KMKV FF - Hearts & Diamonds or Clubs & Spades (in hiatus) - Page 10

Originally posted by: Jonsnow

just want to echo Ramvijays quote. Awesome chapter. Poor Arjun getting it from Shruthi. Omg can't wait to read Priya's past. You're killing us with suspense Gisel.

Originally posted by: Gisel

Imagine the horror in my face when I watched "Yennai Arithal" again this morning and saw "Arjun" with Anushka in the first scene!!!!

How did I forget it when I wrote the chapter!??!!

*Laughing at myself*

Originally posted by: ramyvijay

ha ha ha.. u mean 'Oodhaa Colouru Ribbon' ?? very funny 😆 (movie paakkala.., watched this clipping on TV)

*****

Part 12

Chapter 13

My parents are from Cochin. My father was a Headmaster in Pondicherry. He is retired now. I was born and brought up there. I was my school topper during my 12^th and I opted for medicine. I studied MBBS in Bangalore. 5 and half years passed rather quickly and my parents wanted me to get married but I was stubborn not to. I told them I would marry only after my post graduation and I got a seat in Pondicherry Medical College. They were contended that I was with them and so was I. I was to be graduated in a couple of months and my parents had already decided on a groom. He was also a doctor, I think. I don't remember. Everything was going on fine until that year's end.

Taking a deep breath, she continued...

29^th December Pondicherry

"Tomorrow is the alumni. Please come, Priya."

"Vaishu, I..."

"No. I'm not hearing any of it. I have already asked aunty to pack your bags and she has."

"But..."

"No buts. Come, the train leaves in 30 minutes."

30^th December Hotel Sheraton, Bangalore

"The alumni is over. We should head back home."

"Let's stay here for New Year's eve. The party is amazing."

"But..."

"I told aunty and uncle and they agreed. I have booked the tickets only for 1^st January evening."

"Fine, I'm going back to our room."

"Ok! Give this to Ramya. She is in the room next to ours. 410."

31^st December Hotel Sheraton

As soon as I opened the doors, a wave of loud music hit us, urging us to merge with the crowd inside.

"Vaishu, care to join me?" asked Jons preparing to whisk her away.

"Sure, but I need a drink first."

I stood there in awkward silence for a minute. Shifting my way through the people on the dance floor, I smiled and gave a quick wave to Vaishu indicating that we were sitting on a particular sofa.

"Do you want to dance?" asked Suresh.

"Hm...I don't feel like. I am feeling a little dizzy with all the loud music and I'm not really a night club person."

Just then Vaishu and Jons came over, "We bought vodka!" said Vaishu gleefully.

"This is for you too, Priya!"

"No thanks! I don't drink!"

"We know! But consider this your bachelorette party! You are getting married in 3 months! You even got a job offer in Dubai, though you are not taking it."

"Whatever be the case, I'm not drinking!"

"Fine! Can you atleast try "baang"? It is North Indian and everyone drinks it, even children."

"I'm a South Indian. So no."

"Priya! I know you told me you would drink if your husband allowed. Don't you think that it is kind of pathetic? I mean it is your life. You have to decide for yourself."

"Well, I'm deciding and no."

"Please, Priya!" said everyone.

"PRIYA! PRIYA! PRIYA!" started her friends and it was only a matter of time before everyone in the room started.

"Ok fine! But not vodka. Only "baang"!"

"Ok...ok..." said Vaishu as she filled my glass with the torturous liquid.

I stared at it for a minute and before thinking further, I gulped it down, much to the surprise of everyone.

"gak! It burns!"

"You shouldn't down it like that! Savour it! Here have another glass."

And before I could protest, my glass was filled again and I listened to them this time.

After a few minutes, "What are we doing here? Let's dance! Come Suresh, Ramya and Jons. Priya, you also come!"

"No. I will stay. You guys should go."

"Let's have a dance!" asked Suresh again.

"I'm feeling a little wobbly. You go."

"Are you sure?"

"More than ever."

