Bab 14: The First Kiss…
A week had passed since Mr. Rekhi had informed Nihaal about the stealing but nothing has been found out yet. The thief was clever and Nihaal was too preoccupied to put all his faculties towards finding him. One such preoccupation was Shekhar’s New Year’s Party! It was the New Year’s Eve and Shekhar’s party was eagerly awaited by Suhasini. Nihaal would have completely ignored and avoided the party. But the thought of Suhasini being in that party banished his usual dislike for parties and convinced him to go.
*****
Shekhar’s party was nothing like that of Mr. & Mrs. Shrivastav’s. The exuberance, the cheerfulness was simply exhilarating. The music was befitting the mood of the gathered guests – loud and a little more than wild. The musicians sat in one part of the hall and played with fervor Suhasini had never seen before. Beneath the music there was gossipy voices of the guests and often rose roars of laughter. Suhasini was looking around the room with wide eyes, taking in the excitement, the noise and reveling in it while Nihaal stealthily yet admiringly looked at Suhasini. She had surprised Nihaal when she had walked in the drawing room right before they had left. She was dressed not a saree or a salwar kameez but a beautiful gown. The creamy satin gown fell to her ankles in long pleats, a golden chord tied around her shapely waist, the golden sheaves dangling from her ears and hair neatly swept upwards in a bun and bound with a golden ribbon. She looked demure but the bright pink toenails that were exposed in an open sandal were prepared to shock the polite world. Magnificent, Nihaal thought – no not magnificent, a Grecian goddess, he corrected himself.
‘Did you two have the punch yet or not?’, came the familiar voice. Shekhar stood there with his wide smile, Suhasini looked confused as Nihaal offered help, ‘yes the famous punch of Shekhar Singh’s party.’ Shekhar picked up two glasses from the tray of a passing by waiter and offered them. Nihaal sipped gladly while Suhasini took her first sip apprehensively. But her second sip was not. She loved it, ‘what is in it?’, she asked.
Shekhar smiled, ‘better not to ask.’
‘But too much is going to be dangerous’, added Nihaal wisely.
‘Oh, don’t be silly Nihaal, it’s New Year’s Eve…have more’, he said to Nihaal and then looked at Suhasini and added, ‘you look like a Grecian goddess. Please save yourself for a dance with me. I’ll be back’, and he went away to meet other guests. Suhasini stood sipping and clearly swept over by Shekhar’s words and Nihaal wondered that why didn’t he compliment Suhasini.
*****
The party was in full swing, music loud with an edge to it. The dancers were in mood as Suhasini watched them for some time, enjoying their mirth before she turned to Nihaal and asked, ‘more punch?’. The two walked the perimeter of the room as the center was full of dancers and reached the silver punch bowl. Suhasini relished the potent, slightly sweet, slightly tart and cool punch and before they knew, they were down no less than five glasses.
‘Suhasini, ready for the dance floor?’, asked Shekhar as he joined them.
Shekhar swept Suhasini away to the dance floor where the energy was flowing freely, the musicians’ gaiety was infectious and the music was wild and fast. Shekhar heard the music in his ears but felt it in his bones, it demanded to dance faster and faster. Suhasini matched him, step for step and laughed as he led her flamboyantly in one spin after another. They both were laughing by the time musicians had ended their set and laid their bows. Shekhar gently held Suhasini by the elbows so as to steady her, his admiration was palpable. And Nihaal could see it from a distance. Shekhar drew air into his lungs and made a bow, ‘thank you Suhasini, it was enthralling’, he said.
‘Oh no…thank you! You are an amazing dancer’, she said as she fanned her face with her hand.
‘As are you’, said Shekhar and got pulled away by some of his other friends.
Suhasini found her way back to Nihaal, huffing she picked up another glass of punch.
‘You had fun’, said Nihaal with a slight edge in his tone.
‘Yes, Shekhar is a wonderful dancer’, Suhasini replied.
‘Well you look exhausted, if you want we can go home’, asked Nihaal, hoping that she would agree.
‘What? No! There’s going to be fireworks at midnight and Shekhar said it will be boisterous, so we have to wait’, she said.
Nihaal dejectedly nodded as Suhasini added, ‘but I am feeling too hot, can we go outside?’
‘Outside is just as crowed and will be hot too, if you wish I can usher you to the terrace’, asked Nihaal.
*****
Punch glasses in hand, Suhani and Nihaal walked on to the terrace. The cool night air welcomed them and Nihaal inhaled deeply. Suhasini kept her glass on the balustrade as she closed her eyes for a moment, enjoying the cold and refreshing air on her soft face.
‘Much better, isn’t it?’, asked Suhasini. Nihaal nodded, ‘yes’, and finished the last of the punch in his glass. Nihaal quietly gazed up at the stars while Suhasini rested her forearms on the balustrade and looked upon the garden. It was bright and lit with lamps as people walked about waiting for the fireworks. Nihaal looked at Suhasini as she shone in the moonlight, bronze skin, creamy and glistening – oh she’s beautiful, a true goddess – he thought. Suhasini caught him looking at herself and questioningly nodded at him, and to Nihaal’s surprise, he muttered, ‘you indeed look like a Grecian goddess.’ Suhasini was surprised too but then coyness took over as she said, ‘Shekhar must be mad calling me a goddess.’ Nihaal was overwhelmed with envy but could not bring himself to tell Suhasini that he named her ‘Grecian goddess’ way before Shekhar. Instead, he said, ‘Shekhar is very charming but he is a rickety and ramshackle fellow.’
‘And what does that mean?’, she asked.
Nihaal was awkward, guilty for betraying Shekhar but the urge to stop the increasing friendship was so intense that he said, ‘well, he is young, carefree and a Romeo at heart. He gives his heart to a new girl every week and in return expects just one thing.’
Suhasini looked at him plainly, ‘I know what you mean Mr. Nihaal, but I am not like every girl and moreover I am not interested in that thing’, she said.
‘Not interested?’, Nihaal looked surprised.
‘Yes, I don’t feel the urge for a physical proximity with someone. I don’t feel that physical desire’, she said with a casual shrug.
‘Then you don’t know what you are missing on’, blurted Nihaal.
She let out a laugh, ‘I assure you, I do’, she said.
‘No’, he said, ‘you don’t’ as he grasped Suhasini by the arm, his grip tight as he pulled her closer as the wild music reached the terrace.
‘Mr. Nihaal’, she said with a note of warning.
‘Don’t dismiss something like that’, he said curtly.
‘I am not dismissing anything, I tried it once and I didn’t like it’, she said.
‘Where?’, demanded Nihaal.
Suhaini pulled her hand from Nihaal’s grip as she said, ‘there was a boy, in college. He kissed me once and I didn’t like it.’
‘He didn’t do it right then’, said Nihaal, his eyes gleaming in the night, face hard and calm.
Suhasini’s frown disappeared, she laughed and said, ‘how do you know?’
‘I know’, said Nihaal as he looked at her, bathed with moonlight. The desire to taste her mouth getting stronger. Suhasini laughed and turned to go when Nihaal grabbed her arm once again, swirled her pulling her towards him and without any warning pressed his lips on Suhasini’s soft lips.
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