There is never a better way than having a game plan. And when it came to hiding her faade, nobody could do a better job than Sanyukta Agarwal!
Sid opened the door of the backseat of the car for the girls. Sanyukta smiled at him, and got in. Shanaya followed in. just as she was getting in, Shanaya quipped, "Thanks Sid!"
For a minute, Sid was lost. Her enticing eyes and that innocent smile. AND the thanks!
"Sid!" Randhir barked.
"Ugh-huh. Coming!" quickly closed the door behind him, equally flustered.
Sanyukta suppressed a smile. "This is going to be so interesting!" she nudged and whispered to Shanaya.
"Shut up for a second at least, will you?" though she felt embarrassed, Shanaya thought Sanyukta would probably open her cards even before she'd know Sid's address!
Soon, the four of them drove off, in the city sunset. While Shanaya sat on the seat behind Sid, while Sanyukta, behind Randhir.
Maybe sitting behind him was much better than diagonally, so she wouldn't have to face his stealthy glances at her, which made her skin warmer than it was.
"So, Sanyukta," Sid turned back, now trying to make a conversation with the girls before things got awkward with no one talking. Randhir lacked social skills, which was what he gauged. So hoping he'd start a conversation, was out of question, Sid's mind retaliated!
"So... you've done mechanical engineering right? Which college?"
Without thinking twice, Sanyukta said, "FITE-Roorkee."
Sid raised an eyebrow, "Really! Man! Even Randhir's from FITE mechanical."
Suddenly, Randhir jerked the car, his breath caught halfway out! There was complete silence. But within a minute he composed himself and resumed to drive.
"Oh really? FITE? Oh I DIDN'T KNOW THAT! Which batch? Sanyukta asked innocently, as though she really had no idea.
"Aaa..." Randhir just started getting a wise crack out of his mouth, but stopped half way through. Why spill the beans when she doesn't care?
"2000. Mechanical engineering!"
"Oh, I'm from 2001!" Though it was downright lie, what would the life of the great Sanyukta Agarwal be if she didn't lie!
"Oh great!" Randhir broke the conversation right there.
"Okaayyy... umhhh... so Sid, are you originally from Mumbai?" Shanaya quipped in, realizing that these two could probably make this car ride the most monotonous one in history!
"Nope! From NYC! I've been stagnant there for most of my life, until, I met Randhir, and joined SGI. After that, this man's practically made me live out of a suitcase!" mocked Sid.
The conversation flowed on. Slowly, Randhir adjusted the car mirror, so Sanyukta's face directly reflected in it. However stealthily he tried doing it, he didn't realize the feminist sitting behind him also had her eyes on him and realized his actions in a jiffy.
Looking into the mirror, she gave him a stern look as though saying, "Stop medaling in my life!"
Randhir shot back a look. "You lie extra well Agarwal! Happy to know at least that hasn't changed!"
Sanyukta understood what he meant. She shot him a retaliatory look and rolled her eyes at him.
For two minutes, they stared back at each other. Time could've stopped. The air suddenly seemed to have lost its sudden cool even as the wind gushed.
Breaking the stare first, Sanyukta turned away into the conversation. A few more seconds and she could've been blushing furiously. But that didn't deter Randhir. Smiling a bit, he realized her aversion towards him. Though it pained him, the smile on her face, her tinkling laughter as she spoke, the ways her eyes gleamed, the sight was enough. He could live these memories all his life.
"We're here!" Sid said. Looking around.
Blue Frog, it read. One of the finest night hangouts in Mumbai. And with Randhir and Sid, they couldn't have expected less.
"Phew! See Shanaya, you got what you wanted!" turning towards Sid she said, "Shanaya wanted to come here for a long time! She's been pestering me for a while! I'm glad you guys chose this place!"
"Yeah yeah. Thanks a ton, Sid. Sanyukta, chalein?" Shanaya literally dragged Sanyukta, knowing how deliberately she was ranting about her to Sid. Some nerve this girl has!
Soon, the four of them entered in. it took some time for them to get accustomed to dim light. The neon lights shone in the whole place, throwing around different patterns in the place. The music blasted in their ears. The four made their way through the crusade of people to the bar.
The BAR? Really? Could Sanyukta Agarwal handle drinking? Randhir thought. But his rational side kicked in, she's a package of surprise now, isn't she now?
Taking their places at the bar, Sid called out to the bartender. "One orange Bacardi breezer. One double scotch, single malt whiskey for him and for the girls..." Sid's voice trailed, but he couldn't find neither of the two girls around.
"Where did they go?" Randhir asked.
Just then the two of them came running and joined the boys.
"So as I was saying..." Sid looked at the bartender and continued.
"Seriously, breezer and a glass of whiskey? It's too classy! We're here as friends right? Not as business partners! I don't think what you've ordered is going to suit the occasion!" Sanyukta yelled on top of her voice in excitement.
"See, this is the first sensible thing she's said, in the whole evening. And now that I'm agreeing with her, you can trust it to be a good idea!" Shanaya mocked.
Laughing aloud, Sid replied, "Okay fine! I'll let you guys take the lead. But yeah don't get heady enough that you'll be spinning around the place! Though I think that's exactly what's gonna happen when friends go out together! Right Randhir?"
Randhir who was currently questioning Sanyukta's and Shanaya's sanity about the drinks had no option but agree to it! What would he do when it's a three against one game anyways!
"Okay, fine. Just tonight!" Randhir said.
"Great!" Sanyukta then turned to the waiter. "Cancel the order this gentleman here gave. Instead." she looked at Shanaya, who knew her plan, and then both the guys, "we'll take tequila shots. Of course, with the lemon wedges and rock salt!"