Just as my friends left, a not-so-handsome guy came near me, "Hi gorgeous! Dance with me! We'll have a good time!" he said winking at me. He practically made me get up and dragged me.

I don't remember his face. It was repulsive that's all I remember. I was shaking.

"Let me go!" I shouted, shaking my face to clear my vision which was stubborn not to, looking around for my friends.

Before I knew it, a man was standing beside me, his arm wrapped around my waist protectively.

"She doesn't want to dance with you. Let her go!" said the man in a voice dangerously low, and I think he might have been drinking, I don't know, after all everyone in the hall were half-drunk. He was steady, though. The guy just grabbed my hand and attempted to drag me away from his grasp.

"Trust me. You will have a nice time!"

All I could do was wish I hadn't had those drinks at all. I could not make sense of what was going on. There was an evil man and a good man, that's all I remember. If they stand before me now, I wouldn't recognize them.

"Please let me go," I said politely. His grip tightened.

"I said. Dance. With. Me."

That was the last straw. The man pushed me behind him and put a hand on the guy's arm twisting it behind his back, squeezing it extremely tight. The guy winced in pain.

"That will teach you never to mess with any girl!"

He finally released his grip and the guy left holding his arm in pain, shaking his finger in a threatening gesture, clearly telling this wasn't over.

"Are you alright?" he asked turning to me. I simply nodded. By then, my friends had come and when I looked around I saw the man who had saved me, gone.

"I'm tired. I'm going to my room."

"It's just 9. Don't you want to be awake at 12 to welcome New Year?"

"I want to go to my room!" I said feebly and that's the last thing I remember of that night.

1^st January

I...I really don't want to talk about the condition I woke up in.

The first thing that I noticed was no one else was in the room. I spoke to my friends later that day and found out that after they put me in my room, Vaishu had decided to stay up with the others and watch a movie with them in their room and slept there itself. I never told them anything. I was back in Pondicherry. Everything seemed fine but in the back of my mind I knew something had gone terribly wrong that night. Around 1 and half months later my suspicions were confirmed.

I was pregnant.

I broke off my engagement and took the job in Dubai.

My parents still don't know the reason. I never spoke to them afterwards.

No one. None of my friends or relatives know about me.

Pooja was born in Dubai. I had my colleagues, who were kind enough to take care of me.

She gave my life a new meaning.

.

..

...

"Why are you silent?" she asked looking at a very expressionless Arjun.

"Huh? Nothing...I'm sorry. You have gone through so much."

Taking a deep breath and looking at the star clad sky she said, "May be it was for the best. I would not have gotten Pooja or...you."

Unintentionally she laid her head on his shoulders and he encircled his arm around her waist protectively just like the man in the club 7 years back. Feeling safe, Priya let herself get some sleep. Arjun, on the other hand, was awfully awake as he looked out at the rising moon.

*****************************************************

He placed her gently on the bed on one side of Pooja and before he could stop himself gave her a chaste kiss on her forehead.

"I love you," he whispered before going back to the balcony and thinking back to what exactly he had been doing during that time, 7 years back.

*****

29^th December Chennai

"Nalaiku Goa porom. New Year a kalakurom."

"Ala vidu. Naan varala."

"Hello Inspector sir, unga bag elam pack paniachu."

"Goa pakom naan varatha illa."

"Seri appo Bangalore povom. Nama police training days nybagama."

"Apdinra? Seri povom."

"Thank you, Ins. Arjun."

*salute*

"No problem, Ins. Jai."

*salute*

30^th December Hotel Sheraton, Bangalore

"Ena commotion da antha hall la?"

"Etho alumni meeting. Naama bar ku polam va!"

31^st December Hotel Sheraton

"...RIYA!...YA!...RIYA!"

"Ena da sathum anga?" he asked taking a sip of his whiskey.

"Yaruku theriyum. Dai, pothum da. Ithu second round."

"Hello boss! Naan evalo kudichalum steady a irupein."

"Theriyum...theriyum..."

He looked at the bartender to refill his scotch on rocks.

"Arjun! Pothum! Sonna kelu!"

