the next part! 😃
Like/comment please!
Archi
P.S. - the next part will be posted in a week!
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