Rushing to have everything organized on time as well as not be late herself, Jisha dressed up for the party with her phone against her ear, checking last minute details.
"Yes, he'll be there on time. He just confirmed. Please make sure the lights are out when he walks in... yeah... Thanks." She hung up.
Having finished her look, she turned her eyes from the mirror to her bedside clock and felt panic wash through her.
"Jiya? Are you ready?" She called.
Yes! Was the muffled and exasperated reply from the living room.
Relieved, Jisha picked up her present and walked out to the living room.
"Where's Samarth?"
"He isn't back yet."
"I told him to be home early." Jisha nagged as she dialed on her phone.
"There's no need for that. I'm here."
"Bro, you're not even ready. I told you we've got a party to attend....
Bro, are you drunk? You smell...?"
"Party? What are we celebrating? You sleeping with my boss? Or your boyfriend offering me a job in exchange? You know I really thought I'd earned my way to that job... Maybe the said recommendation was from a company I was previously interviewed at. But I didn't know you slept your way to get the so called recommendation, they wouldn't reveal who it was from. I see why! Is that even something to celebrate? How dare you even?"
"Bro, what are you talking about? I didn't get any favors off him. We weren't even seeing each other until after you got that job. I know it sounds really weird and coincidental but you have to understand, I love him."
"Don't even use the word love. You lust him and his money. For that's what you'd worked for all those years under Lain's custody. I didn't realize before this, how much of a whore he's turned you into."
"Don't say that." Jisha whispered as she fought the threatening tears. "We love each other. We plan to have a future together. This is different."
"We? He has a playboy reputation. And even if he didn't, did you really think he'd introduce a whore to his families and friends as his wife, fiancé or even girlfriend?" Samarth snarled.
The one thing that she'd been trying to ignore all this while was how mismatched their social status and reputation was. He was a big shot millionaire or was that billionaire, regardless, she was nothing more than the whore Lain had molded her into. She stood silent, glaring, battling with herself, trying to convince herself with Roy's own words.
"Jisha... I'm warning you... If you dare see him again, I will, and I mean don't you dare show me your face again... I'll consider my sister dead." With these words Samarth staggered towards his room in his drunken state.
Jiya a silent spectator of all this, finally overcame the shock enough to mutter,
"Jisha, I don't fully agree with him here, but one thing I'll say is that it shouldn't have been his boss, and even if it was, you should've told us earlier." Jiya helped Samarth to his room.
For a moment, Jisha just stood there and watched their retreating figures before a surge of energy flowed through her and she raced up the stairs and into her bedroom, slamming the door shut on her way in. She leaned against it as she fought the overwhelming emotions.
She felt her phone vibrate and recognized the caller ID as Roy's. It was almost 7. She cut the call and threw the phone against the wall, seeing and hearing the crack of the screen. She was standing him up on a date but she didn't dare go like this. She leaned her head back against the door, in an attempt to feel less empty. The phone vibrated and rang again. Feeling a sudden rage and hatred fill within her, she stood up and wrecked everything within her reach, she pushed all the books, CDs and stereo set off her shelf, all her make up and accessories off her make up table, she pulled the curtains down from the rods holding them above her window, she pulled the bedsheets and blankets off the bed and ripped apart pillows in same the fit of rage. Having left nothing more to destroy as well as feeling all the energy leave her body, she curled up into a ball, hugging a pillow between her chest and knees. The phone kept vibrating while She cried her heart out until she fell asleep.
*******
Hours later, Jisha woke up to the sound of heavy rain pattering against the glass of the window. Her phone vibrated again in the corner. She wiped the hair out of her face and walked to the window and opened it. She closed her eyes and let the wind and rain wash over her, feeling it calm her. She opened her eyes to meet a familiar pair of dark brown eyes, just outside her house. She stared into pleading eyes with battles raging within her. She turned and headed into the washroom.
She faced the mirror. "Now I'm going to show them all what a whore I can actually be."