"Yaaru da nee! Aprom enathuku Goa ponnumnu sonna?"

"Chumma 4 ponnugala sight adikulamnu thaan. Atho anga oru 6...uhm...5...gak...only 2...Oh My God! Full 10!"

"Yaru da?" asked Arjun, first time getting interested.

"Atho antha green shirt..."

"Enga da?"

"Atho...cha...ippo thirimbita..."

Arjun peered through the crowd to where he was pointing. A girl sat in the couch with her back to him. Just then, he saw someone grab her hand and it didn't take him seconds before he realized that the someone was not a friend. Ignoring Jai's comments he took long strides to get to her. Before he even knew it, his arms found its way around her waist, most probably just for steadying both of them. He could tell the girl was drunk. There was some conversation, he didn't remember most of it and within minutes he had resorted to violence and the guy left not before issuing him a threatening wave of his finger. He had known later...many days later that the guy was actually his colleague Ashok's brother.

*****

"Ena da prechana anga?"

"Onum illa da."

"Oru Long Island Ice Tea, please."

"9 mani thaan aguthu. Ena panalam?"

"Hi Arjun! Hi Jai!"

Both of them turned to face the new comer.

"Ashok! Inga ena panura"

"Nee inga ena panuriyo, athu thaan naanum panurein Jai. Arjun ena? Whiskey a innaiku."

"Aama...unakum solla va."

"Illa vendam...oru contest vechikilama? For old time's sake!"

"Kadipa. Ena patheiyam?"

"Vodka Shots! 10 shots!"

"Jeicha?"

"Buffet cost."

"Ok!"

*****

He had known it was a mistake. But he always liked a good challenge and he had fallen prey. He had won, of course! But 10 shots later, he was nowhere near steady.

"A..appie...ew...here...!"

"Dai. Athu "Happy New Year!" Athuku enum rendu manarum iruku. Roomku polam."

"I...I'm stidi...Naan poi kiren..."

"Are you sure?"

"...sur..."

"Room number nybagam irukila...406."

He had bid good bye and turned to go to his room. He didn't remember taking the lift. But he very well remembered knocking at his door and then sheepishly realising he had the keycard. He had tried it, but his hands were so unsteady that he hadn't been able to swipe it. He had shook his head and tried again. His vision had cleared just a bit. Just then a janitor had come and asked if he needed assistance. When he had nodded he had looked at his key and then the door and then with his own "cleaning room" card, he had opened the door for him.

"Tank u... A..appie...ew...here...!"

"Happy New Year sir!" he had departed after giving him a bow.

He had entered the room and fell on his bed for a deep slumber.

1^st January

He had woken up with a very bad head ache.

"Jai, ein da ivalo amaithiya iruka?"

"Onum illa. Appa phone pani ponnu pathuru kein nu sonnaru, athaan konjam shake airukein," his answer was way too quick.

"Seri, innaiku training institute poi teachers elam pakalam."

"Ok!"

.

..

...

His hold on the grill tightened.

He had been there!

He had been there!

He had been THERE!

He had saved her once, but couldn't stop the evil lurking on her, could he?

Maybe if he had been sober that night, he might have noticed her intruder. Maybe he could have saved her. After all, from what he could deduce from the conversation, they had been just 4-5 rooms away.

He hit the grill with his fist, frustrated and turned to face the room.

Was it one of her friends?

Was it Ashok's brother who had decided on taking revenge?

Ashok had told Pooja, he knew her father, didn't he?

Oh Gods!

This was terrible!

What had actually happened that night?

Will he ever know?

His eyes fell on the sleeping form of Pooja.

(To be continued)

Part 14

*****

Originally posted by: SushK16

Interesting Update Gisel 😃

Okay, so the flashbacks are revealed... Hmm...

I feel that Arjun is Pooja's father... I mean, he might have gone to the wrong room, considering that he was drunk and he didn't open the door with his key... And I suppose something else happened in the morning that Arjun ended up back at his actual room... ?

More than a guess... This is how I want it to be from reading so far... 😛

Reveal the rest soon... 😉