Aarti yawned as she stiffly walked to the shower. She glanced at the reflection in the mirror with amused dismay. Her ebony black hair appeared more like a bird's nest than a head of human hair. Well ain't I just sexy, she mused with a half smile as she scratched her messy hair. She showered quickly and got dressed and pulled her hair up in a tight bun. She cursed the wisps of her hair that dared escape. Aarti sighed in complaint, why couldn't her hair ever behave? Trying to tame rebellious strands of hair down, she walked into the kitchen to eat breakfast before leaving for work.
"Good morning Mrs. Maya," Aarti greeted the plump receptionist as she walked into the lobby of the accounting company where she worked.
"Good morning Aarti, how are you today?" The receptionist asked with her typical cheery attitude and Aarti smiled feeling the cheerfulness contagious.
"I'm good thank you," Aarti replied simply.
"Oh tonight Mansi and you are flying out to Nevada, right?" Mrs. Maya asked, with genuine interest.
"Yeah, pretty much as soon as we get off of work we're heading to the airport," Aarti told her.
"Oh that's good but be careful though. You know what they say about those big cities, especially Las Vegas," Mrs. Maya warned her with a look of concern.
"I will, well I better get off to work. Talk to you later Mrs. Maya," Aarti told her with a polite smile and walked over to her little desk. She gathered the papers in her out tray that she would have to present to her father and the founder of the company that she worked in. She hoped he still wasn't angry at her for what happened yesterday.
Well here goes nothing, she thought as she walked into his office. "Good Morning Mr. Dubey. I have the morning's duties here for you as well as some documents that you need to look over," she stated as soon as she was in his office and set down the papers in front of him. He glanced up from whatever it was on the computer screen and gave her an icy glare.
"At least that something you manage to do correctly more times than not," he stated, disapproval oozing from his voice. Aarti gave a weak shrug in reply, feeling the familiar shrinking feeling that she got whenever her father talked to her with such a tone.
"Dad," she started but his eyes narrowed at her in warning. Her father insisted that in the work place she should address him as everyone else did. That way no one could ever think he gave her special treatment for being his daughter. It wasn't exactly true he did give her special treatment but not in the good way, he expected so much more from her than he did from everyone else.
"I'm sorry'Mr. Dubey. I want to apologize for yesterday. I didn't mean to offend the Sharma's, I seriously didn't know what to talk about with them about. The whole knocking over the wine glass and spilling the wine on Mrs. Sharma was a complete accident! I swear I just turned and it went flying!" She tried to defend herself but it was clear her father wasn't moved. His stern hard face only made the sinking feeling grow worse and she felt like such an utter disaster.
Would she ever stop disappointing her father? "I'm sorry my social inadequacy cost you another important client and made you look bad," she offered hanging her head and keeping her gaze on her feet.
"It's my fault in the end," she heard her father state with a flat tone. "I should've known better than to invite you to the dinner. You'd think I'd learn my lesson by now. I guess I just keep hoping that one day you'll grow out of this silliness of yours," he told her. Aarti looked up and apologized once more but he waved it off dismissively. "Yes, yes Aarti. Just promise me that while on this ridiculous trip of yours to Las Vegas that you won't make a fool of yourself. I can't afford you to tarnish the Dubey's family name more than you already have," he told her harshly causing her to flinch and apologize yet again.
"Remember, I want you here bright and early Monday morning for Mr. Schindia's arrival too," he warned her.
"I promise that I'll be here bright and early Monday morning Mr. Dubey. I also promise that I won't make a fool of myself or embarrass you," Aarti told him though she wasn't sure how well she could keep the second promise. She didn't know how but she always found herself making a mess of things. Often the harder she tried not to mess up, the bigger the mess she made. Though the good thing was if she did do something embarrassing in Las Vegas, her father would never find out.