*********
Ten minutes later, Jisha emerged from her bathroom, dressed like a complete $lut. Skimpy tops and barely covering skirts with netted black stockings. She took a quick swig from the bottle of whiskey under her bed and headed for the main door.
"Jisha. Where are you going? It's 2 am"
Jisha turned to face Jiya.
"You needn't worry about me anymore. I'm a whore. I don't belong anywhere in particular."
"Jisha.. Whatever your brother said to you, was all said in a drunken state. He'll regret most of it in the morning. Let it go."
"No. He's right. I'm a whore. Why would anyone want to spend their lives with me. I'm a whore. That's what I'm always going to be." She headed out the door as she wiped away the straying tear from her eyes. Every time she repeated the phrase, "I'm a whore," she seemed to believe it even more.
"Jisha. Come back. Don't do this to yourself." All in vain, Jiya called.
Outside, Roy rushed up to her the moment she'd appeared outside.
"Jisha.. Is everything alright. I heard your sister shouting. Are you okay." He hugged her. "What are you even wearing?"
"We're over, Roy." She remained rigid.
"What? Jisha? What's going on?"
"Roy. We're over. We're done. Leave me alone."
Jisha's friends, whom she'd asked to pick her up, had just arrived and she walked right past a stunned Roy, and joined her friends who were hooting after her.
Realization taking its place, Roy recovered from his stunned stance, still adamant on not letting this go without a clear explanation, tailed behind Jisha's ride, in his car.
They arrived at a cheap local bar. The smell itself was repulsive, the look was far fetched. Nonetheless, he followed her in, all but to ensure Jisha's safety. She gulped down several shots of neat whiskey, lost in a world of her own thoughts. Probably even oblivious to the countless lustful eyes, undressing her with their bare eyes. Jealousy and anger welled within him, but he knew better than to lash out at this point. Instead, he just watched her.
A good ten minutes later, Jisha stepped onto the dance floor and lost herself to the beat of the music. This is what you came for ~ played over the speakers of the bar. It was an actual activity to watch her dance. All because she'd take your breath away and you wouldn't even realize it till its gone.
So mesmerized, he'd barely noticed the two men, seemingly identical twins, approached Jisha and danced around her. Sandwiching her in the middle. Jisha, all too friendly and with a mindset of her own, played right along, grinding at the right places (wrong places), swaying when needed. Their threesome dance soon turned into a full fledged make out. Both the twins had their hands all over her and she wasn't even objecting.
Anger, jealousy, rage~ fueled Roy's outburst. He crushed his whiskey glass between his fingers before he got up and strode over to the dancing three. He pulled Jisha around, instantaneously lifting her to straddle him, just as they'd ripped the buttons off of her top. It was an act that protected her from exposure.
"Hey.. Bruh.. We had her first!" The more aggressive looking twin fought.
"Keep your hands off of her. She's my fiancé. Back off."
"It's okay bro. We're sorry, we didn't know brother." The shy twin said. "She's all yours." He muttered before they turned away towards the bar.
"Let me go. We're over don't you get it? I'm no longer your mistress. I'm just a street whore again. None of your business, do you hear me? Now let go of me. Put me down!" She thrashed her limbs against his hold.
Once in the parking lot, she slipped out of Roy's arms, just in time as nausea overwhelmed all other feelings and she emptied the contents of her stomach into the garden bed on the side. Roy rushed to her side and held her hair out of her face, at the same time, keeping an arm over her chest, holding the ripped sides of the top together. The onlookers continued walking. One of whom, offered a bottle of mineral water from his car before joining the rest of his group. Roy thanked him as he handed it to Jisha. Once Jisha was done, Roy took off his shirt to help her clean up.
Roy held Jisha close to his chest and she clung to him for support.
"Meow, did you not eat anything before drinking?" He checked her forehead for her temperature. She shook her head softly in his chest, before passing out.
"Meow? Meow? Meow..."
He carried her in his arms, to the car, where he lay her on the back seat while he drove home.
