EVERYTHING IS FAIR, WHEN LOVE IS WAR -ch19 - pg 84 - Page 18

Sitting in a silent corner of the darkened bar, Uday gulped down his fourth peg in one go, his head was aching as it was after a very long time , that he was drinking so much! His vision was blurry and he tried hard to stop that tears that threatened to flow out.

Sameer's death had shattered him ... did he not talk to Sameer just the other day? He was still so carefree, so full of life; just like their college days and yet the thought of how death had so mercilessly taken him away , and that too - so fast ; made him sick. To be slammed with so much force on a huge concrete block, to be mercilessly showered with thousands of broken glass pieces from the front pane, to be burnt alive while being trapped in the car.. what a painful death!

Talking about fire and how mercilessly it consumes all that came in its path ... he remembered Aryan. Aryan was a fine guy, a good friend, he loved to cook and they used to call him a sissy for that, yet they would request him to cook for them whenever they got together. His gopi muncuri and fried rice were their favourites. They used to say his wife would be a lucky girl because she wouldn't need to cook. He had found his dream girl in Susan and were planning to get married but then misfortune struck him. He died in a gas explosion in his apartment - the neighbours told it was a nightmarish explosion that rocked the entire neighbourhood.

All that was found , were charred remains of him..

This is like the movie "final destination"!!!!!!

Man ; I'm seriously drunk, thought Uday.

But still the feeling of emptiness never left him as he ordered his fifth : "one mole" he spluttered.. his tone now uneven.

He couldn't tell how and when he arrived behind the steering-wheel of his car. All he knew that he was there and ... there SHE was! That BEAUT of a specimen was looking her gorgeous best as she alighted from the bus that was in front of his car. He blinked his eyes a couple times , just to make sure that what he was seeing was indeed true ... and NOT a fantasy!

Yep , it was HER and he grinned broadly. The street-lights , together with the brightness from the moon had turned her into a Goddess. She looked more stunning than ever before and HE WANTED HER NOW! Uday parked his car at the side of the road and began following Maya.

It was quite a distance that she walked (from the bus-stop) to her home. She had just bent down to unlock the front-gate , when a hand on her shoulder ... gave her the fright of her life. "Uday - TUM !", she gasped as she held her chest to soothe her racing heart. Uday was at his "intoxicated best" , with only 1 thing on his mind ...

"Maya - I need you so much ", was all he said before crashing his lips onto hers. With a heave , she pushed him off. "Kya kar rahe ho Uday?" , she grumbled.

"Don't tell me , you don't feel the same as me! Don't tell me , u don't want me ... as much as I want you! Don't tell me , that THIS ATTRACTION is only 1-sided!"

As she pondered on his words , she was back in his arms ... relishing the feeling of his lips on hers ... enjoying the tongue-tango that was beginning. Uday was taken aback , when she shoved him again ...

M - Leave Uday!

U - But ...

M - Not here Uday

U - I want you Maya

M - I said GO.

Angrily Uday walked off , got into his car ... drove to another bar which was just about closing , bought a bottle of his favourite Scotch ... and in the car itself - emptied it down his throat!

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Looking at the sleeping figure of Uday on the couch, Tanisha asked her mom "mom, shouldn't we wake up Daddy. The PTA meeting starts at 10 am. "

Arthi looked at uday and then held tanisha by her shoulders and explained : "tani, you know Sameer Uncle died. Your dad is still upset about it, you know he doesn't drink this much. Maybe we should let him sleep. I will come for your PTA meeting. Let your dad rest"

"But mom, daddy promised me, didn't he?"

"tani, don't be stubborn ; now go get ready"

Tanisha left the room, her face reddened with anger. Arthi went towards uday and stroked his cheeks : "you broke your daughter's heart today Uday. U have to do some serious grovelling to get back into her good books ! , she said with a smile.

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Mr stalker saw Tanisha come out of her home, and wait for her school bus. He checked his watch- 8 23 am, her bus would'nt be here for another 3 minutes. He was following Tanisha for 10 days now. Every evening she would go to her dance class after school and return at 5 pm, usually her driver brought her back and occasionally Udayveer brought her back. UDAYVEER!!!!!!! , the name made his blood boil .