Aarti doubted that even with her awful luck, could she end up doing something so big that it would get to her father's ears. She was sure what happens in Las Vegas would stay in Las Vegas. She left her father's office and saw a mischievous looking brunette sitting on the corner of her desk. Her insecurities disappeared quickly as they came, to be replaced with a smile as she walked up to her desk. "May I do something for you Ms. Patel," Aarti asked with a professional tone.
"Oh God that makes me sound so damn old," the brunette stated with a pout. "Are you packed and ready for our trip Aarti?"
"As ready as I'll ever be I guess. I really don't know what you expect to get out of this trip honestly Mansi," she replied and Mansi gave her a pointed look. "I know your whole "go wild" plan but seriously I don't think I could ever do anything wild."
"Well there are categories of wildness Aarti," Mansi reasoned. "Obviously I don't expect you to get drunk off your ass, do a strip dance on a table and get kicked out of a club! Honestly I only want you to go have fun and stop worrying about what other people, especially daddy dearest, will think about you the next day. That's it," she finished. Aarti gave her lifelong friend a small smile in reply. That didn't sound too bad and in fact it sounded kind of exciting.
Later that evening Aarti craned her neck in attempt to see all of the huge skyscrapers that passed through the taxi window. She'd never been out of the tiny town of Red Bank, so this was her first time she'd seen in person the enormous buildings. Aarti tore her eyes away from the large buildings and down to the streets. The street was bumper to bumper with cars and the sidewalk was just as full with people, quickly walking here and there.
She bit her lip with nervous excitement as they got out of the taxi and she took another look around while Elvis Presley's "Viva Las Vegas" kept running through her head. "Come on Aarti, let's not waste any more time! Let's go out tonight," Mansi cheered as they took their luggage out of the trunk. Aarti shrugged with a smile and paid the driver. Everything felt so different from home that she actually started to believe that maybe anything was indeed possible.
Her excitement grew as they checked in and went to their room. Maybe she really could shed off the whole "good girl" routine and become more like the women she'd always envied, the sexy confident women that always had men panting after them.
Four hours later, Aarti entered into their hotel room and peeled of her damp clothing. Some guy had spilt his drink on her as he pushed passed her to crudely hit on Mansi. He didn't even apologize; she thought bitterly tossing the clothing into one of the bathroom sinks and turned on the shower. Who was she kidding? Aarti would never be the type of woman that a man would want to be with. It was clear to say that she didn't enjoy their first night in Las Vegas.
The club they went to was horrible. It was so dark that she stubbed her toe so many times she'd lost count. It was so smoky that Aarti was convinced her chances of getting lung cancer increased five percent. The music was a horrible electronic thumping that sounded like something long lost from the sixties. If all that wasn't enough to make her evening a disaster then there were the patrons of the club.
The only guy that talked to them ignored Aarti completely or only gave her enough attention to spill something on her or nudge her out of the way. They all wanted to dance with Mansi, which despite the fact they looked like major scumbags made Aarti feel rejected and low. Not even the "bang'em and leave'em" wanted to spend a fraction of their time with her. Aarti sighed, depressed as she got under the hot streaming water. This trip was a bad idea, she thought gloomily.
After her shower, Aarti put of a fluffy white robe, feeling a little better, and left the bathroom. "Hey Aarti, how are you feeling?" Mansi asked cautiously. She gave her friend a defeated shrug as she sat on her bed.
"I'm alright I guess but I think I'd rather just visit the shops or do some sightseeing this weekend instead of doing the whole "go wild" thing," Aarti confessed and Mansi pouted.
"Awww Aarti, don't give up yet! Just give me one more night okay, I'll find the best club Las Vegas has to offer and I promise we'll have some real fun," Mansi pleaded and Aarti wanted to put her foot down and tell her no. However the look on Mansi's face made her feel bad and she couldn't say no.
"Alright," Aarti said with a sigh. "I'll give the "go wild" plan another shot."
"Great you'll see Aarti! Tomorrow is going to be so much better," Mansi cheered. I doubt it, Aarti thought bitterly. There was no way in one of those places could she ever enjoy herself but she simply gave her friend a smile in reply.