**********
Hours later, Jisha opened her eyes to find herself in Roy's bedroom. In his bed. But he wasn't in sight.The memories of the events of the night before fled through her mind. She pulled her legs to her chest and buried her head in the gap as she let her tears flow freely. Today, she was not only hurt by everyone else but she had let down the one person who made her feel that life was worth living. She felt alone but it was she who had pushed everyone away. She cursed herself for all that she had done as sobs wracked through her body. She felt strong arms pull her into the warmth of a chest. She looked up to meet Roy's gaze and saw the pain that filled his eyes. She looked down, ashamed of herself.
"I'm sorry. I'm really sorry, Roy," she croaked between sobs before she buried her face in his chest.
"Shhh... Its alright, Meow."
"No, Roy. It's not. How can you say it is. I hurt you today. I crossed a line I shouldn't have. You should be mad at me. Why aren't you mad at me? Hit me. Punish me. I deserve it. Its all I deserve. Roy, why aren't you mad at me?" She shook him by his arms before breaking down again.
"Meow, stop. I'm not going to hurt you." He wiped the tears from her face. "I'm not mad at you... but I'm waiting to hear your explanation."
"I don't have an explanation, Roy. Don't you get it? I'm a whore. It's what I do. I hurt people. I don't stick around for more than a night's stand. I'm a shame to the society. I'm not worth being introduced to people as a girlfriend, wife or anything. I was wrong to even hope otherwise. I was brought back to reality today. I'm nothing more than the whore Lain molded me into."
"Enough Meow! This is not you talking. Who put these words in your mouth? This is not my Meow talking. My Meow is mine. She has risen above what Lain had molded her into. She has fought her way through and is a survivor of her horrific past. She loves me and she knows how much I love her to tolerate anyone telling her otherwise. So tell me, who told you otherwise?"
"Roy, its... its the truth. I don't deserve you. I'm an embarrassment to you. How would you have introduced me to your friends and family if had shown up for the party?"
"Meow..." He sighed before he slipped out a small box from his pocket and opened it to reveal a ring. "If it helps, I was going to propose to you tonight. I knew about the party and I thought it was the best time to make it official but then I got worried when you didn't turn up. So, I came looking for you at your place and your sister told me that it wasn't a good time so I waited outside. You know the rest."
"Roy, I'm really sorry for ruining everything." She tightened her arms around him and buried her face in his chest again.
"Meow, look at me. Its still not too late." He moved her to face him. "I love you Meow, will you marry me?"
"Roy, do you mean that?" She asked through her tears and he nodded before wiping them away. "Yes, Roy, I love you." A bright smile lit her face as she hugged him possessively.
"I love you too, Meow," Roy whispered as he slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her forehead.
"I need a shower." Jisha smiled as Roy helped her up and they headed into the bathroom.
They made love afterwards, but it wasn't the same as usual, it never was the same. Each touch was filled with need, security, affection and love.
***********
The next morning, Jisha woke up to see Roy getting dressed for work.
"Morning, Beautiful," He kissed her forehead as he buttoned his shirt.
"Good morning." She stood and brought his tie from the dresser and put it around his neck.
"I'm heading for a meeting now, should I drop you home on my way?"
"Roy," she froze.
"What? Don't you wanna grab a change from home?"
"I don't want to go back. I'll wear something from our New York shopping. I left a few clothes here, not exactly for times like this but yeah... I'll head down to a realtor during the day and see if I can find a place to rent for now."
"Meow." He pulled her into a hug. "You're not renting a place. You're moving in with me."
"Roy its...." before she could interject, Roy shushed her with a finger at her lips.
"We're getting married, right? You'll be moving in then anyway. Speaking of which, I told my parents about it and they want to meet you. I've left a dress for you in the closet, wear that and I'll pick you up at six."
"Oh-kay, if you say so." Jisha bit her lip.
"Its all going to go great." He pulled on her chin to release her lip and nipped it lightly with his own.
"You have a meeting."
"Right," he turned to leave after he chastely kissed her forehead. "Bye."
"Bye."