Rivannah

Goa Diaries Part V

                                                                         *

Rivannah's eyes fluttered open. Bright light filtered from the French windows. She groaned softly at the pounding pain in her head. She sat up from the bed, taking in the familiar room. She wondered what happened yesterday, as the pain receded. Her throat was dry as sand and she tasted bile in her mouth.

She tilted her body to grab a glass of water, when a strangled cry left her lips. Abhimanyu jerked awake, his grey eyes alert and cautious. He stood up from the upholstered armchair on which he had fallen asleep.

" What's wrong, Rivannah?"he enquired urgently, grabbing her frozen hand," Did you have a nightmare?"

" What are you doing in my room?" she demanded in a hoarse voice. She looked down at her clothes and frowned at the large, over-sized sweatshirt that was not her own. It smelled like musk and expensive cologne. Wrapped her arms around herself, her mind was filled with dread.

" You don't remember." Abhimanyu sighed, his posture relaxing, " I saved you from BlueFreddie and brought you home. You were completely drunk. Mrs D'Cruz helped you change and go to bed. And then-" he trailed off, a sly smile etching onto his lips.

" Then what?" Rivannah prompted.

"You started puking." he grinned, eyes filled with mirth, " And you just wouldn't stop. You must have hurled double your body's weight in vomit. All your clothes were spoiled and Mrs D'Cruz was at the verge of insanity. I had to call a doctor in the middle of the night. He gave you some sedatives and you finally slept. I sent the poor woman home and kept an eye on you."

" Is this yours?" she pointed to the Dartmouth sweatshirt. It was so huge that she had to fold its sleeves twice before she could use her fingers.He offered her a glass of water and she took it.

" Uh-huh. You can keep it." Abhimanyu smirked," I wouldn't dare to wear it after yesterday."

" How did you find me?" Rivannah asked slowly.

" You can thank your friend Kyra for that." he said seriously, " I never would have guessed that you would hack BlueFreddie and provoke him. If she hadn't called on your phone and I hadn't picked up, you would still be his captive."

" I wanted to talk to him." she mumbled. 

" And I've learnt my lesson. You don't have any sense of self-preservation.I'm never taking a risk with you again." Abhimanyu said coolly.

His gaze soften at her swollen eyes and sickly complexion.The doctor told him she was a lightweight drinker, but mental distress and panic intensified her hangover. He wanted to see her smile like before. He realised he had no idea about Rivannah's likes and dislikes.

"Stop moping around." Abhimanyu teased, " It's our last day in Goa. Is there any place you want to see?"

                                                                            *

" When I said I want to see a beach," Rivannah said forlornly, " I meant an actual beach with actual people."

Abhimanyu was lying on a sun chair next to her, wearing a striped T-shirt and khaki shorts. He adjusted his dark sunglasses and replied, " It is a public beach. I took it on hire for the day so that you're safe. And there are actual people." he pointed at Man Singh who was sitting about a yard away, engrossed in his phone.

" You're being too dramatic." Rivannah rolled her eyes, " I'm never getting kidnapped again."

" I wouldn't be so sure." he said kindly, " You're some sort of trouble magnet."