Betrayed…

 Have I ever listened to my head? It has always been my stupid, crazy heart I have favored every time.

So how could this be any different? I have never exercised my logical faculties whenever he has been in the picture. The warmth of Sid’s gaze was burning me up and was rapidly turning into an inferno of sensations on my flushed face. My insides were melting though my hands and feet were icy cold to the touch, what was wrong with me?

I took a step in his direction but a tug on my arm stopped me in my tracks and I whirled around almost menacingly and hissed under my breath,

“What are you doing, Ria? Why are you even here in the first place, I thought you didn’t like loud music and bars.” 

Ria, my best friend and well-wisher, tried to calm me down whispering almost apologetically in my ear,

“Lara, I am not your enemy here. On the contrary, I am trying to save you the embarrassment you will face tomorrow if you go ahead with this foolish plan of yours. Sid is bad news and you know it better than anybody else, so why are you jeopardizing your happiness and dignity by even considering going to the beach with Sid and his friends so late in the night. You know how these boys are after a few drinks.”

“I will go with whoever I want and wherever I feel like going, you are not my mother, Ria”

“Fine, don’t tell me later why I didn’t stop you from making this mistake. Have fun tonight, goodbye.”

Sid and his friends were throwing amused glances at me which irritated me and I almost called out to Ria to stop her from walking away in a huff but Sid winked at me and held out his hand, inviting me to join him and his friends. I should have listened to my trusted head, the most logical organ in my body, instead of allowing my rouge heart to make the decision for me. Sid had the key to my heart; I couldn’t deny him anything even if I tried to. I would have walked on burning coals just to see a flicker of a smile on his beloved face. He knew he had me where he wanted and wasn’t averse to taking advantage of this knowledge.

“Come Lara darling, let us begin our adventure. Your carriage and the beach awaits you my love.”

All my apprehensions and misgivings flew out of my head and what I was left with were tingling sensations running from the tips of my toes to the hair on the back of my neck.

The heat in the room woke me up and the throbbing pain in my head made me moan and clutch it to stop it from hurting. I looked around the unfamiliar room and the mess that greeted me made bile rush up to my mouth. My clothes were strewn around the room as if they had been ripped off and tossed about, empty beer bottles rolled on the floor. The room was heavy with cigarette smoke and something else, I couldn’t put my finger on. It smelled of potpourri and herbs, was it pot? Who had been smoking drugs in the room? I had no recollection of the night, just hazy flashes of me and Sid kissing, laughing and drinking beer. I remember Sid forcing me to take a puff of the funny smelling cigarette and then nothing. I was completely blank after that, what had I done?

Sulekha aka lucks