SS- Two tales- updated pg 48 18/1/14 - Page 2

While on one side Maanvi seemed to be making a new friend, Viren and Jeevika were busy engaged doing something else. They pulled out of the taxi and staggered up to their doorway. Jeevika rummaged through her bag to try to find her keys, while Viren continued to nibble on her neck not allowing her to concentrate. Finally, after a few minutes of giggling, she pushed the door open and Viren quickly shut it behind him.

The music got louder and everything was spinning. The atmosphere that was once lively was now overpowering. Maanvi could feel her head spinning, all those drinks and shots, had finally gone to her head. She knew it was time to leave but wasn't sure how, as she walked back across the room, to her friends, she dropped her bag on the ground. She bend down to pick it up and all her belongings, suddenly Virat popped up out of nowhere and started to help her. He helped her up, even though she gave him the dirtiest looks, as she was finding it difficult to stand. After guiding her to her friends, he helped her call a taxi to take them home. Just as they were leaving, Maanvi phone fell once again, Virat carefully picked it up, this time putting his number into Maanvi's phone but he also gave himself a missed call- so he had her number also.

The next morning, Maanvi woke up with a massive headache; unfortunately, this was self-inflicted, which meant she did not get any sympathy. Rubbing her head, she went into the bathroom to get some Nurofen to ease the pain; even the closing of the cupboard door was painful. As she left the bathroom, she noticed Viren, in his boxers, in the kitchen making Sunday breakfast. The smell was enough to make Maanvi give up food entirely. With a nauseas look on her face, she went into the living room to relax on the sofa; however, the room was an absolute tip. Jeevika's heels were scattered across the floor in opposite directions, her purse emptied out on the table, Viren's jacket was over the sofa, and was only the things they had added, last night. It was a state before they had left. Not caring she shoved it all aside and laid down on the sofa.

TAP! It was a small tap on the coffee table but its echo was still ringing through Maanvi's ears, starling her and making her sit up.

"Coffee, for your hangover? How's the head?" Jeevika slumped next to Maanvi and cuddled her. Jeevika never seemed to have a hangover, even when she drinks more than she should. She was never like this, not until she started teaching. As Maanvi lay on her shoulder, Jeevika began to touch her skin in different parts of her body.

"Di," pushing her hands off her.

"Maanvi I think you have a fever, let me just get the thermometer," Jeevika rushed to the bathroom and struggled to find it. Maanvi thought not to argue with her, as there was no point, she wasn't going to listen. Jeevika started shouting for Viren asking him where he had put the bloody things, but he wasn't any use. He simply attempted to guide her from a distance. This just made her more enraged. Ultimately, she found it.

"Di bring my phone!" Maanvi called over.

Jeevika quickly took her temperature before Maanvi could get a word in. She placed the thermometer in her ear. As they looked at the screen, Maanvi grabbed it off Jeevika,

"Di it's nothing even it doesn't read much. I don't know what she feel, maybe your hands are cold. Pass me my phone." Jeevika pulled the phone away and ordered her to sit there while she brought her soup. As Jeevika left, Maanvi stretched over and grasped her phone with her fingertips, from the coffee table. She noticed that she had couple of texts. Opening them up, they were all from someone she didn't know.

"Virat?"

"Who's Virat? And you're not suppose to have your phone," quipped Jeevika.

"Oh god!" She placed her hands over her face remembering the events from last night. "He's a guy I met last night; I think I made an utter fool of myself. He texted me this morning to see how my hangover is,"

Jeevika and Maanvi continued to gossip about last night and about this so called guy, until Jeevika ordered Maanvi to her room and rest for a while. At first, Maanvi choose not to reply she thought she would leave it there, it was after all only a drunken night out.

A few hours later, Maanvi was still in her room and Jeevika kept coming in to check on her, even though she was fine. Maanvi decided that she would text handsome stranger. She sent the first message. Just as she put her phone down, it tweeted. That was quick she thought.

"Glad to hear the hangover is not that bad. Thought it would be worse. What you up to?"

