Night Jasmine

Untitled Part 125

"He looked like he could have killed you!" Sanyukta remarked as she carefully held a polythene bag filled with ice cubes to the bruises on Jay's face. Luckily the fight had been broken up quickly by their college mates, even before the bouncers could intervene. The fiasco at the unofficial college social, like many bar fights, had begun over a girl. After finishing college YoYo had made a career as an event organiser. He roped in Sanyukta to keep any eye on the bar to make sure there was no pilferage and nobody got overtly drunk. She had the situation under control even if the place was packed with seniors and freshers. Everyone was having a good time before the brawl started.

"What were you thinking, making out with his girl in the back? As if you don't have enough women to choose from!" Sanyukta scolded. Jay was a popular guy and considering he was unattached many girls were trying to get his attention. 

"I was drunk and I did something stupid. Stop rubbing it in, ok?" Jay snapped. Sanyukta had not expected him to react this way. She decided it was best to leave him alone and turned around to go back into the club.

"Sanyukta, stop! I am sorry I overreacted! Please don't go away, I have to tell you something." Jay's words made her stop. 

"What is it, Jay?" She spun around to face him, her face expressionless.

"I know what you are thinking. But that's not it, you have to know what really happened. I don't want  you to misunderstand." Jay looked at her earnestly.

"What are you getting at? Aftab walked in on you while you were kissing Gia!" She said, wondering what he had to say in his defense. 

"I don't care how others see it, but it matters to me how you think of me. I wasn't after Gia, it was the other way round. She's been dropping hints for weeks now, trying to get close. Aftab thinks they are rock solid, but he doesn't know what she's been doing. I avoided her all evening but she found her opportunity after I had downed a couple of drinks. She asked me to meet her in the back to discuss some issues she was facing with Aftab. When I got there before I knew what was happening she was all over me." Jay was uncomfortable speaking about it.

"Jay, you were getting intimate with her. People saw you!" Sanyukta could see that he was trying to defend himself.

"She went by the book. She had tears in her eyes and told me I didn't understand what she was going through, she wants to stop seeing Aftab but he is simply too possessive. As I tried to comfort her she threw her arms around me and put her lips on mine. I wanted to get away but she pinned me against the wall and kept on kissing me. I was drunk, my defenses caved in and I kissed her back in the heat of the moment. That's when Aftab walked in. He flew into a rage and trashed me. Gia ran inside to get help and you know the rest of the story." Jay looked tired.

"Why didn't you tell him what really happened? He kept hitting you and you didn't say a word!" Sanyukta had no reason to doubt Jay. They had become good friends over the weeks working together on their research project. She would have figured if he had been lying.

"How could I tell him his girlfriend went all out to cheat on him? You know how vulnerable he is because of his past. It was kinder to make him think that I seduced her, at least he can live with that! Especially if the others think the same too his pride will be salvaged." Jay winced as he held the ice to his face.

"Let me do it! I don't know whether to yell at you for making out with someone else's girl or to feel proud of you for being considerate to Aftab. You're such a contradiction, Jay! Just stay off another guy's turf henceforth. And to think of how you almost proposed to me not so long ago!" She laughed as she remembered.

"Not almost, I did propose to you full-fledged and you declined saying you are committed. What could I do Sanyukta, she threw herself at me. She's very attractive, and she told me she wanted to be with me before she seduced me." He explained.