Looking at tanisha, he saw her chocolate brown eyes, wasn't his eyes too like that? "NO! he looked only like his mother", he thought. But she looked so beautiful; rather - cute would be an apt word. She was her FATHER'S pet, and so finishing her would be like a hit below the BELT for Uday. He smiled wickedly thinking about it.

Tanisha was never alone; finishing her off , would be difficult, ... but - HE would make it happen! he loved to take up such thrilling challenges.

Mr stalker watched as Tanisha got inside her school bus and went and sat next to her bestfriend- Aruna.

He knew her class teachers name , her favourite food, dress and every minute detail of her ... more than she knew about herself ... in these 10 days.

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Manyta had survived 10 days in her new college and she was happy about it, her classes were going on smoothly and she was impressed by the faculty and the sheer size of the library, it was a reader's delight.

She did not have many ragging sessions. It was all harmless jokes, but she ended up crying because of fear, people no longer looked at her as a freak, and her friends were good and supporting , even helping her with her English!

It was a free period and a bunch of seniors had come in to try their luck. They divided and moved along the whole length of the class room selecting a good prey for them to enjoy. A big , well-build senior came and sat on the desk in front of Manyata, he motioned her to come to him.

"m..me" stammerd manyta

"yes come here you oily freak"

Manyata moved towards him, her hands trembling, she started to sweat.

"hey state newton's third law?"

Manyta said immediately "every action has an equal and opposite reaction" like a express train.

"woah, miss superfast, do you know everything?"

"not everything" she replied soflty.

" do you know to f*ck?"

"wh..what?" stammered a scared manyata

"too bad, maybe I should teach you!"

Saying that the big guy pinned her to the wall, he bend over and was trying to kiss her on the lips, while manyta struggled hard.

"leave her you SOB sanjay" commanded a deep voice. And immediately he was pushed away from her.

Mnayta opened her eyes to see who her savior was, it was Uday.

"are you ok, he asked in a concerned voice"

"i.. iam" she answered.

He turned and warned Sanjay "don't you dare to repeat this"

"I will get you for this, Udayveer"

"like you would dare" replied Uday.

"come now, you are safe now, Manyata. You're Manyata itself na?" Ohh!! He remembered her name thought Manyata and it gave her some unknown thrill.

"yes it is" she said not looking directly at him.

" would you care for a coffee with me?" asked uday flashing a 440 Volt smile.

" sure" she said quite excitedly, her heartbeat increasing rapidly.

Later that evening ...

Uday was practicing basketball, when someone came behind him, it was Sanjay. Uday turned around and grined at him: "good work sanjay, you really managed to scare her"

"no problem bro, I owe you loads, I am only happy to help. So tell me mr hero ... did u BED HER yet?"

" not yet, but ... SOON! " he smirked .

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PRESENT ...

It was now almost 2 weeks since Uday saw Maya ... not that he didn't want to see her ; but he was too embarrassed to come before her. His craving for her ... got him making an ass of himself ! "Stupid Uday ... U f**ked it up , even before it got started ", he cursed himself. Whilst still in deep thought , he entered the elevator at the shopping-mall.

To his dismay ... he ended up getting in with Maya. She smiled at him , but our poor Uday was too confused about what reaction to give.

"I should apologise for THAT night ", he realised and quickly started to do so.

U - I'm sorry Maya ...

M - For what?

U - That night ...

"But nothing happened ( after a short pause) ... YET!" , she answered cheekily , while Uday's brain got frozen on the word "YET".

U - Matlab?

She ran a finger down his cheek ... "Don't tell me you're THAT NAIVE Uday"

U - But you pushed me away!

M - Perhaps you were TOO DRUNK to catch my words.

U - HUHH?!!!!

M - That night , I said "NOT HERE"

As the light-bulb flashed for Uday ... the corner of his lips curled to form his killer smirk. He pulled her with immense force that she hit on his chest hard. His hands found their position on her waist ... he whispered "I have the perfect place for us!" She blushed hard hearing that ... the lift-doors opened , both walked out as strangers , finally meeting at Uday's car and going to wherever their passions were taking them!

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