A Friend's Betrayal

The pain caused him to take a step back as he reeled from the impact. Kunal was a strong guy and much bigger than him, but more than the strength it was the shock that had his head reeling. He now stood face to face with the one person who had been with him when he was alone and he knew it in his heart that he could not hit him back.

He still remembered his first day in college. Coming from a small place like his, Mumbai was a big place and it was but natural to feel out of sorts. And to it there was the usual seniors and the ragging stuff. He was sitting in a corner in the class when Kunal had come with his gang of guys and introduced himself. They had come to size up the ‘villager’ but a few jokes later he could feel a bond building between them and soon enough he himself was a part of that group.

Time flew by as they indulged in the usual stuff that college-goers indulge in. There were those long night outs with booze and dope and ogling. A lot of ogling, in fact. None of them had ever been in a relationship and it was as if that gave them the right to ogle and remark at every dame that touched their fancy. Time was flying by when Roshni happened. He had no idea how and when Kunal had met her when one fine day he introduced her to the group as his girl. After that, Roshni often hung out with their gang and while they had to reform some of their habits because of her presence, she nevertheless was a welcome addition to their group.

He was sleeping that night when Roshni called him. She was crying and could barely talk. As he tried to pacify her he learnt that she had yet another fight with Kunal and that he had told her never to talk to him again. He remembered Kunal once saying: “If there is one person in my life I can’t let go, it’s her”. He cared for Kunal and could not see them drifting apart. He tried to console her and put her to sleep and determined to make Kunal see sense the next morning.  However, Kunal was nowhere to be seen. He had not come to the college and his phone was out of reach. It had been a fortnight since anyone had heard anything from him and Roshni called him almost every day in the meanwhile. He found himself getting more and more attracted to the softness in her but a part of him told him how wrong he was. He was not one to hit on his best friend’s girl.

And then that day happened. He came to college that day to find Kunal waiting for him at the gate. He looked stoned and as he went ahead to hug him, he could not even dream that he would be greeted with a slap.

As the thoughts flashed by his mind, Kunal charged at him again and before he knew, he was on the ground- kicked at by his best friend. Soon enough a crowd gathered and he could see Roshni pulling Kunal back. He was hurt. His body was tortured, but his heart blamed him- a part of him said he had done it to himself, letting himself get carried away and yet another part saw no wrong. He had helped Roshni to keep faith in Kunal when he wasn’t there. He felt like a friend and a traitor at the same time. He blamed himself for losing a friend while a part of him rejoiced at the arms holding him up. He knew it was cruel, but he could not help it when he asked her, his eyes straining to see how he reacts, –“Let’s go away, this guy doesn’t deserve us.”

The cheat

This is the second part of a two-piece article. Read the first part here

He knew she would not understand. Or maybe he was wrong after all. He wished to help, but alas. He had never imagined things to get so serious from that casual online chat. He had pinged her thinking she was just one of those girls , too occupied with her own sense of the world. But she was a breath of fresh air in that crapped life of his. Her beliefs, her ways seemed to be tailor-made to suit him. He still remembered being shocked when he heard her use expletives for the first time. She didn’t even talk like the other girls. She simply had no apprehensions. Time flew by, and as they got to know each other better, their desire to get closer grew stronger. It came naturally to him. Just out of a long-term relation, he badly needed someone who could listen to him, and share his heartbreak- she seemed to love doing that. They took to each other like the proverbial fish to water. The chat progressed to SMSes and then to calls in no time, he loved his sleep but she loved talking late into the night and on most days now he slept while still on the phone. Life was amazing. She understood him so well, and things could not be any better. But then, life seldom stagnates, and since it could not get better, there was only one way to go: it got worse.

 
Before they could realize, they had moved from dear to sweetie and then on to sweetheart…and there was no stopping beyond that. They were both clear that they didn’t want to get into any kind of commitment, a relation was out of question but yet he had made her feel so special. Every time he said something, he looked at her in a way as if to say that it had a second hidden meaning just for her to find out. To him, it was an awesome game they were playing, and the fact that it was hidden from all, made it all the more exciting. He didn’t even realize when the games got serious.

He understood that it was no game that day in the theater.  They had gone out, their gang of friends, and she was sitting next to him. He started playing with her fingers, and soon realized that she was looking at him, her stare burning into him. They looked at each other- and only the fidgeting of the guy next to him saved the moment from being burnt by that fire. That look haunted him. He could feel it that she wanted him. But he was just a fleeting moment in her life. He could not stay with her, come what may- he was already pledged. And she was a trespasser on to him.

The moment came. They were in the library that day browsing through the day’s papers when she suggested they go for a coffee. Sitting with their cups in the lonely corner what began as casual flirting soon moved into uncharted territory as her hands moved on his body and his touch was lost on her. Those few minutes, he could think of nothing else- all seemed right, and only she seemed to exist. The fingers entwined as their eyes held each other and he was burning inside as lust took over. Guilt followed the passion as soon as he was spent and he knew he had erred again. His past came haunting as he stared blankly into her eyes and he could muster just one line- “I am sorry. I have to leave.”

