Sonakshi came out of the cubicle, much to the shock of the two women present.

'Hello ladies! Having fun?'
Sonakshi gave them the sweetest smile ever.

Their mouths agape, Alizeh and Ariana looked at each other, and then back at her.

'What?'
Sonakshi pretended to look behind her.
'Was there more? Should I go back in?'
Sonakshi pointed with her thumb.

There was not a sound out of either of them.

'OK, then I'll go! Shall I?'
Sonakshi moved towards the door, opened it, and stopped. Turning her head, to see them still looking like statues, she held her head high.
'Happy Bitching, ladies!'
With that she left, and shut the door.

It was as she reached outside, did she lean against the wall, and begin to cry.

              ************

Rohit walked over to where he had left Sonakshi, but she wasn't there.
His heart skipped a beat, wondering if something had happened, but then he assured himself.

She must be in the bathroom..poora din bhaagti rehti hai bechari..bas, Sona..kuch din ki baat hai, phir hamara baby hamare paas hoga..
Aaj shukar mood to theek tha uss ka..

Rohit looked around for her, and still not seeing her, decided to go to the bathroom and check.
As he reached there, he almost ran into Alizeh and Ariana, who were coming his way, busy discussing something, and didn't see him.

'Whoa! Hold it! Where's the fire?'

Both women stopped, looking a bit pale.

'Kya hua, sab theek to hai na?'

'Y..yeah..we..we are fine! Tum..um..tum kyun pooch rahe ho?'
Alizeh kept looking here and there.

'Aise hi! Yar, tum logon ne Sona ko dekha hai? Kahin bathroom mein to nahin thi?'

If it was possible, their faces lost all the colour it had.

'Kya hua hai? Sona thi wahan? Is she alright? Tum log aise hi statue banay kharay raho..I'll go and check myself.'
Rohit moved forwards, but Alizeh stopped him.

'Rohit! Woh..Sonakshi..'
Ariana glared at her, but Alizeh ignored her.

'Sonakshi, han! Dekha hai usse?'

'Woh..actually, han!'

'To bolo na, itni der se pooch raha hun! Tum logon ka dimaagh kidhar ghayab hai?'

'R..Rohit! Woh Sonakshi ghar chali gayi!'

Rohit stared at her.
'What? Mujhe bataye bina? No! She wouldn't do that!'
He again began walking, but Alizeh followed him, while Ariana looked a bit upset now.

'Rohit! Woh humain mili thi. Ussi ne bola hum tumhe bata den. Ke she wasn't feeling..'

'Kya? Uss ki tabyat kharab thi? I got to go..'
Rohit turned back to leave.

'Uhm..uh..nahin tabyat nahin kharab thi. She just said she was tired, and wanted to go home. And that we should tell you.'
Alizeh glared at Ariana, who had been about to say something, but shut up.

'Okay! Thanks for telling me! Tum dono sab ko bol dena ke mujhe jaana parra hai..'

'Magar tum..tum kyun ja rahe ho?'
Rohit raised an eyebrow at her.
'Matlab stay and enjoy the party yar, woh ab rest karegi na.'

'But, woh..'

'Uss ne aisa bola hai humain kehne ko! Ke Rohit se kehna tension na le. I'll call him when I reach home safely. Ariana ne khud dekha usse jaate hue..'
She fluttered her eyelashes, as if delivering major information.

'OK, thanks! I'll just call her..'
Rohit moved a bit away from the noise, to make his call.

The women looked at each other.

'Woh usse bata degi! Chup nahin bethegi woh!'
Ariana whispered to Alizeh.

'So, we will just have to keep him busy, and not let him talk to her..'
Alizeh kept an eye on Rohit, who looked upset that the call wasn't going through.

'Paagal ho kya? Wapas apne ghar to jayega..'

'Maybe we can do something about that..'
Alizeh moved to the bar, and ordered the strongest alcohol they had.

'Are you mad? Rohit will never forgive you!'
Ariana warned her.

'He will! Because I'm the one he's meant to be with! Not her!'

'Alizeh! You have gone mad! He's married, and about to become a father!'