Now she didn't know what to do. Should she reply or leave it? After some time she replied, they ended up texting for hours, simply finding out little bits about each other. By the early hours of the next day, she knew not only this name but that he was an estate agent and that he lived by himself in the city, as well as a few things that he liked and disliked. In no time, it was 2 am and they signed each other off, as unfortunately the next day was a working day.

******

Maanvi and Virat started seeing each other but there was no name on the relationship yet. It had only been a few dates so far, even though Virat seemed like a nice guy (actually he was a really nice guy) Maanvi wasn't sure. Not yet, anyway, she seemed to be waiting for the other shoe to drop. They had been out for some dinners and he dropped her home and picked her up. On their last date, he even met Jeevika for a few minutes while waiting for the queen to be ready. He seemed great, and why wouldn't he? He was relatively open, kind and sweet and his looks always helped. He was different to Maanvi's other exes and she wasn't sure if that was a good or bad thing. He had a thoughtful mind, and always takes her by surprise in different ways. On the night of their second 'date', Maanvi had a terrible day at work cancelled with him. Jeevika and Viren had gone out for the night and around 9pm, there was a knock. There stood, leaning against the doorframe a casually dressed six foot man. He had a cheeky smile, armoured with an unlabelled bag in his hand. He pulled out a simple rose, as he knew Maanvi didn't like flowers but he brought along some popcorn and a DVD. Yet it wasn't just any DVD it was a classic: Matilda!

"Ugh!" Maanvi threw a sofa cushion against the wall. Looking up from her marking Jeevika glared at Maanvi, who had slouched herself on the sofa.

"Aren't you gonna ask why I did that?"

Looking down at her books,

"Not really, I've got tons to do. Carry on. Just if you wreak the place, clean it up after."

Frustrated Maanvi left and went into her room, she wanted to talk to Jeevika about Virat, but Jeevika had been unavailable (in every respect) for weeks. School was becoming a nightmare for her. There were many changes and the pressure was high. She worked almost every minute of the day and when she didn't she had the guilt, (something nobody wants). She was on constant edge and no one could anticipate her mood.

There was a knock at the door, much to the annoyance of Jeevika. She slammed down her pen and clenched fists.

"Maanvi! Get the door!"

By this point Maanvi was sick of Jeevika's behaviour. It seemed like all the anger she has for work was taken out at home and on Viren. However, she knew she didn't mean much by it as let it be. She answered the door to find Virat standing at the door.

Bluntly, Virat spoke "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Virat why are you here?"

"We need to sort ourselves out. I'm not hanging around if you're not interested."

Jeevika rolled her eyes as they continued their discussion in the front room. She was about to butt in when she decided to simply put her headphones in and let them sort it out, so she could carry on with her work.

All of a sudden, a key twisted in the lock, Viren entered. Signalling Maanvi, he walked towards Jeevika and sat on the chair beside her, flicking the headphone out of her ear.

"What are you doing?!"

"If you're not going to reply to me or call me back, what option have you left?"

"Leave me alone, I'm trying to work,"

"Viren we were here first, can you and Di," gesturing towards the rooms.

"Actually I think I was here first. But why don't we all just argue here. As this seems like the perfect day," she turned towards Viren.

"I am not calling you back as I actually have things to do. I'm not sitting here contemplating my existence!" They began to argue further as Virat was getting impatient.

Maanvi dragged Virat into her bedroom as Jeevika and Viren's voices got louder and louder.

"Look if you're not interested its fine honestly. But I'm not someone who will wait forever to find out. Just let me know." Virat brushed his hands against her face and was about to kiss her went he slowly backed off and started to walk away.

"Virat," he turned towards her and quickly found her lips pressed against his. They continued to kiss as they pulled towards each other. After a moment, they let go and left the room.

"You don't always get what you want! You do realise I get it,"

Sliding past Viren and Jeevika's argument both Virat and Maanvi snuck out.

"I don't want anything!" Viren and Jeevika continued to argue over her recent behaviour and attitude not before long talked changed into something more serious. Viren slammed the door behind him and left.

Rate and slate it below, but please do comment. I have a feeling there is too much dialogue in it. I tend not to like that, but tell me what you all think.

Part 3- page 4