"WHAT? We're 28 sanyukta, not 18 to do the whole tequila shots thing!" Randhir yelled back.
"Oh god, Randhir! You're such a schmuck! Loosen up a bit!" Sanyukta chuckled, but then became stiff. Did she just say that, to HIM? To HIM?
Sid looked surprised. Had somebody just told THE Randhir Singh Shekhawat, to do what even he couldn't tell him? And did a GIRL just say that to him?
Randhir seemed taken aback! Bitch! Did farzi just say that? His face hardened.
"FINE. Bring. It. On!" he said, leaning on the bar table.
"Well... Here it comes!" Sid said mischievously! "Thank god Sanyukta! Today you're at least gonna let me witness the funnier side of a drunken Randhir! Hilarious!"
The bartender arrived with a plate. Four shot glasses. Lemon wedges and rock salt.
"Do you guys know how to do this?" Shanaya asked, her eyes brimming with excitement.
"Well, we've never really done it. But we've seen others doing..."
"Oh man! Wait up! Watch us, and you'll know! Look..." Sanyukta said and signaled the bartender to fill up shanaya and her glass.
"So, first, take a bit of the salt and rub it on the back of your hand. Then, pick up your glass and take the whole swig of tequila at once. Then take the lemon wedge and bit into it! Easy peasy!"
Sanyukta and Shanaya then did as she said. After taking the whole shot at once, they gulped it down and then bit into the lemon wedges. The bitter tequila for the first shot burned at their throats and the sourness of the lemon added to the heady feeling. Sanyukta shook her head vigorously, as Shanaya tried to curb the madness through her at that point. They looked at each other for a second and then began to laugh!
Randhir's eyes popped out1 Sanyukta Agarwal, otherwise a tee Toller, who wouldn't drink in those days, other than the drink she had during the fresher's party had now just finished off the drink like a professional! What is happening!
Sid was equally shocked. The first time, that was like 12 hours ago, he had seen a fairly reclusive but sharp and talented Shanaya and a rigid but quite affable in her stature and as an MD, Sanyukta. And now, he was just witnessing the other side of them. They seemed like the usual 28 year olds, who were having a good time, sans all the inhibitions. "Look what one drink could do!" he thought.
"Hello, so you guys ready?" Sanyukta said, a different kind of energy now buzzing through her.
"Hell yeah!" Sid answered back. Soon, four shot glasses were filled, and Randhir and Sid began to follow the girls as they took their first shots.
"Haaa" Randhir said, the tequila shots burning him down. His head began to spin for a minute, the blasting music began to soothe his ears now, he felt like the king here (not that he wasn't one!)
"One more?" the girls asked, expectantly.
"Of course!" Randhir said. "But this time the tab's on me!"
The rest of the three looked at him. The drink's getting to him!
"Kya? You'll don't want to join in?" he asked them.
"Hell yeah! We're in." Sanyukta smiled mischievously, and signaled to the bartender.
"We'll have another round please." She said.
The bartender smiled. "One more round coming up!" and came back with the treasure trove of fun, the tequila bottle and refilled their glasses.
Picking up their glasses as the music blared on, the four took the swigs at the tequila. Soon, the rounds continued.
One down. Two down. Three. Four. Five. Yes, these four seemed to be thoroughly intoxicated by then. Laughing. Cracking jokes, and screaming in victory after every shot. It definitely was a sight worth watching!
The drunkenness seemed to have them keep their inhibitions back. Just then, Sid got up and said, "I think it's time for the dance floor to scorch!"
"What an idea!' sanyukta said, pushing Shanaya out of her seat. "Go go!"
Reeling from the shock Shanaya said, "Aren't you two coming?"
"In a minute. Go ahead!" Sanyukta winked at her.
"FINE!" who was now pulled onto the dance floor by Sid.
Soon Sanyukta shifted her seat, and came and sat beside Randhir. He looked intently at his empty glass, turning it around in his hand.
Sanyukta wanted to talk, not that she had anything to say to him, but she wanted to. The alcohol had buzzed her senses. She looked at Shanaya and Sid. The two seemed to be oblivious to the surroundings. They were their own bliss.
"They look cute don't they?" Sanyukta smiled calmly.
Randhir looked at her. For minute he just felt as though he was dreaming. She was trying to strike up a conversation with her. He felt good. But she even tried her best to make it look like, THEY, never existed.
He looked at their friends and said, "Yeah they do. Sid is a happy guy with shanaya since the first time they met." but stopped abruptly. Ugh! He just spilled out the beans about his best friend's secret! Shit!
Sanyukta looked at him with an incredulous look on her face! "Really? That is so bloody good!" she jumped!
"Please forget I said that. Sid will strangle me in my sleep for this!"
"Shhh okay!" Sanyukta said, childishly, and placed a finger on her lips, and looked at him with wide eyes.
Randhir just looked at her with a raised eyebrow. She probably owned a PhD for nautanki! His face twitched and in minute after keeping a straight face, suddenly he broke into a hearty laugh!
"Hahahahah!" his laughter roared. Seeing him laugh, Sanyukta broke in too and began to laugh. They laughed till their eyes watered.
Wiping off the tear from the corner of her eye, she controlled her laughter. "Oh god!" she mumbled, when suddenly she heard a roar.
Everybody across the place had cracked up into a roar. The DJ had started with the theme night. The songs began to play shattering the environment around with an enthusiasm never known to them.
Within a jiffy, on an impulse, Sanyukta picked up the shot glass on Randhir's side, gulped it within seconds. The she hopped out from her seat and began to move away, only to turn back within a short distance and smiling, her eyes twinkling, she said, "Come. Only if you want to." And she went away.
~Aryana😳
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