'So?'
She took the drink from the bartender.
'All's fair, in love and war!'
There was a determination in her eyes, as she moved towards Rohit.

Rohit hadn't been able to get through to Sonakshi.
Her phone was not connecting.

Damn! Yeh aise bina bataye kyun chali gayi? Mujhe bolti, I would have taken her back. Bola tha, party mein nahin jaate. But no, zidd thi uss ki..

He was about to dial his Mom's number, when Alizeh came up to him.
'Hogayi baat?'
She asked, sounding concerned.

Rohit was frowning.
'Nahin, yar! Uss ka phone hi nahin mil raha hai!'
He again began dialling.

Alizeh placed a hand on his arm, to stop him.
'Relax, Rohit! Woh theek hogi! Yahan se niklay der hogayi hai, to ab tak to sogayi hogi..'

Rohit looked at the time. It was past midnight.
'Maybe! I'll just call Mom..'
He dialled Veena's number, but the phone rang and rang.
'Damn! Shayad Mom bhi sogayin!'
Rohit ran a hand through his hair.

'Aray, relax! Here, have a drink! You will feel better!'
Alizeh offered him the glass.

'No, thanks! I'll pass! Sab se mil leta hun, then I'll say goodbye..'
Rohit moved towards the dance floor, but Alizeh followed him.

'Rohit! Yar, tum to mat jao na, please! Thori der ruk jao.'

Rohit had reached his friends by now.

'Hey, Rohit! Tu kahan ja raha hai? Yar thori der to ruk! Here, drink pee le..' his friends were already a bit tipsy.

'Nahin mujhe..'
Alizeh handed him the glass, and everyone urged him on.
'Fine! Fine! Thori der ruk jaata hun bas, or ek hi drink..okay?'
He finally drank it.

They all nodded and agreed, busying him on the dance floor.

Alizeh turned him around.
'One dance! Come on!'

After a while, Rohit forgot that he was supposed to leave as he was given more and more to drink.
Before he knew it, he was stoned.

             **************

Sonakshi sat in bed, leaning against the pillows, all scrubbed and in her pajamas.

Mujhe jaana hi nahin chahiye tha. Magar zidd bhi to maine hi ki thi. I had bad vibes about that woman, and I was right! She is after Rohit!

Sonakshi rubbed a hand over her eyes, which were already swollen from crying. She felt so demeaned.

Why am I crying? They were both so mean, nasty in fact! Kya jaante kya hain mere baare mein? Mere or Rohit ke relationship ke baare mein? Kuch bhi to nahin! Meri pregnancy ka mazaq, mera mazaq! How can Rohit not see what she is like? Poori raat ussi se chipki hui thi. I knew it then, that she was more than interested than him, but Rohit! Woh to uss ki har baat hi maan raha tha..
Mein agayi wahan se, but he's still there, partying with his friends.
He probably hasn't even missed me!

Sonakshi checked her phone, but there were no messages or missed calls. She closed her eyes, trying to sleep, but it eluded her.

Mera Rohit to aisa nahin sochta..he would never have been embarrassed to be seen with me...wouldn't he?
What am I even thinking? Rohit would never betray me, or go behind my back to have an affair either! Kya kya mere dimaagh mein bharne ki koshish kar rahe thay dono? Maybe I shouldn't have left him there with them..pata nahin kya bolenge uss ko..
Jo bhi ho, I have to tell Rohit about them, about Alizeh being interested in him.
Yes! Abhi aayega na wapas, to baat karungi...

              ************

Something woke her up, a buzzing noise, close to her ear.

'What the..Rohitt..kya kar rahe ho?'
Sonakshi put out a hand, but met with an empty bed.
She opened her eyes. It was morning, and she must have finally slept.

Did I sleep that late?

Her mind registered the buzzing sound again, and she realised it was her phone vibrating.
Quickly picking it up, thinking it to be Rohit, she connected the call.

'Yeh kya tareeqa hai, Rohit?'
There was a silence followed by breathing.
Sonakshi lifted the phone from her ear, and saw that it was an unknown number.
She put it back to her ear.
'Who is this?'