Victory

He let out a big grunt as they both climaxed together, in each other arms. He was now looking into her eyes as if trying to figure out his reflection in them as his hold loosened on her. She could feel the movements of his chest against her body and her own body moving in sync with him. It was as if their union had also made their hearts constrict in unison. He kissed her once more before dozing off but sleep was nowhere in her mind. She wanted to think but she knew not what. There was nothing left to think about actually. It was a very conscious decision on her part and she had known exactly what she wanted. Deep in a corner she felt guilty about betraying Sahil, but that guilt had been overtaken by a desire for happiness. All through her life she had chased happiness and just as she thought she had found it, she had to start all over again. Being with him had made her feel that all problems she had faced were over now, but she had forgotten about her family back home. They had chosen a groom for her and there was no way they would give in. She could fight them all, but it was her maa being on their side that broke her down. If maa too feels that I am wrong, then I have no reason to fight- she had reasoned with herself. Her mom had been through many hardships for her sake, and the least her daughter could do to repay her was marry into her choice. The path was very clear to her the day maa had told her about Sahil. She would agree to whatever maa said, but not before she had had HER man. She knew he wouldn’t agree, he adored her too much for that but she also knew how to get him around. She had hidden all facts about her impending marriage and invited him home for dinner. He never suspected anything, and she had it all planned. So while he thought it was all coincidence, she had taken care of everything to make sure it was perfect. Right from the cushions to the sheets, she had planned them all. This was to be her honeymoon night and she knew she would have no second chance. And now as she looked at him, she couldn’t help noticing how innocent he looked in sleep. She at once felt sorry for misusing his trust and an immense satisfaction because she had finally got what she wanted. Maybe never again, but this little victory over life would stay with her forever.

Flooring a man- The dumbo way

Its been known to be a fact since eternity that no one can read a women’s mind. Quite true. On the other hand, men have almost always been equated with straight lines. But the human mind is equally complex for both the sexes, and while women may well be the more complicated sex, men do have theirr share of mysteries. So lets unearth a few of them here.

• Let him think: It is a fact which every girl knows, but very few realize. Just like women need to talk, men need to think. They need time for reflection, they need to have time when they can be free of any concerns and beyond all care. In this time men hate to talk or being talked to. And women naturally feel uncared for and isolated at these times. They think him to be upset at something, and they try to solve it the way they know: by talking about it. They keep trying to find a problem when there actually is none. And the result: the man feels untrusted, criticized and goes further into his cave.

• Leave him alone: When the Venusians have problems, they need someone to talk to about that. On the contrary, the Martians take pride in being problem solvers. Whenever a man has any issues, he would always try solve them by himself rather than ask for advice. So women, if you find a guy all stressed about something, please don’t offer him your help the first thing. There is nothing that pisses him more. Its better to tell him that you trust him to work out the best solution possible, and keep your faith in him. Offer solutions ONLY when he asks for them.

• Get touchy feely: Women always equate affection with emotion. But men need to feel wanted. For men, touching is a way of showing that they care. And there is no bigger turn on for a man than to feel desired and craved for.  If he is special enough for you to be "The One" among millions, let him know that. Tell him how awesome he is. And get close to him. Let him know that you feel special when he holds you, and cut him some slack. Don’t make him feel bad if he wants to get close to you- if you don’t want that, stop him in a loving way. Don’t make him feel unwanted. Don’t ever make him feel guilty for desiring you.

• He needs your trust, not advice: The venusians find it okay to ask for help when they need it, but for the martians, asking for help equals to accepting their incompetence. So when a guy is stuck at something, its okay to let him work it out himself. You don’t really need to be his babysitter all the time. Just let him know that you have total faith in his abilities that he will work out things. He will really appreciate that.

• Appreciate him: This is one of the most important ways of making a man feel good. Nature created women as nurturers and men as providers, and a man will go to any length to provide for people who depend on him. It makes him feel worthy. So the next time he wakes up on time, or does a little household chore, or opens the door for you, or simply remembers “not to forget” what you asked him to do, appreciate him for that. Nothing makes a man happier than being said that he is the good responsible guy. Treat him like a treasure, and he will treaure you forever.

• The “Rubber Band”: Just like emotions follow a wave pattern at Venus, the Martians' emotions tend to be like rubber bands. Everytime a man gets close to a woman emotionally, he will, without fail, pull back after some time. He may become reclusive and silent, or simply drift away. But women need to avoid pressing the panic button when this happens. They need to remember that the further they let him pull away, the more would be the force when he jumps back. When a guy pulls away, its best to just leave him alone and wait for him to come back. This might be tough for a woman, but trust him to make it totally worth it the wait when he is back.

These are some bits that I would like to have from someone who loves me. Guys please put in your comments if I have missed out on something. And gals…just comment what you think… :-)