The next night, Aarti walked into the crowded club behind Mansi. She let out a small content sigh of relief as the warmth of the place seeped into her. Her black sleeveless shirt and short black skirt didn't give her much protection against the coolness of the late spring night of Las Vegas City. Aarti wanted to wear something more practical but Mansi insisted that she wear that. Tonight they were going to go all out, according to Mansi.
She had dragged Aarti into some clothing store that morning and forced her to try on several different outfits till Mansi found one she liked. The shirt showed off some cleavage that Aarti felt uncomfortable with and the skirt was shorter than she usually wore. She tried to ignore how self conscious she felt and looked around the club. At least the club was better than the one from last night, she thought in an attempt to remain positive.
It wasn't smoky, had good lighting and the music was good. The place was a bit crowded but not to the point that it made her feel like she was a sardine in a can. Maybe this won't be so bad, she thought following her friend to the bar, trying to fight off her feelings of being out of place. "Come on Jalebi," Mansi shouted over the music. "Let's get some "punch" in you, and see if we can't get you out of your head," Mansi shouted with an impish smile.
"Jalebi? What are you talking about?" Aarti asked confused and Mansi's smile grew.
"It's all in the attitude Aarti. Tonight you're the Jalebi who's come to have some drinks and fun! Not Aarti the nave and meek," Mansi cheered looking very convinced of what she said.
"Getting me drunk isn't going to change who I am you know and whoever said am into alcohol," Aarti told her half teasing and half serious as they pushed their way through the mass of people towards the bar.
"Well duh! I'm not trying to change who you are Jalebi. I just want you to be that wonderful person that you are underneath all the self doubt and isolation," Mansi replied.
"I don't think that person exists," Aarti told her with slight bitterness in her voice.
"I am so not friends with losers thus you aren't one. In fact you're an awesome person! I've seen your awesomeness from time to time when you aren't trying so hard to be what your father wants you to be," Mansi told her.
Mansi waved at the bartender with a flirty smile that no man could resist. Aarti had seen it work its magic several times. "Hi," Mansi said with her flirt mode on full blast. "My friend and I are so thirsty, could you get us something good to drink," she purred. Aarti bit her lip to keep from laughing as she noticed that Mansi already had this guy wrapped around her finger.
"Sure thing," he replied. "Can't have a beautiful woman such as yourself going thirsty now can we," he added with a sly grin.
Mansi returned his grin. "You mean women, don't forget about my absolutely stunning friend," Mansi told him and Aarti's breath hitched as her cheeks heated up. The bartender's gaze only flickered to Aarti before it eagerly returned to Mansi.
"Uh'yeah sure, I'll get you ladies something to drink," he replied, obviously not sharing Mansi's opinion of Aarti's appearance. Aarti felt her mood start to dip as it had the previous night. She admired Mansi's effort but some things would never change. Her ex-boyfriend, the one and only thus far, Prashant was right. She just didn't have what it takes to catch a man's eye even if she did have a stunning figure, nice outfit, silky long hair, and beautiful face.
The bartender returned with their drinks and tried to make small talk with Mansi but she totally brushed him off. Apparently she had picked up on his lack of enthusiasm for Aarti's looks. Aarti couldn't help but smile as she drank the sweet fruity drink in her hand. That was a thing she loved about Mansi. The brunette beside her was loyal to the end and if she felt someone was treating Aarti unfairly, Mansi had no problems in stepping up and giving them a piece of her mind.
When they were finished with the fruity drink Mansi handed her a shot glass filled with multicolored layers. Aarti eyed the drink curiously wondering what the liquids were and how did the bartender manage to keep the layers so defined and prevented it from mixing. "Don't dissect it Jalebi and just down it," Mansi told her giddily and Aarti shrugged and knocked back the drink. Her eyes watered a little from the burn of the alcohol but the taste was pretty good. "Again," Mansi demanded handing her another despite her weak protest.
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