'Mrs. Rohit Sippy?'
A raspy voice came down the line.

'Yes! Kon?'
Sonakshi sat up now.

'In case you were wondering where your husband is..well, he is with another woman right now, in fact been with her all night..'

'Kya bakwaas hai yeh? Who is this?'
Sonakshi barked out.

'I'm your well wisher..'
The voice rasped.

'Yeah, right! Now stop this nonsense, and don't call back here again!'
Sonakshi began to remove the phone from her ear.

'Na-ah! Don't put the phone down..you will never know the truth otherwise. Go..and save your husband!'

'How do I know what you are saying is true? This could be someone trying to ruin his reputation..after all he's very popular..'
Sonakshi tried keeping her wits about her.

'If you don't wish to believe me, it's your loss. But in case you do, this is the address..'
And the voice rattled out a location.

'Wait..what..'
But she was left listening to the dial tone.

Sonakshi sat there for a minute, unable to process it all.

What am I even thinking? Woh bhi Rohit ke baare mein? No! No! This can't be true..I am sure..
But what if whoever that was, was telling the truth?

That little piece of doubt, and her determination to get to the bottom of this, made her hurry to the bathroom to change.
Arihaan had already slept with Veena last night, so she didn't have to look for him.
Putting on a loose dress, tying her hair back in a ponytail, she picked up her phone and bag, and hurried down the stairs, as fast as she could in her condition.
No one was up and around yet, and Sonakshi quickly called for the driver, and told him to hurry to the location she had been told about.

   
                ***********

Rohit groaned, clutching his head.
It felt like thousands of hammers were pounding on in his head.

He reached out for Sonakshi, but met with an empty bed. He opened his eyes with difficulty, and looked about.

This is not my room. Or my bed.
Where the hell am I? And how did I get here?

His mind was all muddled up, unable to remember what had happened. He tried sitting up, but he felt so dizzy, that he had to lie back down.

What is going on with me? I remember the party, but maine to itni nahin pee thi..or Sona..Sona kahan hai?

'Rohit! Tum uth gaye?'

Sona! She's here!

'Sona!'
He tried getting up again, but couldn't.
He tried to focus on Sonakshi, but all he could see was a blurred image.

He felt all woozy, as he finally sat up, and tried getting out of the bed.
'My head! God!'
He clutched at it again.

'Rohit! Tum rest karo, abhi betho mat..'

'Yeh hum kahan hain, Sona? Or tum? Itni door kyun khari ho?'
He lifted out a hand, but met with air.

He saw her come closer, and kneel in front of him.
'Relax, Rohit! Araam kar lo..you just drank a bit too much last night..I'll just get you lemon water..'

Rohit reached out for her hand.
'Sona! Mujhe chorr ke mat jao..God, my head!'
He tried focusing on her face, but it was still a blur.

'Mein abhi aati hun, Rohit..tum..'
Rohit tugged on her hand, and despite his inebriated state, he was strong, and she was pulled forward, so that they both landed on the bed, Rohit on his back, and her on top of him.

Rohit closed his eyes, because he couldn't focus. He ran his hands all over her back, stroking.
'Tum..tum mujhe chorr ke mat jao, please! Itne din baad hum yun, iss tarha..I missed you, so damn much!'

She sat up, and he did so too, still holding her.
'Please, mat jao..I love you, I love you, so, so much! Mujhe chorr ke mat jao..'
Rohit put his lips to her neck, hugging her close. His lips moved to her chin, and he kissed it, inching up to her lips. He held her face in his hands, and bent his head.

He opened his eyes again, when she didn't say anything, only the sound of her breath loud in the silence.

'I love you too, Rohit! Always have! We were always meant to be..'

As his vision cleared, so did his clouded brain, and he realised that it wasn't Sonakshi he was kissing.

Oh my God! This can't be real!

'What is this?'
He pushed Alizeh away in shock and quickly, and she stumbled back. But it was too late.

Another sound like a loud gasp alerted him, and he snapped his head around, and froze.

Because, Sonakshi stood there in the doorway, an unreadable expression on her face.

To be continued..